Online Worship - Sunday, January 24, 2021
Sermon: Stay in Love with God
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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
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This week we conclude our sermon series called Three Simple Rules: A Guide to Christian Living. These simple rules are a way to to guide our lives as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ in our everyday lives. In the last two weeks, we have talked about the first two rules: Do no harm and Do Good. This week we will talk about the third rule: Stay in Love with God. While this is the last rule, it serves as the foundation for the other two rules and we called to Abide in Christ, as Christ abides in us.
Please register your attendance here! You can also list prayer requests as well. To be added to the Prayer Chain click here.
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Sunday Worship
January 24, 2021 - 11 AM
The Third Rule: Stay in Love with God
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: Thou Wilt Keep Him in Perfect Peace ~ H. Alexander Matthews
Tom Tyler, tenor
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee. Thy darkness is not darkness with Thee, for the night is as clear as the day; the darkness and light to Thee are both alike, God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
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:
Jesus reminds us today: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower”
You are the vine, we are the branches.
“Abide in me as I abide in you.”
You are the vine, we are the branches.
“Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit,
because apart from me you can do nothing.”
You are the vine, we are the branches.
“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.”
You are the vine, we are the branches.
“May my joy be in you, and may your joy be complete.”
You are the vine, we are the branches.
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Hymn: Thou Hidden Love of God - Hymnal no. 414 vs. 1,2,3,5
The United Methodist Hymnal ©1989 The United Methodist Publishing House. All rights reserved.
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Prayer of Confession and Pardon:
Merciful God,
we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have failed to be an obedient church.
We have not done your will,
we have broken your law,
we have rebelled against your love,
we have not loved our neighbors,
and we have not heard the cry of the needy.
Forgive us, we pray.
Free us for joyful obedience,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(All pray in silence.)
Here the good news:
Christ died for us while we were yet sinners;
that proves God’s love toward us.
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
Glory be to God. 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: Jill Robinson
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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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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Solo: Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing - arr. Mark Hayes
Come, Thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy praise. Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above; Praise His name, I’m fixed upon it, name of God’s redeeming love. Hither to Thy love hast blest me; Thou hast brought me to this place; and I know Thy hand will bring me safely home by Thy good grace. Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, bought me with His precious blood. O to grace how great a debtor, daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, O, take and seal it; Seal it for Thy courts above.
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6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
The Word of God for the People of God. Thanks be to God.
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15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.
3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete..
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
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Sermon: The Third Rule: Stay in Love with God
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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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Hymn: O For a Heart to Praise My God - Hymnal no. 417
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.
Postlude: You Shall Go Out With Joy! - Douglas Wagner
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Music Notes
Today’s Prelude: Harry Alexander Matthews (1897-1973) was born in England and came to America in 1900. He was an organist, choirmaster, teacher, and conductor in Philadelphia for 54 years. He wrote more than 300 compositions, both sacred and secular. Today’s solo, written in the romantic style, was published in 1925.
Today’s solo: Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing, arranged by Mark Hayes, is from his collection of 10 Hymns and Gospel Songs for solo voice. Hayes writes, “Great hymns of faith have been a part of my musical journey for as long as I can remember. At the age of 13, I began playing hymns in church...and in college, learned the discipline of arranging.” He adds of this familiar hymn, “The tune lends itself to the gentle syncopation of this irregular 5/4 rhythm.”
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Sunday at Trinity Church
The flowers on the altar are given to the glory of God and in celebration of Michelle Hoganson’s birthday.
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.
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.
Join us for Youth Group via Zoom from 5:30-7 PM. For more information contact 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 aren’t 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 Wesley’s “Three 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.
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Trinity Community News & Prayers
It is with deep sympathy we share the death of Larry Hudson, brother-in-law of Trinity member Paul Painter. We express our prayers and sympathies to Larry’s wife Penny, their daughter Jen, Paul Painter and Jeff Miller, as well as their extended family and friends. Expressions of sympathy can be sent to Paul Painter at 1752 Potomac Greens Drive, Alexandria, VA 22314.
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Trinity Church’s Weekly News
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, we’ve 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. To participate, register here!
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.
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, 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
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