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T R I N I T YL I F Espring | summer 2016issue 5

For we are G O D ' S M A S T E R P I E C E

He has created us A N E W I N C H R I S T J E S U S

ephesians 2:10a

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W E L C O M EWelcome to the Spring/Summer 2016 issue of Trinity Life magazine! I am so glad you have found your way to these pages. Trinity Life is a snapshot of life in our community, and will hopefully give you a flavor of how you can connect, grow and serve as part of the Trinity family. (If you are new, be sure to check out page 24 for more information!)

This particular edition is focused around Faith and the Arts. I wonder if we might be tempted to think of this subject as something of a luxury? Laurel Gasque, who teaches Christianity and the Visual Arts at Regent College, would strongly refute this. She points to the vast quantity of artistic endeavor amongst the poorest peoples of the world as evidence of the irresistible need of believers to create. She concludes, art [is] a necessity for our humanity and an expression that human beings are made in the image of God, who is Creator and Ultimate Artist. Our hope is that you will be inspired to encounter Jesus afresh as we explore ways we can meet with God through various forms of art and hear the perspectives of several artists in our church family.

The musician and composer, Michael Card would remind us, A hunger for beauty is at its heart a hunger for God. Wherever you are in your faith journey, our prayer is that you would see a glimpse of the beauty of our faithful God reflected through this magazine.

In His love, Drew Williams, Senior Pastor

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G A L L E R YThis Sunrise of Wonder

Meet Dave Edwards

Artists Perspective: Grace Agro

Praying the Psalms

Artists Perspective: Julien Jarry

Does God Go to the Movies?

Artists Perspective: Jorge Zamacona

Artists Perspective: Karene Madden

Looking to Connect?

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I love nature, and I love being outside. Whether lounging in a garden, hiking up a mountain, or watching a sunset, I find it easy to feel at peace in nature and I find it easy to meet with God through His creation. I also love music. I love wasting an hour listening to sacred choral music. I love to dance round my apartment to some contemporary pop song, lose myself in Handels Messiah, or weep through an Indie folk track. I find my soul easily stirred by different forms of music. And, perhaps more than anything, I love the beauty of words. Whether a soaring piece of poetry, an arresting piece of descriptive prose, a complex legal sentence, or an intimate

note of affection, there are few things that move me more than a perfectly constructed sentence!

Despite these moments of connection and joy, the reality of life is that we are confronted with inexplicable pain, suffering, anguish and loss on a daily basis. Perhaps the oldest question of the human heart is Why, God?. Why is there pain, why is there suffering, why do my prayers go seemingly unanswered? Why, God, why? Philosophers lecture us on free will, and theologians point us to the Fall, but those answers simply fail to explain Gods apparent inaction.

T H I S S U N R I S E O F W O N D E R AT THE BACK OF OUR BRAINS, SO TO SPEAK, THERE IS A FORGOTTEN BLAZE OR BURST OF ASTONISHMENT AT OUR OWN EXISTENCE. THE OBJECT OF THE ARTISTIC AND SPIRITUAL LIFE IS TO DIG FOR THIS SUNRISE OF WONDER. - G. K. CHESTERTON

R U T H M A Y

3Although we cannot expect to ever fully understand the answer to these questions, paradoxically, the very act of crying out calls us into a deeper relationship with God. This seeming impasse in our faith journey ends up shaping the character of our spiritual discipleship. If we choose to stay and not walk away from God, our relationship becomes more about developing an intimacy with Jesus Christ than finding answers. We still grapple with the pain of these questions, but now its about finding and nourishing a faith robust enough to trust Gods heart for us in spite of the storms. As we begin to sense those first hints of hope, whether conveyed to us in nature or music or poetry or words, we sense the presence of an eternal redemption that is infinitely more beautiful,

more majestic, and more glorious than anything we could ask or imagine.

This edition of Trinity Life is all about Faith and the Arts, a reflection on how God speaks through the created and creative world, and how, through different forms of art, we can be drawn into the heart of God and so experience more of the truth of who He is. There is something mysterious, yet utterly true, that even in the depths of our unanswerable questions, we can encounter transcendent moments of beauty, lifting us out of our current reality and connecting us with God.

It seems to me there is an experience of spirituality, when, in the midst of uncertainty, standing in the face of the

THERE IS SOMETHING MYSTERIOUS, YET UTTERLY TRUE, THAT EVEN IN THE DEPTHS OF OUR UNANSWERABLE QUESTIONS, WE CAN ENCOUNTER TRANSCENDENT MOMENTS OF BEAUTY, LIFTING US OUT OF OUR CURRENT REALITY, AND CONNECTING US WITH GOD.

photo cred. Julien Jarry

T H I S S U N R I S E O F W O N D E R

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storm, we hear the gentle voice of our Savior say, I love you, and I am with you. It is in those moments that something of the imago dei within us connects with something beyond our current reality, into something wholly, and holy, different. Art and beauty, whether in the created world of nature, or the creative world of music and painting, poetry or dance, can serve as windows into the heavenly realm, enabling us to see a dimension of the divine we might otherwise miss.

The Arts can help us see the world around us differently. Through the Arts, we can sense an invitation to enter a sacred space, a place where we can meet with God. This was the experience of Dave Edwards, our Worship & Arts Director at Trinity, whom I asked to share a little about his heart for connecting faith with the arts:

George Steiner put it this way, music puts our being as men and women in touch with that which transcends the sayable and which outstrips the analyzable.

Within all people there is an in-built longing to connect with God. As St. Augustine wrote in his Confessions, You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and

our heart is restless until it rests in you. The Arts, and maybe most readily music, can act as a portal, providing a sacred space, a sacred moment, an encounter with beauty, that opens us to recognize something of the divine. Hans Kng has written on the traces of transcendence we find in the music of Mozart. Kng speaks of the ineffable mystery that is in the midst of music, adding that for him it is Mozarts music more than any other that reveals how thin is the boundary between the human and the divine.

ART AND BEAUTY, WHETHER IN THE CREATED WORLD OF NATURE, OR THE CREATIVE WORLD OF MUSIC AND PAINTING, POETRY OR DANCE, CAN SERVE AS WINDOWS INTO THE HEAVENLY REALM...

I have a passion, I guess you could say it is a calling, to help create a sacred space, a place where people can meet with GodI see music as a vehicle driven by the Holy Spirit, and whether people are listening or singing, and regardless of where they are in their spiritual journey, music can gather us together in community and in the worship of Jesus.

5There is a similar sense of transcendent mystery and longing running through the writings of C.S. Lewis. In The Weight of Glory, Lewis argues that we all experience a similar sense of longing for our true Father. You can sense this theme running throughout his childrens books, The Chronicles of Narnia. Here the four Pevensie children find themselves in a place more vivid and radiant than any they had seen before:

Lewis connects this sense of longing that exists within each of us as that which draws us to the real thing the bit of eternity that lives within every heart that yearns for Heaven and connects us with the heart of the Father through Jesus (God has put eternity into mans heart - Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Michael Mayne, in his book This Sunrise of Wonder, connects our longing with an experience of artistic beauty:

It seems to be part of the gut-feeling of being human to experience a sense of yearning, even of loss, a restless, seeking spirit which can feel like a kind of homesickness. There are times when we ache for that which will fulfill and complete us; a longing, it may be, for the lost state of innocence, the Eden of our childhood, or for a future when all questions are answered and we are home at last. This sense of a lost freedom hammers at the far threshold of the human psyche (Steiner again). We are creatures at once vexed and consoled by the summons of a freedom just out of reach.

It still seemed to be early and the morning freshness was in the air. They kept on stopping to look round and to look behind them, partly because it was so beautiful but partly also because there was something

about it which they could not understand.

Peter, said Lucy, where is this, do you suppose?

I dont know, said the High King. It reminds me of somewhere but I cant give it a name. Could it be somewhere we once stayed for a holiday when we were very, very small?

It would have to have been a jolly good holiday, said Eustace. I bet there isnt a country like this anywhere in our world. Look at the colors. You couldnt get a blue like the blue on those mountains in our world. . . .

Lucy said, Theyre different. They have more colors on them and they look further away than I remembered and theyre more more oh, I dont know.

More like the real thing, said the Lord Digory softly.

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Certainly in the presence of beauty we may have a sense both of delight and longing.

Christianity has a long history of engagement with the Arts. Whether in St. Augustines poetic reflections, Michelangelos ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, or Handels Hallelujah Chorus, the church has always expressed its faith in God through the creative arts as a spiritual place of meeting. In contemporary culture we see these same elements in traditional art forms, music, painting, poetry, as

ART CAN MAKE ME FEEL I AM NOT ALONE AND THAT THE LONGINGS I FEEL HAVE VALUE AND ARE WORTH HOPING FOR.

well as photography, graphic design, the movies (see Drew Williams article on page 14) and even in the soaring melodies of contemporary worship music.

Dave again, The thing about Art is that it doesnt always have a purpose but it speaks to us of a sense of wonder. It can connect us with the creative handiwork of God, and so connect us with the heart of God.

Mark Batterson, pastor of The Theater Church in Washington D.C., believes firmly that as the Body of Christ, the church ought to be the most creative place on the planet. He speaks of reaching into our heritage to produce all forms of art that will speak to our world of the truth of the Gospel, and invite people into an encounter with the heart of God. Dave would concur, For me, Art is a transcendent experience. It acts as a bridge between us and the divine.

G. K. Chesterton unites the artist with those searching for Jesus, as both seek to connect with this sunrise of wonder that exists within every human. As Dave says, The Arts can connect transcendent beauty, future hope, to my current reality, a reality that is often not beautiful and doesnt always feel worth expressing or sharing. Art can make me feel I am not alone and that the longings I feel have value and are worth hoping for.

This past summer, Ruth May, Mission and Mobilization Pastor, checked off the longest-standing item on her bucket list, spending a week hiking, canoeing and horseback riding in Glacier National Park in Montana. Having lived in a number of different countries, she loves exploring new places and is enjoying the chance to explore North America!

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T E L L U S A B I T A B O U T Y O U R M U S I C A L B A C K G R O U N D

One of my earliest musical memories is of sitting on the floor of my room as a fiveyearold, listening to classical music records. I started piano lessons just beforeI turned seven and added the violin later that year.

From 5th through 8th grade, I sang, toured and recorded as one of 30 boys from around the country in the American Boychoir. While a student at the American Boychoir School, I intensively studied voice, piano, violin, theory, conducting, and arranging. For fun, I picked up guitar and drums in high school. I had to practice piano and violin, but all the fruit of that labor and discipline was sort of expressed in a free way with these other instruments.

I started college at Indiana University as a classical piano performance major. Though I was on track to become a professional pianist, inside I knew that I preferred group participation to a solo career. I ended up finishing my musical education in the world-renowned jazz program at William Paterson University, concentrating on upright bass.

H O W D I D Y O U C O M E T O F A I T H ?

My mom was a church organist and choir director and my grandmother was a church organist so I grew up around church and felt very at home in the space. Still, I never heard the Gospel. I knew that music would be my way forward in life, but I would not have guessed in my teens, playing in the school orchestra by day and garage bands by night, that I would become a thirdgeneration music minister.

I left college in my second year because I had a real problem with alcohol; it had become an escape, and I started missing lessons and classes. I found work as a bass player with a cruise line in Hawaii. It was

M E E T D AV E

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there that a bandleader friend took me with him to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting on June 23, 1992. Back in my cruise ship cabin, I got on my knees and said, God, I want you in my life and I want you to take over. Getting sober is when my faith became personal.

When I returned to New Jersey to finish school, I found a local church and started volunteering. Over the next ten years in that community, I had various roles, eventually becoming a worship leader. My wife, Julie, and I met while we were part of the worship band. [Note: Dave and Julie have a daughter, Zoe, who is musically gifted like her parents. If you were with us on Christmas Eve, it was Zoe who led us in All Is Well.]

W H A T W E R E Y O U D O I N G B E F O R E Y O U C A M E T O T R I N I T Y ?

I was the worship pastor at a different church in New

worship and tech needs. I have a heart to identify and raise up musicians and worship leaders from within the church family. In particular, I want to engage our younger musicians.

H O W D O Y O U C H O O S E T H E W O R S H I P S O N G S F O R A S U N D AY S E R V I C E ?

I meet with members of the pastoral staff to plan the elements for each service. Well consider the theme of the teaching as well as where we sense God is moving, specifically or in a general way. Ill consider what is in our extensive Trinity repertoire (in 2014, we used more than 120 songs). Plus, Im always evaluating whats currently being heard in Christian music. Will it work across the generations in our church family? Is it theologically understandable? How accessible is it to sing? Does it fit our culture? Ultimately, I want to make it as easy as possible on a Sunday morning for someone to step into worship, whether he or she is new in faith or has spent many years walking with God.

To learn even more about Dave, including the music that has inspired him and the change from being Dave, the multi-instrumentalist to Dave, the beloved child of God, read the expanded version of this interview at trinitychurch.life/blog Ch

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Jersey when Rob Mathes contacted me about the opening at Trinity in 2010. A few years earlier, I had reached out to Rob to learn how he bridged so well all these different musical worlds classical, rock, jazz that I love too. On the side, I was also playing electric bass in a band that traveled around the country performing at private events.

W H A T I S Y O U R R O L E H E R E ?

As Worship & Arts Director, I see my role as creating a sacred place for people to connect with God, leading the worship team in setting the table for a meeting between God and His people. In addition to being intentional about the worship environment, whether its on Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings with the youth, at SPTC or Alpha, or for weekday Morning Worship & Prayer with the church staff and guests, I also work on the nitty-gritty tasks such as budgets and schedules for

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G R A C E A G R O A R T I S T

When I was drawing this I interpreted the quote as not so much people only having joy as a child but keeping a mindset of a child. So I drew an elderly couple, thinking about how youthful my grandparents were. My grandparents inspired me to take advantage of my youth, not only physically but mentally as well.

Many people simply dont know how

beautiful the world is and how much

splendor is revealed in the smallest things, in a common flower,

in a stone, in the bark of a tree or the leaf of a birch. Grown-

up people, who have occupations

and cares and worry themselves about mere trifles, gradually lose the

eye for these riches, while children, if

they are observant and good, quickly

notice and love with their whole heart.

- Rainer Maria Rilke (poet and novelist,

1875-1926)

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P S A L M 1 2 1

I L I F T UP MY EYES TO THE H I L L S .

FROM WHERE DOES MY HE LP COME?

MY HE LP COMES FROM THE LORD ,

WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH .

HE W I L L NOT L E T YOUR FOOT BE MOVED ;

HE WHO KEEPS YOU WI L L NOT S LUMBER .

BEHOLD , HE WHO KEEPS I SRAE L

WI L L NE I THER S LUMBER NOR S L E EP.

THE LORD I S YOUR KEEPER ;

THE LORD I S YOUR SHADE ON YOUR R IGHT HAND .

THE SUN SHAL L NOT S TR IKE YOU BY DAY,

NOR THE MOON BY N IGHT.

THE LORD WI L L KE EP YOU FROM AL L EV I L ;

HE W I L L KE EP YOUR L I F E .

THE LORD WI L L KE EP YOUR GO ING OUT AND

YOUR COMING IN FROM TH I S T IME FORTH

AND FOREVERMORE .

P R A Y I N G T H E P S A L M S

God speaks powerfully to us through His Word, and the poetry and imagery of the Psalms are a great window to help us connect with the truth of who God is.

A fun thing to do is to take a section of Scripture with you to a place where you can appreciate the beauty of Gods creation while internalizing the beauty of His Word.

So what might this look like using Psalm 121? Whether youre going for a run at the beach, walking the High Line in Manhattan, hiking on a trail in a forest, or meandering around the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, find a spot to pause and read the Psalm. Speaking it aloud (or maybe even shouting it aloud, especially if you are at Tods Point in the early hours of the morning and no one else is around!) can be a great way to connect with the passion of the verses.

Take one sentence, or even one word, that especially stood out to you and repeat it over and over again while you continue on your way. Try to time it with your breathing and your footsteps, letting the truth of His Word sink in,

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Pray through the verses, putting yourself into the Psalm, hearing the words as a promise over you.

You might even wish to write a poem, paint a picture, or in some other way capture your thoughts in response to Gods beauty and love.

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Do you find yourself noticing things that others may notthe way the clouds look in the sky, a stark outline of a winter tree in a far-off field, the way water and sky become perfectly still right before dusk? Do you appreciate how an artist or photographer puts certain subjects in his or her frame? I see Gods hand in all of these things. Its hard not to praise Him when youre hiking up a fresh trail with not a care in the world or when a sky can turn from storm to exploding purple sunset right before your eyes. Taking pictures and being out in nature has a way of bringing me closer to Him. I love making images and I know He does too.

J U L I E N J A R R Y P H O T O G R A P H E R & V I D E O G R A P H E R

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On the evening of Sunday, April 3, 1977, I was summoned to watch the first TV screening of Franco Zeffirellis Jesus of Nazareth a BritishItalian television miniseries. Robert Powell played Jesus alongside an allstar cast of actors, including seven Academy Award winners. Although we were not a churchgoing family at the time, I can vividly recall the hush that came over the room as we followed Jesus ministry, and my dad weeping during the scene that depicted Jesus crucifixion.

Years later, as a young clergyman in my first congregation, I was desperate to help my youth group make Biblical connections. One fateful night (having read rave reviews from the Christian press on Tom Hanks The Green Mile) I sat with my scrupulouslyprepared Bible notes, ready for the postfilm theological analysis. Having not actually seen the

movie myself ahead of time, I grimaced for having exposed my youth group to some horrifying scenes. As I sat in the darkness, mentally writing my letter of resignation, one fifteen-year-old boy, who must have spotted my white knuckles, whispered in my ear, Its OK, Drew, I have seen way worse!

For all my mistakes, I have to say that there were moments of absolute glory when a piece of Scripture and some amazing moment of film transported a group of students directly into the presence of God.

Since those days, of course, technological advances have followed at an escalating pacefrom video stores (remember them?), to the advent of the DVD and BlueRay, and now the rise of live streaming. For a country where the phrase I really dont watch that much television is so common, the average American over the age of two spends more than 34 hours a week watching live television, says a new Nielsen report, plus another three to six hours watching taped programs. The survey, taken during the first quarter of 2012, says average weekly viewing time hasnt changed much over the last four years. The biggest changes are that our time watching shows from DVRs has doubled, and more of us36 million, more or lessare watching video on smartphones.

D O E S G O D

G O T O

T H E M O V I E S ?

Drew Williams

...FOR ME,

THE MOVIES

...HELP US

UNDERSTAND

THE HOPES,

DREAMS,

ASPIRATIONS

AND FEARS

OF ANOTHER

PERSON.

THEY HELP US

IDENTIFY WITH

THE PEOPLE

WHO WE ARE

SHARING THIS

JOURNEY

WITH.

-ROGER EBERT

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Despite the flood of reality TV shows, movies still command a major segment of viewing time. Why? Roger Ebert, the late Pulitzer Prizewinning movie critic and unapologetic atheist, described it this way: We all are born with a certain package; we are who we are, where we were born, who we were born as, how we were raised. We are kind of stuck inside that person and the purpose of civilization and growth is to be able to reach out and empathize with other people. And for me, the movies are like a machine

that generates empathy. They help us understand the hopes, dreams, aspirations and fears of another person. They help us identify with the people who we are sharing this journey with.

Whether or not that is the only reason we are glued to our movies, we remain a movie culture. Without seeing and engaging contemporary films, we are in danger of losing our place in the moral, spiritual, and cultural conversations of today. Robert Johnston argues, Movies function as a primary source of meaning for people throughout the worldthey provide people stories through which they can understand their lives. Presenting aspects of their daily lives both intimate and profound, real or imagined, movies exercise our moral and religious imagination. Clearly,

then, as followers of Jesus, we need to be part of that conversation.

As I was coming to faith, I recall so clearly that I was beginning to watch movies through a new lens. Amidst the themes of violence, betrayal, and despair, there were shards of light, motifs of redemption, forgiveness, sacrifice, and love that shone in the darkness and permeated my spiritual imagination. The Christian friends who sat with me and shared their popcorn also listened to my fumbled attempt to articulate where I saw the hope of the Gospel and its application to real life in one film after another. I am so grateful for their willingness to be in dialogue with such a wide variety of worldviews.

The second reason for not ignoring Hollywood is that God certainly has not. Movies are full of stories or myths not altogether foreign to the Gospel. C. S. Lewis wrote, Now the story of Christ is simply a true myth: a myth working on us the same way as the others, but with this tremendous difference that it really happened: and one must be content to accept it in the same way, remembering that it is Gods myth where the others are mens myths:

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i.e., the Pagan stories are God expressing Himself through the minds of poets, using such images as He found there, while Christianity is God expressing Himself through what we call real things. Lewis reminds us that, because the Gospel is a true myth, traces of Gods truth and light will inevitability be visible through mens mythseven in a movie theater.

Before the advent of television, the influence of the Bible upon the theater was widespread. The best example would have to be the clear Biblical overtones in nearly all of Shakespeares plays. It was almost as if Shakespeare just could not help himself! Was Shakespeare a believer, or did he use Biblical themes, parables and stories to sell his own plays? The apostle Paul could care less. It is true that some preach Christ out of goodwill [others] preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerelyBut what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because

of this I rejoice. (Philippians 1:18). What is clear is that Shakespeare was enormously influenced by the Bible and that down the centuries his work continues to draw our attention to the Word of God.

I am not suggesting that we can do away with Godly discernment in choosing our movies. There are many I would not watch. At the same time, in order for the body of Christ to be agents of social and spiritual transformation, we need to pay attention to the thermals of the zeitgeist, the defining mood of the time. And these moods are so vividly illustrated in popular movies.

For example, have you noticed the glut of wellattended blockbuster movies that have explored vast and frightening apocalyptic

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themes? We live in angstridden times, and so the appeal of these movies is further amplified, writes Jamsheed Akrami, professor of film at William Paterson University in New Jersey. Most of us seem to seek mental relief by drowning ourselves in a sea of doom and gloom for a couple of hours. The experience can be some sort of catharsis. How might the Gospel speak into those apocalyptic fears? What about the movies that take enormous liberties in telling Biblical stories? Some of us need to watch these so that we can at least graciously engage the moods and conversations of our day.

To this day, I cannot help watching a movie and looking for those shards of His light and truth. Perhaps this is not everyones

calling, but I have come to understand that it is how I am wired. At the end of an evening of family viewing, as the credits are rolling, if there has been just enough light in the celluloid, my family will watch me reach for my notebook and my Bible with the fabled words, That one will preach!

It is not uncommon for Drew Williams to illustrate a point in a sermon by using a film clip and several movies have formed the backdrop for past sermon series, including Les Miserables, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Its a Wonderful Life, and A Christmas Carol. Prior to ordination in the Anglican Church, Drew was a litigation attorney in the U.K.

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J O R G E Z A M A C O N A S C R E E N W R I T E R

In the course of my career as a television writer and producer, I have found and lost my Heavenly Father several times. But regardless of the state of my sometimes fragile, sometimes unwavering faith, when I look back upon the body of my work, I see Him in the words I have writtenand in the shows I have produced. I love flawed characters who struggle with temptation and sin, stories that find the embers of hope and faith after a very long struggle. And it has led me to believe that He is ever in my heart, whether Im aware of it or notand that He doesnt let me stay lost for long...

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K A R E N E M A D D E N S I N G E R

I love singing, always have. For me, it is a means of expression and comfort. But singing praise is a whole thing unto itself. What Ive found is that when music is applied to prayer, I have a heightened awareness of Gods presence. There is definitely something about singing to and for Him. In singing praise there is an honesty that I get to with God and with myself that I dont always get to with praying alone. Its where the rubber meets the roadwhere my weakness meets His strength. My experience is that when I come willingly, willing to reveal my brokenness, the truth of who I am, He shows up and reminds me who He is a loving and gracious Father. I truly believe in St. Augustines words that with singing you pray twiceand knowing how often I miss the mark, that is definitely comforting. My path to God has always been winding to say the least, but singing continues to be the way that I find Him.

J O R G E Z A M A C O N A S C R E E N W R I T E R

ALPHA is an opportunity to explore the basics of the Christian faith in a friendly, informal environment over ten weeks and a day retreat. Each session includes good food, a short talk designed to encourage conversation, and time to share thoughts and ideas on the topic in a small group. Alpha is just an open and honest space to discuss lifes big questions together.

Alpha is a worldwide phenomenon. Youll find courses running in 169 countries and in all 50 U.S. states, in 112 languages, and across denominational lines meeting in churches, homes, prisons, coffee shops and even bars. More than 27 million people have taken the Alpha course. Might it be your turn?

TOPICS Is there more to life than this?Who is Jesus? Why did Jesus die? How can we have faith? Why and how do I pray?Does God heal today? Who is the Holy Spirit?What does the Holy Spirit do? How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit? Why and how should I read the Bible? How does God guide us? How can I resist evil? Why and how should I tell others?

For more info or to registerfor this free course, go to trinitychurch.life/alpha

V E R S E

painting by Lori Leavelle

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.

1 Chronicles 29:11 ESV

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N o w i t s y o u r t u r n t o b e a n a r t i s t .U s i n g c r a y o n s , c o l o r e d p e n c i l s o r w a t e r c o l o r, b r i n g t h e f i s h t o l i f e .

A n d G o d s a i d , L e t t h e w a t e r s s w a r m w i t h s w a r m s o f l i v i n g c r e a t u r e s ,

a n d l e t b i r d s f l y a b o v e t h e e a r t h a c r o s s t h e e x p a n s e o f t h e h e a v e n s .

S o G o d c r e a t e d t h e g r e a t s e a c r e a t u r e s a n d e v e r y l i v i n g c r e a t u r e t h a t

m o v e s , w i t h w h i c h t h e w a t e r s s w a r m , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r k i n d s , a n d

e v e r y w i n g e d b i r d a c c o r d i n g t o i t s k i n d . A n d G o d s a w t h a t i t w a s g o o d .

G e n e s i s 1 : 2 0 - 2 1

23

A L L - C H U R C HP I C N I C

June 26

S U M M E R S U N D A Y S

W E L C O M ET O T R I N I T YB R E A K F A S T

July 17

June 26-September 4 I N O U R S U M M E R H O M E O N T H E C A M P U S O F

C H R I S T C H U R C H G R E E N W I C H

S U M M E R Q U E S T S U N D A Y

August 7

a p r i l 1 5 - 1 6

t r i n i t yc h u r c h . l i f e / e v e n t s

first Loved to

Love

D o y o u w a n t t o g o f r o m h a v i n g G o d ' s l o v e a s a d a t a p o i n t i n y o u r

h e a d t o a p e r s o n a l a n d t a n g i b l e e x p e r i e n c e i n

y o u r h e a r t ? weekend

24

S E R V E

Serve on a ministry team at Trinity, join us in the local community as we seek to share the transformational love of God, or come with us on an overseas mission trip. Sign up for our Serve email to find out about new and upcoming service opportunities.

trinitychurch.life/serve

C O N N E C T

The best way to stay updated with all that happens outside of our Sunday morning worship services is through our Trinity Happenings weekly email. Text TrinityNews to 44144 to join the weekly email list (or write to info@trinitychurch.life and provide your first and last name).

W E L C O M EB R E A K F A S T

Get connected with members of the church, learn more about Trinity, and discover ways to be involved. We invite you to join us for a casual Sunday morning Welcome to Trinity Breakfast. Go to trinitychurch.life/events to register for this free event.

M A Y 1 5

J U N E 1 2

J U L Y 1 7

S E P T E M B E R 2 5

G R O W

A L P H A

Explore the Christian faith in a relaxed setting over 10 thought-provoking weekly sessions at Alpha.

trinitychurch.life/alpha

J O I N A G R O U PEngage with others through Trinitys array of short-term groups and Mission-Shaped Communities based around shared interest or calling. Discover which group might be right for you.

trinitychurch.life/groups

Q U E S T I O N S ? Write to Katie Evans,Connections Pastor,katie.evans@trinitychurch.life

Trinity Church is a vibrant community where everyone has a unique part to play. Were a family drawn from towns throughout Fairfield and Westchester counties, and beyond, united in our love of Jesus. Join us as we seek to transform our world through the love of God.

L O O K I N G T O C O N N E C T ?

24 25

S T A F F D I R E C T O R Y

Trinity House (office):15 Sherwood PlaceGreenwich, CT 06830203-618-0808

K R I S T E N O L S E NMiddle School Coordinator

A N N P A R KAdmin Assistant

J O N N Y S C O T TChildren & Family Ministries Director

K A T I E S T A L L A R D Administration & Communications Director

K E L L Y T E U F E LGraphic Designer

K A R A T H O M P S O NFinance Admin / Bookkeeper

A N N E V A L E N T I N EHigh School Coordinator

B E N V A L E N T I N EAssociate Pastor

E V E L Y N V I A N AVolunteer Admin Assistant, Care & Community

E L E N A W I L L I A M SPrayer Ministry Director

info@trinitychurch.lifeStaff email addresses: firstname.lastname@trinitychurch.life

W E B S I T Ehttp://trinitychurch.life

F A C E B O O K : Trinity Church - Greenwich, CTTrinity Kids CT Trinity Church: Student MinistriesTrinity Church Womens Ministry - Greenwich, CT

T W I T T E R , I N S T A G R A M : @TrinityChurchCT

M O B I L E A P PTrinity Church Life

FIND

US

D R E W W I L L I A M SSenior Pastor

J O S H B A R T O NStudent Ministry Pastor

H I L L A R Y B E R C O V I C ISenior Fellow Trinity Institute

D Y L A N B E R R Y4th & 5th Grade and Middle School Coordinator

J O E B I S C O C H OHigh School Coordinator

B E T H B U L LCare & Community Pastor

D A V E E D W A R D SWorship & Arts Director

K A T I E E V A N SConnections Pastor

A N D Y H A Y B A L LExecutive Pastor

M I K E I O D I C ECFO

J U L I E N J A R R YStoryteller / Videographer

B E T S Y K E A R N SEarly Childhood Coordinator

K E L L Y L A L L YAdmin Assistant

R U T H M A YMission & Mobilization Pastor

K A T H Y N E L S O NVolunteer Staff Assistant