LIFE@TRINITY

Kerrville West Home Group – May 2024

Posted on May 1, 2024 in Adults, Bible Study Class, General |

by Scott Barns

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24

As Christians, we are called to live out the many “one anothers” listed in scripture. Our small group meets weekly at the Whitehead’s home and I believe this gives us the opportunity to live out the “one anothers” together with the many families that we meet with. This weekly gathering is something that my family looks forward to every week. A time that we know we can be vulnerable, pray with/for one another, and let our kids be in a safe environment with other kids their age. In my perspective, these are things that Christians need as they grow in their walk with the Lord—a community of other believers and God’s Word. This is something we get each week when we go to our small group.

Our time together consists of a meal, fellowship, and then a Bible study. We make a schedule each semester that consists of who will be bringing the meal and who will be leading the Bible study. Our discussions vary, but we always focus on the goodness of God and the ways that he is using us and blessing us. We are currently going through a study on solitude and it has been so encouraging to see how others in the group handle solitude in their relationships with the Lord. Oftentimes, during our Bible studies, we are able to share what the Lord is doing in our lives but also things that we may be struggling with. This vulnerability that we have with one another really makes it easy to open up to one another and be there for each other, as we have been called to do as Christ followers. I truly believe that this is a time that everyone in the group looks forward to each week as we try our best to love one another, hold one another accountable, and pray for one another.

Jubilee Class – May 2024

Posted on May 1, 2024 in Adults, Bible Study Class, General |

by Gene Ayers, Doug Lusk, and Eva Euler

“As new members, we were immediately surrounded by the warmest, most loving and genuinely caring new friends, folks who were passionate about their faith and were spiritually mature.” Most of these earlier members are now with our Lord, but others have joined our fellowship, continuing to serve the Lord in like manner, and support the ministry of the church. As a class, we have always been there for one another through illnesses, accidents, family problems and too many tragedies to count!”

Caring, sharing, and praying — hallmarks of this class of couples and individuals who are bound together by their love for the Lord and for families, friends, and neighbors. One of our notable missions is to care for one another, for their families, and for others that they know and love. We have cried together.

We spend time sharing prayer requests for loved ones, friends or perhaps an acquaintance who is in need. Prayer requests are sent out to the membership during the week, as well to our network of emails and postage mail. All done in the name of the Lord.

Each Sunday the class joins together in the singing of a popular hymn, the celebration of birthdays and anniversaries, and the sharing of other activities that are scheduled for the church family.

We have had wonderful teachers over the years, including Kay Miller, Gene Ayers, Chris Christopherson, and Bill Parr. Currently the centerpiece of the class is Mr. Parr’s lessons, taken directly from the scriptures, book by book and verse by verse. We just finished the book of Daniel and will study Ephesians next.

Throughout all these activities runs a deep current of fellowship that is both comforting and encouraging. What a privilege it is to have this place where we can sing together, pray together, worship together and know that our Savior Jesus is there with us, guiding and directing us in all we do. It is a warm inviting place that welcomes anyone in need of a church family. Oh, and we laugh a lot, with JOY!

Women’s Bible Study – May 2024

Posted on May 1, 2024 in Adults, General, WBS, Women |

by Shelby Peschel

What is your favorite Bible study? Recently, during a leadership training meeting, several ladies answered this question. With so many wonderful authors, speakers, books and topics, it was difficult to narrow it down to just one. So many studies have been richly meaningful in different ways to different ladies. After giving it some thought since that meeting, I would like to change my answer. My favorite Bible study is “the next one.”

Women’s Bible Study (WBS) at Trinity has a rich history of reaching women in our community. Studies have varied through the years, but the focus on learning and growing together has not. With much prayer and planning, a core team of ladies selects which study we will do together, typically a year in advance. Laying personal preferences aside, they truly seek the Lord for what He would have us study together. As long as the Word of God and hearts are open, each “next” study provides the opportunity to learn and understand more. And, in knowing more, taking next steps to apply God’s truth to our daily actions.

So what is the next one for WBS? We just wrapped up studying the Book of John as well as The End Times. Coming up next is our summer series on Jude: Contend Earnestly for the Faith by Debbie Taylor Williams. This 3-week study meets on Wednesday mornings and Thursday evenings, beginning July 10^th. Registration and details are available on the church website. Next, will be our fall study on Elijah: Faith & Fire by Priscilla Shirer, followed by a focus on Gratitude: Giving Thanks to God in All Things leading up to the holiday season. There is a place for you, and you are invited. We’d love to have you join us for the next one!

“Lord, Your word is forever; Your faithfulness is for all generations; I will never forget Your precepts, for You have given me life through them.”
Psalms 119: 89-93

Children’s Ministry – May 2024

Posted on May 1, 2024 in General, Kellee, TrinityKids |

by Kellee Parish

We just celebrated Paula Brucker’s retirement after 18 years of service as the Children’s Ministry Assistant at Trinity. We will miss her very much and yet we are so happy she gets to be with her kids and grandkids full time now. She’s been a blessing as she’s faithfully served our children and families all these years. She served alongside Eric Lankford and Pam Blair before I joined Trinity 9 years ago. I know all three of us are grateful for how Paula ministered together with us. Thank you, Paula, for your 18 years of service!

Summer is coming up quickly. Please make sure you have VBS, Mini Kids Camp, Kids Camp, Cans for the Kingdom, and Parents, Pizza and Snowballs on your calendar for the upcoming summer schedule. We already have some kids signed up for camp and we still have room for additional kids. We’d love to have lots of kids at VBS (sign up after May 1 online) and camp this summer. Contact Kellee for more information about any of these events at kparish@tbck.org.

For the Journey – May 2024

Posted on May 1, 2024 in General, John |

“You, LORD, are my lamp; the LORD turns my darkness into light. … As for God, His way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him.” 2 Samuel 22:29,31

These two verses are part of the theme verse for the National Day of Prayer that will take place on May 2nd. The theme is “Lift up the Word, Light up the World.” It will be a special day as many in our nation will gather to pray for America. We understand that if we are to influence the world, we must begin where we are. God has blessings for His people and desires that they shine their light in order that God may be praised. Not just America, but our entire world needs to see this now more than ever.

God has set a path for our Faith Family to read through the Bible together in 2024. It has been a blessing to hear from many of you as to the LORD’s blessing from your obedience. Along with our reading God’s Word together, we have also felt the need to pray alongside one another. This is nothing new. We have prayed together for years as it is an important part of our church service and ministry. However, we will spend 48 hours of consistent prayer, from April 30 to May 2 praying for Trinity Baptist and our direction in God’s Kingdom. We have secured someone to pray each hour leading up to the National Day of Prayer and even have some time assignments with multiple people agreeing to pray. May God be praised.

Thank you, Trinity, for helping us prepare for the Eclipse Weekend. Some saw more than others but we all experienced the absence of light when the moon covered the sun. Not only did it look different but it felt different. My immediate observation was it didn’t matter how long it took to get dark, it didn’t take any time at all for the light to return. That is because the light never went anywhere. It was always there.

Much like God who never goes away but sometimes can become clouded because of what we place in front of Him. When we get things in order He is quick to shine in our lives once again. Shine in such a way that we reflect His light in our lives. God is light. In Him is no darkness at all!

Summer is just a page away on our calendars. It will be covered with incredible opportunities for shining God’s light. I hope you will make yourselves available for next step discipleship this summer. We are praying for a summer of transformation and not just a summer of marking off the days. May God do something among us that we cannot explain as we make ourselves available to His plan.

It is a joy to serve you as your Pastor.

In Christ,
Pastor John

NOW HIRING: Full-Time Children’s Ministry Assistant

Posted on Apr 24, 2024 in Employment, General |

Trinity Baptist Church is looking for a full-time Children’s Ministry Assistant. The position is Full-Time (40 hrs a week) with an Excellent Benefits Package including paid vacation, insurance, and retirement plan.

On-the-job training is provided for this opportunity. Trinity’s office team is a great place to use your talents and passions to assist disciple makers in a positive environment with a Christian worldview.

You may apply online at tbck.org/employment or come by the church office for an application. In addition to the application, you may call Kellee Parish in the church office for information or bring a letter of interest to the church office.

Job Description

Apr '24

VBS 2024

Posted on Apr 1, 2024 in General, TrinityKids |

Apr '24

by Frank & Judy Stevens

Spring has sprung. Trees are budding, the grass is greener and even some shrubs are popping with colorful blooms. Before we know it, summer will be here and so it is not too soon to start making vacations plans. May we make a recommendation for a wonderful trip for your children this summer. How about a trip to HOMETOWN NAZARETH? Visit the place where Jesus was a kid, without leaving Kerrville?

One of the universal events in church life is Vacation Bible School, On June 10^th, 2024, Trinity will kick off this year’s VBS, transporting the children to Nazareth where Jesus grew up. Getting a glimpse into Jesus’ life, they will explore the culture of ancient Nazareth in Biblical times. The children will learn while Jesus is the Son of God, He also had the same emotions and experiences that they have today. Children will walk away with the complete comfort of knowing that God understands them, cares for them, and loves them enough to give His only Son to ransom them from their sins.

Vacation Bible School is a free event designed to be memorable and life changing; bringing your child closer to Christ and creating a place where friendships are built and strengthened.

Remember, book your child’s free ticket and join us for a trip to Hometown Nazareth on June 10-13, from 9:00 AM to Noon for all children who have completed kindergarten through fifth grade. Sign up at www.tbck.org. after May 1^st.

If you are older, a parent or grandparent, there is a place for you too. One of Judy’s fondest memories of VBS is the permanent picture in her mind of her grandmother handing out snacks at VBS at the back door of her hometown church. Volunteer and create a memory for yours or someone else’s child this year. Email Kellee at kparish@tbck.org to find your place of ministry to the children of Trinity and our community.

Trinity Life – April 2024

For the Journey – March 2024

Posted on Mar 1, 2024 in General, John |

God is so good! I am so blessed to be a member of a transformational and missional church. I am encouraged often by the words and actions of Trinity Baptist Church. It is hard to believe that two months of 2024 have already passed. As we lean into March, we are approaching the season of celebrating the Resurrection of our LORD Jesus.

The Victor is in full swing and so are our preparations to be ready when folks come to experience it with us this year. As a part of our preparation, we have added Victor Prayer Circles. We have encouraged our Bible study classes to gather and pray for those who need to respond to the message of salvation and hope through Jesus. We also have several homes who are inviting church member neighbors to come and pray also. We will cover many days and especially the days of our Victor offerings in prayer and anticipation.

Also, in preparation, we are providing evangelism training at Midweek prior to the Victor. By the time you read this, there will be two more Midweek opportunities on March 6^th and 13^th at 6:00 p.m. We also have our Midweek meal at 5:00 p.m. for the best price in town of $5. Come and take advantage of being prepared to share the gospel in many different situations.

We are in a new sermon series, “Who is this Man?” We will be looking at the miracles of Jesus between now and Resurrection Sunday with the greatest miracle of all on that special day.

Good things are taking place and it is encouraging to hear about them when we get together. Thank you, Trinity, for being willing and faithful to our journey forward, remembering all God has done in our past and confident God has more to come.

In Christ,

Pastor John

Trinity Life – March 2024

Grief Share – March 2024

Posted on Mar 1, 2024 in Adults, General |

by Doug Lusk

A new cycle of GriefShare, so ably facilitated by Pattie Davis and a number of co-facilitators, began in January after being delayed by severe weather and will consist of 13 weekly sessions. This program is a support group to help and encourage persons after the death of a spouse, child, family member or friend.

These sessions aim to help each participant, collectively and individually, learn to deal with their grief and loss; a place where they may move forward in their journey from mourning to joy. Guided by the facilitators, each meeting features a video, group discussion, and the use of a personal workbook. The videos, approximately 35 minutes in length, feature comments and suggestions by experts who help deal with loss, personal stories of people who are grieving, and enactments by some about how they have confronted their own situation.

The group discussions, which are completely confidential, offer participants the opportunity to share something they noted, to ask questions they may have, or to learn how something shown in the video or expressed by others might apply to one’s own life. It can prove to be a vital source in finding the help and comfort they seek.

The workbook has questions, suggestions, and Bible verses which can help an individual in learning how to cope with their loss. For instance, an item from the workbook might cause them to approach their loss more directly.

We are in the third session of our new cycle and gather each Monday morning at 10 AM for the next 10 weeks to complete the 13-week schedule. The GriefShare program has become a regular feature of the ministries supported by Trinity Baptist Church. Class participants consist of members and non-members of Trinity and class size naturally varies from cycle to cycle depending on circumstances. Some members are so appreciative of their progress that they join in a second cycle. Two cycles per year are available at Trinity Baptist Church.

Many people find that grief is a surprisingly complex subject and that their needs and solutions may be quite different from those of fellow participants. But somewhere in the 13 sessions, it seems often to happen that by hearing what others share about their stories, a listener might find an approach that they can use. A group of folks on a similar journey, giving and receiving ideas and support…that’s what GriefShare is.

Pilgrims of Faith – March 2024

Posted on Mar 1, 2024 in Adults, Bible Study Class, General |

by Marti Jones

The Pilgrims of Faith Class is a group of men and women who, as the name implies, are journeying through life relying on their faith. We are a group who cares about the needs of others and pray for one another.

Our teacher, Truman Martin, diligently studies the lesson each week to lead us in meaningful discussion of our weekly lessons. Bitsy Martin, his right hand, begins our class by ringing her little bell for our class to come to order. You see, we thoroughly enjoy visiting with each other before class and we have a tendency of being a little noisy. She is responsible for announcements, updating us on those we have been praying for, additional prayer requests and leading us in prayer.

We also offer a class via Zoom for those who can’t attend in person.

Our Spring lesson book is entitled “Servants for His Glory”, described as “Cultivating Christlikeness in a World of Performance.”

We have numerous meaningful activities. The women visit the residents of River Point once a month for a sing along and devotional time. After our visit with our sweet friends, our ladies enjoy lunch together at a local restaurant.

The men meet once a month for breakfast at their favorite spot, “Cracker Barrel” where they enjoy visiting together.

Collectively, we enjoy get-together parties from time to time. Our next party will be April 15th.

Although we have a great comradery, our main concern is to grow spiritually and to look for ways we can share the love of Jesus.

Our most recent outreach project was helping a couple in Mexico (Victor and Carla Avila). These seminary graduates have taken on the responsibility of ministering to the children at the Navolato Baptist Church. We took up a collection to help with transportation, Christmas dinner and Christmas parties for the children. What a blessing to see pictures of the children at church celebrating the birth of Jesus.

I could go on and on about our wonderful Bible study class, but the best would be for you to just come check us out.

Disciple Now

Posted on Mar 1, 2024 in General, Youth |

by Becky Watkins

What do you get when you have 47 teens, 35 adults, 10+ vehicles, a 20 foot sub sandwich, countless snacks, dozens upon dozens of cookies, 3 days and 2 nights, and Bible Studies & Worship? AN AWESOME DISCIPLE NOW!

It was a blessing to be a part of Disciple Now 2024 here at TBC. What an absolute honor and privilege to serve alongside our TBC family for the good of our youth. The bonding, relationship building, and forming of new friendships, among both the youth and adults, will be life changing and we will reap the benefits from our time together. The teamwork it took to make D-Now successful, seemed at times, overwhelming, but our church family stepped up and SHOWED OUT!

Thank you to each and every one of you that prayed, baked cookies, bought snacks, drove a vehicle full of students, and many other responsibilities that were taken on by our servant leaders.

Walk Thru Easter 2024

Posted on Mar 1, 2024 in General, TrinityKids |

by Melissa Marcum

My family moved to Kerrville in the Fall of 2015 when our youngest, Arwen, was only 6 weeks old. We spent months visiting churches and praying about where God wanted us to plug in. We knew wherever that was would be where Cami and Arwen would grow up physically and spiritually.

On March 28, 2016, we took the girls to something called “Walk Thru Easter” here at Trinity Baptist Church. Cami and Arwen waved palm branches, tasted bitter herbs, but their favorite thing was rolling the stone away to reveal an empty grave! We joined Trinity shortly after that Easter and have been so blessed by the people in Children’s ministry that have walked alongside us to teach, show, and be Jesus to our girls.

I encourage you to bring your children, both little and big, to Walk Thru Easter with us. Let the hope of Easter come alive for you and your children as we celebrate the Hope of Easter in the Power of Christ’s resurrection!