Lessons and Carols at TES

Image: From the December 2015 Festival of Lessons & Carols

The annual Festival of Lessons and Carols is arguably the most sublime moment of the school year. This order of worship takes the form of anthems interspersed with choral readings given by each class in Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. In the midst of this, the costumed First Graders re-enact the ancient and familiar Bethlehem drama. As students repeatedly experience the story over the years, we hope that the central message becomes a part of who they are. The Nativity Story is about a God who cares for people and out of compassion enters human history in a very humble way. Jesus is born in a stable and placed in the animals’ food trough because there was no room at the inn. Shepherds, angels, and kings bear witness to the divine happening in these otherwise quite lowly circumstances.

This time of year is busy. There is so much to do and so little time. We can feel overwhelmed and only one step ahead of disaster. Lessons and Carols is for many a kind of “reset button” for the Season. If we let them, the students can remind us of what Christmas is about...simplicity, humility, giving, family, caring, and compassion shown first by God to humanity and then mirrored in the lives of those whose hearts are so moved. The Festival of Lessons and Carols is scheduled to begin in Trinity Episcopal Church at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, December 21. Please join us.

3 Things About the Christian Life: My Sermon from June 26, 2016

Based on the lessons appointed for Proper 8, Year C. The Gospel reading is Luke 9:51-62

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Head of School to Retire in July 2017

Portrait of the Head of School as A Young Man

April 26, 2016

To the Board of Trustees of Trinity Episcopal School:

God willing, on June 30, 2017, I will complete my 30th year as a priest serving Episcopal Schools including 15 years as Head of School at Trinity Episcopal School.  I continually give thanks for the call that brought my family to Galveston.  The work here has allowed me to make a difference in many lives and to leave a good mark on this institution.  It is what I had always wanted to do, and I remain grateful for the opportunity to serve here.  Watching the children grow into young men and women all these years has been such a blessing.  We can all be proud that Trinity has maintained a core focus on the education of Mind, Body, and Spirit even as the school has continued to develop and respond to all kinds of challenges in each succeeding generation.  

I have come to discern that the time for me to step down as Head of School will be in the summer of 2017.  It is important to announce this now, so that appropriate time may be given to the search for my successor.  This process should be deliberate and thorough, and the time given to it should be a signal of the health of this institution.  While The Rev. Susan Kennard and the Board of Trustees are about that work, I plan to focus my energy on making the 2016-2017 school year one of the best.

Retirement is a hard decision because I have grown to love the place and the people with whom I have shared this ministry…I will miss you all.  Trinity and me…we’ve been through a lot together over the years!  I am grateful for the school’s Trustees whose leadership and wisdom helped the school come back from Hurricane Ike and enter an unprecedented phase of its history.  The work has been difficult at times, but this place has a lot of grace for those who seek to persevere.  Those of you who know me best know that my best friend and love, Layne, keeps me grounded and as sane as can reasonably be expected.

Layne and I plan to remain in Galveston after my retirement, and I hope to do part-time work in other places as a teacher and priest in accordance with Diocesan policies and best practices.  I still feel called to serve in the Church but in a way that will allow more time for prayer, study, and writing.  Please know that while I am working in other parts of God’s vineyard, Trinity will always be in my heart.

Regards,

(The Rev.) David C. Dearman
Head of School

"Darth Vader, Jesus is Not" / My sermon given at Trinity on April 3, 2016

This is my sermon for the 2nd Sunday of Easter preached at Trinity Episcopal Church, Galveston, Texas, on April 3, 2016. The Gospel reading appointed was John 20:19-31. For the contrast between faith and certainty I borrowed from the research and writing of Brené Brown. I refer the listener to Brown's book The Gifts of Imperfection. See Guidepost #5 "Cultivating Intuition and Trusting Faith."

Trinity Tribute 2016: "Deep in the Heart of Trinity"

On Saturday, April 30, 2016, Trinity Episcopal School will host “Deep in the Heart of Trinity,” a celebration at The Bryan Museum to pay tribute and honor all current and former Trinity teachers and staff.  This is also a chance to remember faculty and staff who have gone before us to what Budgie Hollamon called "the greatest adventure." This special group of people has been fundamental to the school’s success and remains deep in the hearts of their current and former students as well as their families. 

The Bryan Museum is a magnificent venue to show your Texas spirit and how much you love our great teachers and staff as we build friendships, share memories, and raise funds for Trinity. The Live Auction will feature student art projects, and the Silent Auction will feature great packages as well. We hope that you will join our parents, alumni, teachers, and friends for a fun-filled evening of philanthropy, live music from Harbors Over Highways and food from Galveston Restaurant Group! 

Please help us spread the word to others who have fond memories of their Trinity teachers and treasure the Trinity experience. Sponsorship opportunities are available and tickets to the event are $75 per person. Invitations will be in the mail soon and tickets may also be purchased through the school office and the school website. 

For more information please contact Meg Walker, Board of Trustees VP/Advancement Committee Chair at TrinityTribute@gmail.com or 409-682-2771.

Ash Wednesday/Lent 2016

Items in My Suitcase

Lent Begins with Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday begins a season of self-examination and penitence.  Liturgical Christians call this season Lent.  In school Chapel today, I had the opportunity to preach my “suitcase” sermon to our students, faculty, and visitors.  It goes something like this:

I’ve packed for a trip out-of-town and ask the students to evaluate the items in the suitcase.  In the case of each item, “is it something that would be useful and needed?”  The first items I bring out are good to go… pants, shirt, socks, and belt.  The students gave a resounding, “yes,” for the mouthwash too.  Ok, that hurt a bit, but I did set myself up.  There were some items that even these open-minded youngsters clearly said had no place in my suitcase for a brief trip.  The frying pan, fishing trophy, and hammer were definitely not to be included.  The pack of size C batteries was also deemed superfluous.  All of the unnecessary stuff just served to make my suitcase uncomfortably heavy to carry, slowing me down on the trip and making my back hurt.  On the literal level, we were reminded that travel is easier when we pack light.

But, the real teaching, of course, is metaphorical. Lent is a time for us to examine our lives to see what kind of unnecessary emotional/spiritual baggage we carry around.  Anger, Envy, and Guilt are several things that we might carry in our hearts but that leave us uncomfortable and get in the way of our relationship with God, ourselves, and others.  These are things for which we are called to ask our Lord’s help in letting go.  The first step is in asking honest questions… are we mad at someone for hurting us and do we make a place in our hearts for being mad?  Does a friend have something we don’t have, and do we dwell on it so much that we lose sight of the gifts we do possess?  Have we made a mistake but keep rehearsing it over and over such that it’s always near to mind?  If we want to let go of these things and not carry them around in our hearts, we have to repent.  That means opening ourselves to God and asking God’s grace to forgive us and lift these burdens.  May God help us all to travel more lightly on this journey we call life!  …in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  AMEN.

Epiphany 2016

As an Episcopal institution, the structure of the Church year helps to define time for us at school.  The Season of Epiphany began on January 6 as we remember the Visit of the Magi, so thoughtfully re-enacted by these 1st Graders from our service of Lessons and Carols held in December.  The Three Kings of Orient represent the Revelation of God in Jesus to an entire world, and the season continues with the broader theme of "revelation." How do we know about God?  Where and how do we get our information?  Episcopal Schools stress scripture, tradition, and reason as the authorities upon which our knowledge of God is based.  Those who stand within the circle of Christian Faith accept that God is most fully known in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Human reason, as part of God's creation, also bears the stamp of God's intentions for us and is available to all people.  C.S. Lewis, for example, believed  existence of God was made sensible by the idea of common decency and morality, a sense of right and wrong, that human beings share.  This idea of general revelation gives common ground upon which to discuss theology with folks from varying traditions and helps Episcopal Schools recognize, honor, and include students from all faiths!