Then [Elijah] was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life… 1 Kings 19:3a ESV
This Happens Even To The Best Of Us
Dear Members and Friends of Trinity Downtown:
The Bible (especially the Jewish Bible) contains numerous stories with heroic protagonists. These stories tell of the exploits of (among others) Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Samson, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha and King David “who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, [and] put foreign armies to flight.” (Hebrews 11:33-34 ESV). If the children of Israel could have produced movies, these stories would have been their summer blockbusters.
Unlike many of own superhero movies, however, the Bible is scrupulous in recording both the exploits and the humanity of the heroes contained in its pages. For instance, Elijah was a prophet who lived in the Northern Kingdom of Israel from 900-849 BC. He is often credited with playing a key role in saving the Jewish faith from being corrupted by the pagan nature worship practiced by Israel’s neighbors.
Despite Elijah’s success (or, perhaps because of it) the Bible records that he went through periods of fear and depression. His heroic stature didn’t protect him from running for his life, considering suicide, and believing that he was all alone. The Bible records how God sustained Elijah through each of these periods and continued to use him as he struggled with his own emotions and doubts.
I suspect that periods of wanting to simply “give up” occurs in all of our lives; it’s apparently part of being called a “human”. And God responds to us just like He responded to Elijah; providing sustenance, assurance, guidance, ongoing responsibilities and, sometimes, a swift kick in the pants.
Can you relate? Can you sense that a family member or friend is feeling like they are ready to stop the merry-go-round and get off?
This weekend at Trinity Downtown
(August 7th & 8th)
We’ll be discussing these kinds of circumstances this weekend at Trinity Downtown. Come hear how God will carry you during these times, and how you can be an encouragement to those that may be going through tough times. You can join us in our contemporary service on Saturday at 5:00 pm, and/or the traditional worship service on Sunday at 9:00 am. Or, 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.
Our doors will open 30 minutes before the start of each worship service, and you may enter from any door. As always, we ask that if you are not feeling well, please stay home and participate with us online.
Watch Online
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 the button below. And, of course, you may also participate by watching either of these services “on demand” at any time. To enhance your worship this weekend, we’ve placed this weekend’s Order of Worship and our updated prayer list below.
Drive-Up Communion
Please note that Drive-up Communion will be back on its original schedule and is being offered on Saturday and Wednesday of each week.
Fall Kick-off
Mark your calendars now for Trinity’s Fall Kick-off on August 21/22! We are planning a good, old-fashioned celebration as we resume normal in-person activities on the weekend of August 21st and 22nd.
Here’s the rundown:
- Our normal worship times of 5:00 pm on Saturday and 9:00 am on Sunday morning will continue. We’ll carry on streaming our services for those that prefer that option;
- In-person Sunday School and Adult Bible Studies will resume on Sunday morning at 10:15 am
- We’ll be blessing our students’ backpacks, so please make a note to bring them with you to our worship service. Your students will enjoy the “refreshed” Student Underground and Fellowship Hall environments for Sunday School and Youth Bible study
- Our Sanctuary Choir will be leading the congregational singing during our worship services.
- Snacks and coffee will be available in our Gathering Space on Sunday morning, and warm cookies will again be available preceding Saturday’s Satellite service!
- Best of all, we’ll have a BBQ lunch with all the fixin’s ready to serve in the gym at 11:30 on Sunday. Everyone’s invited! A generous donor has sponsored the costs of the fixin’s and the serving, so we can all enjoy breaking bread together!
Mark your calendars now for August 21st and 22nd and be thinking which friends you’ll invite to come with you to Trinity’s Fall Kick-off. It’s time to come back to church! We can’t wait to see you.
COVID-19 Updates
We continue to be deeply thankful for the God-inspired work of our medical professionals who developed and are distributing the COVID vaccines, and who continue to care for those afflicted with this disease. We are constantly reviewing our COVID-related safety protocols so that we’re in line with current government regulations and the evolving scientific guidelines. Our guidelines for this weekend’s services will be unchanged from the prior week:
- Masks are now optional for everyone regardless of vaccination status; however, I know all of us are concerned about the increasing number of COVID cases occurring in our community. Please feel free to wear a mask when you are on Trinity’s campus, and you may also want to consider sitting in the socially-distanced section of the sanctuary.
- RSVPs are no longer required, and you may enter the campus using whatever door you choose. Be sure to sign in at one of our “check-in” stations to register your worship attendance. We’ll have volunteers available to assist you with navigating the check-in process.
- Open seating for worship in the Sanctuary except for the back pews on the pulpit side. We are reserving the back pews on the pulpit side for those who prefer the option of social-distancing;
- Now that we have open seating, please continue to be alert and considerate of those around you who may be hesitant to sit close, shake hands or hug;
- Prepackaged snacks and coffee will be available in the Gathering Space on Sunday morning after the worship service; and
- Open seating for Satellite worship with the chairs spaced out.
Please take advantage of our nursery, which is now open to care for children 2 years old and younger on Sunday mornings.
Learn how placing our hopes, dreams, fears, worries and sins in the hands of Jesus can lessen our stress load and bring deep transformation in our hearts. Celebrate with us the depth of Jesus’ love for us and find out how you can live a life of significance, filled with meaning. Discover how following Jesus can help you and your family navigate around the minefields of life.
This weekend come get a fresh jolt of spiritual energy at Trinity Downtown. It will make a tremendous difference in your life.
Your Pastor,
Michael Dorn