Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” Matthew 27:22 ESV
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance, the only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” C.S. Lewis
Dear Members and Friends of Trinity Downtown:
As Americans, we look to our government to administer justice impartially. Innumerable police officers, lawyers, judges, bailiffs and juries are charged with keeping public order while adjudicating disputes fairly. As we’ve been recently reminded, our system is quite imperfect; however, it remains the gold standard in the world for dispensing justice.
The Roman Empire’s system of justice wasn’t up to American standards, but if one was a Roman citizen, the system wasn’t too bad. It was another story if the accused didn’t happen to possess Roman citizenship. Pilate’s treatment of Jesus is a great example. Pilate really didn’t want to deal with a petty Jewish religious problem, so he just took the politically expedient course and followed his “polling numbers.” He probably thought he was smart—by executing Jesus, Pilate transformed a thorny issue into a way to gain political points with the local mob. In doing so, he sealed his legacy as a weak-kneed and evil leader.
Like Pilate, each of us has to decide how seriously we treat Jesus’ truth-claims. If He really was (and is) the Son of God, then we must take fall at His feet in worship, take His words with the utmost seriousness and study His deeds closely.
This weekend at Trinity Downtown, you have the opportunity to do just that. Come worship our God, and allow Him to re-position your heart, redeem your circumstances and deepen your recognition that you are totally dependent upon Him. Join with the other sinners at Trinity Downtown as we are reminded what God’s love can accomplish in our repentant heart.
You can participate in-person at our contemporary worship service on Saturday at 5:00 pm or our traditional worship service on Sunday at 9:00 am. Reservations are required to attend either in-person worship service; you can see the details at www.trinitydt.org. You may also make a reservation by calling Stefanie at 713.224.0684 from 8:30-2:30 each weekday. If you are not comfortable attending an in-person service, you can watch the “live stream” of our Satellite Service at 5:00 pm on Saturday, or our traditional service on Sunday at 9:00 am by clicking here. And, of course, you may also participate by watching either of these services “on demand” by clicking here.
I’m thrilled to report that our first online Alpha class on Monday evening had great participation, with some joining the discussion from outside the Houston area. Please continue to be in prayer that God’s Kingdom will be expanded and lives blessed over the 11-week course.
Here are ways you can bless our church and our community this week:
Here’s an update on Lenten and Easter activities that you won’t want to miss:
Holy Week and Easter are less than two weeks away, and Trinity will be offering worship services on:
You can RSVP for any of these services by clicking here. Of course, we will also be live-streaming each service which you may watch by clicking here.
I have some exciting news about the Early Childhood ministry to share with you. As you know, Upbring has been our strategic partner since 2018 by leasing Trinity’s Education Center and providing a early childhood ministry to our community. Due to a number of factors, including the impact of COVID, Upbring notified us in January that they have decided to close their program in Houston by the end of 2021. We reached out to the Lutheran Education Association of Houston (“LEAH”) and they have decided to take over the Education Center lease and Early Childhood ministry effective June 1, 2021. Randy Einem, a former Trinity staff member who served as Principal of our school now leads LEAH’s ministry, and we are very excited about LEAH’s programs and how we can work together in partnership. Stay tuned for more details in the coming week. Randy Einem will also be participating in Trinity’s congregational information meeting on Sunday (see next paragraph.)
This Sunday, March 21st at noon, we will be conducting an online congregational meeting where we’ll provide more details on our new partnership with LEAH and discussing our plans for restarting in-person activities on Trinity’s campus as the COVID epidemic wanes. You can join the Zoom meeting at noon on Sunday by clicking here.
Set aside time this weekend to learn how to follow Jesus on His journey, and in doing so find out how you can live a life of significance, filled with meaning. His calming presence, love and wisdom will make a tremendous difference in your life.
Your Pastor,
Michael Dor