Online Worship - Sunday, February 14, 2021
Sermon: Maturity in Faith
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Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
~ Philippians 3:13-14
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This week as we conclude our sermon series on Paul’s letter to the Philippians, we will talk about the difference between perfection as the world defines, and Christian perfection. While we tend to think of perfection as a static destination, Christian perfection is a journey toward the destination. Christian perfection is about our willingness to grow in faith toward God’s perfection.
This week we will also be participating in Holy Communion online. During our worship service, we will consecrate elements on the Church’s Altar and on your tables at home. If you are able, we encourage you to come and pick up consecrated elements and your Lenten Kit at the Church following worship this Sunday, February 14th from 12-1:30 PM. If you are not able to pick up elements, you can consume the elements you have in your home. Please note that during this season, we practice online communion as an extraordinary means for observing the sacrament that is permitted In Extremis for the present season of the COVID-19 pandemic. For additional information about online communion, we encourage you to read this letter from Bishop Sharma Lewis.
A reminder to pick up your Lenten Kit and Communion elements at the sanctuary doors this Sunday, February 14th from 12-1:30 PM!
Due to Lenten Kit and Communion pick up, we will NOT have our regular time of fellowship this Sunday after worship.
Please register your attendance here!
See below for the Order of Worship.
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Sunday Worship
February 14, 2021 - 11 AM
Maturity in Faith
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The Order of Service
Welcome to Trinity online.
As we prepare for a time of worship, we invite you to find an intentional space in your home for worship. We encourage you to light a candle or place something that
reminds you of Trinity or your connection with God nearby. Children are invited
to take out their worship boxes to prepare for worship.
Prelude: Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier ~ Johann Gottfried Walther
Welcome and Announcements
As we light our candles in the sanctuary, I invite you to join us in lighting your own candle at home. As we place the cross in the holder, we invite you to place something that reminds you of Trinity or your connection with God in front of you.
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Call to Worship: (based on Galatians 5:22-26)
We are called to live lives worthy of the Gospel.
We are called to bear fruit of the Spirit.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
We are called to bear fruit of the Spirit.
If we live by the Spirit, let us be guided by the Spirit.
We are called to bear fruit of the Spirit.
So therefore, let us press on towards the goal,
to grow in maturity in faith.
We are called to bear fruit of the Spirit.
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Hymn: For the Fruits of This Creation - Hymnal no. 97
The United Methodist Hymnal ©1989 The United Methodist Publishing House. All rights reserved.
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Prayer of Confession and Pardon:
(By Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.)
Thou Eternal God, out of whose absolute power and infinite intelligence the whole universe has come into being, we humbly confess that we have not loved thee with our hearts, souls and minds, and we have not loved our neighbors as Christ loved us. We have all too often lived by our own selfish impulses rather than by the life of sacrificial love as revealed by Christ. We often give in order to receive. We love our friends and hate our enemies. We go the first mile but dare not travel the second. We forgive but dare not forget.
And so as we look within ourselves, we are confronted with the appalling fact that the history of our lives is the history of an eternal revolt against you.
But thou, O God, have mercy upon us. Forgive us for what we could have been but failed to be. Give us the intelligence to know your will. Give us the courage to do your will. Give us the devotion to love your will.
In the name and spirit of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Passing of the Peace:
We’d love to know you worshiped with us! Please register your attendance here. We also encourage you to comment during the service so we can be in community with you! Click here to sign up for all our eCommunications.
Children’s Time: Tom Tyler
We invite the children who are worshiping at home to pay extra special attention. Each week Hannah Day Donoghue will send out Children’s Worship Bulletin for the children to do at home during this time.
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Anthem: Stayed on Jesus - arr. Jan Marvyn Youngblood
Trinity Choir (past performance)
I woke up this morning with my mind stayed on Jesus, Hallelujah! Walking, talking, stayed on Jesus, stayed on Him. I'm singing and shouting with my mind stayed on Jesus. I'll keep right on praising with my mind stayed on Jesus. Hallelujah!
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12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. 16 Only let us hold fast to what we have attained. 17 Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.
4 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
The Word of God for the People of God. Thanks be to God.
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43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
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Sermon: Maturity in Faith
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Invitation to the Offering:
We invite you to consider giving on-line or giving by text! To give on-line, click here and click on the Giving tab. To give by text, text “GIVE” to 703-783-3034. Further instructions will follow. For further information about online giving, visit here.
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Offertory Prayer
All good gifts come from you, dear Lord,
and from these riches we bring this offering.
Help us to use it for the furtherance of your purpose in this place,
and for the benefit of those in need. Amen.
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The Great Thanksgiving
Holy Communion is a sacrament in the United Methodist Church. We believe Christ is present in the sacrament and that through one Spirit, we, though many, are made into one Body. Holy Communion is an embodied experience meant to be shared in Christian community. During this season, we practice online communion as an extraordinary means for observing the sacrament that is permitted “in Extremis” for the present crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic. For additional information about online communion, we encourage you to read this letter from Bishop Sharma Lewis.
We will consecrate the elements on the church’s altar table and on your tables at home. If you are able, we encourage you to come and pick up consecrated elements at the church following worship today, from 12-1:30 PM. If you are not able to come to pick up elements, you can consume the elements you have in your home.
The Prayer of Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
…And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
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Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
...And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of faith...
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Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
...Through your Son Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church,
all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father,
now and forever...
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Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father,
who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
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Consecration of the Table
We will consecrate the elements on the church’s altar table and on your tables at home. If you are able, we encourage you to come and pick up consecrated elements at the church following worship today, from 12-1:30 PM. If you are not able to come to pick up elements, you can consume the elements you have in your home.
Prayer After Communion
Eternal God,
we give you thanks for this holy mystery
in which you have given yourself to us.
Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit,
to give ourselves for others,
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
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Hymn: Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart - Hymnal no. 500
The United Methodist Hymnal ©1989 The United Methodist Publishing House. All rights reserved.
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Dismissal with Blessing:
During this time, children are invited to take one of the stickers and place it on your clothing to remember that you are sent into the world remembering the love of God and Jesus Christ.
Immediately following worship (from 12-1:30 PM), you are invited to come to the sanctuary doors to pick up both consecrated communion elements as well as Lenten kits! Lenten kits will also be available for pick up in the bin outside the church throughout the week.
Postlude: Psalm XIX ~ Benedetto Marcello
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Today’s Anthem is an arrangement of a Black Jubilee Folk Song by J.M. Youngblood (b. 1957-2012) of Louisiana. Reverend Osby of Aurora, Illinois created a revamp of this old gospel song, changing the lyrics to “I woke up this morning with my mind stayed on freedom” while spending time in Hinds County jail during the freedom rides. The song spread and became part of the civil rights movement as did many others during the time, this song being one of the more notable ones.
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The flowers on the altar are given to the glory of God and in celebration of our amazing Mom, Michelle Hoganson. Happy Valentine’s day from your sons, Dylan, Taylor, and Ayden.
Worship Online this Sunday: While we aren’t meeting in person, we will be worshiping online via livestream on Trinity’s Facebook page and through our website. Each Saturday evening, we will send out an email with links to the worship sites and the bulletin for worship that Sunday. This Sunday, we will invite you to be intentional about finding a space in your home to worship and to be truly present in a time of worship. For additional questions about how to worship online, please contact the Church Office.
Lenten Kits - Pick up your Lenten kit today, Sunday, February 14th from 12-1:30 PM! Christian Formation is putting together Lenten kits to guide us in our journey in the footsteps of Jesus. Each kit includes ashes for Ash Wednesday, weekly devotionals, meditations and additional activities for ALL ages to help us to better understand and walk with Jesus throughout the season of Lent. The activities will include things we will reference each week in worship. Pick up of Lenten bags will happen at Trinity UMC on February 14th from 12-1:30 PM. If you can’t make that pick up, please let us know and we can arrange to deliver or to mail you your kit. For additional questions, contact Trinity Program Director, Hannah Day Donoghue.
No Fellowship Time via ZOOM today, Sunday, February 14th. Please join us next week for Fellowship Time!
Join us for Youth Group via Zoom from 5:30-7 PM. For more information contact Hannah Day Donoghue.
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Trinity Community News & Prayers |
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It is with great sadness we share the death of Nellie Marie Gragg, paternal Grandmother of Trinity Member and Office Manager, Jenessa Stokes. We extend our prayers and sympathies to Jenessa, Hank, Jada and their extended family and friends. Expressions of sympathy can be sent to Jenessa at 8605 Beekman Place, Unit C, Alexandria, VA 22309.
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In the Footsteps of Jesus, Lenten Sermon Series (February 21 - April 4, 2021): What does it mean to walk in the footsteps of Jesus? During the season of Lent, we will walk in the physical footsteps of Jesus Christ, tracing his ministry journey from the Jordan River where he was baptized to Jerusalem, where he spent his final days. As we walk in the footsteps of Jesus, we see how Jesus lived, how he treated others, what he taught, and the everyday choices he made. What does Jesus’ journey teach us about how we are to live this Lenten season? Join us as we consider what it means to live in the footsteps of Jesus.
Ash Wednesday Online Worship, Wednesday, February 17th, 7:30 PM: We invite you to join us for our Ash Wednesday worship service on Wednesday, February 17th at 7:30 PM online (Youtube and FacebookLive). Ashes will be provided for you in your Lenten kit and you will administer ashes within your household. (A note: Please mix ashes with oil and NOT water. If you mix the ashes with water, it will turn into lye. Further instructions are forthcoming) If you do not have ashes, you can use dirt from the earth or use this time as a time of prayer.
Lenten Small Group Bible Study- Join Pastor Grace and our Program Director Hannah for a 5 week Wednesday night Bible study from February 24th-March 24th from 7:30-8:30 PM. We will have time to build community and dive deeply into the scripture for the upcoming Sunday. We highly encourage folks to join for all 5 weeks, as we hope to grow deeper in community and deeply dwell in the Word of God. Email Hannah Day Donoghue by February 21st to sign up for this Zoom study.
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Trinity Church’s Weekly News |
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Order your Easter Lilies & Azaleas today! The Flower Committee invites you to reserve an Easter Lily or Pink Azalea for our Easter Sunday services. Plants are $25 each. Please pay electronically here, choose Flower Fund (765) and comment what type of plant(s) you wish to reserve. Our Office Manager, Jenessa Stokes will confirm your order and request the dedication you wish to have printed in the bulletin for Easter Sunday. Plants will be available for pick up at the Church on Easter Sunday after worship. Please know that all proceeds help us cover the costs of flowers, wreaths, and supplies throughout the year. For questions or assistance contact the Church Office.
Volunteers Needed to Help with Food Ministry: Mission is seeking volunteers who are willing to make food deliveries to Rising Hope Mission Church on Tuesday or Thursday mornings. Someone from the Mission Team will determine delivery contents and will help you load your vehicle. Sign up here. For additional questions or concerns contact Mary Gillman.
COVID-19 Vaccination Registration Information for Alexandria City Residents who are 65 years and over: If you are 65 and over, or have a condition that places you at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19, please complete this registration form by clicking here. For more information contact Alexandria City Health Department.
ALIVE! is restarting its Housewares program! They will be holding a drive-through collection event in the parking lot of Fairlington UMC on Saturday, February 6th, from 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM. Should this model be successful, ALIVE! will continue to schedule regular collection days. Volunteers will be present to receive donated items on a contactless and socially distanced basis. For the foreseeable future, this will be the only way to donate household items. Please limit donations to items listed on the ALIVE! Housewares page.
Rising Hope has made an urgent request for paper grocery bags. They are critical in delivering food to families in the community. Please consider helping with this effort by collecting them and then dropping them off in the large plastic bin outside the Church Office door, across from the mailbox. You can’t miss it! We will ensure that they’ll be included with the weekly food delivery. Thank you for your continued support with this ministry.
Join the Trinity Prayer Chain: During times of trial and uncertainty, we pray to grow in our faith and encourage one another. To respond to our growing prayer needs, we will be starting an email prayer chain to share our prayer concerns with one another. We will share joys as well as concerns and needs. If you are interested in being part of this prayer chain or have a prayer request, please email us here.
Centering Prayer meets weekly on Wednesdays from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, via Zoom. Centering Prayer is a 20 minute practice to sit in quiet prayer to make ourselves open to God. A reading is shared by the leader with a short discussion prior to the prayer time. Click here to connect. For more information contact, Alva Smircina.
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Giving at Trinity
How to give at Trinity:
There are three ways to give at Trinity!
1. Give online through our online donation portal.
2. Give by text at 703-783-3034. Just send a text that says “Give” and the Amount.
For further questions about how to give, visit here!
Trinity has switched our financial management system from Vanco to Breeze. If you still give through Vanco, you can access your Legacy Vanco account here. We encourage you to switch to Breeze, our new online management system as soon as you can. Please cancel your Vanco account first and then set up your new giving through Breeze. Thank you for however you give, it is all very much appreciated! For additional questions or concerns, contact the Church Office.
Did you know you can support Trinity UMC with a tax-free transfer from your IRA? If you are age 72 (or 70½ before Jan 1, 2020) and have a Traditional, Rollover, SEP, or SIMPLE IRA, you are required by law to take Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) annually. But did you know that you can use the RMD as a way to make a tax-free transfer to a charity, including Trinity UMC? The transfer must be directly from your IRA to Trinity, and your broker can help you with this process so that you get the full tax benefit. Please notify Trinity when you authorize a transfer so that we may confirm receipt.
Another way to provide financial support to Trinity is with a gift of stock. Please consult with your broker and a tax adviser (prior to selling stocks intended to benefit Trinity) on how to handle to maximize the tax benefits. But if you do decide to give stock – please contact the church help. We can provide a form for your broker or tax adviser to facilitate the transfer.
As always, Trinity is very grateful for any gifts. It makes everything we do at Trinity possible. If all else fails - please contact Rich McKinney. Thank you again for your giving - no matter how you give!
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Sunday, February 14th
11:00 AM Worship at via Facebook Live and Trinity Website
12:00 PM Communion Supplies and Lenten Kit pick-up
5:30 PM Youth Group via Zoom
Monday, February 15th ~ President’s Day
Church Office Closed
Tuesday, February 16th
7:00 PM Finance Committee Meeting via Zoom
8:00 PM Trustees Committee Meeting via Zoom
Wednesday, February 17th ~ Ash Wednesday
6:00 PM Centering Prayer via Zoom
7:30 PM Ash Wednesday Worship online via Facebook Live & Trinity Website
Thursday, February 18th
8:30 PM Chancel Choir Rehearsal via Zoom
Sunday, February 21st
11:00 AM Worship at via Facebook Live and Trinity Website
12:00 PM Fellowship Time via Zoom
5:30 PM Youth Group via Zoom
Wednesday, February 24th
6:00 PM Centering Prayer via Zoom
7:30 PM Lenten Small Group Bible Study via Zoom
Thursday, February 25th
8:30 PM Chancel Choir Rehearsal via Zoom
Sunday, February 28th
11:00 AM Worship at via Facebook Live and Trinity Website
12:00 PM Fellowship Time via Zoom
5:30 PM Youth Group via Zoom
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