Andersens Commissioned to Payne EFC

Last Sunday at Trinity, we commissioned our Pastoral Resident, Jason Andersen, to his next calling. After two years of serving in our congregation, Jason, along with his wife Ami and their three wonderful children, have answered a call to serve at Payne EFC.

At Payne, Jason will step into the role of interim pastor, with the potential for this calling to become a permanent pastorate. This new chapter begins as Payne EFC bids farewell to their founding pastor, Larry, after an incredible forty years of faithful service. Jason is now working to revitalize the church and build upon Pastor Larry's enduring legacy.

For the past year, Ami has also blessed our Trinity family with her gifts as our Musician in Residence. We are so grateful for the ways both Jason and Ami have ministered to our congregation.

This new opportunity at Payne EFC is a significant step for the Andersen family, and we know they will be a tremendous blessing to their new church community. As they embark on this exciting endeavor, here are ways you can offer your support:

• Prayer: Please lift up Jason, Ami, and their family in prayer as they transition and begin this new ministry. Pray for wisdom, guidance, and strength for the entire congregation as they revitalize the church.

• Donations: If you feel led, consider supporting the Andersens financially as they establish themselves in this new role. Donate online here.

• Revitalization Team: Consider joining Payne EFC and the revitalization team. Email Jason for more information.

• Advocacy: Help spread the word about the exciting things happening at Payne EFC! If you know individuals or families in that area who might be looking for a church home, please encourage them to connect with Jason and the congregation there.

We are filled with gratitude for the time the Andersens have spent with us at Trinity, and we are excited to see all that God will do through them at Payne EFC. Let’s continue to keep them in our prayers and support them in any way we can as they serve in this new calling.

The Lukewarm (HVAC) Campaign

As many of you know, it can be an adventure gathering at the church building on either a cold winter or a hot summer day because there is no AC and the heat is not always reliable. Our building is often either really hot or really cold–never lukewarm. Although Jesus does not like our faith to be lukewarm (Rev. 3:15-16), it is our goal to make our church building lukewarm through this campaign. That is why we are calling it the Lukewarm HVAC Campaign! 

Like a vehicle that has well above 200,000 miles on it, our heating system needs constant and expensive repairs to keep it going, and we’ve been told the system could break down beyond repair at any time. After two years of due diligence, the Governance Board is recommending a full replacement of the system that covers the sanctuary and fellowship hall with a modern unit capable of handling both heating and air conditioning. The goal is to avoid a sudden catastrophic failure, eliminate the hefty repair bills we are currently paying, increase energy efficiency, and make our building more hospitable for all guests now and well into the future. The current estimate to install this project in summer 2025 puts the cost at $520,000. 

Our goal is to raise at least half of the projected cost, through pledges and donations ($260,000). We plan to finance the remainder of the project costs through a lender. Pledges would be payable over 3 years and represent a giving commitment above regular giving to the general budget. If we are able to raise $260,000 by January 26th, then we will be able to install the new HVAC in 2025!

So take a moment to pray. Pray for the Lord to provide for this campaign and to guide you in determining how much you can generously give. Then give “what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:6-7). Such cheerful and sacrificial giving flows from knowing “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor” (2 Cor. 8:9). Through God’s generous grace and Christ’s sacrifice, we are saved and respond to the gospel with generous lives.

New Associate Pastor: Bryce Langley

We’re excited to announce that Bryce Langley will be joining Trinity City Church as our new Associate Pastor starting August 1st!

Pastor Bryce brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for ministering in the local church. He thrives on fostering strong relationships, developing and supporting volunteers in ministry, and counseling so that the whole person is restored and resilient. He will be transitioning from his role as the Associate Pastor at Crown Point Christian Reformed Church (Crown Point, Indiana). He has also served as a Pastoral Resident at Antioch Community Church (Minneapolis) and as director of a counseling ministry at Pleasant Valley Church (Winona).

Bryce's educational foundation includes a Master of Theological Studies with an emphasis on Marriage & Family Therapy from Bethel Seminary, where he also won first place in the Edwin J. Omark Preaching Competition. He also holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications and Psychology from Winona State University.

Bryce's dedication to Christian formation is evident in his experience overseeing and developing adult ministries, supervising new member integration, and both leading and teaching church-based training. He also demonstrates his commitment to community engagement through his involvement in school mentoring programs and serving as an EMS chaplain. His dedication and skills in connecting people, launching and directing ministries, and providing pastoral care shows he is ready to contribute meaningfully to our mission at Trinity City Church starting on August 1st!

Lead Pastor Sabbatical

Pastor Bryan will be taking a planned every-five-year sabbatical from April 29th to July 28th. Sabbaticals are a time to refresh, rejuvenate, and gain knowledge or experience that requires an extended period. Different guest preachers, along with Trinity elders, will cover sermons during the sabbatical. We will be posting introductions to each guest preacher on this journal throughout the sabbatical.

The sabbatical includes intentional focus on different areas of health (e.g. physical health, spiritual health, relational health, family health, professional health, etc.). Some specific examples include Pastor Bryan gathering with different local churches each Sunday, extended and intentional time with family, and a trip to Switzerland through the North Central District (NCD) and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS). 

This trip takes place in June and includes 10 EFCA pastors, a TEDS church history professor, and a ReachGlobal medical officer. Together, they will travel to the Alps to explore pastoral ministry against the backdrop of Calvin's Geneva and delve into pastoral practice while hiking the historic Tour Du Mont Blanc. Meaningful discussions and thoughtful reflections will focus on important areas of pastoral ministry, including: leading by example, administration, counseling, preaching, physical health, developing elders and deacons, congregational worship, prayer, evangelism, discipline and restoration, calling, equipping believers, and personal discipleship. Pastor Bryan's specific focus will be on personal discipleship, particularly pastoral and congregational health in a unhealthy secular age. Following the trip, there will be a series of follow-up articles, along with a documentary produced by TEDS.

Please keep Pastor Bryan in your prayers during his sabbatical season!

Three Phases for Social Distance Gatherings

[Updated July 21, 2020 with new dates]

“But when we were separated from you, brothers and sisters, for a short time (in presence, not in affection) we became all the more fervent in our great desire to see you in person,” (1 Thessalonians 2:17, NET).    

All of us desire to gather together again! After much thought and prayer, we’ve decided to step back into in-person gatherings in three phases. Here is TCC’s phased approach:

Phase 1: Planning. We finished this phase on the last Sunday of June. There were three aspects to this phase: switch to live streaming, finalize a written policy, and get feedback from the congregation. Only staff, musicians, and a few volunteers are attended the 9am live stream to help. This phase ensured that we could provide a reliable live stream each week and created a plan based on federal and state guidance in addition to congregational feedback.

Phase 2: Preparing. This phase began on Sunday, July 12. The main feature of this phase is inviting key leaders, volunteers, and members to come to the building during the live streaming. This phase ensured our congregation was confident that we can host our wider congregation and community. This phase also focused on creating a safe and controlled environment in addition to having clear communication ready for the congregation and potential guests.

Phase 3: Launching. This phase begins on August 2nd. 9am Social Distance Gatherings are now open to the congregation and public. Live streaming continues for those participating from home. We’ll add a second 10:30am service if necessary.

Each local church will approach these decisions differently because each community and congregation is different. Our goal is to go through each phase in a way that unites our congregation and applies the federal and state guidelines to our context based on data-driven analysis. We continue to ask for your prayers, unity, and patience as we move forward! 

On behalf of Trinity leaders and staff,

Pastor Bryan

Pray as We Prepare to Resume Sunday Gatherings on a Date TBD

On May 23, Gov Walz announced new guidance regarding public church gatherings. Beginning on May 27, services of up to 25% of sanctuary capacity (or no more than 250 people max) are permitted while implementing preventive measures from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). 

Trinity staff and leadership have been preparing and will continue to prepare to safely resume Sunday Gatherings. Although we all desire to meet again, we must also ensure we have safety measures related to social distancing, disinfection, and other preventive measures in place. Once we have these measures in place, then we will be able to gather on a Sunday to be determined. 

A couple more details to note. First, the Sunday Gatherings will not be like they were in March. Our services will look and feel different, likely for awhile (e.g. much shorter, fewer songs, no coffee). Second, let’s continue to show one another grace and patience as we navigate this time. Let’s remember the words from my sermon on unity in light of the pandemic.  

Please continue to pray for church staff and leadership, for one another, and for our neighbors. Affirm these words from Psalm 28:7, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” Let’s continue to worship God in every area of life as we anticipate and prepare for our next time of corporate worship together in our church home. 

On behalf of the Directional Team,

Pastor Bryan

An Update About COVID-19

[UPDATE (06/04): Groups of 10 and less people are now permitted to gather if they’re able to maintain social distancing between households. If you missed the new announcements from Gov. Walz, then you can find the latest here. As a result, we’re excited to have willing groups at Trinity resume in-person meetings by following these guidelines. In addition, we’re in phase one of three phases before we open Social Distance Gatherings.]

On Friday afternoon (03/13), Gov. Walz declared a “peacetime emergency” for Minnesota. In addition, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recommended the cancellation of all large events, which includes smaller events that cannot allow social distancing of 6 feet per person. The MDH announced these strategies to help slow the spread of novel coronavirus in Minnesota with confirmed cases of COVID-19 increasing.

The greatest commandments are to love God and to love our neighbors. This is a time where the local church can glorify God and love our neighbors by joining the effort to slow down the spread of this virus. Each local church will face difficult decisions when deciding what this will look like.

In light of this, the Directional Team has decided to suspend Sunday Gatherings and all corporate events including Sunday School until further instruction or more information from the MDH. Again, this situation is fluid. We will be monitoring the latest information and making adjustments accordingly.

Assuming we don’t encounter technical difficulties, we will provide a online service by 10am this Sunday that’ll include music and a sermon. The sermon will lean directly into this present experience. A link to that media will be posted on our website and Facebook page. We will continue to provide this ministry of music and a message while Sunday Gatherings are suspended.

If you are not connected at Trinity, then contact us. We will help you connect. Some may not have the option to meet in person due to vulnerabilities towards this particular virus or simply because one is uncomfortable meeting during this time. If this is you, then continue to connect with others by sharing prayer requests and life updates to your church community through technology (video chats, social media, text messaging, phone calls, etc.).

If there is any way we can support you, or if you have any questions at all, please contact us.

Most of us have never experienced anything like this before. As one pastor put it, dealing with COVID-19 is going to be less like encountering a single blizzard and more like going through the season of winter. Not only will our local church meet challenges in this time but so will our neighbors. We will not only be diligent in washing our own hands but committed to figuring out the best way to wash the feet of others in service. It is in challenging times like these that the Lord shows up, the gospel shines bright, and we get to witness his glory in unique ways. Let’s open our eyes in hope and fold our hands in prayer so that we can join God in the renewal of our city and world—even during this time.

On behalf of the Directional Team,

Pastor Bryan

A Statement About COVID-19

Update: all Sunday Gatherings and corporate events including Sunday School is suspended until further notice. Read this update for details.

---

As you are aware, COVID-19 (coronavirus) is spreading throughout the U.S.

Trinity City Church cares about our congregation and community in every respect, which includes our physical well-being. To that end, here are the steps we're taking together.

First, be mindful of the guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health and the CDC, including:

• Stay home if you are sick.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

• We urge you to consider refraining from attending church events, including groups and services, until the 14-day time-frame has been observed if you’ve traveled to any high-alert area (currently China, South Korea, Iran, Italy). Please also consider refraining from attendance if you’ve traveled to US locations with community spread of COVID-19.

While you are out, you can access the sermons each week at our website.

TCC will continue to operate, including our Sunday Gathering. However, we are taking additional precautions in our gatherings to help create a safer environment. These include:

• We will no longer have a greeting time, serve communion, or provide coffee.

• We have placed hand sanitizer and antiseptic wipes throughout the church building. Feel free to use these, but also remember that it's most effective to regularly and thoroughly wash your hands.

• Kid's Check-In stations have been moved to the fellowship hall. The stations will be manned by staff or a volunteer who will get your kid/s checked in and limit the number of people touching the screens.

• Cleaning efforts will be increased around common areas, including the nurseries and kid's rooms.

• Ministry and group leaders should use good judgement when deciding to meet. Feel free to reach out to Trinity staff to help make those decisions.

Trinity leadership continues to evaluate the situation and consult with government resources. We will take action if necessary based on their recommendations. If you have any questions or concerns, please direct those this email.

Finally, let's be in prayer, love our neighbors, and glorify God together during this time!