Week of August 7, 2022 – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

August 7 – 14, 2022

We have made important changes to our web site, adding a “Bulletins” page where visitors may view an exact copy of the weekly bulletin and inserts in PDF format, as well as a calendar for our Family of Parishes. The “Bulletins“ link will be found at the top of the home page, and the calendar link appears under the “Worship” heading. (For your convenience as you adjust to this change, we have added the links here as well). Our web administrators hope you will enjoy the convenience of the “Bulletins” page and four-parish calendar as much as they do.

ALTHOUGH THE DIOCESE LIFTED ITS MASK MANDATE for worship in February, we have reserved a section of seating for mask wearers in the center section of pews on the right side of church. For the comfort of all, please remember to wear a mask when sitting in this section.

LIVESTREAMING of Sunday Mass has been temporarily suspended. We are sorry that transmission difficulties have forced us to discontinue livestreaming until such time as we are able to obtain a more stable internet connection. 

News from our Parish Community

A Sonnet for The Transfiguration of the Lord (Aug. 6) — Here is a sonnet written by the Anglican priest, Malcolm Guite, taken from his book, Soundings of the Seasons. Click HERE to hear it read by the author.

For that one moment, ‘in and out of time’,
On that one mountain where all moments meet,
The daily veil that covers the sublime
In darkling glass fell dazzled at his feet.
There were no angels full of eyes and wings
Just living glory full of truth and grace.
The Love that dances at the heart of things
Shone out upon us from a human face
And to that light the light in us leaped up,
We felt it quicken somewhere deep within,
A sudden blaze of long-extinguished hope
Trembled and tingled through the tender skin.
Nor can this blackened sky, this darkened scar
Eclipse that glimpse of how things really are.

Neighborhood Night Out, Saturday, August 13, 2022 following 4:30 PM Mass. Grab your folding chair and plan to be there as we invite our neighbors to share picnic fare and enjoy music and dancing with a live Reggae band! Members of our docent team will be there to share information about church architecture and history with our guests. Help is still needed in distributing flyers to homes on Leroy and Dewey following Sunday Mass on August 7.

“Rosary on the Green,” Monday, August 15, 2022 at 4 PM. Although it is not a Holy Day of Obligation this year, we will honor Our Blessed Lady on the Feast of her Assumption into heaven with a public recitation of the Rosary. Please bring a lawn chair and join us at 4PM near the statue of Our Lady on the west side of the church. This event is open to all, so please invite someone to join us in prayer. If it rains, we will gather in church. There will be light refreshments following the service.

Volunteer Gardener Schedule – Prayerful thanks to everyone who have accepted the challenge of watering our parish gardens and planters for one week. Here is the watering volunteer schedule for the weeks of:  August 7—Darvan Draper; August 14—Kathy Press & Dorothy Manuppelli; August 21—Bob Barnes. We expect to be watering through September, so there are still 5 weeks available. If you would like to discover whether one is truly “closer to God in a garden, than anywhere else on earth,” call Mickey or Bud Dick (716-832-2540) and sign up for one of the remaining weeks. They will be happy to show you the 3 strategically located water hookups & hoses.

Docent Training, Sept 10—A cross-training program and “refresher course” for parish docents is being planned for Saturday, September 10—our first since the team was formed in the spring of 2011. Over the years, our Landmark house of worship has become an established local tourism site, and requests for guided tours have increased exponentially. To ensure that our veteran docents are comfortable guiding visitors through more than one area of our church, we will review fact sheets on church art and architecture and exchange tour guide experiences. New recruits are welcome to join us in St. Charles Hall, beginning at 1:30pm. If you have ever thought about becoming a docent and would like to learn what is involved, please contact Mickey Dick (716-832-2540) and plan to attend on September 10.

Bible Study on ZOOM is taking a summer break. We will resume on Tuesday, September 13, and continue every Tuesday at 4pm.

Food Pantry Returns to Shopper’s Choice ~ The Catholic Central Helping Hands Food Pantry, which operates from our St. Charles Hall at 350 Dewey Avenue, is now operating EVERY Wednesday from 9:30am – 1:30pm. Residents of 14214 & 14215 are welcome to help themselves, according to household size, to portions of carbohydrates, grains, proteins and canned vegetables. Bread and sweets generally available. Baby needs in stock also. Call (716) 800-1075 or write to ccfp14215 [at] gmail [dot] com for information.

FAMILY PROMISE OF WNY: Feed the Hungry, Shelter the Homeless. Family Promise offers us the opportunity to perform these acts of charity in a very direct and personal manner. As a support congregation, Blessed Trinity parishioners purchase and deliver groceries to the Family Promise shelter at Ss. Brigid-Columba Parish. With a few more volunteers we could continue this corporal work of mercy at least one day a month. Working in pairs, you could anticipate your turn to occur every third month. We hope you will join us. If you want more background information go to the web site, www.fpwny.org, or contact Amy Johnson (716-836-4694).

• Family Promise is certified by NYS and can house up to six families.
• It is one of only two emergency shelters in Erie County that allow fathers and teenage sons to stay with their family.
• Families are referred by the Dept. of Social Services and receive case management in finding employment and permanent housing, security deposit assistance, day care, school transport, and follow up support upon leaving the shelter.
• In 2020, the Homeless Alliance of WNY rated Family Promise with the best success rate for moving families into permanent homes.

Is it time to update your contact information? During the pandemic when COVID-19 Protocols prevented many from attending church services, the ability to keep in touch by telephone, mail or email took on increased importance. Because not everyone has computer access, really important information is sent in a letter. Even though you are now able to attend Mass in person, this may be a good time to ask yourself: Does the church office have my correct mailing address and phone number? Have I shared my email address? Make sure that we have been notified of any changes in your contact information by completing this form. This is also a chance to let us know if you: wish to receive the bulletin electronically via email, register as a parishioner, or request envelopes. You can also submit the requested information by phoning our secretary at 716-833-0301 any Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday between 10:30am and 2:30pm; sending an email to blessedtrinitychurch [at] gmail [dot] com; or using the contact feature below to submit the information. If you choose either of the last two, please use “Contact Update” as the subject of the email or message.

Enjoy a virtual tour of our Landmark house of worship, courtesy of Buffalo Rising and Explore Buffalo. By Clicking HERE, you will be treated to both exterior and interior photos and more than a little history.