Trinity's current Communications Director Char Mansfield will be moving to Chicago to pursue their career as an ordained minister. During Char's eighteen months in this role, they have greatly enhanced the quality and timeliness of our parish communications as well as the live-streaming of our Sunday service. Now we need to replace them and continue their good work! The search committee consists of Morgane O'Connell, Nithila Peter, Hailey Hensley, Tom Scott, Annie Bryson and Char Mansfield. A job description is posted at https://www.trinityprinceton.org/employment. If you or someone you know is interested in this part-time position, please send a resume and cover letter to communicationsearch@trinityprinceton.org.
Save the Date: Easter Egg Hunt
Families! Save the Date: Holy Saturday, April 19, 2025 at 11am
Trinity’s Easter Egg Hunt takes place on Holy Saturday at 11am on Stockton Lawn, and will be covered with colorful, candy and treat-filled eggs. Beforehand, we gather at the church entrance for a blessing. Bring your baskets and get ready to hunt for eggs. During the hunt, keep an eye peeled for the Easter Bunny, who loves to pose for photos. Come back for the Easter Vigil at 7pm or on Easter Morning to celebrate our Risen Lord!
They'll Know We Are Christians
Dear Beloved of Trinity Church,
The hymn They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love has been running through my mind lately, and I can’t seem to shake it. Written in 1966 by Fr. Peter Scholtes, a Catholic priest serving on the South Side of Chicago, the song emerged during a pivotal time in the fight for civil rights and equality. Seeking a way to express the transformative work being done by the young people in his parish, Scholtes found himself unable to locate a suitable hymn for a series of ecumenical and interracial gatherings. So, he wrote one himself—giving voice to a movement of faith in action.
I have fond memories of singing this hymn regularly at All Saints’ Camp and Conference Center in Kentucky, where I served as the chaplain for youth summer camps. Its words, rooted in love as the mark of true discipleship, still resonate deeply with me today.
Even though this has that “summer camp song” with a guitar kind of feel, and just because it does not come from our rich Anglican choral music tradition - it should not be discarded. This hymn is gentle yet powerful and profound reminder of who we are and what we are called to be.
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we'll guard each one's dignity and save each one's pride
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love.
By our love, by our love
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love
I often wonder: if you were to ask people on the street—especially those who are not Christian—"How would you describe a Christian? How do you recognize one?" what would they say? Sadly, I fear the responses would not be love, unity, and dignity. Instead, we might hear words like judgmental, divisive, hypocritical, closed-minded, anti-this, anti-that. Not at all what we are to be. Not at all the message of the one whom we follow, Jesus Christ.
I believe the way we see ourselves or understand ourselves is radically different from how we are often perceived and experienced in the world.
One day, I pray, the world will know us by our love. Yes, They’ll know we are Christians by our love.
Peace and Blessings,
Paul
Faith and Politics Panel Discussion with Dr. Elaine Pagels
Throughout history, religious beliefs and faith-based movements have played a crucial role in resisting authoritarianism, advocating for human rights, and inspiring social change. This event will explore the intersection of faith, dissidence, and political power across history and cultures.
On Wednesday, April 2, 6:30pm - 8:00pm., Harrington Spear Paine Professor at Princeton University Elaine Pagels and David C. Steinmetz Distinguished Professor of World Christianity at Duke Divinity School Lian Xi will discuss these themes and draw parallels between their recent books.
By comparing these two seemingly unrelated historical contexts, the discussion, moderated by Arthur Ross Director of the Asia Society Center on U.S.-China Relations Orville Schell, will shed light on the enduring power of faith, moral conviction and higher loyalties than to the state in the face of political oppression.
An author book signing will follow the discussion, and copies of Miracles and Wonder and Blood Letters will be available for purchase. The discussion will take place at the Asia Society and Museum, located at 725 Park Ave, New York, NY 10021. Tickets are $15 for non-members, $8 for members.
Buy Tickets or Visit the Event Page
Conversation with Elizabeth Oldfield
In these turbulent times, I invite you to join me April 30 at 7pm for a conversation with Elizabeth Oldfield, author of Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times. As an Anglican Christian, Oldfield offers a thoughtful, faithful, and deeply insightful guide to soulful living, helping us navigate the challenges of being fully human and fully alive. With refreshing honesty and humanity, she shares the truths of her own journey—its blessings and struggles alike—offering wisdom that is both accessible and profoundly moving.
Elizabeth Oldfield hosts The Sacred podcast and is the former director and now senior fellow of the think tank Theos. She appears across the media, including BBC Radio and television, UnHerd, the Financial Times, and beyond. Oldfield is also a contributing editor at Comment magazine, chair of Larger Us, and a coach and consultant working with purpose-driven individuals and organizations.
Voices Chorale NJ: Requiem x 2
Date & Time: May 3rd at 4pm
Location: Trinity Church, Princeton, NJ
It will be two times the beauty and two times the excitement when Voices Chorale NJ presents “Requiem x 2”. The concert will showcase two powerful musical settings of the requiem mass: the monumental Mozart Requiem, left incomplete by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1791; and the Requiem by Brazilian composer José Maurício Nunes Garcia, completed in 1816 and inspired by familiarity with Mozart’s masterpiece. Both works will be accompanied by the 21-piece Berks Sinfonietta orchestra.
Mozart tragically died before completing his Requiem, and this concert will feature a 1991 completion of the piece by brilliant musician and Julliard scholar Robert Levin. To help audience members better understand and appreciate the various completions of Mozart’s Requiem through history, a pre-concert talk will be presented by Dr. David McConnell, Voices Chorale NJ Artistic Director, at 3:15pm.
Both “Requiems” are dramatic and intensely moving compositions of choral art, and promise an unforgettable musical experience that will captivate and move the audience. Don’t miss this doubly-exciting concert experience!
Share in the Adventure
Dear Beloved of Trinity Church,
On April 1, Elaine Pagels’ new book, Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus, will be released. In the introduction, Elaine writes, “I cannot resist asking not only ‘Who was Jesus?’ but also ‘Who is he?’ What intrigues me is the astonishing persistence of Jesus, both rediscovered and reinvented.” She concludes by saying, “Excited by what I found, I invite you to share in the adventure.”
As a renowned scholar, Elaine deepens our understanding of the historical realities in which the church was formed. Yet her questions also speak to the heart of our ongoing journey of faith. We, too, must continually ask not only “Who was Jesus?”but also “Who is he?”—within the depths of our souls and the realities of our lives.
In this season of Lent, we are invited to embrace this never-ending, life-giving adventure. The Christian life is one of continual discovery, unfolding amid the ever-changing landscape of our lives and the complexities of the world around us. This adventure is not easy. Wrestling with both historical realities and sacred mysteries—the things we can prove and the things that require faith—is a challenge. And yet, I believe without doubt or hesitation that this adventure sustains us, frees us, and leads to life. Life in ways I never could have imagined. With strength I would not have found on my own and joy I would not have known.
I invite you to share in this extraordinary and life-giving adventure. It’s worth it!
Lenten blessings,
Paul
Free Tickets to Princeton U Chamber Choir Concert
Dear Trinity Church Members:
The Princeton University Chamber Choir’s upcoming concert is one not-to-be-missed: a complete performance of Joby Talbot’s 21st Century Masterpiece for unaccompanied choir - Path of Miracles.
Path of Miracles was composed by Joby Talbot in 2004 for the famed British choir Tenebrae, on a concept which I developed in partnership with Tenebrae’s conductor Nigel Short and the City of London Festival. In the twenty years since, it has come to be seen as one of the ultimate experiences of 21st Century choral music, embracing a thousand years of history and a dozen European languages on the pilgrimage route – the Camino Frances - from Roncesvalles in the Spanish Pyrenees, to the glorious Cathedral of St James in Santiago de Compostela. The music is truly symphonic in scale, and the extraordinary text, which connects ancient monastic fragments with modern verse, beautifully evokes the irresistible urge to see the world, to better know our fellow human beings, and to find answers to life’s most elusive questions. Here's a clip of the third movement, named for the city of Leon…
The performance takes place in Richardson Auditorium on Saturday March 29th at 7.30pm.
We are delighted to offer all Trinity Church members two free tickets for this event!
To obtain your tickets, visit tickets.princeton.edu and use the promo code CCSING for two free tickets.