Happy Birthday, Trinity! Last week, Pentecost Sunday, we celebrated the birthday of the church, all 2000 years. But today we are celebrating the birthday of this church of Trinity. And as you heard we have a very special birthday coming up really soon.

Next year, 2011 we will have been worshipping in our new church 10 years. So I am just going to ask you to do something for me. Can all the people who have become part of Trinity after this new space was completed and only have worshipped in this space, please raise your hands. Can the people who have been part of Trinity before the new building and can remember worshipping in the chapel raise your hand. Because of you and your dedication and foresight we have made this beautiful space for future generations.

Interestingly next year is not just the 10 year birthday of this building but the 165 years of a church building being on this site. So I want to take this moment to say thank you to those who made such a huge commitment and sacrifice. Through your dedication God’s love can be known and shared for years to come.

Doug, Mary Beth and Shauna have asked us a very important question… How do we and the groups we are associated with mark this important celebration? What do we want to do to celebrate this important milestone?

Just think ahead for a moment to this time next year, Trinity Sunday, June 19, 2011, and imagine the party we could have as we invite every bishop within a hundred miles, former clergy and neighboring clergy and friends of Trinity, set off fireworks and burn the mortgage, consecrate our new church and un-encumber our future ministry.

Next year is also going to be an exciting year here because we will be welcoming our new Dawn, Rev. Dawn Leger our Children’s and Youth ministry Coordinator. Where most Anglican churches are experiencing dramatic decline and very little attendance under the age of 60, Trinity is a vibrant and thriving community that spans almost all age groups. Almost every week we have a new family that visits us looking for faith formation opportunities for their young people. God is pulling these people out of their homes and drawing them through our doors… how do you think God wants us to respond? And so we excitedly await our new Dawn and her many gifts of ministry.

Next year we are gong to continue to deliberately focus on going spiritually deeper on giving you as many ways and places for you to seriously explore your relationship with God. A new and exciting initiative will be the launch of a 6-week home based neighbourhood get-together. Stay tuned!

So let’s take the summer and rest. We require a much needed rest. And in that rest and re-creation dream and wonder and be open to God’s inspiration and help us celebrate a significant milestone in our spiritual journey as a parish.

Trinity church was called Trinity church right from its beginning. Before there was a building to worship in, when a small group gathered in the Mosley homestead, they called that small band of worshippers, Trinity Church.

We have no idea why the name was chosen but it is a good one.

The concept of the Trinity is the central core understanding of our belief as Christians. It is the defining difference between us and any other faith group. Like our Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters we believe there is only One God. So Christians are monotheistic. However, through inspiration and experience and the recording of the both in scripture, we believe that within that Godhead God has manifested diversity, in the form of three persons which we call, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Last week Stephen pointed out that as Anglicans we don’t talk much about the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. I think we sense that the Holy Spirit is just a little to wild and out of control for our Anglican sensibility. Think about it, if one of you suddenly broke out in tongues, our first response would be to call 911, I am sure.

Well in the bible reading today we used a modern and very good translation called the Message. I don’t know if you noticed but the word that is used for Holy Spirit is ‘Friend’. The original Greek word is ’Paraclete" and is more commonly translated as Advocate or Comforter, but Friend is equally good.

Paraclete is someone who comes alongside you at times of need and gives encouragement and helps you don’t have the strength to help yourself. Have you every had the experience of feeling weighed down, of despair or carrying a tremendous burden and then someone comes along and says just the right thing at the right time and you are immediately transformed and the burden is lifted. And all it took were a few encouraging or helpful words from someone who had compassion on us.

That is exactly how the Holy Spirit works. So if we go back to the concept of the Trinity, maybe instead of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, what about Parent, Child and Friend. One way or the other we know that the Godhead is made up of deep and loving relationships that are constantly being poured out and shared with us.

In so many ways I see the work of the Holy Spirit at Trinity. Every time we come alongside to encourage we are embodying the spirit. Through our lay pastoral visitors, the Clothes Closet ministry, Welcoming Arms, Welcome Table, Disciple, ACW, all our choirs and groups. It doesn’t matter if you are new or here for a long time, we are here for each other and when we are we embody God’s love…as a comforter, an advocate, a friend.

We have an exciting year ahead of us, we have many exciting years ahead of us as we worship and proclaim the One who gives life, serve and encourage as the One who gives love and grow and deepen with the One who gives peace.

Let’s rest and then let the party and celebration begin!