The annual meeting of the Parish of Trinity Church Saugerties took place on Sunday, January 29 from 9 AM to 11:30 AM. Linda Adorno was elected Warden. Returning members of the vestry elected for another term are Linda Adorno, Dora Stack, Joe Stack and Bill Tomaseski. The vestry welcomes Anthony Gambino.
Minutes of the meeting will not be considered for approval until next year’s annual meeting; a draft version is available on request from Dora Stack.
December 27, 2021 Our current standards for covid-19 safety at church
These fit the Governor’s declaration of Dec 10. They are subject to change on short notice. For everyone’s health, let’s stay faithful to them.
1) Mask over mouth and nose at all times and in all places indoors in church. Momentary exception to place the Host in one’s own mouth. Exception for glasses-wearers when reading aloud a long text or organ music and at least twelve feet from anyone else.
2) Entering the church, read the sign behind the last row of pews and assess yourself. If you have developed any of the listed symptoms in the last two weeks, please go home immediately. That’s caring for others.
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
3) Sanitize your hands and sIgn your name (and address if you are new) legibly in the record. Then sanitize your hands again before going to your seat.
4) Put your offering in the plate when you enter.
5) Seating plan:
People who’ve lived in the same household in near-total isolation except for essential work may sit together. Another party can sit at the other end of the pew (pews are 11’ long). To keep the distancing between occupied pews adequate, different ones are designated for 8 o’clock and 10 o’clock. A variation of the previous seating arrangement is proposed to get ten o’clock closer to the organ.
The first two pews on each side of the center aisle stay open, unused (nos. 28, 29, 30, 31 reading along center aisle)
Ten o’ clockers in pews 27, 24, 21, 18 on the right (epistle) side of center aisle, in pews 32, 35, 38 and 41 on the left (gospel) side Pews will be marked by colored cards, buff for 8 and orange for 10.
Eight o’ clockers in pews 26, 23, 20 in the right side and pews 33, 36, 39 on the left side
Pews 25 and 34 should not be sat in. Likewise 22 and 37 and 19 with its partner across the aisle from which the number 40 is missing. Unusable pews are mostly marked with a green card “E” for empty.
This new arrangement may push some parishioners from their accustomed spot, which we regret. Please abide by it.
6) Singers must wear proper nose and mouth masks and keep at least twelve (12) feet from anyone who’s not in the same household. That’s a foot more than the length of a pew or than the span of four pews along the aisle. All who will sing should get in position at the start, or move if needed.
7) Use the prayer books and hymnals only from in front of your seats. Take home your copy of the bulletin and dispose of it there.
8) As we now have services only once a week, any virus on the woodwork will not survive till next Sunday; there’s no need to wipe it down.
9) At the bathroom, sanitize hands before going in, use a paper towel to turn handles. Sanitize or wash hands with soap and water before exiting.
10) Sanitize hands before leaving the church. No handshakes or hugs. 6-foot distance even from good friends. Handy hint: American Sign Language represents “Love” with both hands crossed over each other on the chest.
11) Persons seated at least 6 feet apart from those not in the same household may remove their masks briefly when actively eating or drinking, but must put them back on when moving about.
All health authorities — county, state, federal — urge full vaccination plus on-time booster for everyone aged 5 and up, including covid-19 survivors. Persons who are immuno-compromised or have an immune disorder should consult with their personal physicians. For many such, the benefits of vaccination for SARS Cov2 outweigh the risks.
Message from vestry and Warden circulated by e-mail before the Sunday,
July 5th, 2020 services
These guidelines have been modified several times since July 2020. The announcement is still posted for comparison to the more recent version.
For everyone’s health, be faithful to these strict rules for July and beyond.
1) Mask over nose and face at all times and in all places.
2) Entering the church, read the sign behind the last row of pews and assess yourself. If you have developed any of the listed symptoms in the last two weeks, please go home immediately. That’s caring for others.
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
3) Sanitize your hands and sIgn your name and address legibly in the record. Then sanitize your hands again before going to your seat. (This item was modified 4 Jan 2021 to include signing in, which had not been in the July 5 list)
4) Put your offering on the plate when you enter.
5) Seating plan:
People who’ve lived in the same household in near-total isolation except for essential work may sit together. Someone else can sit at the other end of the pew (pews are 11’ long). To keep the six-foot rule, only every third pew may be used. Different pews are designated for 8 o’clock and 10 o’clock, like this:
Eight o’ clockers in pews 30, 33, 36, 39, 42 on the left side facing the altar or in pews 29, 26, 23, 20, 17, 14 on the right side facing the altar. Pews will be marked by colored cards.
Ten o’ clockers in pews 31, 34, 37, 40, 43 on the left side or on the right side in pews 28, 25, 22, 19, 16
This may push some parishioners from their accustomed spot, which we regret. Please abide by it.
6) Singers must wear proper masks and keep at least twelve (12) feet from anyone who’s not in the same household. That’s a foot more than the length of a pew or than the span of four pews along the aisle. All who will sing should get in position at the start, or move if needed.
7) Take home the prayer book and hymnal you use on July 5 as a loan until further notice. Bring it back each week for your own use. Take home your copy of the bulletin and dispose of it there.
8) As we now have services only once a week, any virus on the woodwork will not survive till next Sunday; there’s no need to wipe down woodwork.
9) At the bathroom, sanitize hands before going in, use a paper towel to turn handles. Sanitize or wash hands with soap and water before exiting.
10) Sanitize hands before leaving the church. No handshakes or hugs. 6-foot distance even from good friends. Handy hint: American Sign Language represents “Love” with both hands crossed over each other on the chest.
Posted Wednesday, April 23rd, 2020 by the Warden
March 15 was our last day of public worship. Bishop Dietsche soon after declared that there can be no public worship in the Episcopal Diocese of New York until at least May 17. Since March 16, parishioners have been encouraged to watch live-streamed services from other churches or join in them on the internet by Zoom. Several bulletins each week have been going from the warden to all parish members who have e-mail, giving suggested links to churches in the Diocese. The three who don’t get telephone calls from the Warden and from other members of the parish. Mark Herb is bringing out a new edition of the parish directory to improve phone and email communication.
The Diocesan website has a good directory of on-line worship. Several nearby churches offer services on-line three to five times a week that are not listed on the Diocesan website. Two of these are St Gregory’s in Woodstock and St John the Evangelist in Barrytown. Click on their websites to see the weekly schedule of online worship.
The parish office is closed at this time. Daily and weekly business and building management is being handled in a safe way with the versatile help of Dora and Joe Stack and Linda Adorno. In our April meeting, the vestry reviewed the budget approved for 2020 in view of the COVID-19 epidemic; there will be changes from what had been expected in both income and expenses. It is too early, however, to change the budget.
Recognizing the dreadful impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the vestry made donations of $1500 from TEC to the Food Pantry of the Saugerties Council of Churches of $1050 to Ulster Resilience.
Please, if you are a member of TEC reading this, be sure that your monthly plate contributions or pledge contributions are sent by check or money order to the church office. We are not currently paying a supply priest and don’t expect to be doing so before May 17. Nonetheless, the parish has twelve-month a year expenses that require everyone’s help to meet.
As soon as public worship resumes, Fr. Charles Blauvelt will be our supply priest through August.
Posted Monday, March 16th, 2020
In the first week of the national emergency for the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) epidemic, TEC held services on March 15, prayerfully and warily. We kept six feet from each other and had a briefing at the start on protocols to avoid contagion. None of this lessened our spiritual communion.
As I write this comes news that the President supports guidelines to limit gatherings to ten persons. We are likely to be under that in the near future. We plan to hold two services of Morning Prayer on March 22 and two services of Holy Eucharist on March 29 unless there are new developments. The Rev. Jane Brady-Close is scheduled to be with us on the 29th and for Holy Week. The Vestry Meeting scheduled for Thursday the 19th is still on. As per now-common guidelines, there is no obligation to attend even if one feels well; there is an obligation not to if one does not.
If someone can’t get to TEC services, the Cathedral Church of St John the Divine will be live-streaming https://www.stjohndivine.org/ as will the National Cathedral in Washington https://cathedral.org/, where on March 15 Bishop Curry was the celebrant. Probably these can be seen afterward too.
Vestry members have checked this week by phone on everyone in our congregation who’s in an especially vulnerable category; no one reports symptoms and all have good help at home. If anything changes, or if you learn of someone not in the parish who needs help, we can rally around. Call Stephen Shafer at 917 453 7371.
Ulster County has outstanding leadership from County Executive Ryan and the County Health Commissioner, Dr. Smith. There’s a 24 hr COVID-19 hotline for questions re-testing, symptoms, food security, medical care, and anything else. 845 443 8888. www.ulstercountyny.gov/coronavirus
Monday, March 9th, 2020
The Warden and Vestry in concert with former Warden and head chef Joe Stack decided that the St Patrick’s Day Dinner slated for March 14 would have to be cancelled in view of the rising number of NYS cases of novel COVID-19 (corona virus). We plan to schedule another dinner in future.
As of evening March 11 we are on course for two services of Holy Eucharist on Sunday March 15. The communal chalice will not be offered. Hand-washing, no-touch greetings, and use of facial tissues properly disposed of we believe will be adequate precautions against contagion in this setting. Nevertheless, we advise parishioners at extra-high risk and their families to stay home. We will be in touch with you.
Sunday Jan 26 was the last Sunday of Fr. Phillips’s forty years as a full-time parish priest. We at TEC were blessed to have had him as Vicar for the last seven of those. Michael and Sarah’s children and grandson and other family and friends joined the congregation at a gala breakfast after a 9 A.M. Eucharist to honor the Phillipses and thank them for all they have done here. Thank God, they will not be far away. Paul Andreassen took the photos below.
Thursday Jan 9 7 PM will see the next Vestry meeting, in the Parish Hall. All members of the congregation are invited (and , we add, strongly encouraged to present themselves to join the Vestry). The new Superintendent of Schools for Saugerties will be our invited guest around 7 PM
Sunday Jan 19 we will have the Annual Meeting between services starting a little after 9 AM. Don’t bring things for pot-luck breakfast this time.
Agenda includes annual reports from Treasurer and Cemetery Committee and comments from our now-retired Vicar. There is a Junior Warden position open for which nominations in advance are encouraged. The Senior Warden is incumbent. Nominations in advance for vestry members are encouraged. We have unfilled positions.
Sunday Jan 26 there will be just one service, at 9 AM, That will be followed by the coffee hour to end all coffee hours, a gala pot luck breakfast special in honor and tribute to the Phillipses.
Recent events
On Sunday, Dec 15, at 9 AM the Vestry gathered in the Parish Hall for a special meeting that had been called the day before by Fr Phillips and Warden Yelland. All members of the congregation, as usual, were invited to attend. Present were the Vicar, Warden Yelland, and all five Vestry members. Linda Adorno, Jim Kent, Stephen Shafer, Dora Stack and Bill Tomaseski . By a vote of more than two thirds of the entire membership of the Vestry, a proposal was approved to sell 1.67 acres of parish land to a named buyer who intends to form a non-profit organization that will steward the parcel for land conservation and public education. The sale still requires approval from Bishop Dietsche and the Standing Committee of the Diocese. The Vestry resolution was part of the process of applying for approval. The complete application was submitted later on Dec 15, the deadline to be taken up at the next meeting of the Standing Committee, Jan 2 2020.
Also on Dec 15 at the scheduled between-services brunch Warden Yelland and the clergy search committee (Paul Backstrom, Linda Adorno, Stephen Shafer) announced plans for 2020 to follow the retirement of Fr Michael Phillips on 31 December. Careful review of our finances has convinced the Warden and Vestry to our great regret that TEC does not have the resources even to share a full-time priest 50-50 with another parish not too distant. The search committee has therefore tabled indefinitely its efforts to find a priest who will be at least partly based here. Paul Backstrom explained to the meeting that TEC must therefore rely in on Supply Priests. Warden Yelland told the gathering that at least for 2020 the Vestry feels we can budget for a supply priest to administer Eucharist at 8 AM and 10 AM on the first, third and fifth Sundays of every month and appropriate services in Holy Week, on Easter and on Christmas Eve. Morning Prayer will be led on the second and fourth Sundays by our devoted worship leaders Marilyn Bennet (8 AM) and Dora Stack (10 AM).
The search committee, said Stephen Shafer, is still searching for a Deacon, and has been in touch with Bishop Deacon Lavetty.
Paul Backstrom and Stephen Shafer will work with the Warden to arrange Supply by Jan 1 for the next few months, with Easter and Holy Week the top priority in scheduling.
Warden Yelland told the assembly that a lot of help will be needed to plan the liturgy for each Sunday and special day well in advance. She called for volunteers to learn the ropes.
Thursday Jan 9 7 PM will see the next Vestry meeting, in he Parish Hall. All members of the congregation are invited (and for that matter strongly encouraged to present themselves to join the Vestry) The new Superintendent of Schools for Saugerties will be our invited guest around 7 PM
The Vestry meeting (usually second Thursday) for December was held Dec 19 instead, as Fr Phillips was doing a service away in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. .
Thursday Nov 21 was the first day that W.I.C. (Women, Infants and Children) gathered in the Parish Hall. Meetings will be first and third Thursdays all day. Parishioners are encouraged to provide hospitality.
Saturday Nov 16 morning raised a dedicated crew of rakers to move tons of leaves off the big lawn. Each year, it seems, the fall of leaves is finished later.
Saturday Nov 2 saw the annual Roast Pork Dinner prepared by chef (and former Warden) Joe Stack with talented assistants and served up by parishioners. The event netted over $800. Many thanks to all who took part and all who dined so well.
Sunday October 13 we welcomed Bishop Glasspool to the ten o’clock service. She delivered a stirring sermon. After brunch, Bishop Glasspool met with the Vestry.
The third series of Monday evening discussion groups convened by Fr Phillips began in early October around The Lord’s Prayer: Bridge to a Better World by C. G. Weeramantry. The group is delighted to have participants who are not active members of the parish as well as those who are. After six sessions, the last on November 18, we will move on to hear Fr Phillips’s recent paper on the life and work of St. Paul.
Sunday September 29 we had a parish meeting between services to talk about the search for the next priest-in-charge. Paul Backstrom reported the results of a mail survey and Stephen Shafer spoke of the opportunities we’re looking at.
Warden Margaret Yelland formed a search committee to ready us for 2020 and beyond after Fr Phillips has retired. Many decisions to be made. Stephen Shafer leads the committee; Linda Adorno and Paul Backstrom have signed on. More volunteers welcome.
Monday Aug 19 The second series of Monday evening discussions with the Vicar ended with his serving cake to the multitudes. The enthusiastic group will choose a book for another series o start soon.
Sunday Aug 18 saw a between-services pot-luck breakfast at which parishioners shared opinions on future directions T.E.C. should take as we near the 200th anniversary of out founding. We’ll have another in September.
Saturday June 15 a volunteer work party including Fr. Phillips hauled away three big trailer loads of cut-down scrub trees from the northeast corner of the New Cemetery. Thanks to Mark Herb for arranging the trailer and Lizbeth Shafer for cleaning the fence line on Trinity Place.
Monday June 10 A five-man work party including the Vicar seal-coated the new asphalt behind the church. Bill Tomaseski brought in the materials and led the swabbing.
Saturday May 25 Plant Sale and bake sale opened for business 9 AM. We netted over $800. Thanks to all who brought plants and food, especially to Paul Backstrom and David Hutchinson.
Monday May 20 The Lenten study course led by Fr. Phillips on Elaine Pagels’s book The Gnostic Gospels concluded on May 20, after Lent. It’s was very stimulating insight into the first 200 years of Christianity. Monday evenings at 7-8 PM. On June 3 a new series began, this one using How on Earth Did Jesus Become God? by the Rev. Larry Hurtado.
Saturday and Sunday May 18 and 19 we welcomed visitors to the statewide annual Sacred Sites Open House tour. It was our first year to take part. Members of the parish hosted 12-4 both afternoons to show guests interiors, notably our famous windows, and the spectacular views of the Catskill Front. Many thanks to Warden Margaret Yelland for making this happen and being there both days
Sunday May 5 we had a between-services pot luck brunch starting 9 AM to listen to each other’s ideas about the future of TEC
sculpture by Matt Marzorati
Our annual corn beef dinner to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day was on Saturday March 16 in the Parish Hall. It was a lot more joyous than the above image of St Patrick! About 85 dinners were served or taken out. A chef visitor trained at the CIA said that Joe Stack’s corn beef was the best he’s ever had.
A final word from the Vicar at the 2019 Annual Meeting
Before we adjourn I have would like to say a final word from the Vicar. This is something that is
hard to say and I suspect will be hard to hear. In less than two months I will turn 68 years old,
and on the first Sunday in November of this year I will mark 40 years in full time parish ministry.
Most people would consider that a “career.” Therefore, I have told the Vestry and they have
encouraged me to share with you all this morning that it is my intention to retire at the end of
this calendar year.
I’ve been doing this work for so long, it’s kind of hard to image not doing it. But the time is
right for me to have weekends to visit family and sit in a pew with Sarah and sing hymns
together while my health is still good. It also seems to be a good time for Trinity to bring in new
leadership as we look toward doing ministry in new ways.
I will be meeting with Nora Smith the deployment officer of the diocese to see if Trinity can
truncate the typical search process so that there will be a smooth and immediate transition of
leadership in 2020. I have also said to the Vestry that I will not leave the parish out on a limb,
and that if new leadership is identified but cannot come until some point after the first of the
year, I will continue to offer Sunday worship and other services as needed until the new
leadership arrives.
I know it’s difficult and disruptive when any organization experiences a change in leadership.
But I’m not done yet, in fact, I have almost a whole year left, and I plan to do everything I can to
make it a great year – an exciting year for Trinity Church. posted 5 Feb 2019
A once-weekly Lenten discussion group on the Gnostic Gospels invites people from in and outside the Parish. The time is not yet settled as no one time slot was preferred by everyone. Fr Phillips will announce the decision soon.
The Tomaseskis’ winter party, to which the the whole parish was invited as always was held on Feb 2 , having been snowed out earlier. The magical tree was still up, making this either the last Christmas party of 2018 or the first of 2019. Many thanks from all comers to the gracious hosts.
Early arrivals at the Tomaseskis’ winter party Feb 3, 2019
Lizbeth, Ed, Marilyn Bill and Cathy (our hosts)
The Annual Meeting took place on Jan 27 9-10 AM in the Parish Hall. A full report will follow soon. Gail Pfeil told us the sad news that Fr Shepherd, the Vicar for 33 years until 1993, had died earlier this year at his home in Maine. We have many good memories of Fr. Shepherd. He had the longest continuous tenure as Vicar in the history of TEC. The Rev Thomas Cole, Jr, whose tenure spanned forty years, had a five-year leave of absence midway.
Beloved parishioner Evelyn Harrison died on November 13 at the age of 102. Her funeral was held on November 20, with three successive generations of her family present. Evelyn was laid to rest in the Trinity Church cemetery with her late husband, Louis. Here is a link to a news story about Evelyn. Below are some photos from Evelyn’s 100th birthday.
The vestry approved in 2018 the idea of selling a piece of the 4.4 acres that TEC owns on Church Street. Things are moving forward. A survey of the 4.4 acres in now complete. We have submitted an application to the Village Planning Board that would allow us to offer for sale 1.7 acres on the north side of the 4.4 acres. The first meeting with the Planning Board was held Feb 13. There will be a hearing on March 13.
The vestry decided at the October meeting to get a consultation on how to make the second bathroom in the Parish Hall ADA-compliant. An architect from RCAL in Kingston kindly came over on Oct 16 to explain the specs. At the December meeting, however, the vestry decided to postpone bidding for that job, recognizing that re-pointing the rectory is more urgent. We have received one bid on that in November and are seeking others for what looks like a big job.
The seasonal maintenance of the cemetery April through October was awarded at the December vestry meeting to Richard Benn, who has done it the last three years and had the low bid.
The fall leaf cleanup slated for Sat Nov 17 had to be postponed because of heavy snowfall. It was done instead on Dec 15 at the same time as the annual pre-Christmas interior cleaning and polishing. Christmas decorating was done the following week. Special mention to vestry member Linda Adorno for cleaning and oiling all the leather kneelers.
Father Phillips and Sarah celebrated this summer the birth of their first grandchild, to their son Michael and his wife, who live in New Hampshire. Then in mid-September they celebrated again, this time at the wedding of their daughter, Gracie.
updated Feb 23 2019
Upcoming events: Sunday May 5 between-services pot luck brunch starting 9 AM.
Saturday May 25 Plant Sale opens for business 9 AM. Start getting ready now, digging and potting
Thursday June 6 workday to seal coat the new asphalt behind the church. Three volunteers already committed.
Saturday June 15 work party to brush cut edges of the cemeteries 10-12. Bring tools, gloves and insect repellent!
Saturday and Sunday May 18 and 19 we welcome visitors to the annual Sacred Sites Open House tour. It’s our first year to take part
The Annual Meeting for 2022 was postponed in early January by action of the vestry. The new date is April 3, 2022 between the services. We are not set up to do a big meeting virtually, but too many church members did not want to come on the scheduled date because of the pandemic.