Trinity United Methodist Church's vision is to empower and liberate people with the transformational love of Jesus Christ. Our history proves that since 1865, our founders persevered through the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation, Reconstruction, Jim Crow laws, and the Civil Rights Movement. As we moved into the post-pandemic season, our leadership team engaged in a year-long discernment process, considering our history, current membership roster, attendance, and apostolic calling. With all of the aforementioned transitions that our ministry and culture have experienced, we must align with our mission, values, strategy, and measures as we move into the next iteration of Christendom.
We BUILD relationships as the foundational calling in following Jesus. It is within the context of a relationship that people are open to having a spiritual conversation. Because we are located all across the metropolitan area and country, we believe this movement will start with each and every one of us building relationships in the spaces and places that God has planted us within our OIKOS (network of influence, connections, and family systems that we inhabit).
It is within the web of relationships that we have an opportunity to BRING people into smaller environments where they can experience a transformational community. Our continuous discipleship, fellowship, and community-based mission creates opportunities for small groups, service groups, or social groups where people can develop a connection and deeper sense of BELONGING, which is the deepest need of humanity. We recognize that this season has created opportunities for us to build relationships by bringing people to online/virtual discipleship groups, community-based discipleship groups, fellowship groups, and service groups that are not limited to geographical boundaries or restricted to the four walls of a building. It is within this space that people experience belonging to a movement that revolves around Christ-centered formation that guides them to BECOME more like Christ in their day-in and day-out lives. As people increase their ability and capacity to become more like Christ, it leads them to live a life that BLESSES people through compassionate generosity, enduring mercy, and continuously seeking justice for the least, last, and the lost in every community we live, which drives us toward starting the process again by building, bringing, belonging, becoming, and blessing.
The 5 B’s strategy empowers the church to become a movement that is not only on 2600 Holman Street but to disperse to the surrounding areas of Missouri City, Southwest Houston, Pearland, South Park, Sunnyside, Northside, West Houston, or League City and beyond. All of the places and spaces where the members of this movement are located are advancing the kingdom of God. Wherever the Spirit is moving, our movement keeps our values in front of us, tapping into the historic nature of Trinity being the first African-American church in Houston. We use the acrostic FIRST.
F - Faith in action.
I - Inspiring hope.
R - Reaching the next generation.
S - Spiritually growing.
T - Trusting God.
One way that we help align ourselves is to keep these questions before each and every one of us as measures that help us live out our vision, mission, strategy, and values. The questions are:
Am I keeping God first?
What next step is the Holy Spirit leading me to take?
Where am I being sent to serve today?
Who and how can I pray for today?
Who am I discipling?