Trinity Episcopal Church of Watertown, South Dakota

This new site reflects an online rebirth for us. Also reborn, is our life as serious Christians having great fun together! We are a vital, welcoming, fun loving Episcopal Community of Faith.

Our common life is dedicated to making the inside of the Church, as well as our community, a better place. Yes, we care about people. We care about the earth, spirituality, good scholarship, open mindedness and much more than that.

Here at Trinity Episcopal Church we have devote our lives to Christ through prayer, worship,
service, and in learning to seek others to share our commitment with.

We look forward to meeting you. Stained Glass

Service Times: Trinity's traditional Sunday service is held at 10:00 AM.
Our Saturday contemporary evening service is at 5:00. We also hold a Wednesday evening service at 6:00.

The church is located on a rolling five-acre plot on the northwest side of Watertown. The contemporary church building was dedicated in 1975, nine years following the first service in the new church on Trinity Sunday in 1966.

Our main worship area is spacious with seating for 200. A magnificent hand-carved Christus Rex is suspended over the chancel. The white marble altar and the pipe organ were memorial gifts when the church was built.

The undercroft includes a nursery, a vestry/library room and a dining area that can
be easily divided for Sunday school or small groups. Our spacious and fully equipped kitchen is adjacent.

All areas of the church are handicapped accessible. We also have an elevator.

Trinity Episcopal Church has a congregation diverse in age and previous religious backgrounds. We depend on volunteers to carry out ministries such as pastoral care, lay reading, lay Eucharistic ministry, altar guild, teaching and governance.

Cross Image

Eucharist is celebrated weekly at Jenkins Living Center for Episcopal residents and others who care to join the group. Trinity participates in the Watertown Banquet, which, incidentally, was started by Trinity members.

Moses, one of the Sundanese "Lost Boys" now living in Sioux Falls, S.D., came to Watertown to study aircraft maintenance at Lake Area Technical Institute and joined our congregation. It was his dream to build a school in his home village in South Sudan. Trinity became a generous part of what became a successful diocesan project that is making Moses' dream come true. The village also needed clean water. Trinity members headed a Watertown-wide fund drive for a village well. The parish gave one tenth of the needed funds. A generous member gave an automated corn grinder that frees girls from an arduous primitive task and allows them to attend school.

Trinity generously supports the United Thank Offering and gives to other church projects and institutions. The parish provides many social events for the community such as its annual harvest dinner in the fall.

Trinity is an integral part of the city of Watertown, a progressive community of 21,000. The city has moved from being almost entirely a support center for the agricultural area that surrounds it to more diverse business and industrial enterprises that have fostered its growth. Products produced in Watertown are marketed nationally and worldwide.

The city, on the Big Sioux River and adjacent to two lakes, Kampeska and Pelican, is ideally located for year-round recreational activities. Nimrods and anglers find the local area and nearby Northeast Lake Region unsurpassed for the enjoyment of their sport.

Besides having a superior public school system, Watertown has a technical institute and a branch of Mount Marty College that provide educational opportunities for post high school students and adults.

We have a beautiful spacious regional library. The community is fast becoming and important regional Mecca for medical care. The addition of a cardiac unit in the hospital and a cancer treatment center on the hospital campus are recent enhancements. Athletic programs for all ages are offered both in the schools and the Recreation Center.

Sioux Falls, the largest city in South Dakota and home of the Diocesan office and Calvary Cathedral, is just ninety miles south on Interstate 29.

History

Old Church

Previously, the congregation worshipped downtown in a lovely frame church, part of which dated from 1882. "Old Trinity" is preserved, however, as its stained glass windows, altar, baptismal font, cross and other appointments are now the furnishing of our St. Luke's Chapel. The chapel unites us with our forbearers who brought the church and its traditions with them when they helped found the city of Watertown. The chapel provides the congregation with a beautiful and quiet haven for individual prayer and meditation.

Mission Statement

Our Mission Statement here at Trinity Episcopal Church is to devote our lives to Christ through prayer, worship, service, and learning, while seeking others to share our commitment.

Service Times

Trinity's traditional Sunday service is held at 10:00 AM.
Our Saturday contemporary evening service is at 5:00. We also hold a Wednesday evening service at 6:00.

Links

Focus Watertown, South Dakota		www.focuswatertown.com
South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks		www.sdgfp.info
Watertown Community Recreation Center		www.watertownrec.com
Watertown - Bramble Park Zoo		www.brambleparkzoo.com
Watertown School District		www.watertown.k12.sd.us

Youth

The Youth at Trinity are active in our services either greeting, acolyting, or reading the lessons.
They also love being involved with various happenings in our community, voluntarily participating in the community's P.A.C.H. (People Against Child Hunger) program. One wednesday evening each month they pack weekend lunches for students not be getting the nourishment they need. They also raise money to sponsor one child for the entire school year.

Wednesday evenings at 6:00 they meet for supper and a lesson with Rev. Jackie Bernacchi. The last Wednesday of the month is "Movie Night" on our "big screen" with a dinner beforehand and discussion afterward.

Trinity Youth Group is welcoming and eager to share their love and blessings. Please feel free to join us in any of these activities.

Our Youth are truly the heart of Trinity Episcopal Church. Every Sunday they participate in the service as crucifer, acolytes, and often as lay readers. They give a fresh perspective to worship. Every Wednesday night all school age children of the parish take part in a "one room" lesson. They meet each week during the months of September to May.

Trinity was selected to host the 2009 Diocesan Youth Convention to be held at the Lake Poinsett Church Camp on August 21-23. In the past year the youth group, made up of Junior and senior high children, raised enough money to hire the nationally known Christian rock band Bread of Stone, to play at the convention. Highlighting the past year was planning for the convention and projects to raise funds to carry out their plans. One special project was planning and serving the Valentine Dinner. An outreach project was the filling of Easter baskets for the children housed or in counseling at the Women's Shelter. These young people are proof that if you live in faith anything is possible.

Study Classes

Wednesday night lesson is a weeklyadult bible study open to all members and open to the public. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn and ask questions in a casual and supportive, fun envioirnment.

The Choir

Practice for any and all who wish to sing and praise the lord follows at 7pm in the main sanctuary.

Jackie Bernacchi

I am high energy and I love (in addition to God) people and animals, rock and roll, running, and gourmet
vegetarian food. Humor is the "other" sacrament; scholarship is a life long pursuit, and the love of God
is the happy truth for all of us.

Give me a call at 605-886-4167 or come in and have a cup coffee with me. . . . . . the pot is always on.

You may also e-Mail me: Rector Jackie Bernacchi

Invitation to a Holy Advent

The time of Advent is a short only 4 weeks to both empty your soul of soil and fill it again with the Christ as child and King. Now is a wonderful time to experience the spiritual discipline. The daily office is true Episcopal tradition with its roots solidly in monastic life. The office completes your peraration for the rigors of the day with perspective, gentleness and humility; with purpose and spiritual energy.

Take up the challenge to pray the office daily office in this time of seeking, reconciliation and anticipation.

To pray the daily office: You will need a bible and a Book of Common Prayer. Explore the offices the prayer book is a wonderful resource.

Morning Prayer Rite Two begins on page 73.
Evening Prayer Rite Two begins on page 115
Compline (late evening) page 127
Shorter versions of Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families begin on page 136.

For readings: Turn to the back of the book-page 934. We are in year 2 for Daily offices. Sunday will begin the second Sunday in Advent. The list of daily readings the office of Yr 2 is always on the right side page. The readings for daily prayer are different that Holy Eucharist. The numbers that appear above the list of readings are for psalms for morning and evening.
Thus. . . . . Monday morning or evening prayer for the 2nd week of Advent: psalm 25 or 9:15…OT. Amos 7:1-9, NT. Rev. 1:1-8, Matt.22:23-33

If you choose to pray MP and EP…use the readings for the oposite year on the left side pagre for your second office. Remember Compline requires no extra bible readings. Be blessed in your prayer as you seek to bless others!

An Advent Prayer from the late Rev. Henri Nouwen - so appropriate for Advent and this season which can be so frantic. May the Lord indeed help us quiet our hearts and listen for His voice each day. May we diligently seek to know His presence, rather than allowing our anxious thoughts to distract us and may He tune our ears to hear His counsel.

Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light. To you we say, "Come Lord Jesus!"

More information is coming soon. . . . . . . . . . .

Up Coming Events: December 2011 Event

And. . . . . . . . Be sure to stay tuned for more events to come.

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Location Address: 500 14th Avenue
Watertown, South Dakota 57201

Phone Contact: (605) 886-4167

e-Mail Contact: Rector Jackie Bernacchi