Searching for a Cross

Dear Trinity

My scholarship year is coming to an end - thank you to all of you who have been so supportive (and curious) along the way this year! Last August I received funds from Calvin College to finance one year of researching (and finishing my book on the church calendar). That led me to Cambridge last autumn, and to return to Cambridge again in a few days to finish my final chapter. Hooray! I’m so grateful for the conferences I’ve been able to attend, the research I’ve been able to accomplish, the writing nearly finished, and one more adventure that is still underway that I hope will become part of Trinity.

Three summers ago, Trinity’s Evensong singers walked the Golden Valley Pilgrimage in Wales, “champing” (camping in churches) and singing Evensong along the way. This Pilgrimage has led to many good things for Trinity: our meeting Alex Coppock our current church architect, who had transformed a falling-down Peterchurch into a beautiful and simple space. Our meeting Robert Myers, Trinity’s landscape designer who is helping us turn our gardens into welcoming spaces of play and prayer. At one particular church, St Marys of Craswall, we were struck by what we thought was an ancient stone celtic cross – but upon touching it, we discovered it to be weathered wood. We then met the elderly farmer who was also an accomplished carver, who had carved it. And I stayed in touch with him.

As we have wondered about Trinity’s remodel, and the theology that will inevitably be communicated through space and place, we have wanted to bring back what was once an ordinary part of church landscapes – graves. As GK Chesterton once said, to know how many people are in a congregation, you need to look at the cemetery. These people are still part of our community – and are in some ways more alive than we are! For most of history, it was a regular occurrence to walk through graves to reach the front door of the church, reminding us – like our baptism – that death is the doorway to life (both to be lived now in our relationships, and in our future end).

Last autumn when I was at Cambridge, I traveled to Wales to meet with Farmer Watkins and ask him if he would be willing to carve a celtic cross for Trinity, potentially for a memorial garden where we could bring death back to its rightful place in the heart of God and the living. (This is actually a common feature in many Anglican and Episcopal churches, which have gardens for the burial of ashes, so people can regularly visit their loved ones and regularly meditate on the goodness of life and death and the communion of saints.) Farmer Watkins told me that he would think about it, but that the problem would be finding the right tree. A YEW tree to be exact, and because of their scarcity and ancient belief in their sacredness, cut yew trees were very hard to find. Long story short: after staying in touch with numerous foresters across Britain, one was found! It felt like a miracle – and it was. So Farmer Watkins has been carving this since last winter, and Matt and I will drive to Wales to pick it up in a few days – and then drive it across the UK to one of the southern ports in Sussex to a shipping container where it will make its slow way across the Atlantic to Trinity.

This has been an unexpected gift, and surprise that I did not anticipate as being part of this year of research and discovery. I have wanted to share the story with you for many months, but didn’t want to until I knew it was actually happening – and would truly be a reality. I’m grateful for all the small synchronicities and graces that lined up for this to become a reality for us here in Trinity Church. Thankful to be learning alongside you, and looking forward to unpacking what this means for our formation as people in the heart of God.  

- Julie

Several folks from Trinity have been helping out by serving dinner at Wenatchee Rescue Mission on Thursday evenings.  It would be great if we fill out this team and cover all the Thursdays in the month.  It works best when at least 2 people can cover a shift, but even one person is a help and three is even better.  You do not need to commit to every Thursday, but if you could serve at least once a month, that would be helpful. The time frame is from 5:30 to about 6:45.  If you have availability on Thursdays and would be interested in being part of this team, please text or call Charlie Atkinson: (509) 679-3625. Thank you, Trinity Church!

Hi church!  I am looking for an artist who would be interested in painting a silhouetted good shepherd (similar to the style of this image) with the words: The Lord is Your Shepherd - Psalm 23. This image and these words would go between posters that the kids made showing the sheepfold, the green pasture, the still water, and the dark and scary places.  We would have two posters on each side of the shepherd painting.   Let me know if that's something you'd be interested in doing.  - Kelsee Drain
Kelsee@trinitywenatchee.org or 509-607-0785

If you are interested in deepening and informing your faith and diving deep into the oft-mystifying words of St Paul, join us for a unique online, weekly (live on Wednesdays, but registered participants can watch recordings later) discussion! Here is how it goes:

• Each session begins with an informative, detailed presentation by one of the panelists about just ONE chapter of the Pauline epistle, followed by a lively discussion among the panelists of every interesting detail. Comments and questions are also texted in from the registered participants who are there via Zoom
  
  
• It is very informative and inspiring. Panelists are Catholic, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Anglican, some are bishops – some are nuns – some are lay theologians (me - Julie!). We are engaging Paul on his own terms, and to hear others from other traditions engage him, is to also understand some of our own inherited biases. It is also thrilling and we are falling in love with the epistles again!
  
  
• Register at OpenTableConference.com at $99 per person/device, for a September 3rd start (ending April 8 2026). Join virtually or watch recordings. This is our second year in Paul (we are going chrologically: last year was Thessalonians, Colossians, Ephesians) and this year will be 1 & 2 Corinthians.

Our next summer Men’s Night will be Saturday, August 30th at 7pm at Mike Andreini’s house (3212 Ohme Rd). Mike will be grilling up hot dogs and sausages — bring a beverage or a side to share. More details to come!

Hey Trinity! We’re gauging the interest and availability of singers for the Christmas choir. If you think you might be interested in joining the Christmas choir this year (or in the future) please fill out the questionnaire below. Deadline to respond: August 31, 2025

Men's Night
August 30 @ 7pm

Two Services Start Again
August 31 @ 8:30am and 10am

Preschool Playgroup
September 3 @ 10am
More Info 

Baptism at Ingalls Creek
September 7
More Info 

Godly Play Training
September 13
Register Here