Join Trinity and The Episcopal Church, and renew your faith!

Strengthen, O Lord, your servants with your Holy Spirit; empower them for your service; and sustain them all the days of their lives.

Book of Common Prayer, p.418 

 

On Sunday, April 7, Trinity Church will welcome the Rt. Rev. Alan Gates, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, to our 10 am service. Bishop Gates announced his retirement last year, and this will be his final “official” visitation to Trinity before his active ministry among us concludes in November. In addition to sharing with him our graces, goodwill, and joys for his next season of life, we are also delighted that he will offer the pastoral rites of Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation for all the members of Trinity who so desire! 

 

For those baptized as infants, and, therefore, had parents and godparents accept the Baptismal Covenant on their behalf, Confirmation confirms the commitment to journey with Christ as an adult member of The Episcopal Church. Confirmation is for those baptized in The Episcopal Church, and for those baptized “in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” in other Christian traditions. 

 

For those who have been baptized and confirmed (or who made an equivalent profession “of mature faith”) in another Christian denomination, Reception recognizes those former rites and formalizes one’s faithful membership in The Episcopal Church. As with Confirmation and Reaffirmation, those received renew their commitment to Christ within the community of our parish and larger Church.  

 

For those already confirmed or received in The Episcopal Church, Reaffirmation expresses one’s renewed faithfulness to the Baptismal Covenant in the community of our parish. As a special sign of their commitment, members of our Vestry will join those to be Reaffirmed by Bishop Gates on April 7. 

 

All those interested in these rites (as well as any adults seeking the sacrament of Baptism) should make plans to attend our Confirmation, Reception, & Reaffirmation Retreat on Saturday, March 23, from 9 am to 3 pm in the Lloyd Forum and Commons. Register here for both the retreat and the pastoral rites of passage on April 7. 

 

During the retreat, we will learn about the origins and fundamentals of the Christian faith; the history of the Anglican Communion and The Episcopal Church; and our life together as the parish community of Trinity Church. Gathering on the cusp of Holy Week, sharing, connecting, and celebrating in this way will prove a timely experience. Lunch – eating together an important expression of our love for one another – will be included. 

 

If you have questions about these rites or would like clarification, we will offer a Zoom Q+A session on Thurs., Mar. 7 at 5:30 pm:  

 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82802412599?pwd=UVJYUWM1VEZ3NGFiMFo5K2xLQjRxQT09  

 

If you have immediate questions, please email rectorsoffice@trinitychurchboston.org.

 

With gratitude for our companionship in this household of God!