Lent starts this week. The wrestling with my conscience begins: what shall I give up this year? Tea & coffee? Beer & wine? Chocolate & crisps?

Lent is the season preparing us for Good Friday, the moment when we remember Jesus' sacrifice of his own life. Many people mark the season by making some sort of sacrifice of their own. We try to give up something we like, or take up something we don't. It's a way of reflecting on our lives, & on what Jesus did for us.

This year you can give something up & take something up all in one! You can give up a free evening each week; and use it to take up attending our Lent study course. We're getting together with St Chad's & St Peter's once a week to follow a course called '40 days of Peace'. Why not join us?

Each session starts at 7.30pm, day & location as follows ...

Week 1:    Wed 29th Feb at Holy Trinity

               Jesus is the bringer of peace

Week 2:    Tues 6th March at St Peter’s

               Peace in our hearts

Week 3:    Tues 13th March at St Peter’s

               Peace with our neighbours

Week 4:    Thur 22nd March at St Chad’s

               Peace-makers need skills

Week 5:    Thur 29th March at St Chad’s

               The cost of being a peace-maker

But first, join us at Holy Trinity at 7.30pm on 22nd Feb. It's Ash Wednesday, and we start Lent by committing ourselves to God, and the sacrifices of Lent, in worship.

John

Last Sunday morning, instead of taking the service I was in charge of the children's Sunday Group. My children are both away at university - I'd forgotten what looking after a group of young children is like. Parents: you have my respect!

Anyway, I was telling them about Communion - where it comes from, what it represents. I started by telling the story of God freeing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt & leading them to a new land; & of how the Israelites remember that every year with a special meal - the Passover meal.

We took a break to do some craft - the fun bit! We kept the mess to a minimum. You can see the two 'mosaics' they did in church at the lectern & pulpit - pictures of a plate with bread and a chalice with wine.

Next I told them about a particular Passover meal nearly 2000 years ago, which we now call the Last Supper. Jesus shared bread & wine with his disciples. He told them he was about to die to free them from a different kind of slavery; so they were to think of the bread & wine as representing his body & blood.

Finally, I said that, just like the Israelites, we have a special meal to remember God freeing us from slavery. And we have that meal every week - Communion. And I gave them a 'sort of' communion - so they'd have an idea what their parents do every week in church.

I don't know how much they'll remember of what I told them. Hopefully something! But I know I'll remember that Sunday service spent with them. As always I found them tiring, but fun.

John

They say that once we are born there is only one certainty left in life: we will die. Well, the last month or two has seen the deaths of several members of our congregation, people we at Holy Trinity knew well. So death is on my mind right now.

Death is natural, an inevitable part of life, and we shouldn't shy away from it. But it's sad all the same. Each of these people who have died will be mourned. Each of them had their own personalities and ways which we remember, and which we will miss.

Clergy often say that dealing with bereaved families is a great privilege, & it's true. We meet people when they feel at their most vulnerable, & ask them to share with us the story of their loved ones' lives ... & generally they do.

It's an interesting experience, hearing those stories. And that's never truer than when you're hearing the story of someone you know. Often there are things you never knew ... maybe they surprise you, maybe they explain things you'd wondered about.

But whoever it is you're hearing about, whoever it is you're comforting, it's always a privilege.

John

As we leave the hectic Christmas celebrations behind and begin the New Year January tends to feel a little bit of an anticlimax.

Our Social Committee were of the view that our Christmas Party was difficult to fit in before Christmas, with all the special services, works and family parties

The meal will be a choice of Chicken Coriander or Chilli, served with rice, or Jacket Potatoes for vegetarians.

The entertainment will be a performance of Baboushka' (hopefully). Hopefully, because we can't get to rehearse over Christmas, so we won't be starting to do rehearsals until this week!

So lets hope it's alright on the night. Tickets available from the Trinity Centre now.

And a very Happy New Year from us all at Holy Trinity!

Last week I took an infant school assembly. I told the children the story of the birth of Jesus ... or rather, I told the story with their help. Because actually most of them knew it already. They knew about Mary & Joseph, Nazareth & Bethlehem, wise men & shepherds, angels & stars. So we told the story together.

I ended by saying to them that Jesus was God's gift to all of us. God loves us all, and gave us Jesus and his life in order to show us that love. At Christmas we celebrate that gift of Jesus. And, just as God showed his love for us in that gift, we too show our love for each other by giving gifts.

They say it's not the value of the gift that matters, but the thought that goes into choosing it. I couldn't agree more. Giving a gift to show you love someone is about choosing something appropriate, not about how much you spend. Or as Lennon & McCartney put it - 'Money can't buy me love'.

This is the last blog before Christmas, so ... I hope you all have a good Christmas. It would be great to see you at some of our Christmas services as the big day draws near. But finally, I hope that the gifts which you give & receive, whatever their monetary value, show the thoughtfulness involved in love.

John

Trinity Lights are a group of young adults from Holy Trinity Church in their 20s, 30s and 40s. We meet together regularly for discussion and fellowship. In our last Trinity Lights blog we mentioned a few of our events so far: a discussion on how we reconcile the world of science with our Christian faith, a Q and A session at the vicarage, and a couple of meetings on prayer including ‘why do some prayers seem to go unanswered?’. Trinity Lights continues with more of the same and some new things to explore.

Many young adults in the congregation felt they would like opportunities to meet socially outside of church on Sunday. Curry night seems to be a popular event.

Our meal at the Bashundora in November was a great opportunity to spend time getting to know some of the newer members of the congregation. It was also a chance for people catch up with others for a more leisurely chat than coffee after the Sunday service sometimes allows. Plus… the food was really good and, following a recommendation, I am now hooked on BBC2’s ‘Rev’. In early January we will have another social to celebrate 1 year of Trinity Lights. Look out on facebook for more details of this event.

We continue to meet at each other’s houses for Bible study and discussion. Currently we are exploring the Emmaus course giving us an opportunity to learn more about and grow our faith. In the first session we asked, “Is God really there?” and “How do we ‘see’ Him?” It’s interesting to hear about people’s relationship with God and the different ways we each see Him. The important thing is that the atmosphere is relaxed and all views and opinions are respected. The Emmaus course continues in the New Year and goes on to explore the foundations of Christianity, providing lots of opportunities for learning and discussion. We hope that our varied programme means everyone can attend events that suit them.

In the New Year we want Trinity Lights to be a light in our community. Our vision is that we can provide fellowship on many levels. So, as well as continuing with meeting at our homes and going out socially, we will come together to support Holy Trinity and the people in our community. My personal hope is that as a group Trinity Lights can play its part in more of the great activities and events that are ongoing at Holy Trinity.

Also, that in time, we might contribute something new to the life at our Church. We’re always looking for new ideas. If you have any suggestions please feel free to contact Becky or Marette on trinitylights@htsc.org.uk. In the meantime join us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/HolyTrinityChurchSC, where you will be kept up to date with information on meetings, including our social events for 2012.

In the season of Advent, the four weeks before Christmas Day, our Services are focussed on light, singing, service, listening and celebration.  In Saint John’s Gospel Jesus is described as being “the light that shines in the darkness.” Each Sunday between now and Christmas we will light a candle in Church; on Christmas Day we light a candle that shows that Jesus is again with us.

We combine light and singing in our Carols by Candlelight Service (Sunday 18th December at 6.30pm) A wonderful opportunity to sing Carols in an ancient Church which has been the witness to praise and prayer to God over many centuries. 

In our Toys and Parade Service (Sunday 11th December at 10.00am) we serve our local community by giving toys to a Charity for needy children.  We follow the words of Jesus’ Commandment “to love one another”.

In our Crib Service (Sunday 24th December at 3.30pm) we listen to and wonder at the story of the Nativity, of Mary and Joseph and the new born Jesus; a Service for children of all ages, from 1 to 100.

As Christmas Day arrives we have two Communion Services, a Midnight Service (Sunday 24th December at 11.30pm) and an All Age Service (Christmas Day at 10.00am); celebrations of the reality of the love that Jesus has for each one of us. We listen to those wonderful words from the Gospel of Saint John about Jesus “what has come into being in him was life and the life was the light of all people.”  An event to celebrate, come and join us. 

Paul Duckers, Curate Holy Trinity

Christmas is here! Well, not quite. In fact, Advent is here ... the time of preparation for Christmas.

The shops are full of displays trying to attract our attention. The television is awash with adverts. There is food and drink to buy - not just the everyday stuff, but all the extras we like to stock up on. There are gifts to buy: electrical goods, clothes and toys.

At home there are cards to write, presents to wrap, trees to decorate, food to prepare. There are school concerts and fetes to attend. There are office parties or meals to endure.

Advent is a whirl of preparation, of activity. And sadly for many that makes it not a time of joy but a time of stress.

In church we too are starting Advent, our time of preparation. My stole becomes purple; our Advent wreath makes its annual appearance, and as the weeks progress we light its candles counting down to Christmas.

As we draw closer and closer to Christmas Day a Christmas tree will appear, the church will be decorated. We will have a Christingle Service, a Toy-giving Service, a Candlelit Carol Service, a Crib Service.

These next weeks are a great time for the church, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of a child 2000 years ago. We wait for Christmas, acknowledging our failings, our shortcomings, and look to that coming child to show us the way.

Advent is all about preparation, in church and in the wider world. Use it wisely! Make sure your Christmas is a spiritual celebration as well as a social event. Let your Advent be a season of spiritual preparation, not just the all too familiar season of frenzied activity.

John

I've been a church warden for over two years now. Before that I was deputy warden for so long I've forgotten when I first started - certainly over ten years. It has been a privilege and an honour, and also a real headache at times.

The privilege includes the extra services you get involved with. At weddings you help, in a small way, to ensure that it’s a special day - by going over what the ushers need to do; by fetching a glass of water when the groom faints (it doesn't happen often!); by making sure visiting organists know how to turn the organ on; by letting nervous friends or relatives go through the reading they are doing with the sound system.

And at funerals - though they're not cheerful, they are still celebrations of the departeds' lives - you hear some amazing eulogies for people who were 'just' mothers, fathers, brothers or sisters.

As I said there are headaches too.  Like when the organ packs up and has to be rewired, and you have to make sure the electricians replace like for like, not neccessarily what they would want to do. Or like when the heating packs up - as it did a couple of weekends ago.

The job isn't just about church services. As church warden I must remember I have responsiblity to the whole parish not just the congregation! And there are the meetings PCC and Standing Committee as well as the other committees I sit on - no-one likes meetings, but they are there for a reason, all for the good of the church and parish.

During services it can be difficult to take part as a normal member of the congregation, because I am constantly wondering: are all communion assistants here; is the person due to do the reading here; is the person doing the intercessions here, is the volume okay on the microphones, are there enough communion wafers out, are the sidepersons counting the congregation, should I count them just in case.

Last weekend was the Remembrance Service, the largest service in the year when every seat in church is taken. As with most things it brings a headache and a privilege. The headache comes with the logistics: getting everyone in and seated where they should be, in a very short time. The privilege is in receieving the support of so many others from the congregation in setting things up, and in knowing I've helped the people of Sutton to mark the day in an appropriate, thoughtful way.

Colin

For me, delivering the sermon at the Service of Remembrance is just about the most difficult moment of the year. As I stand in the pulpit, there are so many expectations of me, of what I will say, out there in the congregation.

Some of the regular church community, those who are in church week in, week out, want to hear a distinctly Christ focused message put across. Some of the non-regulars, there on just this one day each year, want my focus to be on people with not much mention made of religion.

Some people want me to say that when we go to war we are absolutely right to do so, and that every human sacrifice is worthwhile.  Others want me to say that war is at best an ambiguous thing, and that all lives lost are lost needlessly.

The bottom line is that I can't please everyone.  Every year some people go away  grateful for the words I have spoken; whilst others go away grumbling.  Falling short of some people's expectations is inevitable: I can't please everyone, nor should I try.

My task in the Remembrance Sunday sermon is this: to reflect on the experience of human beings, both noble and flawed, saintly and sinful, as they engage in what should be the last resort of warfare;  to recognise the sadness that war brings to the God who loves us all; and to look to a more just and peaceful future.  

I hope I've achieved that in this year's Remembrance Day sermon.  Check out what you think by going to the sermon page!   

John

The turmoil at St Paul's cathedral over last couple of weeks has been astonishing to watch. For those who haven't been following it, the story goes something like this ...

Protesters from Occupy, an organisation who believe the current economic system is unjust, set up camp outside the cathedral. Cathedral staff talked freely with them about their aims &, when the police tried to move them on, Giles Fraser (the Canon Chancellor, the second-in-command, as it were) intervened to prevent it. The protesters were on cathedral property & the possible use of violence to remove them would not be condoned.

A week later things had changed.

The cathedral authorities had decided the presence of the protesters was a health & safety hazard. So they closed the doors of St Paul's for the first time since the Blitz. And then they joined with the local authority and started legal action to have the protesters moved. On legal advice, they also stopped all conversations with the protesters.

Giles Fraser resigned, saying that the possibility of the use of force in removing the protesters was not something he could go along with. Many people in the wider Church of England supported his stance - it seemed that St Paul's was siding with 'the establishment' rather than with the ordinary people who were protesting.

Somewhere around this time the doors of the cathedral were re-opened and services resumed, with no more mention of health & safety problems. 6 days of closure meant the cathedral had lost something like £120,000 in entrance fees, almost enough to keep Holy Trinity open for a whole year!

A couple of days later Graham Knowle (the Dean) resigned. As head of the cathedral authorities, he felt that ultimately the controversy was his responsibility, & the best way to move things on was for him to stand down. Richard Chartres (the Bishop of London) was asked to help sort things out.

Initially the bishop announced that the legal action would continue. But within 24 hours he announced a change of course. The legal action was stopped; conversations with the protesters were resumed.

What a complicated mess, what a PR disaster!

Occupy's presence outside St Paul's cathedral gave the Church of England a chance to engage with a real & pressing issue of the day - the problems of the economy, here in this country & internationally. I'm not saying that Occupy have a good case or a bad one - but they have a case worth discussing & thinking through.

The Church of England was given the chance to show genuine leadership in a moral debate of interest to many people; to get away from endless internal arguments on gender & sexuality. Instead we shot ourselves in the foot - we blew it!

Having said all of this, I wonder how we at Holy Trinity would have responded if someone had set up a protest camp outside our front doors!

As a postscript ... I think Giles Fraser would make a great bishop. He showed leadership & wisdom, & was prepared to stand by his principles. And, if you notice, the cathedral ending up doing what he had been proposing on day one of all this: protecting the protesters from the prospect of unnecessary force, & talking to them.

John

What is a ‘family’?  We usually think of a group of people related by blood or marriage.  But you could say that the congregation at Holy Trinity is a family of sorts - a church family.

We are a group of people of all ages who come together regularly, with our youngest family member just a few weeks old, our oldest ... well let's just say 'well into their retirement years'!  Everyone shows love and support for one another; whether practically, emotionally or through prayer.  There is a great sense of belonging.  To me, with all this, we have a family.

Belonging is really important, especially to children.  We live in a time where our 'real' extended families are spread all over the country, if not the world.  So having a church family is extremely valuable.  The children at Holy Trinity are certainly treasured.

There are many opportunities for our children to feel they belong and the congregation work extremely hard to ensure they are included.  There are Sunday Group leaders & their helpers, the choir leader, our cluster youth worker, crèche leaders and even the people who lovingly wash the crèche toys on a regular basis.  There are those who run Open House, our mother and toddler group, and the people who are involved in the running of the uniformed groups.

Most importantly - when a child walks into church they are always acknowledged and encouraged with love.

The enthusiasm from all of these generous people builds our family and ensures it will remain a family for future generations.  It is truly an honour to see this kind of devotion to sharing the love of Christ.  With the stability of a loving ‘family’, children are capable of anything!

Becky Stephens

All around us in the world there are issues which demand our attention - all manner of them.  The newspapers and radio/television news bulletins serve as constant reminders.  Demonstrations against the financial system outside St Paul’s and in major cities throughout the world, the situation in a host of Middle Eastern nations, famine in the Horn of Africa, millions of infant deaths from malaria, assisted suicide, embryo research - these are just a few issues of the day. How should we respond to them?

It's easy ... isn’t it?  Christ has told us to love our neighbours as ourselves.  It's easy to say, but how do we actually go about doing it?  It's not always obvious - things are seldom simple; most issues are multi-faceted.  Well, no one ever said being a Christian was easy, but we should always remember that, in all our endeavours, God is beside us.

I find it helpful to know that, during November, we at Holy Trinity have the opportunity to look at some issues of the day in a bit more detail.  For four weeks that month House Groups will meet - we will discuss some current issues and look at these in the light of scripture.  And then - a highlight for me - there's a Study Day on 19th November when a team from Birmingham Children’s Hospital lead by The Reverend Nick Ball will guide us through some questions of Medical Science and Religion.

Hopefully by December I shall have a little clearer view on some of these things, but equally I am sure I shall still have a bunch of unresolved dilemmas!

Bob Dyke

A significant part of the life of parish clergy is spent dealing with death.  We are asked to talk to those who are terminally ill.  We are asked to take funerals, so spend time talking to those who have been bereaved.  We are asked to talk with those who have felt a death so hard that they have been unable to move on with life.  

Dealing with death does indeed play a significant part in the life of parish clergy, & its a privilege to be involved with people at a time of such need.

But dealing with birth is also a part of clergy life.  We are frequently asked to take baptism services for young children.  And, once in a while, we get to meet a newborn child and welcome them into the world.

At Holy Trinity we have a few young families, so the occasional newborn baby in the congregation isn't unheard of - evenso its always a time of excitement.  Last weekend we had such a birth - a new congregation member!  And on Sunday afternoon I had the pleasure of meeting him before he'd even left hospital - a wonderful half hour! 

Parish life is filled with sadness as we see people grow frail, and die.  But it's also filled with joy as we watch a new generation come into the world, and prepare to take their rightful place in God's creation.  Truly, Christianity is about suffering and joy, death and birth.

John

What’s it like to be the Rector’s wife (or technically, the Priest-in-charge's wife)?

I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been asked ‘what’s it like to be the Rector’s wife?’ but my answer is always the same – there are downsides such as never being able to go away at Christmas or Easter, but in general it’s good, a privilege even.

By this I don’t mean that it’s a position of privilege – long gone are the days when being the Rector’s wife carried any social status, and rightly so. I mean that I get to experience things that others may not – and I don’t just mean seeing John in his pyjamas!

Living in the Rectory means I get to see and hear about some of the quiet good deeds that members of the Holy Trinity congregation perform day after day, week after week - the many many hours volunteered to create and maintain the community at Holy Trinity and the wider parish. It’s a privilege to know about these acts of service.

As the Rector’s wife I get to see the work that goes into the sermons he gives on a Sunday – the hours of careful thought that lead to those 10 minutes at the lectern.  Sometimes I even get to design the props (the giant Mothering Sunday firecracker was one of mine!). It’s a privilege to see the preparation that goes into a Sunday service.

People sometimes apologise to me for introducing me as the Rector’s wife.  Although it’s always nice for my name to be mentioned as well, I don’t really mind.  I think it’s great being the Rector’s wife – just don’t ask me whether we’re going away at Christmas!

Kristina

Every two months we have a morning service for those who are to be baptised.  In September there were three children with their families and friends; it was a large congregation with lots of children.

Baptism Services can be full of noise and unexpected happenings.  This one was no different.  During the Service some of the children (not those to be baptised!) began to wander around the Church exploring where to sit and make new friends.  One even made into the Choir stalls and was quite happy to sit and watch ... perhaps a potential Choir member.

During the Baptism Service we were reminded that we have responsibilities for those to be baptised; we are to care for them and guide them through life.  It's an important responsibility and one that is often expressed at its very best in what is usually called the extended family.

As a “home grown” Curate I've experienced something of the care and love of the extended family of the Holy Trinity congregation. From the very first moment of my decision to pursue the path of Ordination, there was overwhelming support.  There was advice on how to study, loan of books and encouraging conversations at difficult times.

Thank goodness there was also an amazing tolerance of my mistakes; gentle reminders that a microphone left on was much worse than a microphone left off because of the unguarded comment!  I  hope and pray that my wonderful experience of the love and support of an extended family is yours.

Paul

… or at least, that's what the old carol, ‘The holly and the ivy’, says. Church choirs get a mixed reception.  Some are outstanding, a lot are mediocre. At Holy Trinity, we try to be the best, and certainly hope we’re not the worst!

Holy Trinity has had a traditional church choir for a number of decades, with a mix of voices (women, men and children) whenever possible. At one stage we also had a ‘music group’ singing more modern hymns at a separate family service. But we combined the two services at which choir & music group sang, and so merged the two groups.

Now we try to lead with a mix of different musical styles in our worship, aiming to give the best of all worlds (though sometimes not achieving that!).

It takes a lot of commitment to sing regularly in a church choir. Unlike secular choirs who work towards an occasional big concert, church choirs ‘perform’ every week. It may not seem onerous – just a few hymns in the main – but it is important that the choir gives a lead, and we do try to sing an anthem to suit the theme of the day’s worship when possible. The choir needs to learn new music too.

So a weekly practice is essential. I am touched that there are people prepared to give up Friday nights to sit in a (usually) chilly church on hard pews, practising so that they can help the worship along and make the congregation feel more comfortable on a Sunday. That’s the aim, anyway!

Choir members also have to commit to singing at other services including weddings which can impinge on Saturdays particularly.

There are all sorts of pitfalls, not least an indifferent acoustic in our church … but the good thing about getting involved in the choir is getting to know the music, having some foresight of Sunday’s worship, and giving members the chance to make something of their voice and to contribute to our worship with others.

Singing has always been a part of worship. As the psalmist said, 'Sing unto the Lord a new song'.

Stella, Music Director

PS: you can find out more on the choir's webpage!

This weekend sees the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York … & the TV & radio schedules feature a number of programmes dedicated to remembering it.

I remember it clearly. My parents-in-law were somewhere over the Atlantic en route to New York when it happened, & we had no idea whether their flight was one of those that had been hijacked & flown into the buildings. So we watched closely. Happily all we suffered was a few hours of worry.

Our involvement was trivial. For others it was a far more significant day as they suffered real & permanent loss: the passengers on those fated planes, people going about their daily business in the Twin Towers, those involved in the rescue attempts, the families & friends of all of them.

I’ve been interested by some of the survivors & bereaved who were interviewed first in the immediate aftermath of the attack, & then again 10 years later for this anniversary remembrance. It’s noticeable how much their thoughts have changed.

Some are clearly embarrassed by their initial comments. In their initial grief they expressed a desire for their government to seek vengeance, & a general distrust of all Muslims. Now though, they see their government has not always supported the ‘good guys’, & that the terrorists did not represent mainstream Islam. Maybe in God's hands time heals a little, time brings a better perspective.

This 10th anniversary offers to all the survivors & bereaved the opportunity remember what happened, & those who they lost. I pray they will all find comfort & peace - & a life of meaning looking forwards to the future.

John

Let me introduce you to … Trinity Lights.

Holy Trinity has seen a lot of change over the last couple of years - one change is that we are trying to offer more for the younger adults in our congregation.  We began with a meal at Jimmy Spices, and asked everyone what they would like us to offer.  Different people wanted different things.  To try to satisfy everyone we needed to have a variable programme … & so Trinity Lights began.

At the moment we meet every other Wednesday evening in each other’s houses.  We try to make each session distinct so that anyone can come along without feeling they have missed something.  Meetings take many different forms: we’ve had Bible studies, discussions on topics like Science & Christianity; we’ve even had a question and answer session at the Vicarage.  We always begin with prayer and time to talk about what we’ve been up to since we last met.

We also meet for purely social events. That happens every few months … we meet for dinner in local restaurants or at someone’s house for drinks and snacks.

Trinity Lights has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere where all questions are valid.  Everyone’s opinion is respected and valued. No knowledge is assumed or expected.

So who are Trinity Lights?  We’re the 20s, 30s and 40s age-group from Holy Trinity Church.  Even if the Wednesday evenings aren’t for you, please do come along to the social events.  You’re always welcome.

The Flower Festival is approaching: Friday 30th September to Sunday 2nd October.  As a member of the organising committee I can tell you it’s approaching fast … very fast.

What do the words Flower Festival conjure up in your mind? Flowers – yes; the church decorated – yes; anything else? Think again! Focus on ‘festival’ rather than ‘flowers’.

In the run up to the event there are four competitions: photography, poetry, 3D (collage) and making a scarecrow.

Then we have the event itself: there are flowers, of course – flower arrangers from the local area and beyond are coming to create displays on the theme of creation in the beautiful setting of our church, so it should be quite inspiring.

At 7.30pm on Friday we have a concert (get your tickets here) with the Sutton Coldfield Chamber Choir, canapés and a glass of wine during the interval.

Saturday will be quite a day: classic cars in the piazza outside the church, an ark for the children, with animal mask making, face painting and a treasure hunt. The results of the scarecrow, poetry and 3D competitions will be on display.

At 7.00pm on Saturday there is a Festival Dinner (get your tickets here) with Bishop Vesey Grammar School's “Funky Bishops” Jazz Band at the start & poet Rhona Pownall to round off.

Other Sutton schools will be singing in church – on Friday it’s the Shrubbery School, on Saturday it’s Town School.

We are combining the event with our Harvest Festival and on Sunday we will have the Bishop of Aston preaching at the 10.00am Family Service. The event will close with Sing Creation, a service of celebration.

Part of my role in all this was to create a Flyer and a Poster to encapsulate the event! The flyer was not too bad, you can use both sides, but how do you create a Poster that grabs the attention & gives all that detail? I have a better idea – look at the webpage!

Colin Ingley

During August our children’s groups have been learning about the story of Creation in the Book of Genesis. And along the way they’ve been making pictures to show what was made on each of the seven days of Creation.

In our service last Sunday they showed us a picture of Day and Night, one of the heavens, and one of the land and sea with plants and trees. The children’s artwork helped us all to reflect on the Creation story.

I’m looking forward to seeing the rest of the children's pictures, especially the one showing the day on which humanity was created. The opening chapter of Genesis is a wonderfully poetic piece: its words show humanity reaching out to describe the unknowable, to understand in some way its origins and its place in the world.

The whole Creation story describes God as the source of everything that is, ourselves included, and it tells us that God was pleased with what he had created – Creation is good.

In the same service we also listened to the opening words of the Gospel according to John. John deliberately echoes the opening of the book of Genesis with the words “In the beginning ...” But, writing centuries after the writers of Genesis, his story of creation stretches further in time. He brings it to his own day and the life of Jesus, in the phrase, ‘the Word became flesh.’

If Genesis tells us that creation is inherently good, then John tells us that Jesus Christ is its fulfilment. In him we have the opportunity to be a part of the perfection that God wishes for his world. That seems to me to be something worth aspiring to.

Paul

I’ve just returned from a summer break, which I’ve enjoyed greatly. But I’m aware that the last 2 weeks haven’t been quite such a happy time for everyone. We’ve all seen the outbreaks of rioting & looting on the streets of our major cities … Birmingham included. Well, calm has returned, & as we pick up the pieces politicians & newspapers are looking at what caused all this.

Those on the right are talking about the breakdown of families, a lack of individual moral responsibility, a lack of respect for authority, the need for punishment. Meanwhile, those on the left are stressing society’s failures: long-term unemployment in the midst of material greed, disinterest in poor communities, moral failure amongst wealthier people - undeserved merchant bank bonuses, tax avoidance, illegal phone hacking.

Both viewpoints reflect something of the truth. The riots were inexcusable; but there are underlying problems that society must now address.

Christian faith offers no clear cut answers. It talks of God’s call for justice, and of God’s wish for mercy. It places responsibilities on individuals, & on whole societies. Above all, it reminds us that we all (individuals & society) fall short of being fully human in the way God wants for us.

So, at Holy Trinity we are praying for everyone who has been caught up in these recent events: for those who have lost property, livelihoods or even life itself; for the police & magistrates; for the rioters themselves; for our whole society & those who lead & guide it.

Above all, we pray that we will seek a better future for all – walking more closely with the God who is love.

John

Summer is here.  You can see it all around.  The sun is out & it isn’t raining ... yet.  Honestly!  The schools have closed for the long holiday; parents have become preoccupied with occupying their children. 

As for Holy Trinity, well life is a little quieter than normal.  People are taking their summer breaks, so congregation numbers have their annual temporary dip.  And it’s hard getting people together for meetings … I’ve just had that great rarity: a whole week without a single meeting to attend.

Life goes on, of course.  People still have problems just like any other time of year.  Church services don’t happen without at least a little thought & effort.  And there's plenty to occupy our attention in the wider world.  Life doesn’t stop just because it’s summer.  

But everyone needs time & space to withdraw from things temporarily … a Sabbath time.  I’m looking forward to my break, when it comes … I hope yours is all you hope for too.

John

Hello I’m back, Isabelle again. You might remember my last column on how I took my family on a mystery shopping exercise for a new church when we moved into Sutton Coldfield.  So how do you think I’ve been getting on?  Let me tell you what I’ve been up to at Holy Trinity Sunday School.

Sunday school has been brilliant every week! My favourite weeks were: the general knowledge quiz (you don’t have to see it to believe it!),Snakes and Ladders, and the Lost Sheep week. Quiz week was all about Jesus and how we still believe in him but we haven’t seen him. Just like the quiz some things you would find it hard to believe. Did you know hippo’s milk is pink!! 
However the funniest Sunday school week has to be the snakes and ladders one. We were talking about Jesus being our friend always, but if you are really naughty he still loves you. Does it affect your friendship with Jesus though? We decided that like our friends at school and at home things can make the relationship go up and down. Snakes and ladders symbolised becoming closer and further away to Jesus. When we all made our own we made one for John the vicar. The snakes being things like: dropping the baby into the font at a christening and getting the name wrong at a funeral. The ladders however were: preaching a good short sermon and (as previously in the service he hadn’t) lighting the candles first time. 

Finally and most recently was the lost sheep week. The two main Sunday groups (sparklers 4-7, and rockets 8+) joined to make a big group.  Reverend John normally spends the week writing his sermon and then delivering it on Sunday, something which he is very good at! This week he was faced something trickier... After reading the story of the lost sheep we went off to find our own lost sheep in the trinity centre using photographs and good looking skills. Then when all the sheep had been returned we set about making an alter front, on a large piece of paper, showing the three main parts of the story. With a couple of party rings some squash and a lot of colouring and cotton balls the front was finished and we carried it carefully up the stairs and over to the church. Luckily it wasn’t raining!

I continue to enjoy going to Sunday school and I know the other children enjoy it too. Thinking of giving us a try. Come on you might enjoy yourself!!

Why I chose Holy Trinity

Hello, my name is Isabelle and we have recently moved from London up to Sutton Coldfield. Moving house brings all sorts of changes. That means finding a new church, finding a new house, making new friends and getting to know everyone.

It was important to us to choose a church and to be part of the local community. I was very sad to leave my old church St. Faith's, as I had made lots of friends and the vicar was my friend.

To make choosing our new church more appealing, I came up with the idea to create a shopping list of what we would want from our church. We made a list, and then we went on the Internet to look at the websites of the churches in Sutton Coldfield.

We then selected three to four favourite churches from our research, that we wanted to try out in person. Now here comes the fun bit! We turned it into a mystery shopping exercise, by visiting our shortlist at their Sunday service and by checking out the things that were important to us (on our shopping list.)

It would be unfair to name the other churches but they all had their good points. Now, let me tell you about our visit to Holy Trinity. The outside of the church was really beautiful (10/10). Then we got in and lots of people said hello which was really nice because we didn't know anybody. I took my sister, Bea up to the front of the church where we all sang a song accompanied by us playing instruments, Bea loved playing with the instruments. It was great (from Bea 10/10) after the song there was a creche which Bea went to, it was really good that facility because it gave her a chance to play. It also meant I could go to a Sunday school without having to look after Bea.

I really liked that there were 2 Sunday School classes, one for 4-7yrs (Sparklers) and one for 7+yrs (Rockets), so I could be with children my own age and I could help out at Sparklers on the Sundays that Rockets isn't on. Everyone was very kind and friendly when I helped out at Sparklers. I really enjoyed helping the younger children. The next time I knew more people and liked being able to have a chat with them all. I had made a few friends in the first few weeks!

After church the cake was really tasty (a great factor when looking at churches!) A few weeks later I went to Rockets we made cards and discussed the topic (Valentines day) I really enjoyed going and learnt a lot but also had fun and met even more people who would become friends .The teachers were really lovely which I really liked as I had been a bit scared as it was all new! But everyone was so nice I wasn't scared for very long.

At the end of the visit I decided I didn't want to go to another church. I liked the people at the church and there was something for me and Bea which was really brilliant. On the weekends I was away Mum and Dad looked around the other churches. We all agreed that for us this would be the best choice (I was right!')