Friends due to rising COVID rates, this Sunday's worship service will be ONLINE ONLY. At this point we plan to be back in the Sanctuary for in-person worship next week, January 2^nd, but we will keep you posted on plans as they change.

This week, we continue our Christmas celebration with a Service of Lessons and Carols. Lessons and Carols is a retelling of the Christmas story through scripture and song, led by our congregation members. Please note that this morning's worship service is a revisit of last year's Worship of Lessons and Carols. We look forward to celebrating the Christmas season with you!

We will gather at 11 AM for online worship through our website and on Trinity’s Facebook Page.

Please register your attendance in Sunday Worship by clicking here!

To be added to the Prayer Chain or send a prayer request, email us here.

Click here for the current Prayer List.

Prelude: Infant Holy, Infant Lowly - arr. David Williams

Hymn: O Come, All Ye Faithful - Hymnal no.234 (verses 1, 2, 3, 5)

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: Hannah Day Donoghue

We invite the children who are worshiping at home to pay extra special attention. Click here for a special Children's Worship Bulletin.

First Lesson: Genesis 3:8-15, 17-19 ~ Stephen Philips

    ⁸ They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”¹⁰ He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” ¹¹ He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” ¹² The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” ¹³ Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.” ¹⁴ The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. ¹⁵ I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

     ¹⁷ And to the man he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; ¹⁸ thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. ¹⁹ By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

“The Word of the Lord.” All may respond, “Thanks be to God.”

Second Lesson: Genesis 22:15-18 ~ Margaret Guenther

    ¹⁵ The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven,¹⁶ and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷ I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, ¹⁸ and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.”

“The Word of the Lord.” All may respond, “Thanks be to God.”

Anthem: Let Every Heart Prepare a Throne ~ Mark Patterson

Third Lesson: Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 ~ Julia Walters

    ² The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them light has shined. 

⁶ For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

“The Word of the Lord.” All may respond, “Thanks be to God.”

Fourth Lesson: Micah 5:2-5a ~ Rich McKinney

      ² But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. ³ Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. 

⁴ And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; ⁵ and he shall be the one of peace.

“The Word of the Lord.” All may respond, “Thanks be to God.”

Hymn: O Little Town of Bethlehem - Hymnal no.230 (verses 1 & 2)

Fifth Lesson: Luke 1:26-35, 38 ~ Nicole O’Sullivan

    ²⁶ In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³ He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” ³⁴ Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin? ³⁵ The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.

 ³⁸ Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

“The Word of the Lord.” All may respond, “Thanks be to God.”

Sixth Lesson: Luke 2:1-7 ~ Richard Brown

     2 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ All went to their own towns to be registered. ⁴ Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. ⁵ He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn..

“The Word of the Lord.” All may respond, “Thanks be to God.”

Hymn: The First Noel - Hymnal no. 245 (verses 1 & 2)

Seven Lesson: Luke 2:8-16 ~ Dahae Meserole

    ⁸ In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹ to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host,[b] praising God and saying, ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.

“The Word of the Lord.” All may respond, “Thanks be to God.”

Hymn: Away in a Manger - Hymnal no. 217 (verses 1 & 2)

Eighth Lesson: Matthew 2:1-11 ~ Greg Saunders

   2 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ² asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” ³ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴ and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ⁶ ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” ⁷ Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. ⁸ Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” ⁹ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.

¹¹ On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

“The Word of the Lord.” All may respond, “Thanks be to God.”

Anthem: What Is This Perfume So Appealing? ~ arr. Walter Ehret

Ninth Lesson: John 1:1-14 ~ Pastor Grace Han

   ¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being ⁴ in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. ⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸ He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. ⁹ The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. ¹² But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. ¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

“The Word of the Lord.” All may respond, “Thanks be to God.”

Anthem: The Glory of the Father ~ Egil Hovland

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, please see the Tithes & Offering announcement below.

Hymn: Joy to the World - Hymnal no. 246 (verses 1 & 2)

Christmas Dismissal with Blessing:

Postlude: Vom Himmel hoch - Johann Pachelbel

The flowers on the Altar are given to the glory of God in loving memory of William H. Smith, II, father of Jodi Capps, on his birthday.

It is with great joy we share the birth of Theodore William Girard Cheek, son of Caroline & Michael Cheek. Notes of congratulations may be sent to Caroline & Michael at 1705A Commonwealth Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301.

It is with deep sadness we share the death of Steve Gibson. Steve is the father of Trinity Member, Aidan Gibson. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to Aidan and his mom, Jessica at 15 Hall Street, Beverly, MA 01915-1419.

Mental Health and the Bible: January Sermon series: Mental health and illness have long been taboo topics in our culture and in the church. Yet we know that mental health is an important part of who we are. Through this four week sermon series (January 6^th-30^th) we will look at what the Bible actually says about mental health. We will dispel some of the myths we’ve been told, grow in our understanding of a faithful response to mental health and illness, and work towards a healthy relationship between faith and mental health. We hope you will join us as we address this important topic. For more information contact Pastor Grace.

A Disciple’s Path: A Class for Newcomers, New Members, and the Spiritually Curious! We invite you to participate in a short-term class geared towards newcomers, new members, and the spiritually curious. This is a six week class led by Pastor Grace. The class will meet in-person on Sunday mornings from 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM from Sunday, January 16th - February 20th. Visit us here for more information and to register. For additional questions or concerns, contact Pastor Grace.

A Special Invitation to Join Trinity’s Music Program: If you sing or ring, there is a place for you in our program. If you wish to contribute to our worship by playing an instrument, we welcome you. We offer many opportunities to share your talents here at Trinity. As we begin the new year, this is the perfect time to add music to your calendar! We hope to resume our Trebles and Choristers choirs at a future date. All rehearsals are in the Sanctuary, with choir members required to be vaccinated and wear masks.

Please join us for music-making, fellowship and spiritual enrichment. We look forward to welcoming you to our music program! Contact Linda Cancellieri, Director of Music with interest or questions.

The Trinity Ringers send a special invitation to invite you to come forward after the service to speak with them about joining our choir. We welcome new ringers and experienced substitute ringers. If you are new to ringing, special private coaching is available. Please consider Joining us in the New Year. We rehearse for one hour in the sanctuary on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM and vaccinations and masks are required. For more information contact Linda Cancellieri, Director of Music.

Stay Connected at Trinity! We encourage you to sign up to receive our e-communications. This is our most up to date weekly announcements, and includes information about upcoming ministries and programs, as well as ways to get more connected. To sign up contact the Church Office.

Join the Trinity Prayer Chain: During times of trial and uncertainty, we pray to grow in our faith and encourage 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, email the Prayer Chain.

Rising Hope Food Mission: A heartfelt thanks to Alan Capps, Barbara Archey, Carol Bowers & Harley Hopkins, Chris Gillman, Ginny Carl, Jeff Lane, Jennifer Deibert, Jill Robinson, John Ploch, Kipp Maloney, Linda Popovich, and Lucelle O’Flaherty for helping with the weekly food delivery to Rising Hope this year. We are anticipating another community food drive in January and will start up weekly deliveries at that time and will again be looking for volunteers. Between now and then, however, we are asking for non-perishable food donations that can be left in the closet or in the bin outside the office door. The current needs can be found on our website. For more information on our Rising Hope Food Mission contact, John Ploch.

Expanding our Partnership with Rising Hope: While our weekly delivery of packaged food is so very appreciated, there are personal items that are critically needed but are in low supply. If you want to contribute, bags can be placed in the bin by the Church Office door, across from the mailbox. We will make sure they are included in the weekly delivery. Below are a list of needs:

but, larger sizes are also needed)

They also stock a “homeless shelf” with items such as tuna or chicken salad snack packs, peanut butter crackers, Ensure drinks, water, applesauce or small fruits and vegetables, pop-top can meals, crackers, etc. for those who do not have access to a kitchen. Please consider these items, as well. Paper bags are also welcome. For additional questions or concerns contact Mary Gillman.

As a Reminder: Year-end contributions must received in the Church Office by December 30^th to count toward your 2021 giving. Any contributions received on or after January 1^st will count toward your 2021 giving. Please contact our Office Manager, Jenessa Stokes in the Church Office with any questions or concerns.

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 us here!

To set up your Breeze account send an email to the Church Office requesting an invitation to set up your account and 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, December 26^th ~ Lessons & Carols 

 11:00 AM Worship Online via Facebook Live and Trinity Website ONLY

Monday, December 27^th

Church Office Closed

Wednesday, December 29^th

6:00 PM Centering Prayer via Zoom

Friday, December 31^th ~ New Year’s Eve

Church Office Closed

Sunday, January 2^nd ~ 2^nd Sunday After Christmas

 11:00 AM Worship in-person and online via Facebook Live and Trinity Website