Again I say to you, if two of you [believers] agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. Matthew 18:19 ESV
The Power of Unity
I’d bet that you’ve encountered it, for it seems to be running rampant in our country and in our world. It put stress on family relationships, breaks long friendships, and is at the root of many heated discussions. It’s what’s behind comments like “I cannot understand how they can possibly think THAT is right!” It motivates some folks to do dumb things, it’s REALLY expensive and disruptive, and it even results in death and injury.
I’m NOT referring to the pandemic, but to the spirit of discord that seems to be invading our national psyche. We are allowing ourselves to be polarized into political tribes, with each tribe having its own specialized media that reinforces its message and simply ignores information that doesn’t fit its worldview. Conspiracy theories abound. Fake news is everywhere. Our nation’s adversaries stoke the fires, sit back and smile.
Jesus, on the other hand, talked A LOT about the power of agreement and the strength that unity brings. God listens especially attentively to prayers spoken in agreement. St. Paul says it’s better to be wronged than take a fellow Christ-follower to court.
Quoting Pastor Black’s famous words “We can disagree without being disagreeable”, what role can we play in restoring a bit of love and unity to our relationships? This weekend at Trinity Downtown, we’ll be discussing the role forgiveness plays in our lives and how we can model God’s forgiveness of our sins and shortcomings to our neighbors and friends.
You can watch the “live stream” of our Satellite Service at 5:00 pm on Saturday, or our traditional service on Sunday at 8:15 am by clicking here. You may also participate by watching either of these services “on demand” by clicking here. During this worrying time, come be encouraged. Come feel the warmth and joy of His Holy Spirit and hear songs that will bring peace to your heart. Come ready to digest His words of truth and be filled with the surprising love of Jesus so you can share that love and peace with everyone!
Starting Saturday September 12 at 5:00 pm and Sunday September 13 at 9:00 am, we will be restarting in-person worship services on our campus. Reservations are required and you can see the details at www.trinitydt.org. The weekly opportunities to participate in “drive-up” Communion will continue. On Wednesday from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and Saturday from 9:30 am to 11:00 am, you can stay safely in your car while participating in an Order of Confession & Absolution, Communion and Prayer hosted by one of our pastors. If you wish to participate in drive-up Communion, please reserve your preferred time slot by calling Stefanie at 713.224.0684. She’s available to take your call from 8:30am – 2:30 pm each weekday.
Our hearts grieve for those churches and families that have been impacted by Hurricane Laura. You can contribute to the Texas District’s relief efforts at https://txlcms.org/donate/, donate online through Trinity at https://www.trinitydt.org/online-giving/, or mail a check marked “Hurricane Relief” to the church office.
During this time when each of us faces challenges we would not have expected six months ago, God has given us the opportunity to hear His Word and demonstrate His love to our family and neighbors. Instead of worrying, let’s cast our cares and worries on the strong shoulders of Jesus.