A message from Bill Adams, the Rector of Trinity Parish.
What is Trinity Church all about anyway?
What is Trinity Church all about anyway?
Too many people feel that salvation, the very wholeness and acceptance that God wants for ALL people, is out of their reach; they feel that they are not worthy, and that they could not do enough to win God's favor.
My mother always kept a box in which she put things that would tell the story of her three children's lives. I used to love to look through it because it made me feel so good. It was only years later that I realized that not only was she keeping a diary of my life in that box, but it was a revisionist history. There were no failures in that box, only the good things I did. It was as though I was perfect; it was as though I could do no wrong. I could find only the good report cards, only the awards and achievements, only the loving things I did.
My dear friends in Christ, It's as though God has a box like that for everyone who has ever lived, with no exclusions. That is the salvation that Jesus came to proclaim. I know it's hard to believe, but that's what the church is for. . . to convince you that it's really true.
We at Trinity Church are here to proclaim in no uncertain terms that you have ALREADY won God's favor, and that Jesus Christ is the living sign of that complete acceptance. One cannot earn salvation because it is a FREE gift from God!
We have quite a number of outreach ministries and programs in our church, but they are not there to help us work our way to salvation. They are there as our response to the salvation that is already ours. You see, when you know that you are loved that much, you can't help but reach out in love for others.
I wish to be perfectly honest. If you are looking for hell, fire and brimstone theology, You will not find it here.
If you are looking for a church that says, "When I want your opinion, I'll give it to you," you will not find it here.
If you are looking for a church that peddles guilt and shame, you will not find it here.
If you are looking for a church that labels people, judges people, or in any way would suggest that some people fall outisde of the salvation of God, you will not find it here.
As a church within the Episcopal tradition, Trinity is not a confessional church. We are not, in other words, a church that says "you had better subscribe to a specific list of beliefs or your membership will be in question." We are a Sacramental Church. We simply say, "Come and join us in a holy Communion. Come and break bread with us. Come and celebrate the free gift of salvation that our God has so graciously given us through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Come, let us explore our faith together." We do not worship on Sunday mornings out of a sense of duty, but out of a sense of joy-filled gratitutde.
We do hold that the Bible is the word of God. The Holy Spirit worked in and through the authors of the various books in the Bible, and it contains God's truth for the world. We are not, however, literalists. We do not take one passage out of context and then generalize from it. We take the Bible as a whole, and we see every word through the love and forgiveness of Jesus. Members of Trinity Church are allowed great latitutde in their interpretation of Holy Scripture and of theology in general. Someone once said, "The Episcopal Church is a catholic church in love with freedom." That is certainly an apt desciption of Trinity Church.
The word "catholic" means "inclusive." We understand that we do not have the right to draw circles and to extend an invitation to some, but not others. God accepts everyone and we are God's church! We celebrate the all-inclusive love of Jesus Christ by striving for "unity in diversity," not "uniformity."
It doesn't matter who you are or what your status in life, you have a place here, and you are welcome here! It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor. It doesn't matter how orthodox your beliefs, we welcome skeptics and doubters into our community. Many of us at Trinity are just as comfortable with raising questions as we are in receiving answers.
Your life-style, your social status and your sexual preference are NEVER used as "entrance exams."
Everybody will be received with open arms and considered Holy before our gracious God. Our Communion table is open to everybody; all ages are welcome. We have a saying, "our altar does not belong to us, but to God who welcomes ALL people to receive the Blessed Sacrament."
If you are looking for a church big enough to meet you wherever you are on your spiritual journey, but small enough for people to remember your name, then Trinity Church is the place.
Jesus said, "When I am lifted up, I will draw ALL people to myself." That means me . . . that means you . . . We have every reason to celebrate!
In the love of Christ,
Bill
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