News
This Sunday! 1/10/16
January 05, 2016
- The Dean's Class: Dr. Keller: “Miracles: My Two Cents” Last fall at Trinity miracles were a topic of prolonged study and consideration, centering on Eric Metaxas’ Insights Lecture on his book Miracles: What They Are, Why They Happen, and How They Can Change Your Life. On this Sunday in the Dean’s class Dr. Keller will offer some of his own reflections on the subject, concluding with a story of a very recent miraculous occurrence at Trinity.
- Doctor Robert Johnston's "Living the Questions" will join the Dean's Class this Sunday.
Funeral Notice
January 05, 2016
Dear Members of the Episcopal Collegiate School Community:
As you know, we lost a beloved member of our extended family over the Christmas Break with the passing of Mr. Hoyt “Chip” Parks on December 24, 2015.
Such a loss is difficult for any family, but even more difficult during the holidays. I know that each of us has had Mr. Parks in our thoughts and prayers and that we continue to offer support and prayers for Mrs. Debbie Parks and her sons, Jered and Blake, as they mourn the loss of their husband and father.
A memorial service celebrating Mr. Parks’ life and service to Episcopal Collegiate School is planned for Saturday, January 9, at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, which is located at 310 W. 17th Street in Little Rock. All members of the community are invited to attend the service.
In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Episcopal Collegiate School and designated to the Mr. Hoyt “Chip” Parks Memorial Fund.
This Sunday! 1/3/15
December 29, 2015
- The Rev. R. Ewing Jackson, Jr. (7:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., & 11:15 a.m.)
- The Very Rev. Dr. Christoph Keller, III, Dean and Rector (5:00 p.m.)
- The Dean's Class: Peter Hartstein will be leading the class, "Holocaust Memories." We meet at 10:15 p.m. in Morrison Hall.
- Doctor Robert Johnston's "Living the Questions" will join the Dean's Class this Sunday.
The Bible Challenge Begins January 3!
December 28, 2015
Begins January 3 in the Conference Room
Take a great journey through the Bible, a year-long reading adventure, with The Bible Challenge. Each day you will be accompanied by a meditation written by a church leader or biblical scholar. More than one hundred archbishops, bishops, deans, priest and scholars have contributed essays. The Rev. Marek P. Zabriskie, founder of The Bible Challenge, believes that our lives of faith will be enlivened and expanded by a sustained encounter with God's Word. If you never thought you could read the whole Bible, The Bible Challenge is a wonderful way to embark on a holy pilgrimage joined by others from around the world!
The full reading schedule is posted here.
Please purchase your book ahead of time. You can get it here, or contact Annie.
Lead by Greg Albert & Annie Burton
A Christmas Message from the Dean and Julie
December 23, 2015
Dear People of Trinity Cathedral,
Christmas is upon us!
There is no day like it in the year. Come nightfall, Christmas Eve doesn’t just speak—itsingsto us of the love of God in Christ for all the earth. And it shines a light that reaches into the darkest corners of our lives with hopeful possibilities. The next morning, a beautiful quiet descends upon the city.
These past several weeks you have showered us with cards, notes, and gifts to make us feel loved, appreciated, and important. These are wonderful feelings. We pray that, this Christmas—some way, somehow—these same feelings will get through to you.
Merry Christmas everybody!
Chris and Julie
Christmas at Trinity!
December 22, 2015
Thursday, December 24 - Christmas Eve
Holy Eucharist at 5:00pm
Bishop Benfield preaching and presiding
Concert by Trinity Choir at 10:30pm
Holy Eucharist 11:00pm
Bishop Benfield preaching and presiding
Friday, December 25 - Christmas Day
Holy Eucharist at 10:00am
Dr. Keller preaching
This Sunday! 12/27/15
December 22, 2015
- The Rev. Sandra Curtis (7:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., & 11:15 a.m.)
- The Very Rev. Dr. Christoph Keller, III, Dean and Rector (5:00 p.m.)
- Living the Questions will meet in the Conference Room. The topics this week are “The Meaning of Xmas" and/or "What do you do?" Dr. Robert Johnston will lead a discussion. Attendees are invited but not required to participate. It is usually lively. Bring in your brunch.
EYC: EYC will not meet this Sunday.
New Legislation for Charitable Donations to Trinity from your IRA!
December 22, 2015
Recent legislations extends the IRA Charitable rollover retroactively for 2015 and makes it permanent going forward.
Under this legislation, if you are 70 ½ or older, you will be allowed to make certain charitable contributions directly from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to an eligible charity such as Trinity, and the transferred assets will not be recognized as income for tax purposes.
As a rule, withdrawals from IRAs are taxed as income; you would receive a tax deduction for your donation, but other federal, and sometimes state, tax rules can prevent the deduction from fully offsetting taxable income.
The charitable IRA rollover, or qualified charitable distribution, makes it easier for you to use your IRA assets to make charitable gifts. It is a special provision that allows individuals age 70 1/2 or older to exclude from taxable income - and count toward their required minimum distribution.
To take advantage of the extension for 2015, donors need to arrange a direct transfer from their IRA to Trinity by December 31, 2015. Direct transfers from IRAs to Trinity made earlier in 2015 in anticipation of the IRA charitable rollover being extended will also count.
Making a donation under this provision is simple and straightforward. If you would like to make a contribution to Trinity from your Individual Retirement Account, please speak with your IRA administrator.
Listen to the Sermons!
December 22, 2015
Miss a sermon? Want to hear it again?
We are now on iTunes and the audio is available on our website. Subscribe and never miss a sermon again. Share your favorites with your friends.
New Staff Appointments
December 15, 2015
Two new staff members have been hired at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. The first, Mrs. Victoria Harden, has been named interim Music Director. She will join the Cathedral staff on January 1, 2016. The second, Rev. Amber Carswell, will join the Cathedral staff as Associate Priest on April 4, 2016. A third, Rev. Susan Payne, will remain at Trinity as a volunteer Priest Associate.
Victoria Mathis Harden
Interim Music Director
Victoria Mathis Harden began studying piano at age 8 and organ at the age of 14, taking lessons from Fletcher Trotter at First Methodist Church, Camden, AR. Two years later she began her organ studies at Henderson State University with Robert Ellis where she continued until 1972 when she received her Bachelor of Music degree, graduating magna cum lauda with a concentration in organ performance. Harden then attended North Texas State University and Memphis State University to earn a Masters of Music in organ performance and a Masters of Art in musicology. During these years she served as organist-choirmaster at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Camden, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Hot Springs and associate organist at St. Michael’s and All Angels Episcopal Church, Dallas. Organ positions in Memphis included Barth house Episcopal Chaplaincy, Chirst Church Episcopal, and guest organist at St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral.
After moving to New York City in 1977, Harden played at St. Peter’s Church, St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, and held the organist-choirmaster position at Bedford Park Presbyterian Church. While pursuing a doctoral pedagogy degree at Columbia University Teacher’s College, Harden was one of 35 professional choir members at St. Bartholomew’s Church where she met and married her husband, Shelton. Upon returning to Arkansas in the 1990s, Harden taught at Southern Arkansas University, Southern Arkansas University Technical Branch, and in 2001 became the music faculty at South Arkansas Community College. During these years she has served as organist-choirmaster of First Presbyterian Church and St. John’s Episcopal Church, Camden. The Very Rev. Dr. Christoph Keller, Dean and Rector of Trinity says of Victoria, “I am so pleased to welcome Victoria Harden to the Cathedral. She is a musician’s musician, known and admired as such throughout Arkansas and beyond, and also a warm, congregation and child-friendly worship leader.” She will begin her duties at the Cathedral on January 1, 2016, and they include beginning a children’s choir.
The Rev. Amber Carswell
Associate Priest
Amber Carswell grew up in Kansas and moved to Arkansas during her undergraduate years. She graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a BS in Information Science before moving to Alexandria, Virginia, where she received her Master of Divinity from the Virginia Theological Seminary in 2014. Rev. Carswell moves to Little Rock from Jonesboro, AR, where she has worked as curate at St. Mark's Episcopal Church since graduation from seminary. She is the oldest of four girls, is an avid runner and cyclist, and could talk to you all day about agrarianism and 1 Corinthians 15.
She will have general responsibilities for preaching, teaching and pastoral care as well as administrative oversight of young adult and outreach ministries. “The Rev. Amber Carswell is warm, spirited, and thoughtful. She brings youthful vitality and exceptional ability to our team of clergy and I can’t wait for her to get here,” says Dean Keller. Rev. Carswell will begin her duties at the Cathedral on April 4 and her first Sunday will be April 10.
Trinity is also delighted to announce that Rev. Susan Payne will remain at Trinity as a Children’s Catechist and volunteer Priest Associate. Mother Susan had already come out of retirement twice to assist at Trinity, most recently after Canon Paul McLain’s departure this September. With the arrival of the Rev. Dr. Russ Snapp as Sub-Dean in January, she will return to retirement—but not disappear! Said Dean Keller: “Susan has been a wonderful counselor, pastor and friend since I arrived at Trinity two years ago. I am grateful and happy that even in retirement she will remain visible in worship and the catechesis program, and all around the Cathedral block. She is a wise, warm, and loving presence in our midst."