Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Dunoon

Here are some of the things going on this year.
If you would like more information, please contact us.

Arts

We have several talented artists & craftspeople in the congregation, whose skills range from quilting & painting to poetry writing. Our artists offer their skills to enrich worship and to help nurture community.

Art is also a means of prayer, and a way of offering ourselves to God. There will be a workshop on Spirituality and the Arts led by Carol Marples, on Saturday, 21 June 2008. Places are limited, and there will be a fee to cover costs. Please contact us for more information.

Book Group

A book group meets every 4 - 6 weeks throughout the year. We read a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction, and each member is invited to help choose books for the group. Membership is fluid: feel free to join in for a book that interests you and stay away for one that doesn’t. Recent books include: My Name is Asher Lev, Birdsong, and The Poisonwood Bible.

Cursillo

A number of lay people in the congregation are involved in Cursillo, an organization which aims to renew and encourage people in their faith. Please see the Cursillo web page for more information.

House Groups

There are currently two house-groups meeting.

One group is using material from Renovare: a workbook called Learning From Jesus.

Another group spends time studying, praying and doing crafts together as they support each other in Christian discipleship.

New house groups evolve and form as the Spirit leads. If you would like to be part of a small group, please get in touch.

Lay Ministry & Christian Service

There is a Lay Ministry team that supports our worship by preaching, leading prayers, and leading services from the Reserved Sacrament when the priest is away. The preachers are involved in a home-grown lay training course on Biblical Studies and preaching.

There is ongoing training for servers, readers, worship leaders, and prayer leaders.

We are in the process of developing a pastoral ministry team, which will visit the sick & the house bound and bring communion to those who cannot come to church.

There are also many opportunities to offer one’s gifts and good will by helping with flower arranging (training available), church cleaning, preparing coffee after the services, helping with administrative tasks, gardening & building maintenance, etc.

Learning New Things

There are ongoing opportunities to learn more about ourselves and God, and to grow in faith.

Recent teaching & events have included:

• Stop & Ask Eucharist, in which people were invited to ask whatever questions they had of the usual 1982 liturgy. We discussed everything from liturgical colours & Mediaeval Eucharistic theology to how we prepare for church each week. We will repeat this event soon.
• Ways of Praying. There is ongoing teaching on prayer, through Lent groups, housegroups, and one-on-one discussions.
• Bible Study. Bible study happens at various times throughout the year. See below, under Lent & Easter for more information.
• Art & Spirituality. (see above, under Arts)
• The Anglican Communion & Issues of Human Sexuality
• Christian Basics. There are always opportunities for one-on-one or small group conversations about God, faith, worship and the church.

Much of our teaching arises as people share their questions and experience. If there is something you would like to learn more about or think through with others, please let us know.

Lent & Easter

Bible Study on Meals with Jesus — a small group bible study, aimed at deepening faith and relationships. Wednesday evenings in Lent.

Bible Overview — a small group bible study, aimed at increasing awareness of the development of scripture. There will be a particular focus on Old Testament themes. Fortnightly on Monday evenings in Lent and Easter

Music

We are blessed with a superb organist and several talented singers at Holy Trinity. We do not have a choir, but we do sing in parts, have occasional singing workshops, and form an ad hoc choir with musicians from St Paul’s Rothesay for special occasions.

Serving the Wider Community

The congregation is committed to supporting the work of Mission to Seafarers and Christian Aid.

We are also starting a local community project to send care packages to The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, to help to the young men and women who serve in dangerous situations to know that they are not forgotten.

Social Events

Any excuse for a party…

There is an annual Pancake Party at the rectory on Shrove Tuesday.

We meet several times a year for a ‘pot luck’ meal with our sister congregations of St Paul’s Rothesay & St Martin’s Tignabruaich.

In the summer, there is a monthly gathering called Midgebites & Candlelight, where we meet for a walk up the Bishop’s Glen, a barbecue on the lawn, and then gather in church to sing Compline, the ancient service of Night Prayer.

Vestry

The vestry is charged with the task of maintaining the property of the church, and shares with the rector the task of caring for the Spiritual well-being and growth of the congregation. Vestry members offer a great deal of time and skill to help ensure the future of the Episcopal Church in Dunoon.