Pastoral Care
Trinity clergy vow to love and serve the people among whom we work, caring alike for young and old, strong and weak, rich and poor.
The pastoral care we provide makes a difference in times of illness, duress and need. Obtaining pastoral care begins by notifying Trinity clergy of your desire or need and continues from there. We bless new homes, visit and bring Holy Communion to those who are homebound or hospitalized, prepare couples for marriage, facilitate reconciliation through private confession as well as provide pastoral counseling and referral.
Hospital Visits
When parishioners are sick and/or hospitalized, Trinity’s clergy, once informed, will bring the church to you.
The goal of our pastoral visits is to provide comfort, to pray, to perform the laying on of hands for healing if desired, to share in Holy Communion, and to exercise a ministry of godly presence. We’ll respect your energy level and not wear you out. We consider it a privilege to walk with parishioners through these often frightening and unsettling times. To receive a hospital or other medical-care oriented facility visit, contact the church office or call Trinity’s clergy directly. Please do not presume others will notify the clergy.
Home Visits and Communion
Sometimes people are unable to attend worship services due to illness, prolonged recovery or simply the aging process. In such instances, Lay Eucharistic Visitors will be glad to bring Holy Communion to you. Simply contact the church office (703-920-7077) and request that a visit be made. One of Trinity’s clergy and/or a Lay Eucharistic Visitor will call you back to arrange a visit.
House or Residence Blessing
Occupying a new home can be a joyous occasion. Trinity clergy would like to make the experience even more wonderful for you by coming to bless your home or place of residence.
Prayers for the several rooms of the house may be offered as desired. The home blessing typically concludes with this prayer: Visit, O blessed Lord, this home with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who live here with the gift of your love; and grant that they may manifest your love to each other and to all whose lives they touch. May they grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort, and strengthen them; and preserve them in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen. To arrange for a house blessing, contact the church office at info@tecarl.org.
Pastoral Counseling
The clergy at Trinity Church are not certified and/or trained professional counselors. The same is true for most clergy in the parish setting.
By Canon law, a clergy person may not meet more than three consecutive times with an individual on the same “clinical” topic before making a referral to the appropriate trained professional. Trinity’s clergy are willing to listen carefully, to offer encouragement and challenging direction if appropriate, to provide spiritual insight and perspective on your situation, to make an assessment of what is needed, and to make appropriate referrals to individuals who are certified and trained to respond to certain situations.
Marriage Preparation
Rector’s office, as scheduled by appointment
Congratulations on your engagement! All persons considering marriage who desire to have their wedding ceremony conducted by a clergy person of Trinity Church must undertake and complete a course of marriage preparation. While the approach each clergy person uses may differ, preparation typically involves completion of a Pre-Marriage Awareness Inventory and five to seven sessions where the couple discuss their answers, share their expectations, and develop ways to respond to differences. Contact Rev. Kim through the church office at info@tecarl.org.
Reconciliation of a Penitent
In the Episcopal tradition, we make a public and corporate confession of sin each time we celebrate one of the rites of Holy Eucharist.
Sometimes people desire and situations warrant making an explicit, private confession of sins to a priest, from whom the individual seeks absolution. The Book of Common Prayer provides two equivalent forms of service (called the Reconciliation of a Penitent, BCP pp. 446-452) to meet the needs of penitents. To insure confidentiality, be sure to inform clergy that a conversation constitutes a confession and therefore should be considered “under the stole.” When the penitent has confessed all serious sins troubling the conscience and has given evidence of due contrition, the priest may give counsel, encouragement and may pronounce absolution. Before giving absolution, the priest may assign to the penitent a psalm, prayer, or hymn to be said, or something to be done, as a sign of penitence and act of thanksgiving. Contact the Rector at rector@tecarl.org to request private confession of sins and reconciliation.
