1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

Together, as faithful stewards, we are called to: Worship God joyfully;
Build a caring, faithful community in Christ; and Go forth in love to share the Gospel.
Trinity eNews for the week of:
October 19, 2014
The Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Proper 24, Year A
Like the “Trinity” page on Facebook at this link!
Like the “Ben’s Lighthouse” page on Facebook at this link!
Calendar for this week:
10/16 Thursday
4:45 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
10/18 Saturday
9:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
10/19 Sunday
8:45 a.m.
2:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
5:30 p.m.
10/20 Monday
4:00 p.m.
5:00 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
10/21 Tuesday
10:00 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
12:30 p.m.
4:15 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
10/22 Wednesday
7:15 p.m.
10/23 Thursday
4:00 p.m.
Trinity Choristers (Music Room)
Choir of Men & Women (Church/Music Room)
Ben’s Lighthouse Board (Johnson Room)
A Gathering of Men With Prayer (Maplewood @
Newtown)
Centering Prayer Quiet Day (Johnson Room)
Diocese Convention Choir (Offsite)
STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY
Morning Prayer (Church)
Crop Walk For Hunger (Offsite)
Holy Eucharist; Celebration our Life Together in Christ
(Church)
Parish Pot-Luck (Glover Undercroft)
CHILDREN’S SABBATH
Dorothy Day Meal Prep (Glover Undercroft Kitchen)
Dorothy Day Sandwich Prep (Glover Undercroft Kitchen)
BLH Event Rehearsal
Gospel Based Discipleship (John Beach Room)
Morning Prayer (Church)
Staff Meeting (Johnson Room)
Dorothy Day Serving (Offsite)
Trinity Choristers Novices (Music Room)
Trinity Choristers (Music room)
Centering Prayer (Church)
Youth Commission (John Beach Room)
Taizé Worship Service (Church)
Primary Choir (Music Room)
4:15 p.m.
4:45 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
10/24 Friday
6:00 p.m.
10/25 Saturday
8:00 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
10/26 Sunday
8:45 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
11:15 a.m.
Stephen Ministry Continuing Education (Johnson Room)
Trinity Choristers (Music Room)
Music @ Trinity (John Beach Room)
Don’t forget to
Membership Commission (John Beach Room)
FALL BACK
Choir of Men & Women (Church)
DIOCESE CONVENTION
Daylight savings
All Youth Halloween Party (Glover Undercroft)
time ends 11/2
DIOCESE CONVENTION
Turn your clocks
Fall Clean-up Day (All Trinity Grounds)
Trinity Choristers Event (Offsite)
BACK on 11/1
Worship (Church)
Newcomers’ Brunch (Johnson Room)
Church School (Classrooms)
Worship (Church)
Stewardship Sunday: Stand Up! It Matters!
4pm Service Only
Pot-luck Following Service
Please join us!
Sunday October 19th will be Stewardship/Pledge Sunday at Trinity. In
order to support the busy schedules of Trinity Members, we will postpone
worship until the afternoon. There will be no services in the morning so
that stewardship appointments can be made during that time and we can
engage in holy conversation together in Christ. It is our hope that the
majority of pledge calls can be made on or by October 19th. We will then
gather to celebrate the gifts and sacrifices we have made at a 4:00 p.m.
Holy Eucharist and service of celebration. The service of celebration
will be followed by a parish pot-luck. Please do all you can to make your appointment
when your visitor calls so that we can know what our income for ministry will be in
2015. We are ever grateful for the sacrifices you each make so that we can together
embrace God’s call in this place. Thank you for standing up for Christ’s ministry at
Trinity. It truly matters!
Please bring the following for the pot-luck:
A-G: Salad or Side dish
H-R: Main Meal
S-Z: Dessert
All TRINITY YOUTH -- Rite 13, J2A, & YAC YPF
HALLOWEEN PARTY
Friday, October 24th, 6:00 - 9:00 pm
Trinity Undercroft
We will carve pumpkins and donate them
to the Main Street Great Pumpkin Challenge!
Pizza and Pumpkins will be provided
Prizes for Exceptional Pumpkin Carving Designs
Costumes optional - Friends are invited
Parent sign-in and out from the Undercroft
PLEASE BRING:
$5 donation for the Great Pumpkin Challenge*
A snack or dessert to share
* * Please RSVP by 10/22 to Anna Moses, [email protected] * *
*All proceeds will go to The Hole in Wall Gang Camp dedicated to
providing “a different kind of healing” to seriously ill children
and their families throughout the Northeast, free of charge.
Save the Date: Sat., Oct. 25th - Fall Clean-up!
Our Fall Clean-up at Trinity will take place this
Saturday, October 25th, from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm.
We will have numerous projects to work on, so the
more hands, the merrier. Grab your gloves, rakes,
shovels, leaf blowers, but mostly yourselves and
help us make our properties look their best.
Halloween Candy for Main Street
Please bring a bag of candy to church through Sunday, Oct. 26th to
help support Main Street residents on Halloween. All of the
donations will the sorted and given to the residents on Main Street.
REVERSE
TRICK-OR-TREATING
October 27th
FUN FOR ALL AGES!
All are invited to wear their Halloween
costumes as we do some Reverse Trick-orTreating! Please join us to bag and deliver
the candy to the Main Street houses on
Monday, October 27th, from 5-7 p.m. Please
contact Noelle D’Agostino at 203-581-0497,
or via email at [email protected], to let
us know you can help!
Halloween Parking Fundraiser
Choirs of Trinity will be sponsoring a Halloween fundraiser again this year on
October 31 s t . Please plan on parking in the Trinity lot and supporting our
marvelous CHOIRS with a small donation as you trick -or-treat!
PARISH NEWS
Celebrating All Saints’ Day
The feast of All Saints’ is Saturday, November 1st. We will celebrate all
those who have been saints in our lives with a service of Holy Eucharist
which will also include the reading of the names you have submitted. Please
submit your name(s) for prayers on the insert provided in the service
bulletin and place it in the offering basket. The Nov. 1st service is at
11:15 am.
Greeters Needed!! We are in need of Greeters to serve at both
services. This important Ministry greets & welcomes newcomers &
visitors in particular & makes sure we have their name & contact
information to follow up with them. We offer each new person a gift bag
with information about Trinity. They are shown where to find the coffee
hour, church school and Adults Exploring their Faith. We make each
person feel welcomed and at home in our parish. Please contact Nancy
Cole, [email protected] or Sally Deloughy, [email protected] for more information on becoming a greeter.
CHURCH SCHOOL
There are no Church School Classes THIS SUNDAY , October 19th,
due to the Stewardship activities.
See you at the 4 pm service (with Children’s Liturgy) and at the Potluck Dinner afterwards!
CALLING ALL SAINTS!
All Saints Procession Nov. 2nd
All 3rd through 7th graders are invited to participate in the All Saints’
Sunday Processions at the beginning of the 8:45 and 11:15 a.m.
services. Costumes of historical saints will be provided and the
children will process into the sanctuary with banners, go down to lead a special children’s liturgy
for the younger children and then return to parents at The Peace. Please fill out the Participation
Form and turn into the Church School Office or contact Sue Vogelman with your child’s name,
grade, and which service he/she will attend that Sunday. Many
saints are needed (10 for each service) so please contact us
today so your child can join us for this colorful Trinity tradition.
Participation Forms and more information are also available on
the Church School handout table.
U
H
H
UH
Church School Housekeeping:
 Parents, if you didn’t do so yet, please fill out a 2014-2015 Church School Registration form
available at that link or outside the Church School Office. Leave completed forms in the
designated folder on the Church School handout table.
Thank you! It’s going to be a great year!
Pageant Prep Begins!
Attention all 4th and 5th Graders: Pageant parts will be chosen in class on November 9th!
Important Christmas Pageant Information was sent home to the 4th and 5th Graders (our cast) via
email this month or you can click on that link.
It’s time to start preparing for the Pageant which is on December 21st at 4 p.m. (with mandatory
Dress Rehearsal on the 20th at 3:15 pm)
It will be a wonderful retelling of one of the greatest stories ever told so stay tuned!
There is a place for everyone in the Church School Ministries!
Just speak with Sue Vogelman for more information on any of the following positions.
Training and support is always freely given!
lead children’s liturgy (once every 6 weeks or so)
assist in children’s liturgy (once every 6 weeks or so)
nursery assistant (once every 6 weeks or so)
special events assistant (as needed)
join Youth Commission (monthly meetings)
Church School Office Maintenance (help put away supplies and keep office organized)
SAFE CHURCH
Background Checks:
If you need to fill out a Trinity Background Check Form to participate in a
ministry at Trinity (such as Confirmation Mentor, Stephen Minister, Church
School Teacher, Youth Chaperone, etc.), please click here, print the form,
fill out COMPLETELY, and turn into the Parish Office. Background checks
should be done every 3 to 4 years.
Training Workshops:
All who work with and/or chaperone children, youth, elderly, or are on
vestry at Trinity must attend one Basic Safe Church Training within 3 months of beginning your
ministry, and then be re-certified every 3 to 5 years. See training descriptions and dates to
register below.
BASIC SAFE CHURCH TRAINING is designed for ordained and lay ministers who have not yet
attended a safe church training in the Diocese of Connecticut. Topics include:
LAY RECERTIFICATION TRAINING is designed for lay ministers who attended a full day of
basic safe church training three to five years ago. This training is two and a half-hours long and
offers new and updated information. The focus is on the protection of children and youth and
prevention of elder abuse.
Click here for the Safe Church Fall Training Schedule/Registration
After you attend a Safe Church Class, please make a copy of your certificate to keep for
your records, and then put the original copy in the wall file outside the Church School
Office so we can put the certificate in our file and record the dates in our database.
YOUTH
YOUTH SUNDAYS – 2nndd Sunday Each Month
Please check the Trinity Scheduler to see when you are serving!
There is no Youth Sunday in September. The next Youth Sunday is October 12th!
More youth needed to join us on Youth Sundays.
Trainings will be given in your Church School Class and by Pastor Kathie on October 12th.
Youth Sunday roles include: usher, acolyte, choir, lector, Eucharistic Minister.
Please let us know if you would like to serve!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: UPCOMING TRINITY YOUTH YPF EVENTS
All Youth Halloween Party and Pumpkin Carving: October 24th (details above)
All Youth Fall Bonfire: November 7th
All Youth and Families Christmas Gathering & Chili Dinner: Saturday, December 13th
MUSIC
AUTUMN FESTIVAL CONCERT
Sunday, November 2nd at 4:00 p.m
On Sunday, November 2nd at 4:00 p.m. we will present an AUTUMN FESTIVAL
CONCERT featuring flautist Mary Larson and friends. Professional singers from
the Choir of Men & Women will sing works of Bernstein, Handel, and the marvelous
setting of Robert Frost’s poem ―The Road less Travelled‖ by Randall Thompson.
Two amazing young Newtown pianists, Madeleine Albee and Zachary Macey will
perform works of Chopin, Schumann, Bartok, and Joplin. The music for flute
includes Bartok, Faure, Schumann, and the beautiful fall sounds of Aaron
Copland’s Duo for Flute and Piano. We hope you will join us to celebrate the
sounds of Autumn here at Trinity.
The Choir Program @ Trinity
We invite you all to consider joining the marvelous choir program here at
Trinity. Here are some important reminders: Trinity Choristers (grade 3 and
up) rehearses on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, Primary Choir (grade K2) rehearses on Thursday afternoons, the Taizé Choir meets prior to each
Taizé service throughout the year, and the Choir of Men & Women (adults and
teens) rehearses on Thursday evenings. All are welcome for a time of
wonderful music, enjoyable rehearsals, valuable learning experiences, and a
great way to thank God for the gifts God has given you. Come and join us –
please contact Fiona Smith Sutherland for more information.
Instrumentalists and Singers
Needed for Taize Worship
Our next service for the Fall in the style of Taizé is on Wednesday, October 22nd and we are
always looking for singers and instrumentalists to add to our group. All the music is very
straightforward and simple, perfect to aid in the prayer and repetition that is Taizé. We
rehearse at 7:00pm prior to the 7:15 pm service, so there’s not a great time commitment
from you. Please contact Fiona Smith Sutherland if you are interested. All are welcome!
STEPHEN MINISTRIES
The Stephen Ministry Mission: Stephen ministry at Trinity recruits, trains,
and supports lay volunteers to be present for, pray for and bring Christ’s love
to people going through significant transitions and/or recovering from
challenges in their lives – for as long as it takes.
Is God calling you to be a Stephen Minister?
Beginning in January 2015, we will be offering Stephen Ministry training. You are invited to consider whether or
not God is calling you to this ministry. Pray about it and if you think this ministry is right for you, pick up an
application and explore some more. They can be found on the Trinity website and in the wall file outside the
church office. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Pastor Kathie or any of the Stephen Leaders:
Ann Sandercox, Paget Haylon, Karen Wojtowicz, Cindy Anderau and Joan King.
Stephen Ministry Mission: Stephen ministry at Trinity recruits, trains, and supports lay volunteers to be present
for, pray for and bring Christ’s love to people going through significant transitions and/or recovering from
challenges in their lives – for as long as it takes.
What Can One Person Do?
The committee of "What One Person Can Do" is
getting fired up about the vision of God's justice
in the world. Stand by for our future message.
SUSTAINABLE PHILANTHROPY COMMITTEE
Do you like the idea of helping people from the comfort of your PJ’s/ slippers in front of your
computer? Want to belong to a committee that doesn’t have meetings? We have an opening on
the Sustainable Philanthropy Committee otherwise known as the kiva team. All that it requires is a
very modest knowledge of the internet (ever do any online shopping?) and a handful of hours per
month to check for borrowers that meet certain lending criteria. Please contact Rich Stein at
203.270.6578 or [email protected]
ADULTS EXPLORING OUR FAITH TOGETHER
Gospel Based Discipleship
Join us at Gospel Based Discipleship on Mondays at 7pm.
***WILL RESUME OCTOBER 13TH***
Gospel Based Discipleship is not a traditional Bible Study but it is instead an
encounter with the Gospel, designed to engage individuals with the Gospel
reading appointed for that day. You need no previous experience with any
kind of Bible Study, only a willingness to share your responses to these
three questions:
1. What words or ideas did you hear?
2. What is Jesus (the Gospel) saying to you?
3. What is Jesus (the Gospel) calling you to do?
In Gospel Based Discipleship we share what moves us, inspires us or challenges us to live the Gospel each
and every day. We are all called to be disciples and engaging with the Gospels is a tool to help us understand
how we live and practice that discipleship every day. It is about listening to how the Spirit speaks to each one
of us. In GBD we are all disciples and all students as we learn together. The key to the success of Gospel
Based Discipleship is that it is Lay lead and can provide a format to grow in our faith.
Online Daily Devotional Series:
Please sign up for d365.org, a free daily online devotional series. D365.org is sponsored by the Episcopal
Church, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Presbyterian Church. Designed as a student ministry
resource, d365.org is good fit for families and adults to use as a Lenten or everyday devotional resource.
Each email includes music, a bible passage, a thought provoking paragraph and a closing prayer.
D365.org provides something inspirational to look forward to in your inbox!
COMPANION PARISH
SISTER PARISH, INC. TO VISIT TRINITY
NOVEMBER 13TH – 16TH
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Trinity Church is honored to host the Sister Parish Board Meeting in November. Would you
be willing to open your home as a place for one or two board members to stay for three
nights? You only need to provide a warm bed and a light breakfast. There are four men
and three women.
Saturday, November 15, from 2:00 – 4:00, all are invited to walk in the Sister Parish
Solidarity Walk followed by an all parish potluck dinner in the undercroft from 5:00 – 8:00.
The board members will also attend both services on Sunday, November 16. This is a
great opportunity to learn about their work and share our wonderful Trinity love and
fellowship.
We also need volunteers to provide transportation to and from the airport.
Please contact Terry Gottleib at [email protected] or call 203-241-6834,
if you can house our special guests and/or provide transportation. Thank you!
MISSION AND OUTREACH
Chapel on the Green
Sunday, November 9th
The Mission and Outreach Commission invites all Trinity families and adults to worship
and serve bag lunches with those who are homeless and in need at Chapel on the Green
in New Haven on Sunday, November 9th. Pastor Kathie will be the celebrant. We will be
leaving from Trinity immediately following the 11:15 am service. We should be back in
Newtown around 4 pm. This is an opportunity for adults and families to both serve others
in need and to worship and share God’s love. Bag lunches will be prepared on Saturday,
November 8th in the Glover Undercroft. Contact Martha Dayton at [email protected]
to volunteer.
Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen- Trinity Tuesdays
Next Meal Prep:
Monday, October 20th
from 4:00p.m. to 7:00p.m.
Next Meal Service:
Tuesday, October 21st
from 12:30p.m. to 5:00p.m.
Trinity has committed to serving at the Dorothy Day Soul Kitchen in Danbury on the third Tuesday
of every month. In order to continue this commitment we always need to volunteers to shop, cook
and serve the meals. Food prep and sandwich making is on Monday evening from 4:00p.m. until
finished. Youth or adults are welcome to join us. Many hands make light work! On Tuesday we
deliver the food, prepare and serve the meal starting at 12:30p.m. and ending by 5:00p.m. Please
consider joining this dedicated AND FUN group of people. For more information, please contact
Mark Benedict at [email protected]
Can you offer one Saturday to hand
out food to families in need?
December – April
Loaves and Fishes
The Mission & Outreach Commission has offered to help serve once a month at
the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry & Clothing Closet based out of St. Paul &
St. James Church in New Haven. Our group will next be serving on Saturday
December 12th from 8:00a.m. to 11:00a.m. If you can offer to carpool that
would be a great gift as parking is limited around the Food Pantry. We will
meet in the parking lot of the church at 7am. This is a great opportunity to join
a growing group of Trinity parishioners to serve families in need for a few hours
on Saturday morning. Loaves & Fishes has been serving about 300 families so your help is truly
needed. Please let Deacon Tom know if are going to join and if you are willing to carpool to Loaves &
Fishes. For more information, please contact Deacon Tom at [email protected]
Newtown CROP Walk Oct 19th
On Sunday, Oct. 19th at 2:00 PM you are invited to join families and individuals from Newtown
who will be walking in the CROP Hunger Walk. The walk will take place in Fairfield Hills and will
begin at the Newtown Youth Academy.
Funds raised by walkers support the efforts of Church World Service to overcome hunger and
poverty within our own local communities and throughout the world. CROP (Communities
Responding to Overcome Poverty) Hunger Walks are an initiative of Church World Service, a
cooperative interfaith ministry working to eradicate hunger and poverty and promote justice and
peace globally. The walk is a community-wide event organized by many of our local Newtown
faith communities.
All are invited to walk to overcome hunger and poverty - one step at a time by participating in the
walk with your friends and neighbors. Click here for more info and/or to register
The Faith Food Pantry
The Faith Food Pantry is currently experiencing higher demand
for food supplies as the number of requests from families is
growing. The pantry is in need of canned vegetables (please
no corn or string beans) and fruit, canned soup, pasta, cereal,
peanut butter, canned tuna/chicken. Please be sure to
check dates on the items before donating. No expired
dates will be accepted! This is a great help to the
volunteers. The F.A.I.T.H. Food Pantry thanks you for your
continued support in reaching out to those in need in our community!
BLH PHOTOGRAPHY FUNDRAISER
Stop by the Newtown Municipal Center at 3 Primrose Street at the Fairfield Hills
Campus to see the photography exhibit and sale by the Flagpole Photographers
running now through October 30th. Photographer Mark Ashbolt is generously
donating all proceeds from the sales of his photographs sold at this exhibit to Ben’s
Lighthouse. Here is a sampling of his beautiful work. So come on down, and check
it out! Thank you Mark!
For more information on the exhibit see the Newtown Bee article at this link
Ben's Lighthouse in the New York City Marathon!
Jessica was born and raised in Newtown, and currently resides in Manhattan. She has been an elementary teacher for
10 years, and now teaches Spanish in Kindergarten, Third, and Fourth Grade at Trinity School in New York. Running a
marathon has always been on her bucket list, and when she had the opportunity to run the New York Marathon on
November 2, 2014 - it was too exciting to pass up. After searching for a meaningful cause to raise money for, her
sister, Kelly Paredes, suggested Ben's Lighthouse. Jessica's connection to Newtown as her hometown and support of
her sister's endeavor as the new Program Manager drew her to this organization. The mission of Ben's Lighthouse to
help build a more compassionate and connected world is very important to her both as a teacher and
community member. She hopes that this wonderful goal will be achieved as the families of Newtown
continue to rebuild their spirit, strengthen their support system, and look forward to positive change.
Please click on the link below to sponsor Jessica's NYC Marathon run for BLH! Thank you Jessica!
https://www.crowdrise.com/runningforbenslithghouse/fundraiser/benslighthouse
Another great opportunity for High School Youth from Ben’s Lighthouse:
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Therapy/Comfort Dog
Walk-a-thon
Saturday, October 18, 2014 from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM
Hosted by Newtown Kindness @ www.newtownkindness.org
Sea Bluff Beach, Charlotte Bacon's Playground Area, Captain Thomas Boulevard/Ocean Avenue,
West Haven, CT | Directions
To register to participate go to our Eventbrite page. Space is limited, so don’t wait!
After you register, help us spread the word and raise funds, please go to our Crowdrise page.
For all the details you need to know about the Walk-a-thon click here!
Come on down to pet your favorite Comfort/Therapy dogs and support Charlotte’s Litter!
SERVING THIS WEEK
Don’t forget to check the online Trinity Scheduler at any time by clicking on this link and signing in.
That way you can see the whole season’s schedule and will not be surprised to see you are serving
when you receive this newsletter on Thursdays or the email reminders. Thank you!
4:00 p.m.
Greeter: Cindy Anderau
Ministers of Communion: Martha Dayton, Bart Geissinger
Lectors: Bart Geissinger, David Tuttle
Intercessor: Anne McWhirter
LEV: Anne McWhirter
Acolyte: TBD
Nursery: Allura Thompson, Beth Murphy
Oblations: Ushers to choose
Ushers: Cory Benson, Dennis O’Connor
Choir: The Choir of Men & Women and the Trinity Choristers
PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING
For those celebrating a birthday this week: Wendy Rafferty, Aiden Winkler, Elaine Breitling,
Andrew Stein, Madeleine Chapman, Dan Patti, Aidan Waaler, Laurie Veillette, Anthony Filiato,
Justin Prisco
For those celebrating an anniversary this week: Rich & Anne Stein
If you are celebrating a birthday or anniversary this week and do not see your name listed, please call the office
at 203-426-9070 so we can record your information. Thank you.
STAFF
Presiding Bishop: The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori Bishop of Connecticut: The Right Rev. Ian
T. Douglas Rector: The Rev. Kathleen E. Adams-Shepherd Deacon: The Rev. Thomas Mariconda
Church School Director: Susan H. Vogelman Organist/Choir Master: Fiona Smith Sutherland
Parish Administrator: Amy Trimble-Burton Parish Secretary: Suzie Spiro Bookkeeper: Mary
Stoerzinger Sexton: John J. Qubick
ELECTED LEADERSHIP
Wardens: Bart Geissinger, Rick Haylon Treasurer: Forry Weatherby Clerk: Donna VanWaalwijk
Vestry: Mark Benedict (Mission & Outreach), Rick Chamiec-Case (Christian Formation), Anna Moses
(Youth), Cindy Anderau (Pastoral Care),Noel Bellesheim (Stewardship), Rich Stein (Finance), Nancy Cole
(Membership), Larry Coleman (Property), Youth Officers to the Vestry: Steven Anderau, Michelle
Zarifis Delegates to the Deanery and the Convention: George Rockwell, Barbara Chamberlain
Alternate Delegates: Randy Lewis, Bob Carter
READINGS FOR THIS SUNDAY
First Reading
Isaiah 45:1-7
Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before
him and strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him—and the gates shall not be closed: ―I will go
before you and level the mountains, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of
iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know
that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. For the sake of my servant Jacob, and
Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I surname you, though you do not know me. I am the Lord, and
there is no other; besides me there is no god. I arm you, though you do not know me, so that they may
know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is no one besides me; I am the Lord, and
there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the Lord do all these
things.‖
Second Reading
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ: Grace to you and peace. We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our
prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and
steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that
he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power
and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be
among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you
received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers
in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia
and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak
about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and
how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven,
whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
Holy Gospel
Matthew 22:15-22
Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him,
along with the Herodians, saying, ―Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in
accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us,
then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?‖ But Jesus, aware of their malice,
said, ―Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.‖ And they
brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, ―Whose head is this, and whose title?‖ They answered,
―The emperor’s.‖ Then he said to them, ―Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s,
and to God the things that are God’s.‖ When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and
went away.