TRINITARIAN

Trinitarians On The Frontline...

• Congratulations to Daniel Forest
who is a final nominee for a National
Award for Out & Equal Workplace
Advocates.
• Congratulations to Terry Eason and
Larry Tyger selected as Grand
Marshals of Mid-South PRIDE 2006
(celebrated on Saturday, June 10).
• Mid-South PRIDE leadership
includes several Trinitarians : Kent
Hamson, Barbara Jean Jasen,
Michael Meyer, Peggy Meyer, Scott
Miller, Gary Wilkerson.
• Kudos to Rodney Brown (Ineeda
Cocktail) who was crowned Miss
River City 2006.
• Holy Trinitarians:
Jean Crawford
Dixie Fletcher
Michael Meyer
Sam Tickle
La Paula Turner
Dutch Warren
Who made up the largest delegation to
Evangelicals Concerned Western
Region Meeting.
• Tim Meadows who is leading a
diversity training component at NIKE
Corporation that will be web cast on
the GLBT COMMUNITY AND
FAITH.
• Natasha Burnett-Holmes is
President, Beta Epsilon Chapter
Memphis, TN Beta Phi Sorority, Inc.
at the University of Memphis. The
sorority has Latina roots with a
devotion to service respectful of
diverse communities.
• Playing Soft Ball on the Bluff City
Sports League are: Nick Banks,
Eddie Castro and Carl Smith—–
”Batter up!”

Pentecost Celebration Warming Up

As summer winds begin to blow, Pentecost blazes on the church calendar.
Pentecost is the celebration of the third person of the Trinity known
as the Holy Spirit. The name Pentecost means “fifty”. Fifty days after
Easter Pentecost comes with its fiery, windy boisterous call to draw all
people to God (read Acts 2) . The report given by Luke in the Book Of
Acts tells us the day was radical because it included not only sons and
daughters of Moses, but those who were considered outside the elect of
God’s covenant. Translating that event over 20 centuries later means a
celebration of God’s inclusive love which still is speaking through the
Holy Spirit loud and clear.
Last year we began an event that combined Holy Trinity’s mission with
the celebration of Pentecost. It seemed fitting that Holy Trinity would
have a festival affirming all God’s people. Combining this mission with
an ancient church celebration made sense. By having the festival, it reignited
an interest in the third great high holy day of Christianity. We are
all familiar with Christmas and Easter, but the third great Christian holiday
is Pentecost. In days gone by, the Church used to have big picnics,
dances, theatre, first drink of the year’s wine and beer, musical performances
which signaled the arrival of God’s still speaking voice in the
body of Christ. With Puritans and Ascetics such “worldly” practices
were shunned, and a fear of what the Holy Spirit can do filled many
status quo bound assemblies. As you may know, that is not a concern
at Holy Trinity! It is great to see folks talk about Pentecost and look forward
to it.
This year Pentecost falls on June 4 which is fifty days after Easter. It
also happens to be very close to the birthday (June 10) of Holy Trinity
Community Church in 1990. The Vestry has been hard at work planning
for this year’s second annual Pentecost festival. The attire for such an
event involves wearing red for fire, light blue or white for wind and yellow
for tongues. Any combination or monochromatic schemes of these
colors are suitable for the event. This year we will have another Pentecost
headwear contest. Colorful hats and bonnets showed up at last
year’s contest. The beautiful rainbow labyrinth will be unfurled for times
of prayer and meditation. A grand stage will be set for musical performances
and song leaders. There will be a grand church covered-dish
picnic. Family activities will be present for the little ones and the little
ones at heart. Barbara Jean is going to call a game of trash-to-treasure
bingo. The Celebration begins with a festive Eucharist at 11:00 AM and
spills into the carnival at 12 noon.
When this celebration started last year we had no idea it would be as
popular as it turned out to be. Who had
heard of Pentecost, we thought? One thing
for sure is that the message of Pentecost
has universal appeal. In coming years we
hope to expand this festival to include cake
walks, may pole dancing, church bazaar,
arts and crafts, concession stands and lots
of entertainment. Ed Hipsley is this year’s
coordinator and hopes for an even bigger
celebration. If you would like to help, you
know we need you and would welcome your
input and services. We always need help
setting up and tearing down. We also can
include any gifts that anyone brings to the
table. It is time to get the red out and shout
about the inclusive work of the Holy Spirit!
TRINITARIAN
Holy Trinity Community Church
685 South Highland
Memphis, TN 38111
www.Holytrinitymemphis.org
901-320-9376

Phyllis Tickle At Holy Trinity

This Summer
Preaching Sundays 11:00 a.m.
May 28 and June 25
Pancake Theology Sundays 9:30 a.m.
July 2, 9, 16, & 23
Phyllis Tickle, former Religion Editor of Publishers Weekly, an
oft-quoted authority on the American religious landscape, and
author of more than two dozen books including The Divine
Hours: A Manual for Prayer, will be spending time with Holy
Trinity this summer. We have enjoyed Phyllis and have learned a
great deal from her. We are honored that she refers to us as her
church family. The anticipation is tangible to have a chance to sit
around the breakfast table and share with her once again.
As Religion Editor of Publisher’s Weekly, it was Phyllis’ business
to understand what was going on in the vibrant spiritualreligious
landscape that is America. She did that not only with
distinction but also with an insight that went beyond the journalistic.
Because Phyllis Tickle has been an explorer of this landscape
herself. As a young child she noticed that her mother
“went somewhere,” while sitting down for an hour’s prayer. In
her memoir, The Shaping of a Life, Phyllis writes about prayer
as a place one goes to be formed.
What’s fascinating about Phyllis is that she’s been shaped by
prayer in the midst of an active life--as an accomplished author,
and mother of seven, and spouse to a busy surgeon husband.
She’s been doing this facing down challenges both usual and
unusual. How does one balance being a mother with a literary
career? How does one live in the South with a religious sensibility
shaped more by T.S. Eliot than the religious culture of the
Bible belt? How does one make sense of the fire of Pentecost
outside the framework of Pentecostalism? How does one explore
the riches of one’s own religious tradition (Anglican) mindful, by
interest and profession, of the riches of other traditions, Christian
and beyond? How does one recover from a classic near death
experience during a time when these were little understood?
Time with Mrs. Tickle is soul and mind expansive. Here on her
home turf, Phyllis will speak with us frankly as teacher,
preacher, friend, sister and fellow saint.
In view of the all too familiar cultural, political and religious
divide in America, we think her time with us invaluable. Tickle,
as an observer of this scene for many years, thinks God is up to
something. Shall we see?

http://votenoon1tn.com/

On November 7th, 2006, Tennesseans are scheduled
to step into their polling places and vote on an
amendment to the Tennessee Constitution that
would permanently ban marriage for same-sex couples
in our state.
The people of Tennessee have a historic opportunity
to become the first state in the nation to reject
a constitutional ban on legal protections for samesex
couples. This is your online hub to find out
what this amendment means and to become a part
of the growing statewide campaign to defeat it.
Holy Trinity as a faith community is dedicated to
the sacred work of human rights and equal justice.
We have an opportunity to host fund raising dinners,
write letters, call government representatives,
and let the larger community know we are not invisible.
We keep saying we would like to see
Memphis and Tennessee to be good places to live
for our families. The Christian virtues of respect
and loving neighbor are at stake in this issue. The
state of Tennessee (let alone Mississippi and Arkansas)
do not recognize same sex unions. So why
do we need an amendment to the Tennessee constitution?
It is more fear, right wing politics as usual
coupled with legalistic religious manipulation at
the root of this latest round of heterosexism. As
followers of Christ it is our call to seek justice and
demonstrate what loving your neighbor means.
HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT THE
CHURCH WEBSITE?
The best way to keep up with what is happening at Holy
Trinity is to take a look at our website. There are daily
prayers, Divine Hours, Peace and Justice opportunities
and more to enrich your daily life. Carl Smith, our dedicated
webmaster is doing a great job communicating
the exciting work of HTCC.
http://www. holytrinitymemphis.org

Holy Trinity Sponsors Lesbian and Gay Pride Month on WKNO-TV10

Frontline “The Age of AIDS”
Tuesday, May 30 and Wednesday, May 31, 8:00 pm
Part 1 and 2. “The Age of AIDS” traces the pandemic
over the past 25 years, beginning with the virus's early
cases. Included: political denial; social stigma; the contamination
of blood supplies; and the virus's personal
toll.
Ending AIDS: The Search for a Vaccine
Friday, June 2, 9:00 pm
This is a story of one of the greatest scientific and technological
challenges ever—the search for an AIDS vaccine,
and of the people and organizations rising to meet
it.
Independent Lens “The Great Pink Scare”
Tuesday, June 6 at 9:00 pm
In 1960, a renowned Smith College professor suddenly
becomes the target of a witch hunt. This film explores
the fierce clash that continues today between an individual’s
right to privacy and concerns for national security.
Eli Parker Is Getting Married?
Saturday, June 10 at 10 pm
Set on a farm in North Mississippi, this movie is a
Southern screwball comedy where a young man’s attempt
to come out meets a world of college pranks, mistaken
identities and wedding day hi-jinks.
The Power of Harmony
Sunday, June 11 at 9:00 pm
The need for family, faith, acceptance, and selfacceptance
extends to all humans, and no less to gay men
and women who struggle for these fundamental liberties
in an often intolerant world. This presentation takes an
intimate look at these struggles and the issues surrounding
them through the personal experiences of men who
find inspiration and courage in a gay men’s chorale
which manages to thrive in the heart of the Bible Belt.
This film carries inspiration not only to gay audiences,
but to anyone who has struggled for self-enlightenment
to who seeks to understand shared human experiences.
Sharing a Regional and National Mission
As Holy Trinity Community Church awaits word from
the Missouri-Mid-South Conference of the United
Church of Christ about its acceptance into the denomination,
there have been discerning discussions between
members at open vestry meetings. The conversations
center on what does it mean for us to be Holy Trinity
Community Church in Memphis and what does it mean
to be part of the United Church of Christ family. Protective
language asserts HTCC’s identity while anticipation
is expressed in the many new avenues for ministry
that will come with the United Church of Christ.
Holy Trinity will always remain unique because our
people are unique. The opportunities presented with
joining with the UCC, like our sister churches are doing
in Nashville, Dallas and Oklahoma City offer
HTCC a regional and national network. A UCC delegation
from St. Louis will be visiting with us July 1-2.
Within the framework of the weekend we hope to have
a church social and worship event with plenty of opportunity
for us to become acquainted with each other. The
following weekend as we venture toward the St. Louis
area for CROSSWALK we hope to meet again with our
UCC friends in St. Louis.
The United Church of Christ is a diverse community of
faith, held together by covenant and in Christ. Holy
Trinity relates well to the United Church of Christ’s
mission. There are thousands, perhaps millions, of people
who have not been to church in many years, or
ever, simply because they never knew that communities
of faith like the UCC and Holy Trinity exist. To
that end, the national UCC initiative and media campaign
entitled “God is Still Speaking” is designed to:
• Speak to the alienated and those seeking a
spiritual home.
• Let the world know that there is a church
unlike any they may have known.
• Invite people to
come, and let them
know that “No
matter who you
are, no matter
where you are on
life’s journey,
you are welcome
here.”
Established in 1957 as a liberal-
leaning Protestant denomination,
the UCC has approximately
1.3 million members
and 6,000 congregations.

Crones Elders Pray

Beginning this past Spring women and
men who are eligible to be members of
AARP joined together on a Wednesday afternoon
to seek ways to support the ministry of Holy
Trinity Community Church. For Holy Trinity
Women who are in the crowning of their lives
(crones) and men who are reported to have experience
under their belts (elders) their meeting provided
a ballast for the vessel known at HTCC. While this
group is rich in wisdom, laughter, creativity and
know-how, prayer was the primary vocation of
HTCC’s crones and elders. Since Holy Trinity loves
it’s “second days” the group plans to meet each second
Wednesday of the month at 4:00 p.m. in the
Vestry Library to share in Afternoon Tea, prayer, and
strategize Holy Trinity’s opportunities and challenges
as a faith community. This group is perhaps
richest in diversity among straight, gay, married,
partnered, single, persons of color, anglos, fixed income,
the temporarily abled and full of life’s credentials.
Anyone who fits the maturity required and desires
the fellowship and mission of this group is welcome.

HOLY TRINITY JOINS WITNESS

If you could change
the face of Christianity in America, what would be
different about it? Would it be more compassionate?
More in touch with everyday life? More justice-
oriented? Would the kind of Christianity you
embrace include Jesus’ authentic welcoming of diverse
people and viewpoints?
CrossWalk America is part of an emerging Christian
movement - one that joyously embraces the
love of God, neighbor and self (Jesus' core values).
We stand for:
• openness to other faiths
• care for the earth and its ecosystems
• valuing artistic expression in all its forms
• authentic inclusiveness of all people - including
God's lesbian/gay/bisexual/
transgender (lgbt) community
• opposing the commingling of Church and
State
• promoting the values of rest and recreation,
prayer and reflection
• embracing both faith and science in the pursuit
of truth
HTCC plans to join the national walk across America
just east of St. Louis July 8 on the afternoon
shift Marthasville, MO Marthasville, MO (MO-94
& MO-47)]. We hope to have a crew of folks from
HTCC ride up to St. Louis Friday afternoon, spend
the night then head east of STL to join the walkers
that afternoon. It is difficult to pin-point exactly
where the walkers will be two months from now,
but we will try and join them wherever they are
July 8. The walking course is 15 miles long and requires
sign-up through the website. Criteria for the
walk is listed on the website. A sign up sheet at
church will be available mid-June. To fully understand
the mission of this Christian witness Wednesday
Night Study and Sunday School have been focused
on the Phoenix Affirmations which spell out
the aims of this Christian movement.
www.crosswalkamerica.org

CALENDAR AT A GLANCE

May 26 PRIDE Fundraiser with DIVAS Madison Flame
May 28 Phyllis Tickle Preaching 11:00 am HTCC
May 30 June 11 WKNO Broadcast
June 1 GLAD Media Training Event MGLCC
June 4 Pentecost Festival
June 9 2nd Friday Karaoke for HTCC One More
June 10 Mid-South PRIDE
June 11 Second Sunday Dinner TBA
June 14 2nd Wednesday Crones and Elders HTCC
June 18 Trinity Sunday/Father’s Day HTCC
June 25 Phyllis Tickle Preaching 11:00 am HTCC
July 1-2 UCC Delegation Visits HTCC
July 2-23 Pancake Theology & Phyllis Tickle HTCC
July 7-8 Crosswalk America St. Louis, MO
July 9 2nd Sunday Dinner New NamKing
July 12 2nd Wednesday Crones and Elders HTCC
July 14 2nd Friday Karaoke for HTCC One More
August 13 Church Picnic and Baptism Party TBA
EVERY SUNDAY WORSHIP & EUCHARIST 11:00 AM
EVERY SUNDAY CHRISTIAN EDUCATION 9:30 AM
EVERY WEDNESDAY FELLOWSHIP SUPPER 6:00 PM
EVERY WEDNESDAY STUDY & PRAYER 7:00 PM