Greetings, Trinitarians!

As we approach the Christmas holiday, I want to encourage you to invite a friend to some or all of our Christmas services, as follows:

• Thursday 18 Dec @ 5PM - Children's Choir Christmas Concert
• Sunday 21 Dec @ 10AM - Advent 4 with Children's Pageant
• Wednesday 24 Dec @ 5PM - Christmas Eve Candlelight
• Thursday 25 Dec @ 10AM - Christmas Morning Communion

These will be some of our final services in the current sanctuary, as we plan to move services to the Family Center in early January.

Finally, as we approach the end of the year, please complete your pledges and consider a year-end gift to our church general fund. Our Treasurer, Teri Cober, includes a note of encouragement below. Thank you for your generosity in service of the church and the work of the gospel.

Yours in Christ -
Peter

Good afternoon, friends!

I’m writing to alert you that you should see your giving statement through the end of the November in your mail this week.  I hope it will give you the information you need to complete your 2025 pledged or planned giving for both the General Fund and Living Stones.

While our Living Stones fund is ahead of schedule, our General Fund is a bit behind. Please pray about making an end-of-year gift beyond your pledge to support our ministry as we enter the new year. The work of the church is blessed by your generosity.

With warm appreciation,
Teri

Greetings Trinitarians -

Today I want to start with a very hearty offering of thanks. First of all, we give all thanks and praise to God for his bountiful grace to us, in sustaining our lives and giving us eternal life through his Son Jesus, our Lord. In the Morning Prayer liturgy, there's a wonderful prayer called the "General Thanksgiving," which includes these lines:

"And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days..."

I love the phrase: ..."not only with our lips, but in our lives...", because it connects the praise of our Sunday worship to the activity of our Weekday lives. May God impress on each of us the abundance of his grace in Jesus Christ, that every part of our lives would show forth our grateful hearts (for more on the history and theology of the General Thanksgiving, click here).

Second, I also want to thank you: for your prayers, for your participation in our life together; for your kindness to each other and to me; and for your generosity to our church and the ongoing gospel mission in this place. Your sacrificial giving is both sustaining our ministry and laying a foundation for future generations.

Even in the midst of the ongoing sanctuary expansion, we have worked together to advance a wonderful season of gospel ministry. Our Sunday mornings have been remarkably vibrant, with high attendance, beautiful adornment in music and art, great participation in our meals, and the launch of Coffee & Catechism at the 9AM hour. Our weekday ministries have been equally engaging, with studies, prayer meetings, classes, and the new format of home groups.

And thanks be to God, we've experienced mountaintop moments including baptisms, confirmations, receptions, commissioning, and an ordination.

Online Giving
I want to reiterate a note from our weekly e-mail, which is to encourage you to make use of our online giving portal. This is both a practical and theological matter. Practically, online giving is easy to set up, enables recurring giving, and it helps the church with our budgeting.

Theologically, the discipline of recurring giving is a way to settle our heart and find rest in God. Jesus puts it this way: "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21). In other words, recurring giving can actually help us to keep our hearts resting in God, dwelling in him and finding peace in his grace. Conversely, when we do not give our treasure to the Lord, we will find our hearts drifting more to other things, to the things we consider more worthwhile. Yet such things cannot satisfy; we are much happier when we rest in God.

If recurring giving is not yet a part of your practice, I realize it can be difficult to start. When you do, you will discover that there are abundant spiritual blessings in giving: the faith that grows from relying on God, the peace that comes from rejecting greed, the hope that comes from investing in God’s Kingdom, and the joy of giving itself. It is on account of these spiritual blessings that Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

Living Stones Update #16
The latest financials for the Living Stones project are available. You can find them together with minutes from our Vestry meetings, on the Vestry page.

The steel for the bell-tower has arrived at Bill Cober's shop, and cutting and assembly has begun. Meanwhile at the church, siding will go up soon, and final measurements were taken for the windows this week. After Thanksgiving, we'll be preparing the details of the transition to Sunday worship in the Family Center (which will happen in January).

We have another great Living Stones video, this time from our Sure Foundation verse writing. Check it out!

Yours in Christ -
Peter

Greetings, Trinitarians!

When Bp Felix visited a few weeks ago, he commissioned a group of Catechists (Riley George and Michael Benoit) and Readers (Eric Carlson).

These are lay offices that support the teaching and liturgical ministries of the church. In one sense, these men are already engaged in such teaching and liturgical ministries, but official recognition and commissioning by our Bishop strengthens them for this ministry and encourages them to grow in greater servant leadership. In the coming weeks, I'll share how each of them is pursuing their ministries and how we as a church can participate with them.

Today, I'm excited to share that Riley George, now a lay catechist, will be coordinating a new ministry called "Coffee & Catechism" on Sundays @ 9AM, in the Family Center.

Over the next 8 Sundays, we'll have a discussion on the Christian faith, addressing specific topics each week, as follows:
 
Nov 2 - What is the Gospel? How should you respond?

Nov 9 - What is Holy Scripture? How does the Holy Spirit use Scripture in your life?

Nov 16 - What is a creed? The Apostle and Nicene creeds.

Nov 23 - What are the Sacraments (Part 1)

Nov 30 - What are the Sacraments (Part 2)

Dec 7 - What is Prayer? What are important Spiritual Disciplines?

Dec 14 - What are the Ten Commandments? What is God's Law?

Dec 21 - Who is Jesus Christ? What happened at Christmas? What does "Incarnation" mean?

As the name of the ministry implies, the goal is not so much a formal class, as an opportunity for structured conversation as we explore our Christian faith together. I look forward to seeing you there!

In the church calendar, yesterday was the beginning of Allhallowtide, three feast days as follows:

Oct 31: All Hallow's Eve & Reformation Day
Nov 1: All Saints' Day
Nov 2: All Soul's Day

This Sunday, we will celebrate all three with baptisms, all saints readings, and the commemoration of the faithful departed. To read more, here are a few articles on Anglican Compass:

• Halloween and the Victory of Christ
• All Saints Day: A Rookie Anglican Guide
• Hymn Guide: For All The Saints

Daylight Savings Time Ends on Sunday. Clocks should be SET BACK one hour on Sunday morning!

Living Stones Update #14
Work is proceeding rapidly on the Church Expansion, with roof trusses now on and windows taking shape. In the coming weeks, the team will work on tying together the two roof structures, and then in December we will install most of the windows. For Sunday services, our plan is to continue in the sanctuary through Advent and Christmas, and then make the transition to the Family Center at the beginning of the year.

Speaking of the Family Center, the deck expansion is nearly complete. Special thanks to Hunter Savoy and his team for doing great work on a very reasonable budget!

In Christ -
Peter

Greetings, Trinitarians!

I write briefly today with an invitation to our fall Trinity Scholars class. We'll be meeting on Saturday mornings from 8AM to 10AM, beginning tomorrow. Our topic for this year is the works of J. I. Packer. Packer is a brilliant writer and also a theologian of our own tradition and our own time. He was one of the leaders of the Anglican Realignment in the early 2000s until his recent death.

Our focus in the fall is the early books of J. I. Packer, focusing on Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, God Has Spoken, and Knowing God. In the spring, we'll continue our study of Packer by looking at a few of his later works.

I've included the covers of the books below:

Living Stones Update #13
Construction will continue in the coming weeks, as our framers come back to work on trusses. We have also been ordering a variety of materials that will go into the new construction, including windows and exterior stone. We believe we will be on track to relocate from the sanctuary to the family center right after Christmas.

In Christ -
Peter

Hello Trinitarians!

And greetings from Wilmore, Kentucky, where I am attending a workshop of CREO Arts. CREO is a new non-profit, founded by Winfield Bevins, that supports local efforts in faith and the arts. Last year, we applied for and received a grant of $20,000 from CREO to support dedicated art display in our Living Stones renovation and expansion. This workshop is a gathering of the 16 grant recipients, and this morning we all made presentations on our work. I shared the video below, which highlights the art display space we've added to the Family Center and its use in our art classes and for Camp Hosanna.

Living Stones Update #12
THANK YOU for your remarkable participation in our "Sure Foundation" fundraiser. With about 70 people present, it was one of our best attended events ever, with a great meal, warm fellowship, and powerful scripture verses absolutely covering the foundation! Your generosity was also remarkable, with gifts and pledges now above $50,000! The cost of the foundation is $60,000, so we will continue to raise funds through the end of this month. If you have not yet donated, would you help us get to the goal? Every donation will be matched by our Stuller grant. Give here.
In Christ -
Peter

Greetings, Trinitarians!

All are welcome tonight, May 16, at 5:30 for our Folk Dance and Psalm Sing, held at the Atwis (1370 Duchamp Road, Broussard LA 70518). Also, bring a container to take home fresh strawberries from the garden!

Why do we host an event with folk dance? Along with music and feasting, dance is one of the basic forms of Biblical celebration. The first reference to dancing in the Bible is in Exodus, after God delivered his people from Egypt. Scripture records Miriam leading the women in tambourine, dance, and song (Exodus 15). Similar celebrations are recorded in the time of King Saul after the defeat of the Philistines, and of course David himself is recorded dancing when the Ark of Covenant returned to Jerusalem (1 Samuel 18, 2 Samuel 6).

The psalms turn this precedent into an encouragement to all Israel, including its children. Consider for example Psalm 149:1-3:

Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly! Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King! Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!

Not only does this psalm encourage dance as a practice of celebration, it specifically locates such dance "in the assembly of the godly," which is to say, in the gathering of the people of God. This is why many of our Anglican brothers and sisters around the world, especially in Africa, actually incorporate dance into their church services!

For us at Trinity, we've developed in recent years the pattern of hosting seasonal Folk Dances, especially in times of celebration such Christmastide and Eastertide. We've also incorporated folk dance into our children's ministry and our annual Camp Hosanna.

The incorporation of dance in ministry does have some critics, especially those who are concerned about excessive sensuality. Such concern does have a basis in the Bible and in experience. In addition to the good dancing that we see in scripture, there is also idolatrous dancing, as at the golden calf, which prompted Moses to break the first set of tablets! (Exodus 32).

That's why our dance ministry puts special focus on folk dances, which are appropriate for large groups and for children. The more sensual dances can be good in the right context, but are less fitting for multigenerational church gatherings.

One of the most famous of Jesus' teachings is the parable of the prodigal son. In that parable, after the prodigal returns to his father, the father throws a party with feasting, music, and dancing (Luke 15). Just so, we gather to celebrate the repentance of sinners and the triumph of Christ, who brings us to our God and Father in heaven.

Living Stones Update #6
You may notice the extensive work now under way in the Family Center! In addition to the movement of the stained glass windows, we have moved the double door and new windows onto the south wall. The walls are being installed, and new ceiling tiles are delivered. Please continue to pray for the work in the coming weeks as we seek to get the space prepared for Camp Hosanna!

In Christ -
Peter

Greetings, Trinitarians!

Today I'm excited to share with you a set of resources from our Trinity Scholars program.

Earlier this year, we welcomed Ven. Andrew Brashier to Trinity to deliver a series of four lectures to our scholars on Bishop John Jewel. Jewel was a 16th century Anglican reformer, who went into exile during the reign of "Bloody" Queen Mary, but returned under Elizabeth I and became one of the leading defenders of the Anglican Church.

Now we have all four lectures uploaded to Youtube. The four lectures, linked below, cover the following topics:

1. A Biographical Overview of John Jewel
2. Analysis of Jewel's "Apology for the Church of England"
3. Analysis of Jewel's "Two Treatises on the Scriptures and the Sacrament"
4. Application - What does John Jewel mean for us today?

For anyone who is interested to know more about Anglian history and theology, this set of lectures is a great resource for your studies.

Living Stones Update #5You are in for a surprise this Sunday! When you come into the sanctuary, you will see that our two oak tree stained glass windows have been removed, and replaced with plywood. However, despair not! We found a new home for these beloved windows, on the south wall of our renovated family center. In their new location, these windows will provide a splash of color, soft light for times of worship, and a sense of continuity when we move to the family center later this year.

In Christ -
Peter

Greetings, Trinitarians!

I'm writing today with an invitation to our Holy Week services. Whether you are new, or you've been at Trinity for many years, Holy Week offers a profound opportunity to meet God.

The basic idea is that we follow closely the story of Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, from his arrival on Palm Sunday, through the activities of the week, culminating in his death and resurrection. Each service highlights a different aspect of the story, and offers a different mode of engagement. The tangibility of these services makes them especially engaging for children.

In this e-mail, I'll briefly outline each service.

Palm Sunday (10AM)
On Palm Sunday, we remember the crowd that went with Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. Waving palms and singing hymns in procession, we join in the joyful declaration of Jesus as the returning king. But there is also a profound irony here, as we who shout "Hosanna" on Palm Sunday will very soon say "Crucify" on Good Friday. We'll also have a potluck lunch after this service.

Holy Monday (6PM)
On Holy Monday, we remember Jesus cleansing the Temple in Jerusalem by driving out the moneychangers. Because we are now the temple of the Holy Spirit, we also use this service as an opportunity to cleanse our souls, through repentance and forgiveness. In this service, we write our sins on pieces of paper and then burn them, to symbolize the forgiveness we have in Christ.

Holy Tuesday (6PM)
On Holy Tuesday, we remember Jesus' teaching in the Temple after he had cleansed it. This service takes the form of "Lessons & Carols" (and no sermon), with multiple readings from Jesus' dramatic teaching, paired with fitting hymns for Holy Week.

Holy Wednesday (6PM)
On Holy Wednesday, we remember the woman at Bethany who anointed Jesus with a costly oil, as contrasted with Judas, who sold out Jesus for merely 30 pieces of silver. This service gives us an opportunity to reflect on our own priorities, and also features an opportunity for prayer and anointing with oil.

Maundy Thursday (6PM)
On Maundy Thursday, we remember the Last Supper, including both foot washing and communion. At the end of the service, we strip back the altar and recreate the garden of gethsemane, preparing for the night vigil and Jesus' final consecration of himself to his calling. For some, this is the most powerful service of the year

Overnight Vigil (8PM - 8AM)
After the Maundy Thursday service and through the night, volunteers take a one-hour slot to "watch and pray" according to Jesus' command. This is a powerful opportunity to pray and meet Jesus in a deeply personal way.

Good Friday: Stations of the Cross (11AM)
On Good Friday, we gather at 11AM for a reflective journey to the cross, held outside if weather permits. This year, for the first time, the children of the parish will join the journey and help us to act out some of the scenes.

Good Friday: Seven Last Words (12PM)
At noon on good Friday, we hold a special service in which we remember Jesus' seven statements from the cross. Our Vestry members give short reflections on each statement, and then put out one of seven candles. When the last candle goes out, we observe a minute of silence, and then conclude with a reflection on the cross. This is a somber service, and deeply powerful.

Easter Sunrise (6:30AM)
For those who like to get up early, we hold an Easter Sunrise service outside, with a fire to mark the triumph of Jesus as the light of the world. The music and readings are simplified, but we do receive communion. Some attend only this service, and others come to both this and the 10AM service.

Easter Sunday (10AM)
This is the triumphant service in which we celebrate Jesus' victory over death. It features a baptismal remembrance, the flowering of the cross, and lots of wonderful music. After the service, there is an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids. There is no lunch after this service.

Living Stones Update #4
A lot of work is going into the south wall of the family center (exterior visible from the deck). When we took off the brick, we found some water damage around the windows. So we took out the affected materials and put in a new exterior wrap. The next step is cutting and framing on the wall from the interior, to fit the new door and window arrangement. The electrician and HVAC guys will also do work in this phase. So we are making good progress. Thanks as always to Bill Cober as our project manager and Walter Arceneaux as our general contractor.

In Christ -
Peter

Greetings, Trinitarians!

Last Sunday we had the pleasure of welcoming Bishop Martyn Minns and his family to worship with us at Trinity. After church, over lunch on the deck, Martyn told fun stories from his ministry in Lafayette in the 1980. I've included a photo here of Carla and me with Martyn, his wife Angela, and daughter Rachel.

In this Rector's Report, I want to share a bit more about Bishop Martyn, for three reasons. First, he had a powerful ministry here in Lafayette, which is instructive to us. Second, he is a retired Anglican Bishop whose ministry played an important role in the global Anglican realignment and also for us in the All Nations Diocese. And third, Bishop Martyn left a legacy of personal generosity that is still benefiting us, especially through Bob and Cheryl Ogle.

Martyn came to Lafayette from Connecticut in 1983, to plant a new Episcopal Church called Church of the Holy Spirit. Meeting at Saint Thomas More high school, the church quickly grew amidst countless small miracles of the Lord. Many received the gospel of Christ and experienced conversion of life in the power of the Holy Spirit. After Martyn's departure to the East Coast in 1988, the church gradually declined and eventually closed. But many individuals around Lafayette still point to that time, including our own Ed Abell, Virginia Reinhardt, and Bob & Cheryl Ogle (more on the Ogles below).

As a fellow church planter (who also moved to Lafayette from Connecticut!), I take at least two lessons from Martyn's work with the Church of the Holy Spirit. The first is that there is a real hunger and need for faithful gospel ministry here in Lafayette. As Anglicans, we have the unique opportunity to proclaim the good news of Christ in a way that will resonate with the local culture. And the second, is that it is important to do this within a Biblically orthodox ecclesial structure. Every Episcopal church in the region has either declined or closed, even if the local congregation has remained orthodox, as the broader denomination has departed from the Bible.

Martyn himself played an important role in the response to the progressive turn in the Episcopal Church. In 2006, he was consecrated as a missionary Bishop from Nigeria to the United States, and became the first Bishop of CANA. He participated in the founding of GAFCON and the ACNA. CANA grew, and subsequently split into two Dioceses, CANA East which was renamed Diocese of the Living Word under Bishop Julian Dobbs, and CANA West which was renamed Diocese of All Nations under Bishop Felix Orji (our diocese!).

Finally, I want to reflect on the legacy of Martyn's personal generosity. It was in the 1980s that Bob's YWAM bus broke down on I-10 at Lafayette. He'd never been to the town before, but Martyn received him and his group of youth for multiple days during the repairs. This providential connection lay a foundation that eventually resulted in the Ogles moving to Lafayette, where they continued in ministry for 30 years.

Thus, when Bob and I met for the first time in 2016, and he found out I knew Martyn, Bob was amazed and inspired. Everything was coming full circle. "Martyn gave me my start in this town," Bob said, "And I'm going to give you yours." And that's how Trinity Anglican began here at 3001 Verot School Road. An amazing story of God's providential care through the personal generosity of his people!

In fact, God orchestrates stories like this all the time. The generous deeds you do today, in thanksgiving for the grace of God in Christ, God can and will use in incredible ways for generations to come. Don't hesitate to plant those seeds! As Jesus told Mary before the raising of Lazarus, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" (John 11:40).

Living Stones Update #3
Thanks to all for your patience as we figure out how to do our meals after church without the use of the family center. This Sunday we will try setting up tables in front of the playground, and then you can find a seat on the deck. The forecast is for rain on Saturday, but it should be clear on Sunday.

In Christ -
Peter

Greetings, Trinitarians!

One of our projects this Lent is to create a Monthly Cycle of Prayer for our Trinity congregation. This Sunday, we will meet @ 9AM to introduce the idea and to begin the brainstorming process. When we finish creating our Monthly Cycle of Prayer, we will publish it to our app.

What is a Monthly Cycle of Prayer?
A monthly cycle of prayer is a set of 30 prayer categories, which we can pray over the course of the 30 days in a month (we'll also have a special 31st category for the months that have the extra day!).

While our personal prayers can often be prayed daily or over the course of a week, a monthly cycle is a good way for a congregation to organize its larger set of prayers.

What do you mean by a prayer category?
A prayer category is a general theme that can be filled out with the specifics that are relevant to our congregation. So for example, one day in our monthly cycle of prayer might focus on those with unmet physical needs in our community, and then the specifics might include ministries that we have supported, such as St Joseph' Diner, the Gifting Grace Project, etc.

Another example, one prayer category might be the persecuted church, and then specifically we would pray for the places the Lord has put on our minds and hearts, such as Nigeria, Lebanon, Iran, etc.

A third example, a prayer category might be church plants and missions, and specifically we could pray for church plants and missions we have supported, such as Christ Church RGV, The Gathering Church Richmond, etc.

A fourth example, a prayer category might be moms of young children, and specifically we might pray for the moms and expecting moms in our congregation.

How can I contribute to this project?
To contribute to this project, start by attending our Sunday meeting @ 9AM. We'll introduce the idea and begin the congregational brainstorming process.

Living Stones Update #2
Construction began this week, or perhaps I should say deconstruction! Work on the family center began with demolition of walls, ceilings, HVAC ducts, and brickwork. This demolition is part of our renovation of the family center space, which will become our temporary sanctuary later this year. Feel free to look at the work on the outside or from the windows, but please don't enter unless you have a guide. There are lots of trip hazards, exposed steel, and nails to step on if you are not careful!

In Christ -
Peter

P.S. Every blessing to you on this third Friday in Lent, with ongoing encouragement to read our Lenten Devotional. The reflections are wonderful!

Greetings Trinitarians -

I'm writing today with an attached PDF of our Trinity Lenten Devotional. I've begun to read the reflections and they are wonderful! So pick up a physical copy at church, or download the PDF here.

Also, please note that the time will change this Sunday. And because it is spring, we lose an hour. If you arrive at 10AM on the old time, you'll be just in time for lunch!

Living Stones Update #1
In my Rector's Reports over the next year, I'll include a series of updates related to our Living Stones Sanctuary Expansion. These will include reports on latest progress, information on the moves we will be making, tips for navigating the transition, and encouragement to remain focused on our mission.

In this first update, I'm excited to share that we had a meeting this week with our builder Walter Arceneaux, focused on the renovation of the Family Center. He presented quotes from a host of subcontractors, for everything from demolition to HVAC to flooring. The first step is demolition, and that is likely to begin next week or the following. So we can use the family center this Sunday for our lunch (and Keith & Kylee shower), but it will likely be the last time for a few months.

Relatedly, our community groups that usually meet in the family center are now using the sanctuary. They will switch back to the family center when the renovation is done. Let's keep everyone in prayer and remain flexible as we navigate this season of building!

In Christ -
Peter

Greetings Trinitarians!

Welcome to Lent! Today marks the beginning of Lent, a forty-day season of spiritual discipline before the celebration of Easter. Tonight we begin the season with an Ash Wednesday service at 6PM.

The traditional practices of the season are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. We do these not to earn the grace of God, but rather in thankful response to God's grace in Jesus Christ. Properly pursued, these practices deepen our intimacy with God and prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter. If you'd like to read more about the history, theology, and practices of Lent, I have a new article on the topic at CREDO magazine, which you can read here.

For those who are new or not yet members, we will be offering Trinity 101 over the next five Sundays in Lent, from 11:45 - 1:00. Get lunch after the service, and then come back to the sanctuary at 11:45. This is a required step in our membership process, and a great way to meet people and learn more about Trinity.

May God bless you as you keep a holy Lent!

In Christ -
Peter

Greetings Trinitarians -

2025 is off to a fantastic start, thank God! On Sundays we are welcoming lots of new and returning visitors, and we've had a host of additional programs already: Silent Retreat, Annual Meeting, and our Cultivate Conference.

Now we are about to begin the "Year of Construction." In fact, the physical work began this morning with the pruning of our oak tree. I thought you would want to see the pruning in action, so I include a photo below.

The oak pruning is a good symbol for this year as a whole. Just as the oak is being pruned to create space for the new church, so we may feel cut back this year, as we lose access to the family center in the spring, and then transition out of the sanctuary in the summer. But this pruning is also preparing the way for our future growth. Thank you for your flexibility and commitment in this season!

Finally, please mark your calendars for Friday February 28th. We'll have Evening Prayer at 4PM, our Ceremonial Groundbreaking at 5PM, and dinner (Crawfish Boil!) at 5:30PM.

In Christ -
Peter

Greetings, Trinitarians -

It was a deeply joyful Sunday - with a visit from Bp Felix, 2 baptisms, 4 confirmations, 10 receptions, an ordination, and a festive potluck to cap it off. Congratulations to each of you who took a step of faith by the grace of God; we will pray for your continued blessing in the Lord.

The occasion calls for thanks. There's no way to thank everyone individually, but allow me here to offer a general thanks to God and to you for your faithfulness in this exciting season at Trinity. It's so encouraging to see our congregation grow in number and in the joy of the Lord. Take a look at some photos from Sunday, which are included below.

Now we turn our attention to Living Stones, our capital campaign to expand our church and double our sanctuary capacity. Our key verse is 1 Peter 2:5, "You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house..."

As a part of this campaign, we are putting together a devotional booklet of living stones testimonies from church members. These testimonies are short, just one or two paragraphs, and they answer these questions: What does it mean for you to be a living stone? How is God building you up as a spiritual house at Trinity? I've included an example below, from Pat Brenham.

Please send in your testimony - you can reply directly to this e-mail, or send it to Lisa at lisa@trinitylafayette.com.

With thanks and in Christ!
Peter

Greetings, Trinitarians -

Over the past two Sundays, I've shared the news that our own Kevin Lindholm is moving to his hometown in California, specifically in order to spend time with his dad in what is likely the final season of his dad's life. This Sunday we will be celebrating Kevin, praying for him, and sharing a potluck after the service. We are also collecting donations for a parting gift to Kevin. Either bring a check on Sunday or make a donation here.

For me this Sunday is bittersweet. Bitter, of course, because Kevin has been such a wonderful friend and brother-in-arms in the work of building up Trinity. I'll miss him. But also sweet, as I look back at his remarkable contributions to our life together.

Kevin has been amongst us as an artist, a musician, an educator, a gamer, a ministry innovator, and a friend in Christ. I'm sure we will share stories about many of these roles on Sunday. Here I want to say a few words about Kevin as an artist.

Kevin was the first artist to make art for Trinity, an illustration of the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew, in 2016. Over the years he has created art for 8 series, totaling around 120 pieces of art. Humanly speaking, Kevin's investment of time and creative energy is the reason we have an art ministry at Trinity, and our ability to continue the ministry after he departs is a testament to the impact of his work. And of course, we plan to commission him to create lots more in the years to come, no matter where he lives!

We've included below a gallery of selections from his work. Enjoy!

In Christ -
Peter

Greetings, Trinitarians!

On Sunday I shared a number of stories from Provincial Assembly, which I attended in Pennsylvania last week. In this Rector's Report I wanted to share a few more details alongside some photos and a video. Also, please note an important prayer request at the end of this e-mail.

Provincial Assembly was held in Latrobe, PA, on the campus of Saint Vincent College and Abbey. The college was founded around a Benedictine monastery, and features at its center a large basilica, which could seat nearly the entire group of 1000 that gathered for the event. Those present included bishops, clergy, and lay delegates from all over North America, together with visiting bishops and archbishops from around the world. Here are two photos, the first of the basilica from the outside (with the clergy in procession around it), and of the basilica inside, as everyone was coming in.

It was a joy to see many old friends and to make some new. Bp Felix and Bp Scott were there, together with fellow clergy of our Diocese. You'll notice in the photo below some of our recent guest preachers, including Mark Ball and John Goodman.

In addition to times of worship and business, there were sessions focused on Bible study. One of the highlights for me was the Bible teaching of Rennis Poniah, a retired bishop of Singapore, who taught over three days on 2 Timothy. I had a chance to share my appreciation, and he graciously received me and we exchanged contact info. By God's grace I hope we will become friends. It is one of the wonders of the gospel, that two people from such varied backgrounds can meet and share such a quick bond of fellowship in Christ. Bp Rennis is in the second photo below.

Anglican Compass had a table in the exhibitors area, and our team of Jacob Davis (Editor) and Jesse Nigro (Events & Sales Coordinator) did a great job representing the ministry to the broader Anglican world.

If you'd like to read more about the event, I wrote or contributed to multiple relevant Anglican Compass articles. First, there are basic guides to a Bishop's Conclave and Provincial Assembly. Then there is an article on the legacy of outgoing Archbishop Foley Beach. Finally, there is an article on the reported numerical growth of the ACNA, about which I'll probably share more in the future.

With abundant thanks for your prayers and friendship in Christ -
Peter

Greetings, Trinitarians!
Today I'd like to introduce you to Fr John Goodman, our guest preacher this Sunday.

John is both a priest and a lawyer, and he uses this dual vocation to serve the people of the Rio Grande Valley, on the southeast border between Texas and Mexico.

As a priest, John is the founding Rector of Christ Church, a church plant in our diocese. Located in Mission, TX, Christ Church is the first Anglican Church in a metro area of more than 800,000 people. As a lawyer, John runs Anglican Legal Aid & Reconciliation, a faith-based non-profit which provides low-cost legal services to the community.
Over the past year, Christ Church has been renting a church building from the Disciples of Christ, and during the week the building doubles as Fr John's legal office. Now Christ Church is raising funds to buy the building, which is being offered at a very reasonable price.

Recently I had the opportunity to visit John, see the church building, and teach a class on the BCP to about 15 members of the Christ Church. It was a wonderful experience, both because of the warmth of the congregation, and also because the tamales were fabulous!

I know you'll join me in offering a warm welcome to Fr John this Sunday, as we hear about his ministry, take a collection to support Christ Church, and eat together at our own Cinco de Mayo fiesta! Our schedule is as follows:

9AM - Sunday School on Festivity, with Fr John Q&A
10AM - Service, Fr John preaching
11:15AM - Cinco de Mayo Potluck in the Family Center

In Christ -
Peter

Greetings, Trinitarians!
On behalf of Scott and the Comeaux family, thank you for your prayers and participation in Carmen Comeaux's Visitation and Burial Service. It was a deeply moving day: we laughed, we cried, and we thanked God for Carmen and the hope of resurrection in his son Jesus Christ. I've included photos from the service below.

A few items to share with you for this weekend. First, we've got a work day tomorrow morning, starting at 8AM and concluding with lunch. Second, we continue our Sunday School this Sunday at 9AM, on the topic "Sowing Tears, Reaping Joy." Third, a quick reminder to welcome our new and returning visitors, and to make room for them in the pews. Finally, Adam Hunter will be ordained a priest this weekend; please join me in praying for him, the Hunter family, and for every blessing upon their ministry.

I'll conclude with the prayer of commendation for Carmen:

Into thy hands, O merciful Savior, we commend thy servant Carmen. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech thee, a sheep of thine own fold, a lamb of thine own flock, a sinner of thine own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of thy mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.

In Christ -
Peter

Greetings Trinitarians -

Today I write with the news that Carmen Comeaux passed away this morning. You can read her obituary here.

I know you will join me in sharing condolences for Scott, Toby, Eva, and the whole family.

Services will be held at Trinity on Wednesday, April 24th. Visitation begins at 8AM, with breakfast and fellowship in the Family Center until 10AM. The Funeral Service will begin at 10AM, with interment to follow at St. Peter's Cemetery in Carencro.

Though we grieve, we grieve with a genuine hope in the resurrection of Christ. Paul describes it this way:

"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep" (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).

By the grace of God and Carmen's manifest faith, we have every confidence of Carmen's eternal reward. The Lord bless her and keep her, make his face to shine upon her and be gracious unto her, lift up his countenance upon her, and give her peace.

Every blessing to you in Christ -
Peter