Hello Trinity Friends!This Sunday is Holy Humour Sunday!  Please remember to bring your good (clean) jokes to share this Sunday during worship.  An excerpt from this week’s bulletin:  “Holy Humour Sunday,” also known as “Bright Sunday” or “Holy Hilarity Sunday” is a recovery from early Christianity. For centuries in Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant countries, the week following Sunday was marked with “days of joy, laughter, and celebration.” The custom is rooted in the musings of early church theologians –Augustine, Gregory of Nyssa, John Crysostom—that God played a practical joke on the devil by raising Jesus from the dead.  It was referred to as the “Risus pascalis”—the Easter laugh.

A reminder that the North Bay Mosque is hosting an Open House this Saturday.  Everyone is invited to come out and get to know members of the Muslim community.   Saturday, April 27, 2019 11 am to 3 pm  423 McPhail Street, North Bay

Also this Saturday, the Rapport Singers will be presenting their spring concert “Star Light, Star Bright” Saturday April 27th at 7 pm.  Come out for an evening of song inspired by the stars! Tickets are $15 Adults, $10 Students and 12 and under are free.

Thank you to those of you who have dropped of clothing and linens to help people affected by Cyclone Idai.  Children’s clothing is still needed.  If you would like to donate clothing or money to help offset the shipping costs, please speak with Claudette Brown after church on Sunday or call the church office for her contact info.  Thank-you for supporting this humanitarian effort.

Trinity’s  Annual Talent and Services Silent Auction  starts Sunday April 28th with final bidding ending  after church on  Sunday May 26th 2019.  
Have a skill, talent or a service you can share? Here are a few of the talents and services that are being offered. Bid on homemade perogies, cookies,  homemade meal delivered to your home, baby quilt, sailing on  Callander Bay, an outing at the cottage for a day, foot care , custom knitting, dog services… to name a few.  Hopefully you will be inspired to offer your talent. / service or to at least bid on what is offered. 
The monies raised will go directly to the church for general funds. Without Trinity as a building, without Trinity staff, without Trinity it would be more difficult to do all that we do here. Please be generous and supportive of this auction!

There are a number of events and activities happening this spring.  Events are posted in the bulletin, on the community bulletin board outside the main office and on our website and Facebook pages.

Hello Trinity Friends,
As we approach Easter, I wanted to share with you some of the upcoming special services this weekend.

Tonight – Maundy Thursday – Our friends at St. Andrew’s are hosting Maundy Thursday’s potluck and Communion Service, 6:00 pm at St. Andrew’s. You are invited to bring a potluck dish and join us for shared community around the dinner table as we remember Jesus’ commandment to love and to serve. Our meal finishes with the celebration of Communion. Along with your potluck item, we invite you to bring along your dishes and cutlery and a bag to carry your items home for clean up. Please enter through the McIntyre Street side of the Church. All are welcome!

AOTS Good Friday Breakfast – April 19th , 8 am. All Welcome! Rev. Roni Beharry, Minister from Emmanuel United Church is the guest speaker.

Good Friday United Church Service – April 19th – Omond Memorial United Church, 10:30 am The area United Churches gather for a shared Good Friday Service at Omond Memorial.

Easter Sunrise Service – Sunday April 21st , 7:30 am
Join us bright and early Easter morning at the corner of Ferguson and McIntyre for a special morning sunrise service followed by hot cross buns and coffee.

Easter Sunday Communion Service – Sunday 21st, 10:30 am
Join us for joyful, music filled Easter Communion Service. We will enjoy musical offerings by special guest musicians along with both the Senior and Junior Choirs.

Some upcoming events and announcements

Please support the Clothing Drive for Cyclone Idai affected Zimbabwe and Mozambique on Tuesday April, 23rd between the hours 10 am and 4 pm, and on Wednesday April 24th, 10 am to 6 pm at Trinity United Church. New and gently used clothing and linens will be gratefully accepted. For more information contact Claudette (call Trinity Church to get her contact info)

Last call for registering for the Women’s Retreat! Our theme is “women of wonder” taken from the scripture 1 Peter 3:4 -“You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.”
This weekend retreat is about building friendships, enjoying nature, making space for sabbath time and having fun! The cost is $60 and includes all food, supplies and a t-shirt. The retreat begins on Friday April 26th after supper and concludes following breakfast and worship on Sunday April 28th.Contact Lisa to register at blais.trinity@gmail.com

Peace be with you!

— 
~Lisa ~

Hello Trinity Friends,This Sunday we celebrate Palm and Passion Sunday.  The service will include some special musical offerings by members of our congregation, including the Joyful Bells and the Junior and Senior Choirs!  
Following the service, Sunday School teachers and helpers are asked to meet in the Fireside Room for a brief, mandatory safety meeting.  It should only take about 15 minutes.  
A reminder that this Sunday is the last day to order Hot Cross Buns and Scones.  These delicious baked goods come from Cob’s bakery in Burlington.  This 4Trinity fundraiser will go towards Trinity’s general fund, helping to pay for such things as the damage in the sanctuary roof!   Hot Cross Buns are $8 per bag of 6 and come in Traditional Fruit, Apple Cinnamon & Chocolate Chip. Scones are $12 per box of 6 and come in Berry, White Chocolate & Cinnamon.  One variety per box please.  All orders must be pre-paid. You can place orders after church on Sundays or see Wanda in the office during the week. PICK UP DATE IS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17TH BETWEEN 10:00 AND 2:00 AT TRINITY.
Upcoming Events and Worship Services • Lenten Communion Service – Monday April 15th 2pm at Marina Point•       Youth Prayer Vigil – Thursday April  18th from 6:30 – midnight
•       AOTS Good Friday Breakfast – Friday April 19th , 8am-Good Friday – AOTS •       Good Friday United Church Community Service, 10:30am at Omond Memorial                 United Church.• Good Friday, April 19th, and Easter Monday, April 22nd  the Church Office will be             closed• Sunday April 21st Easter Sunrise Service, 7:30 am            outside in front of the Thomson Building (corner of Ferguson and McIntyre)• Sunday April 21st, Easter Communion Service, 10:30am.
“Women of Wonder” TRINITY WOMEN’S RETREAT at Camp Caritou – Friday, April 26th  to Sunday, April 28thDon’t miss the fun, relaxing weekend we have planned for Trinity’s Women of Wonder!, $60/person.  Spaces are limited, registration forms are available now;  speak to Carling Lutecki, Lisa Blais, or Cindy Brownlee for more information or to book your spot!Deadline to register is Friday April 19th!  
Holy Week prayer stations are set up at St. Andrews Church, drop- in, lunch hour all week, or after 5pm before Maundy Thursday’s potluck and Communion Service,  6:00 pm at St. Andrew’s.  You are invited to bring a potluck dish and join us for shared community around the dinner table as we remember Jesus’ commandment to love and to serve. Our meal finishes with the celebration of Communion. Along with your potluck item, we invite you to bring along your dishes and cutlery and a bag to carry your items home for clean up. Please enter through the McIntyre Street side of the Church. For folks who need our lift, please call the office by Thursday morning April 18th and we will meet you on the Algonquin Side of the church.  All are welcome!  

​See you Sunday!​

Hello Trinity Friends,
This Sunday we continue our journey through Lent.  Last Sunday Rev. Ted offered this challenge to deepen our Lenten experience:”This week, your challenge is to pray for an enemy. Every day, spend some time praying for someone who has hurt or offended you. You might pray for someone with whom you are having a difficult relationship, or someone you just don’t see eye-to-eye with. Take some time every day to pray for that person, or simply send them love and compassion.”  ​​ ​
As this is the first Sunday of the month, we will have a hymn sing before the service.  The hymn sing begins at 1015 am.  In Sunday School the children will begin a new rotation exploring images of God in the bible.   A reminder that the Sunday School is practicing intentional prayer this season.  They have made a prayer wall in the ​​​Fellowship Hall in which you can submit your prayer requests.  The Sunday School has been deeply committed to holding the community’s prayers in their hearts each week. 
This Sunday after worship, the prayer chain will meet in the fireside room for a brief meeting.  The purpose of the meeting will be to welcome new members and discuss how we can better honour the prayer requests.  The prayer chain is a group of people who receive prayer requests from those in our community and who intentionally hold those people in prayer.  Look for more information on how to contact the prayer chain in next week’s bulletin.  Anyone interested in joining us are welcome!  
Next Sunday April 14th – Sunday School teachers and helpers are required for a brief meeting about our safety procedures.  It will only take about 15 minutes.  If you are unable to attend please speak with Lisa Blais to obtain the necessary information.  Thank-you!
Women of Wonder -Trinity Women’s Retreat at Camp Caritou!  Inspired by 1 Peter 3:4, women will have an opportunity to build friendship, enjoy nature and renew spirit while having fun!   See the attached poster for more information and speak with Carling Lutecki, Cindy Brownlee or Lisa Blais to reserve your spot!  Women of Wonder
A reminder that you can order hams, hot cross buns, scones and lilies for Easter – please take a look at your bulletin for more information.  There are a number of events, worship services and activities coming up this month.  The bulletin is also posted on our website under the worship tab.  Visit www.trinitynorthbay.ca