~ Annual Pledges ~

Nothing makes me turn the radio off so fast as hearing that the station's pledge drive has started again. In the fall, organizations of all kinds start their annual pledge drive. I start the fire in my wood stove with letters like this one. The pledge drive is an institution that finds liberals and conservatives warmly uniting in the same ministry. For the tele-evangelists with their glass edifices, rich tastes and expensive habits, every day is pledge day. Happily for us it comes only once a year.

Enterprise means taking measure risks in order to achieve a handsome gain. The word nicely identifies an aspect of the worldly Church because it involves hope and risk, faith and will. Maintaining and operating a parish church is a grand enterprise. Planning based on our pledges minimizes or avoids the risk we face as entrepreneurs.

In this enterprise called The Church of the Holy Trinity, we embark annually on a new adventure wherein we agree once again that love is worthy of the risk. Knowing we should take no thought for the morrow, we enter into business with the Holy Spirit and we plan another year. Our simple plan is called the budget, and by it we try to avoid and minimize the risks of our holy enterprise.

Our beautiful hymnody refers to these conflicting concepts of faith and risk:

We sing of God, the mighty source
of all things; the stupendous force
on which all strength depends;
from whose right arm, beneath whose eyes,
all period, power and enterprise
commences, reigns and ends.

Glorious, most glorious, is the crown
of him that brought salvation down
by meekness, Mary's son;
seers that stupendous truth believed,
and now the matchless deeds achieved,
determined, dared and done.

-Songs of Praise, 1925

Our pledges speak quietly and eloquently of our own determination and our daring to live into a bright tomorrow.

Dear seers, let us again join hearts and hands to take this holy risk. Fill out your pledge card, and so be content as my dog Daisy asleep by the warm stove even as the dark cold of winter draws near.

-David Koehler, Junior Warden

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Holy Trinity is collecting women's and children's hats, mittens, gloves, and scarves to decorate a Mitten Tree during Advent. The winter garb will be donated to Saint Margaret's House. Please place your donations on the Mitten Tree at the back of the church starting the Sunday of Advent, November 27.

The Saint Margaret's House Wish List also includes socks and underwear for women and children, toiletries (deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, & body lotion), blankets, towels, and disposable diapers. They are also collecting Christmas gifts for children, teenagers, and women. These items can be left in the back of the church—near the Mitten Tree—and will be delivered to the house.

Pat Wisniewski is collecting toiletries such as soaps, shaving lotion, toothpaste, etc. for Portage Manor residents.

Holy Trinity accepts non-perishable food items for local food banks. Donations can be placed in the basket at the back of the church or in the box in the parish hall.

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~ Parish News ~

The Church Belles raised $719.05 from the fall rummage sale. Items not sold were donated to Portage Manor, G.A.P., Madison Center , and Saint Margaret's House. Thank you to everyone who donated to, and helped with, the sale.

The Wardens and Vestry are very pleased with the generous donations to the roof fund which now totals $10,495. We were able to pay cash for the entire repair. Going south down Olive Street gives a lovely view of our beautiful new red roof. Thank you and God bless you to everyone who donated!
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