The Trinity 75th Anniversary Committee is planning a series of celebrations in 2023 to celebrate Trinity’s 75 years of ministry in Worcester. Please consult this post for the latest news, events, and updates. The Committee is led by Co-Chairs Paul Foster and Charlie Labonte.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT / Please consider a financial donation to help make our anniversary celebrations successful!
- $75 FOR THE 75th – To help us make our celebration successful we are asking for your financial help. We invite you to make a donation of $75 for the 75th. Of course any financial donation is most appreciated! To donate, you can make a check payable to Trinity Lutheran Church and include the notation: 75th Anniversary. You can also make an online donation through Vanco by clicking HERE.
- Purchase a Trinity “Cat’s Meow” – A limited supply of wooden Trinity “Cat’s Meows” are available to purchase for $25. Contact the co-chairs to purchase or watch for them being sold during an upcoming Coffee Hour.
75 ITEMS FOR THE CARTY CUPBOARD FOOD PANTRY / As a way to celebrate Trinity’s 75 years of ministry in the city of Worcester, the 75th Anniversary Committee is encouraging specific donations to the Carty Cupboard Food Pantry on the first Sunday of each month in 2023. For Sunday, April 2nd, the committee is asking for at least 75 jars of jelly. Items collected are specific asks of the Carty Food Pantry. Please place your jars of jelly in the shopping cart and we will bless and celebrate the donations on the first Sunday of April as usual. Normal donations of food are also welcomed. Thank you for your support! During the month of April, please watch for a different item to be collected the first Sunday of May.
FOOD & FELLOWSHIP / Save the date and plan on joining us for these food and fellowship events celebrating Trinity’s ministry:
- Holy Trinity Sunday, June 4, 2023 – Luncheon and Silent Auction This luncheon will be held immediately following the 10:00 a.m. Eucharist as we celebrate our namesake Sunday. The silent auction will raise funds for the 75th Anniversary celebration. A collection of reflections and greetings from former Trinity pastors and cantors will be presented.
- Saturday, October 14, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. – International Dinner Potluck This is a return of a popular social event that was paused during the Covid-19 pandemic. To celebrate the diverse ethnic heritage of Trinity today, members are encouraged to bring a dish to share representing their ethnic heritage. The event will be held in Jeppson Hall.
- All Saints Sunday, November 5, 2023 – Banquet Bishop James Hazelwood of the New England Synod will join us on this day as we celebrate the saints of Trinity past, present, and future. A catered banquet in Jeppson Hall will immediately follow the 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist. A 75th Anniversary Booklet will be presented to the congregation on that day.
GUEST PREACHERS / Trinity’s former lead pastors, and two former members who are now ELCA pastors, have agreed to come back to Trinity to preach at the 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist. On these Sundays the normal Sunday 8:00 a.m. Eucharist will be replaced by a simple service of sung Morning Prayer in Christ Chapel led by Cantor Mark.
- The Rev. Christopher George Hoyer – Sunday, May 7 Pastor Hoyer served Trinity September 1, 1996 to November 10, 2003.
- The Rev. Ruth Popkin – Sunday, July 2 Pastor Popkin is a former member of Trinity and now serves as an ELCA pastor.
- The Rev. Stephanie Pope – Sunday, July 16 Pastor Pope former member of Trinity and Youth Minister at Trinity. She is now an ELCA pastor.
- The Rev. Susan K. Nachtigal – Sunday, October 15 Pastor Nachtigal served September 1, 1997 to November 5, 2017.
MINISTRY FAIR on SEPTEMBER 17 / To celebrate the ministry of Trinity today, Trinity’s Ministry Cabinet is planning a fun and interactive Ministry Fair on Sunday, September 17. On that day Trinity ministries will showcase their ministries to invite new participation and understanding of the ways the Holy Spirit is working in the congregation. The Fair will be held in Jeppson Hall.
DID YOU KNOW ? / When a visitor enters Trinity Lutheran’s Nave, one of the first things they may notice is the impressive ceiling murals. The 128 panels were painted over a year and a half by the artist Arthur Covey who worked in his studios in Connecticut and Florida and shipped the panels to Worcester. Each plywood panel is painted in oil over gesso; 32 depict Old and New Testament stories and themes, 64 depict symbols of Christianity and of the Lutheran church including a portrait of Martin Luther, and 32 across the top of the ceiling represent a grapevine symbolizing the Apostles. Mr. Covey studied 9th century Italian mosaics for inspiration in his design. He based the background color on a piece of driftwood he found on a Florida beach. Each figure is 7-1/2 feet tall so that it appears to be a natural height. To prepare for his work, the artist read the entire Bible for inspiration. The ceiling was given as a memorial to Aldus Chapin Higgins. A plaque commemorating the memorial can be found in the side aisle of the Nave.
Please watch the bulletin for more info and return to this page for the latest news, updates, and information. Thank you for your support and participation!