Trinity Church Weekly Trumpeter
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
~ Colossians 2:6-7
1/21/21
Dear Trinity Church,

Yesterday, we witnessed a historic Presidential inauguration. While most of us have experienced Presidential inaugurations before, this year was particularly significant given the violence in our Capitol just a few weeks ago in an attempt to stop the inauguration from happening. Thankfully the inauguration proceeded and there was a peaceful transfer of power as President Joe Biden was inaugurated. Of course it was historic in other ways as well--we inaugurated our first woman Vice President Kamala Harris, who in addition to being the first woman VP, was also the first African American and Asian American Vice President. We saw the youngest inaugural poet Amanda Gorman reflect on “The Hill We Climb.” And of course, we are in the midst of a global pandemic which severely limited attendance at the inauguration. We saw in the midst of anxiety and fear, there was hope about our future. We also know that our nation remains deeply divided as misinformation and extremism continue to fuel divisions. We know that division, mistrust, and anxiety don’t go away overnight and now the work of rebuilding, healing, and restoration begins. 

As part of our reflection and action, we will be hosting a Faith and Extremism: A Conversation with Chris Meserole program on Wednesday, February 10th at 7:30 PM via Zoom. We will reflect on the role of American Christianity in the rise of extremist movements in the US, the role of misinformation, and how faith communities, of all kinds, are called to respond. Chris Meserole is a Fellow at The Brookings institution and has done extensive research on religious extremism and misinformation. You can register here.  

If you are newer to Trinity, or always wanted to learn more about it, we invite you to a Virtual Coffee with Pastor Grace. This will be held on Sunday, February 7th at 12 PM, immediately following worship. This will be a casual get together to get to know me, as well as the ministries of Trinity Church. You can sign up here.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been in a sermon series called Three Simple Rules. This series is based off of a book called Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living by Bishop Rueben P. Job. If you are looking for a devotional or a short read, I highly recommend this book. I have found it immensely helpful in this troubling season and I hope it can provide some guidance for you as well.

This Sunday we will conclude our sermon series by focusing on the third rule: “Stay in Love with God.” The reality is that while these rules are simple, they are certainly not easy, and the only way we can abide by these rules is to actively Stay in Love with God. In our passage from John, we are reminded that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches and apart from him, we can bear no fruit. If we are to abide by these important rules: do no harm and do good, we must stay in love with God. Our scriptures are Colossians 2:6-7 and John 15:1-11. I look forward to seeing you all Sunday.
Pastor Grace
Worship Online this Sunday: While we aren’t meeting in person, we will be worshiping online via livestream on Trinity’s Facebook Live and through our 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.

Children & Youth Worship Box: Any children or youth who did not receive a worship box and would like one to aid their worship at home, please reach out to Program Director, Hannah Day Donoghue to schedule a time to come pick one up.

Fellowship Time via ZOOM on Sunday after Church: After worship this morning, we invite you to a time of fellowship via Zoom led by our Program Director Hannah Day Donoghue! This will be a time for us to connect after worship, check-in, and to have a time of conversation about worship. Click here to join. For questions, contact our Program Director, Hannah Day Donoghue.
Three Simple Rules: January Sermon Series: What rules do you live by? These days there are many rules about how we are and arent supposed to act and behave. While rules are so important for keeping us safe, they can be, at times, overwhelming. Through this series, we are going to talk about three simple rules for how Christians are supposed to live. This is based off of John WesleyThree General Rules that he gave to early Methodists to govern their organization and life together. If we can make this simple commitment, it can serve as a guide for our daily lives, and help direct our actions in a way that glorifies God and enable us to serve others. 
Youth Group: Join us for Youth Group virtual via Zoom, Sunday, January 24th at 5:30 PM. All 6th-12th graders are invited. Contact Hannah to get added onto the email list.
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.
Virtual Coffee with Pastor Grace: Are you new to the church? Are you wondering what it means to get more involved or to join as a member? Join us for this casual gathering to learn more about Trinity and get to know Pastor Grace! We will meet via zoom on Sunday, February 7th at 12 PM, immediately following the worship service! Sign up here or contact the Church Office.
Faith and Extremism: A Conversation with Chris Meserole: Over the last few years, weve seen a rise in extremist movements in the U.S. culminating in the storming of the Capitol on January 6th. What role did American Christianity play in those movements and how should faith communities, of all kinds, respond? Join us on Wednesday, February 10th at 7:30 PM for a conversation with Dr. Chris Meserole on this important topic. Chris Meserole is a Fellow in Foreign Policy at The Brookings Institution and the Director of Research and Policy on AIET. You can register here. For additional questions or concerns, 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 Tues 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.

2020 Trinity Missions Recap: At the start of 2020, no one would have been able to predict where we’d end up at the close of this turbulent year. One thing that quickly became apparent was the incredible toll the pandemic would take on our most vulnerable communities. In an effort to get critically needed funds to our partners, Trinity Missions disbursed a special COVID-19 response donation to ALIVE!, Casa Chirilagua, Community Lodgings, and Rising Hope. In early April, we initiated a weekly Rising Hope Food collection drive that started with our church and expanded to include our entire neighborhood! To date, we’ve provided 12,036 pounds of food and personal items and $2,085
through this terrific mission. In addition, a few weeks ago, we were a part of a 20 ton food drive that supported 5 local food banks! While our regular missional efforts looked different this year, we were blessed to be able to continue our partnerships through hosting our INOVA Blood Drive, support Alexandria's Domestic Violence Christmas Children's Program, and support the Rising Hope Angel gift program by providing personalized Christmas gifts to 75 children. None of these missions would be successful without the consistent and dedicated generosity of our Trinity family. We, together, are the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. Visit here for a full recap of our ministries in 2020.
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. 
  3. If you prefer to mail in your donation, you can send a check to Trinity Church, 2911 Cameron Mills Road, Alexandria, VA 22302.
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!
Sunday, January 24th ~ Stay in Love with God
      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, January 27th
        6:00 PM              Centering Prayer via Zoom

Thursday, January 28th
        8:30 PM              Chancel Choir Rehearsal via Zoom

Sunday, January 31st
      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 3rd
        6:00 PM              Centering Prayer via Zoom

Thursday, February 4th
        8:30 PM              Chancel Choir Rehearsal via Zoom

Sunday, February 7th
      11:00 AM             Worship at via Facebook Live and Trinity Website
      12:00 PM              Virtual Coffee with Pastor Grace via Zoom
        5:30 PM              Youth Group via Zoom
City of Alexandria COVID-19 Update: To see the latest news release click here.

COVID-19 Emergency Services Info: If you are looking for emergency services information related to COVID-19, Act for Alexandria is a good source of information. The website link is www.actforalexandria.org or call them at 703-739-7778. Their website has information on emergency resources as well as valuable webinars. They have resources for individuals as well as organizations dealing with COVID-19 as well as other needs in Alexandria. For information specific to older adults, contact the City’s Division of Aging and Adult Services at 703-746-5999 or www.alexandriava.gov/aging.
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.
The Welcome Statement of Trinity United Methodist Church is:
Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
~ Matthew  10:40
 
Trinity United Methodist Church is committed to be a congregation of Open Hearts, Open Minds and Open Doors. We believe all people are of sacred worth and dignity as part of God's creation and as demonstrated by the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. As Gods love extends to all, we welcome everyone without exception, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, family structure, socio-economic or marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental ability, faith history or life experience. We recognize that we are all different, and those  differences make us a stronger community of faith as we worship together to grow in our relationship with God and one another.
 
The Mission of Trinity United Methodist Church is:
Building a strong Christian community to find, share, and
celebrate the love of Christ in our hearts, neighbors and our world.