LIFE@TRINITY
Life at Trinity is given order through three words: Worship, Connect, and Serve. God has gifted each of us differently and equipped us with different passions and preferences. With the choices at Trinity we ask that you seek to Worship with the church, Connect with a small group, and Serve in a way God has gifted you once a week. To help make that simpler we place the things we do under the word that best fits that group or activity. Start by choosing one thing from each area.
01
Sep '23
What is First Blessing?
01
Sep '23
by Rae Peschel
What is First Blessing? In 2015, Pastor John, Glenn Lackey, and Kellee Parish brought First Blessing to our church. I had no idea what it was, other than giving new shoes to children.
The Saturday for First Blessing finally arrived. I walked into the Family Life Center and there was excitement in the air. The committee chairmen had their committees ready to their assigned jobs. Tables were set and servers were ready. The kitchen was a busy place with the food preparation. The Chapel was full of boxes of shoes.
Before the doors were opened to the families that were invited, Pastor John had us stand in a large prayer circle around the Family Life Center. That circle included every age from children to senior adults. I looked around at all the people who had woke up early on a Saturday morning ready to share the love of Jesus.
First Blessing is so much more than a new pair of shoes and breakfast. First Blessing is sharing the plan of salvation with people who might have never stepped into our church otherwise.
Last year we gave out over 300 pairs of shoes. We had over 150 people volunteering to make this possible. First Blessing is a chance to do missions right here in our church for the Kerrville area children!
Read more...
01
Sep '23
Youth Ministry – September 2023
01
Sep '23
The start of school always brings a renewed sense of energy and excitement, as well as its fair share of grumblings from students who enjoyed summer.
As we look ahead at the Fall, I would like to take a moment to share some of the wins we’ve seen over the past month.
We took 63 kids and 16 adults to camp and have enjoyed the excitement that follows camp. The connections we were able to make continue to grow as we look at what it means to continue to “respond” to God.
The new 6th graders joined us in August and have brought an excitement and energy, and it’s been a joy watching our older kids connect with them along the way. One thing I love seeing is when a high school student reaches out to a middle schooler to help them find where they belong. I think this is a beautiful picture of the church at large, as well.
We were excited to baptize Jackson, Wesley and Hudson and on the same day we had our Student Worship Team lead worship.
Looking ahead, we are praying for God to continue to work in and through us as we kickoff Circles on September 6 and September 10. Through Circles we hope to build new relationships and build on existing relationships to help us grow in our relationship with God.
Finally, I would like to say thank you to all of the adults who have volunteered to step up to serve with Students. We could not do what we do without the support of adults who love God and like students at least a little. It’s going to be a great year!
Read more...
01
Sep '23
Eagle’s Wings Home Group
01
Sep '23
by Chuck Coulter
Eagle’s Wings is the name of our home bible study group. We meet on Mondays from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm for a meal, fellowship, and bible study. We’ve been on a summer break and “fire up” when school starts back. This summer break we’ve met every 3-4 weeks for fellowship, sharing what God has done and is doing in our lives and, as good Baptists’, a meal is always included!
This group of believers has taken to heart “the mission field” but not just in other counties but the Kerrville area mission field. In Matthew Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” Jesus is full of compassion. He became a friend of sinners and ate with tax collectors who were seen as traitors and thieves. He visited homes of people rejected by society.
We have taken The Mercy Gate Ministries Magdalene House under our Eagle’s Wings. It’s a halfway house for women involved in sex trafficking and drug abuse. God has given us hearts on fire to teach and show them that we care. We give a cooking class once a month at the group home and we get to eat what was prepared with the women. Most of the women have little experience with “normal” daily activities like cooking. Their director asked that we come as Christian husband and wife teams to show and teach them how Godly relationships should be. We donate toiletries, bedding, and other daily needs. Jesus is our example of how we are to act starting in our communities. All of us in Eagles’ Wings have stepped out of our comfort zones and safe place here at Trinity by “hanging out” with the tax collectors and the people rejected by our society. We in our current group; Julie Anne Witte, Tim and Violet Mathias, Lew and Jane King, Jeff and Susan Stone, Missy Coulter and I are blessed serving this group in God’s Kingdom.
Eagles’ Wings uses various Bible book video series from Right Now Media for their weekly study.
Read more...
01
Aug '23
For the Journey – August 2023
01
Aug '23
The summer is certainly hot … for ministry opportunities. As the temperature increases in numbers, so have the people who have begun to follow Jesus as His brothers and sisters. July has seen both Horizon Youth Camp and Alto Frio Preteen Camp come and go. Neither went by without making very significant changes in the lives of both adults and students. We had youth and preteen campers come back home different than when they left for camp. What a blessing. We hope to celebrate baptisms for the remainder of the summer months as we fill the baptistry with water. Praise the LORD!
The summer winding down means that school is ramping up. On August 13th at 4:30 pm we will gather at the church and distribute some written prayer sheets for our schools, teachers, and students. We will then travel to schools in our area to prayer walk the perimeter praying over all that God intends to do this year in students’ lives. We are trying to find a prayer captain for each campus who will in turn rally others to join them in praying. If you live near a school, and want to just travel to the school around 5:00, we hope to arrive and begin praying then. If you can’t make it to a campus or are not up to prayer walking, we will also have a group of people praying over all the schools through a media presentation in our Family Life Center led by Sue Owens (for those who need air conditioning). We will have water and information to distribute at 4:30 when we gather. Come and help us pray on site with insight.
God is faithful. We live in a time when it is easy to get discouraged. Remember, God is not surprised by what is taking place. He has assembled His Church to make a difference in these days. We can not only live in this culture at odds with what we believe, but we can actually thrive in this culture as well. Be faithful to serve and move as the Body of Christ. Let’s commit ourselves again to make a difference as we pool our stewardship for God’s glory and use our talents and gifts to serve Christ.
I am blessed to start year twelve as Trinity Baptist Church’s pastor but even more blessed to get to travel these days alongside you. You are an amazing people of God. It will be amazing to witness together what God has in store for us.
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21
In Christ,
Read more...
01
Aug '23
Youth Ministry – August 2023
01
Aug '23
July was an incredible month! We were able to take a total of 79 people to camp. Our word for the week was “respond”, and our group did a great job responding to how God was leading them. Thank you to everyone who got a prayer card and prayed for a camper. I truly believe we could not have had the week we had without our Trinity family praying for us.Next, I would like to take a moment to brag on the adult sponsors we took with us.
Our female sponsors were: Sharron Hawk, Mica Henson, Marilyn Johnson, Melissa Morris, Shelby Peschel, Abbey Elliston, Lauren Tripp, Cailin Powell and Ryia Neuman. Our male sponsors were: Rick Boles, Clark Elliston, Riley Gordon, James Tripp, Caleb Boone and JD Templeton. These fifteen adults went above and beyond all week in so many ways. They were such a blessing as they endured the heat, poured into our students, and continually pointed our group to Christ. If you see one of these incredible adults around, please be sure to say thank you.
Finally, as we look at the beginning of school and Incoming 6th Grade Promotion, if you are interested in serving in the Student Ministry, please let me know. We have needs in a variety of areas, and some areas we don’t even know yet! I would love to sit down with you and have a conversation about what role you might could play in the Student Ministry of Trinity Baptist Church.
Read more...
01
Aug '23
Children’s Day Out (CDO)
01
Aug '23
by Jaime Riordan
Summer is winding down and we are gearing up to start another year of CDO, our Children’s Day Out program here at Trinity. We love offering a two day a week option on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s for parents who are seeking out opportunities to introduce their children to an affordable school setting without a full time commitment.
While children do learn their colors, numbers, and letters while here are at CDO, we also get to help lay a biblical foundation by teaching them about God’s love for them, as well as how ordinary people played key roles throughout the Bible. We have monthly Bible verses and focus on individual people of the Bible throughout the year. I believe this will be my tenth year at CDO and there is something so special about going back to the basics of God’s love each year with these children. I get to be reminded over and over, right alongside them.
Each week children not only get to learn and grow in their classrooms, but they get to learn from our Trinity staff during chapel, they get to run around and work on gross motor skills in the gym. We have library time focusing on books and songs and we are looking forward to seeing how we can best use our outdoor space for some hands-on learning.
Please join me in praying for the teachers and for each child that will come through the doors this year. It is sure to be a great one!
Read more...
01
Aug '23
Music Notes – August 2023
01
Aug '23
Christmas Preview Dinner Already??
Things are about to ramp up in the Worship Ministry as we begin preparations for the holiday season—starting with the Christmas Preview Dinner! If you have attended the Christmas Preview Dinner in the past, you know it’s typically a themed dinner event, that we enjoy food and fellowship while hearing the debut of our Christmas Cantata for the season!
This year’s theme is 1950s Sock Hop! Dig out your poodle skirt, slick back your hair, grab a friend, and join us August 27th in the Family Life Center at 6:00pm! Everyone is welcome. Be there or be square…
Worship Choir Returns! Wednesdays at 7:00pm
If you’re interested in joining the 11:00 service Worship Choir, your opportunity to jump in at the start of the season is rapidly approaching! Worship Choir starts back up August 23rd. Worship Choir sings at 11:00 service every Sunday, and typically sings more traditional anthems. Here’s hoping many of our Summer Singers ‘graduate’ to Worship Choir!
Early Bird? Check out the 8:30 Praise Choir
If you like to sing, but prefer an earlier service…. if seating charts aren’t your thing, and you like a little more laid-back atmosphere, then you would probably love singing with the 8:30 Praise Choir. The 8:30 Praise Choir sings more contemporary music than the Worship Choir. They meet Tuesdays at 6:00pm in the Worship Center. Call Stephanie in the Church Office if you’re interested in joining the Praise Choir.
“I will sing to the Lord all my life, I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.” Psalm 104:33
Read more...
01
Aug '23
Flower Ministry
01
Aug '23
by Judy Southerland
“Oh, how beautiful!” “Are those for me?” These are some of the comments we hear as we walk into a nursing home facility.
The flower ministry is a ministry very few people are aware of. The ministry was started many years ago, we don’t know the exact date, by a few folks that began taking the large altar arrangement to the nursing homes. Due to the size of the arrangement, the homes requested they have smaller vases. Residents thought someone had passed away, so they wanted them to enjoy smaller arrangements.
The altar arrangements are given every Sunday by individuals who want to remember special occasions or a special holiday. We take this arrangement and give it a new look by arranging five to seven individual vases.
Jean Ward has been with the ministry since 2011. She is the person that keeps our records each week as to whom we will send the beautiful flowers. Our floral designer, Pam Case, does a beautiful job giving that special touch to the flowers. Helpers include Patricia Miller, Carrie Overby and Judy Southerland. We are the elves that create the colorful ribbons that go on the vases and deliver them. Each arrangement includes a message from the church that lets the recipient know they are never forgotten and that they are loved.
We invite you to come join us. You will be blessed with the fellowship of this ministry. We meet every Monday at 10:00am in room 121. We know this ministry has blessed many, many people that will never come to our church but they tell others about us.
Please come and see what a difference you can make in someone’s life. “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34
Read more...
01
Aug '23
WOW Bible Study Class
01
Aug '23
by Cleo Meadow
Greetings from the WOW Bible study class. If any of you ladies would choose to be in a Bible class of women only, come join us in room 219 at 9:30 AM Sunday mornings. Becky Doyal, our teacher, is teaching in word and deed how to care for and love one another. We have just completed a study of “The Beatitudes” from Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. The curriculum used by the WOW Bible class is from MASTERWORK, a quarterly LifeWay Publication. Our next series will be a video Bible study by Priscilla Shirer on Gideon.
We have been saddened by the recent loss of two of our dear class members, Mae Beth Hooter in February, and Lynette Bailey in June. We celebrate their Homegoing but will miss them immensely.
We continuously hold each other up to the Lord in prayer. Those who are currently homebound are Toni Carter, Jackie Clark, June Lewis, Helen Puccini, George Ann Schwethelm, Jean St. Clair, Gerry England and Judy Williams. And Glenda Yarbrough is recovering at home from recent shoulder surgery.
Our class gets together on occasion for fun and fellowship. We had an enjoyable Spring Tea Party at the home of Darlene Graham and have decided to make it an annual event. We are planning to get together again soon for a summer social at Loraine Couch’s River House for food, fun and games. And Christmas is always a merry event at the decked-out home of Kathy Nicholson.
I want to acknowledge the work and talents of two of our class members: To Marci Newby, who faithfully works many hours a week in our church kitchen to feed the flock; and to Hope Schmidt, who makes and sends out the most beautiful and endearing cards every week to our sick and shut ins.
We will soon be saying good-bye to Tara Mitchell, who is moving to Louisiana. She will be closer to family but very far away from TBC. Praying for all to go well with the move. We will miss you, Tara.
We welcome all women who are seeking a fellowship to study God’s Word and meet new friends. If you are looking for a dynamic ladies’ Bible class, come join us.
Read more...
01
Jul '23
For the Journey – July 2023
01
Jul '23
“Preserve me O God, for in You I put my trust. O my soul, you have said to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You.’” Psalm 16:1-2 (NKJV)
“Keep me safe, my God, for in You I take refuge. I say to the LORD, ‘You are my LORD; apart from You I have no good thing.’” Psalm 16:1-2 (NIV)
“Save me, O God, because I have come to you for refuge. I said to Him, ‘You are my LORD; I have no other help but yours.’” Psalm 16:1-2 (Living)
“Keep me safe, O God, I’ve run for dear life to You. I say to God, ‘Be my LORD!’ Without You, nothing makes sense.” Psalm 16:1-2 (Message)
No matter what is taking place around us, we have a place to run. It is to the LORD. It is a place of trusted refuge. Though the different Bible translations use a few different words, they all say the same thing. They all agree, “In God We Trust.” As we celebrate our nation’s independence this month, may we celebrate our trust in God as well. I am one that believes we have independence today because of our trust in God. I believe better days will come if we return to trust in God.
In God we trust is not only a motto but a philosophy of life. “Some trust in chariots, some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”
Psalm 20:7 Several trust in their own efforts or the efforts of others. We are blessed to get to travel this journey of life together and lean on and into one another, but our greatest trust is in the LORD. As we live in such a way as to bring God glory, let us do so with our complete trust in Him. After all, it is His renown, His reputation, that matters in the end. We will add to or distract from His purpose in the way we trust and live.
The summer has entered with extreme heat. Please take caution as you plan your activities. There is a reason we call it summer casual. We are not telling anyone how they should dress on Sundays, but it is a little warmer in the Worship Center when the outside temperatures rise above 95 degrees. We have our air conditioners running at 80% and are making plans to cover what we can for the summer. I will not wear a jacket again until after Labor Day.
God has blessed us with great days already this summer and we are anticipating great days to come. We will have our Family Gathering with ice cream social on Sunday, July 23, at 4:00 in the Family Life Center. If anyone needs to try out some ice cream recipes, I heard the office is willing to be a test group. There are many days of summer ahead of us but, in reality, we will be into the fall before we know it. Take advantage of our times together as we prepare ourselves to live as God’s representatives every day.
For those who are interested, plans are being discussed for taking a trip to the Holy Land in September, 2024. Further details will be shared as they are secured.
Thank you for being such an active faith family. God has given us much to do and you are faithful in your service to the LORD. Thank you for recognizing your blessing and in turn blessing those around us.
In Christ,
Read more...
01
Jul '23
Pizza, Parents & Snowballs
01
Jul '23
by Caleb Boone
Last summer, Trinity held its Pizza, Parents & Snowballs party. Our family attended the event, mainly so that our 4 boys could have a snowball fight in the middle of summer. The party was a blast! Trinity prepared Christmas crafts for all to do, from ornament making, snowman building, and other fun Christmas crafts. After crafts was the snowball fight, that was done with soft fluffy snowballs. Then we finished off the event with Kona Ice snow cones. The boys all enjoyed it, as well as all who attended.
This year, Trinity is planning to host the same event on July 13th at 5:30pm. They are going to have pizza, crafts, and games just like last year. Bring your whole family for a fun Christmas in July party.
Read more...
01
Jul '23
Friendship Class
01
Jul '23
by Carol Westfall
The Friendship Bible Class is true to its name – friends studying God’s Word together. Each Sunday we further unpack the sermon from the week before, and since we attend different service times, it is interesting to hear the various message interpretations.
Our class is faithfully led by two teachers that alternate months. Frank Brooksher and Bob Davis lead a discussion-style class with questions and input from all class members in a very informal setting throughout the hour. They have each done a more in-depth study of the message during the week, which brings out so many more interesting and thought-provoking ideas.
Class members of all ages, varying backgrounds, and church experience keep it interesting! Getting deeper into the past week’s sermon gives each of us a better understanding of the Word, and more importantly, how to apply it to our own lives.
We have a time of sharing and praying together led by Melinda Cox, our Class Director, at the close of each class. The praises and prayer concerns are shared by email during the week to each class member.
We have been very involved in the Adopt-A-Grad Program for the past three years. It has been a blessing to send gifts, treats and notes of encouragement to these recent high school graduates during their first year of college. So far, we have adopted a total of 5 students.
If you are looking for a friendly group of adults to learn with and apply the Word to your own life, please join us at 9:45 every Sunday morning in Room 221!
Read more...