Holy Trinity Church
Fourth Anniversary
September 2013
My Presence will go with you…
There is a memorable occasion in the forming of Israel into God’s people that God promised Moses: My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. (Ex. 33:14)
Holy Trinity is also being shaped by God’s presence. He is the power that launched us. He sustained our lives together these first four years. He enabled us to carry each other in the challenges of church planting: risk, learning curves, hard work and financial challenges; as well as sickness, hardship, heartache and loss. But his presence also enabled new friendships, forgiveness of one another, serving one another, learning to worship together as followers of Jesus in the Anglican way and discerning our mission.
I am thankful that Holy Trinity has made really good progress and helped many other churches get started across America. As we celebrate four years of God’s presence, we also seek the stability that comes with a healthy and growing church. I am optimistic about a few places of development as we cooperate with God’s presence:
- It takes about five years to be shaped by Anglican worship such that it feels honest, true and heartfelt. I have a feeling that this fourth year Holy Trinity will travel much further down this path where God is always the first audience, but outsiders know they can find his presence among us.
- God settling us in a stable, if not permanent home. This coming year may God find a way for us to not just have a home, but a kingdom lifeboat from which we can rescue the least, the last, the lost, the left out, and the broken.
- From Moses to Holy Trinity, God has been focused on the creation of a people for himself. Everything Holy Trinity does is meant to cooperate with this Divine Design. We do this in two ways: a journey inward of spiritual transformation into Christlikeness and a journey outward so that others experience our formation as for their good. This is foundational and fundamental to our whole future.
A song says: Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place… Not just place in the practical sense of wood, bricks and steel, but place in terms of named human beings at worship and pursing discipleship to Jesus for the sake of others. The focus of my prayer and work is that such a reality is increasingly true for Holy Trinity.
If your soul cries out, if your heart is thirsty, let’s learn to life together in the goodness of God. Let’s learn to walk in the gentle peace and gracious pace of Jesus.
Happy Anniversary!
Todd Hunter