do not be anxious about anything… Philippians 4:6a ESV
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8 ESV
Dear Members and Friends of Trinity Downtown:
I bet you didn’t know that your brain was plastic.
Of course, it’s not MADE of plastic, it’s just that God designed our brains to be similar to plastic in that our brains are moldable, flexible and responsive to our experiences. Psychologists call this “neuro plasticity.” They’ve discovered that our brains constantly form new neural pathways in response to a physical injury, chemicals in the bloodstream and drug addiction. Our brain also physically rewires itself when it perceives a severe emotional trauma or undergoes constant stress. It works on the flip side too; prayer, meditation and other “mindfulness” activities result in physical changes to our brain that make it easier for us to pray the next time.
Just like athletes build muscle strength and endurance by regular exercise, we can literally train our brains to view events from a positive or negative starting point. Of course, God knows this, so that’s why Scripture is filled with instructions to monitor what we think about, what we focus on and what we ponder.
And God knows we have plenty of negative news that we could focus on. Truth be told, there’s ALWAYS a lot to be worried about. Just turn on any cable TV news channel and you’ll get enough “information” to make one stay anxious for days.
And, of course, there’s COVID. Given the recent resurgence of the Delta variant in our community, we’re surely tempted to sigh under our breath and say “oh boy, here we go again…”
In response to the increased number of infections, this weekend at Trinity Downtown we’re making some changes in our recommendations and seating arrangements designed to lower the chance we’ll inadvertently spread the infection further.
We’ll be discussing how we can “train our brains” this weekend at Trinity Downtown. Come hear how focusing on God’s love and watchful care can 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.
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.
Please note that Drive-up Communion is being offered on Saturday and Wednesday of each week.
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:
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.
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. Please keep the members of our congregation who serve in these capacities in your daily prayers that God may grant them strength, courage and a robust immune system.
Our guidelines for this weekend’s services have changed. Please see below:
Please take advantage of our nursery, which is now open to care for children 2 years old and younger on Sunday mornings.
Learn how focusing on minds on God’s provision and care 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