Trinity Life Magazine: Winter 2016

trinit y life winter 2016 | issue 4

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Welcome to

Trinity Life Magazine Are you a New Year’s resolution person?

I have not been among the 1-in-3 Americans who set an annual goal for selfimprovement—until recently. According to Nielsen.com’s “Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions” list, “stay fit and healthy” and “lose weight” are the leading good intentions for 69% of resolution makers. As they kick-off January, many are heading off to the gym. Since I have yet to embrace regular exercise (I know, I know…), I have tended to avoid the practice of New Year’s resolutions. In January 2014, on a whim, I boldly made a resolution I felt confident I could keep. I firmly resolved, in the presence of witnesses and with a twinkle in my eye, to eat chocolate every day!

How did I do? Studies show that 75% of people make it a whole week. The percentage drops to as low as 8% by month seven. I made it past the one-year mark. In fact, even if all I could manage was a single chocolate chip from the kitchen pantry, I kept the resolution alive for 21 months before I inadvertently missed a day. In January 2015, knowing I was proudly going strong, a Trinity friend asked me what my new resolution was going to be. I said I would read the Bible—and eat chocolate—every day.

What if we resolved in 2016 to be intentional about our spiritual fitness? Just as there are actions we can take that strengthen our physical health, such as eating properly, staying hydrated, getting rest and being active (there’s that exercise!), there are things we can do that will draw us closer to the heart of the Father and deepen our faith.

At Trinity, we dream of a day when everyone is connecting with others, growing in their relationship with Jesus and serving our world. In issue 4 of Trinity Life, we’re looking at the Grow piece of Connect | Grow | Serve.

Katie Stallard, on behalf of the Trinity Life team

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CONTENTS A Question of Faith 4

Staying Connected with God 13

New to Trinity or Looking to Get More Involved? 8

Connect, Grow & Serve: Gil Ohls 16

Grow Deeper: An Invitation 9

Meet Beth Bull 20 The New Normal? 24

Trinity Life Team: Photography - Julien Jarry Graphic Design - Kelly Teufel Content - Andy Hayball, Ruth May and Katie Stallard 3

A Question of Faith

Drew Williams

“Faith” can often feel like a slightly indistinct concept— is it just something we are supposed to have?!

We asked Drew Williams to talk about his discovery of what faith really is and what it means to live a life of faith.

At a time in my life when I was really not sure what I felt about faith or church or God, the Lord pulled an ingenious stunt. He put me in the middle of a weekly Bible study group.

The really genius part of His plan was that He had me host it! I recall that in one of the first meetings a member of the group told a Christian joke. I had made plenty of jokes about Christians but this was the first Christian joke I had heard.

It went something like this: A Bishop visited an elementary school and asked a class of second graders, “Can anyone tell me what faith is?” A little lad at the front was the first to put up his hand, “That’s easy. That’s when you believe in something that you know ain’t true!”

And everyone in the Bible study group laughed—except me, because honestly, I was with the second grader. “So what is faith?” I asked. And they all chorused, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) and smiled like they had answered my question. I thanked them—but what I took from that verse was not dissimilar to the little boy’s answer.

So what is faith?

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Faith is a gift!

The word “faith” in Greek is “pistis” and the very good news is that this word is a noun! It literally means a state of trust or confidence. And as a noun, faith is a commodity that is given. It is a gift from God: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God…” (Ephesians 2:8).

Our salvation is not based upon our summonsing up some Herculean faith from within ourselves. Faith is a gift from a personal God who desires to personally give you this gift so that you can know Him personally! Our part is only to humbly accept His gift of faith. Most often this will mean putting something else down in order to receive it.

So faith is a gift… but what kind of gift?

The verse in Hebrews gives us a twofold definition: “Now faith is the assurance

of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Let me take the second part first, “…the conviction of things not seen.”

Seeing the invisible in the visible The King James Bible translates it this way: “the evidence of things not seen.”

Paul sheds some light on this for us, “For since the creation of the world [God’s] invisible attributes—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.” (Romans 1:20). According to Paul, we can understand that this gift of faith is a kind of spiritual seeing of the invisible fingerprints of God in the things He has made. This is God who is active, creative, real, personal—our creator God. This is the God who has left clues for us to find all over the place.

Of these clues the theoretical physicist Professor Paul Davies says, “The really amazing thing is not that life on Earth is balanced on a knife-edge, but that the entire universe is balanced on a knifeedge, and would be total chaos if any of the natural ‘constants’ were off even slightly. You see, even if you dismiss man as a chance happening, the fact remains that the universe seems unreasonably suited to the existence of life—almost contrived—you might say a ‘put-up job’.”

Faith is a gift and it is firstly a gift to be able to spiritually see the fingerprints of God in the things He has made. But the Hebrews description of faith is a twofold definition. Faith is also the assurance of things hoped for.

the substance of things hoped for…” The word “assurance” or “substance” here means “nature” or “essence.” I am grateful to John Piper for pointing out that we have seen this word before.

“He [Jesus] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature...” (Hebrews 1:3). Faith, therefore, is the gift to be able to lay hold of God’s true character and His nature toward us.

Faith is a gift from a personal God who desires to personally give you this gift so that you can

Seeing and understanding the truth of God’s nature of love towards us When I was a child the only people of faith I knew lived on the opposite side of the street. Very deliberately, we never had anything to do with them. And worse than that, my younger brother and I took every opportunity to ridicule them. I did not meet, speak or have any interaction with these neighbors for more than 30 years until I met them in a rainstorm in a field in Scotland.

know Him personally!

The word “assurance” is again tricky to translate into English. The King James Bible puts it this way, “Now faith is

I had been invited as a speaker at a conference and I was making my way to the hospitality tent and the promise of tea and 5

scones, with Macbeth-type rain falling fiercely and horizontally.

Face down and battling the elements, I might have missed them but they were kind enough to call me by name. With the storm resolved to wash us away, she said, “You probably don’t remember us but we lived opposite your house when you and your brother were little boys. We saw your name and picture in the conference program and we just wanted to say hello!” I immediately felt enormous guilt, but before I could reply her husband smiled and added, “And I wanted to tell you that all those years ago we prayed so hard for you and your brother.”

(This had been an extremely unhappy time for my brother and me as life as we knew it, together with our parents’ marriage, was torn apart.) He saw my mouth drop and added quickly, “Do you remember my Alsatian dog?” I did remember the dog; it was enormous! He continued, “I used to walk my dog late at night so that I could pass your home, stand outside your home

and pray for you and your brother.” His wife added, “We could see all the heartache and the pain and it felt like there was nothing we could do but to pray for you.” I was, in that moment, overwhelmed by God’s love. In a season where we had done nothing but mock and ridicule this family, He had called them to feel our pain and quietly pray for us through the worst of times.

This is the mercy and love of God. This is the essence of His character toward us. And this is what the author of the book of Hebrews is desperate for us to understand. This is God who: gave Himself for us as a sacrifice for our sins (9:14), gives us a clean conscience by His own blood (9:14; 10:22), intercedes for us day after day in heaven (7:25), puts His laws in our minds and writes them on our hearts, remembers our sins no more (8:12), and promises never to leave us or forsake us (13:5-6).

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the reality of His mercy, compassion and love to come flooding in.

So, what next? How do we live a life of faith?

If we found that we had any faith, what are we supposed to do with it?

Are we supposed to hammer it into other people? Beat them over the head with our faith until they believe? The writer Michael Frost would ask us to imagine that we are in a room that is fire damaged—fouled with soot and ash. Yet right outside that dark room is breaking the most beautiful, sublime sunrise you’ve ever seen in your life. What of that sunrise might you perceive in that blackened room? Perhaps it would be just the faintest glow coming through the grimy window. So what is our job? Our job is not to make the sun rise. Our job is to clean the window so people can see it more and more. We don’t impart the gift of faith—thankfully the Lord does that and He does that freely. In love, our job is to clean windows. We clean windows and reveal the fingerprints of God in creation. We clean windows and allow

Back on the field in Scotland, I was now very grateful for the cover of rain that masked my emotions. I knew immediately what I wanted to say to my former neighbors. In the same period of time that they had kept their dogprayer-vigil outside my home, I had taken a shortcut through a track that ran adjacent to their backyard.

From my side of the fence I could hear laughter and music coming from their garden. I was so intrigued that I stopped and found a hole in the fence to see what was going on. With one eye, I spied a group of about 30 people enjoying each other’s company.

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Faith is the gift

to be able to l ay hold of

God’s true character

and His nature toward us.

”

Nothing extraordinary and yet, for about an hour, with one eye glued to my spy hole, I was spellbound. There was something different about the way that they talked and laughed together. There was a kindness in their being together that I had not seen before. I was nine years old and knew nothing about faith but I desperately wanted to be with them on the other side of that fence.

Maybe that’s you? Maybe you feel that you are looking through a hole in the fence, not quite sure what you are seeing but you have this sense that there could be more. You can’t make yourself believe in God but you can ask “God, are you really there and do you really love me?” You may feel that you have just enough faith to say that. This is a prayer that God will always answer.

Drew Williams is Senior Pastor of Trinity Church. Originally from the U.K., Drew and Elena and their daughters are in their seventh year of being in the U.S. and at Trinity.

Prior to ordination in the Anglican Church, Drew was a litigation attorney.

New

looking to get

or

to Trinity

more involved?

We are glad you are here!

We want to help you take your next step in finding your place at Trinity and in your journey of faith. Here’s an overview of what goes on outside of our Sunday worship time together.

Offered on Sunday mornings, the Welcome to Trinity Breakfast is an informal gathering where you can get connected with members of the staff and church family, learn more about Trinity, and discover your next steps. For the next date, see trinitychurch.life/events If you are exploring Christianity or are a new Christian, we invite you to participate in Alpha. Over dinner or refreshments, the free Alpha course

provides an opportunity to explore the Christian faith in a relaxed setting over ten thought-provoking weekly sessions, with an optional day retreat in the middle of the course. trinitychurch.life/alpha Short-term groups and Mission-Shaped Communities (MSCs) are vehicles to be part of an extended family, get to know one another better, support each other in growing closer to God and be a blessing to the wider community. You’ll find MSCs formed around age, common interests or a passion to come alongside those in need, and short-term groups that are together to do a specific study for a set period of time. trinitychurch.life/groups Our hope is that every child in Trinity Kids will experience what it means to be best friends with Jesus, teammates with each other and part of God’s adventure in the world. This happens through songs,

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games, diving into the Bible and a whole host of other activities on Sunday mornings and in mid-week groups (Sparks for 4-year olds – Kindergarteners; All Stars for 1st-3rd graders). Sky Camp, a day camp in the summer, is a highlight each year. trinitychurch.life/kids Our thriving Student Ministries for students in 4th-12th grade is a mix of of age-specific groups (4th & 5th, Middle School, High School) that meet on Sundays as well as in mid-week small groups. Plus, there are retreats, service opportunities and an amazing week away in the summer for the middle school and high school students. trinitychurch.life/students At Trinity, we seek to demonstrate the love of God in tangible and practical ways that result in lasting change. Whether it is volunteering in a partner organization in this area, going on a short-term missions trip overseas, or being part of a team on a Sunday morning at Trinity, we hope you will find a place where you can serve. trinitychurch.life/serve

Questions?

Write to Katie Evans, Connections Pastor, katie.evans@trinitychurch.life

Grow Deeper

Hillary Bercovici

An Invitation “And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34)

The first time I read these words, I was astonished. The Lord God, the creator and sustainer of the universe, wanted me to know Him? Did I have it right?

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1 2 3 4

Intention

resources

appointment

pray

CONT INTENT WR RESOU REFL APPOIN PRA PRA

As it turned out, I did. God’s promised forgiveness was fulfilled through the cross of Christ, and in the release of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, all of us can now come to know God personally. He invites all of us to listen for His voice when He speaks and to grow deeper in our relationship with Him through Holy Scripture. Approached in humility and illuminated by the Holy Spirit, the Bible itself invites us to meet God through the devotional reading of His Word. If you are just getting started in reading the Bible with that goal in mind, here are a few guidelines I have found helpful.

Establish the purpose of your reading at the outset. You will be using a variety of resources to help you understand the background of each text, but the goal is not just to become a better student but also to meet with God personally. Make that your aim from the outset.

My primary reading tool is a Study Bible. Its explanatory introductions, footnotes, maps and index (called a “concordance”) help bridge the gap between contemporary and ancient cultures. I rely on a contemporary translation of the Bible, such as the ESV or NIV, both of which have Study Bible versions. If you do not already own one, you may want to invest in a single-volume Bible commentary and a companion Bible dictionary, such as the New Bible Commentary and the New Bible Dictionary. I use a simple journal for my reflections, and I always have a Post-It notepad next to me when all those distracting to-do’s suddenly come to mind. Finally, I find it helpful to follow one or more reading plans, such as the excellent Encounter with God series from Scripture Union.

I have to set a regular time of day to meet with God or it just doesn’t happen. It’s a fixed appointment I aim to keep, just as I do any other appointment. The best time for me is early in the day before the rest of my schedule gets going, and I find a location with minimal visual or auditory distractions. I turn off phones, unused tablets (I do use my iPad ESV Study Bible) and computers. I want to give myself the most peaceful, undistracted setting to listen and hear from His Holy Spirit as I read and reflect.

I start by praying to hear from God as I read, something like, “Come, Holy Spirit.

Let me hear from You through Your Word today.” I am reminded to expect Him to speak to me through His Word. I ask Him to clear my mind and my heart. As I pray, I sometimes find “unfinished business” I need to acknowledge or confess, and I make sure to receive His forgiveness before I read. Other times, I am reminded of intercessions, which I note down. Then, when I feel I am quiet enough to listen, I turn to the text.

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TEXT TION RITE URCES LECT NTMENT AY AY

My Study Bible puts me in mind of the original setting of the text, reminding me not to impose my 21st century frame of reference on these ancient documents. By reading the annotations and notes in my Study Bible, I am put in touch with the various contexts (historical, literary, cultural, etc.) of the original writings and stories.

Most of the time, I find I need to read the text several times to understand its original audience and meaning.

It may seem heretical, but paper Bibles are meant to be marked-up, underlined and highlighted (also, electronic Bibles have ample space for personal notes). As I try to discover the original meaning of the text in its original context, I ask myself: What does it say? This step is harder than it looks, since we tend to read into the text rather than aim to extract something out of it. What did it mean to it’s first audience, not just me? I scratch down anything that helps me make better sense of what I am reading.

Having discovered what the text meant to its original audience, I reflect on what it might mean to me today. I quietly listen for the voice of the Spirit as I reflect, asking God to bring to mind whatever He might want me to know, to trust, to do or to share.

I find it helpful to write these reflections in a journal. Periodically, I review what I have written to see if there are identifiable themes or challenges. Finally, I try to note one or two take-aways to carry with me into the day ahead.

I close by giving God thanks for the immeasurable gift of His Word. I ask for whatever I may need as I engage my schedule. I pray for the needs of others (I keep a separate journal page for intercessions and prayer requests). I put myself in mind of God’s “grace, mercy and peace” as I leave for the office.

Again, these are just guidelines based on my own experience of what I have found helpful. If you don’t yet have a pattern of Bible reading, I recommend getting a copy of the latest Encounter with God and starting with that day’s reading. If you miss an appointment, don’t beat yourself up—but do make the next one!

Hillary Bercovici has been on the teaching staff at Trinity Church since 2004. An avid boater and scuba diver, Hillary is a native New Yorker and former NYC EMSParamedic who worked in Harlem and the South Bronx before entering seminary and graduate school. He holds degrees in philosophy and divinity, as well as an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Psychology & Theology.

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5 6 7 8 CONTEXT

WRITE

REFLECT

PRAY

we all have questions

Is there more to life than this?

Who is Jesus?

Why did Jesus die?

How can we have faith?

Why and how do I pray?

Does God heal today?

Who is the Holy Spirit?

What does the Holy Spirit do?

How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?

Why and how should I read the Bible?

How does God guide us?

How can I resist evil?

Why and how should I tell others?

Alpha is an opportunity to explore life and the Christian faith in a friendly, open and informal environment over 10 weeks and a day retreat. Each session includes good food, a short talk designed to encourage conversation, and time to discuss thoughts and ideas on the topic in a small group.

More than 27 million people all over the world have taken the Alpha course. Currently Alpha is running in 169 countries, across denominational lines, and the material has been translated into 112 languages. In the U.S. alone, it is running in all 50 states with 3 million-plus guests in 127 denominations.

At Trinity, we offer the free Alpha course several times a year.

Learn more at trinit ychurch.life/alpha

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Staying CONNECTED WITH gOD

One of the joys of being in a church family is getting to hear each other’s stories and learning from one another. With that in mind, we asked several people to tell us a bit about themselves, including what they do for a living, then posed the following questions: 1) “How do you ensure you are growing in your faith in the midst of a full and busy life?” and 2) “What advice would you give someone who is new to the faith on how he or she can grow spiritually?”. Here is what they had to share.

I’m Beau Harbour

I’m Joe Biscocho

My wonderful wife, Stephanie, and I have two amazing little boys, three-year-old Luke and one-year-old Caleb. We live in Old Greenwich and moved from the Upper West Side two years ago. I was raised in a Christian home, but came to faith at a Christian summer camp called Kanakuk. I grew in my faith in college and afterwards when I lived in NYC and was a member at Redeemer Presbyterian Church. Professionally, I focus on distressed and special situation investing.

I am intentional about reading the Bible and spending time in prayer every morning. I’ve found it very helpful to follow a Bible reading plan and currently follow a reading plan that reads through the New Testament and Psalms over a year and the Old Testament over two years. I also think it’s critical to be studying Scripture in community, and I enjoy being a part of a Trinity couples’ Bible study that meets every other week.

We are currently studying Acts, which has been a wonderful opportunity to explore the history and witness of the early Church.

I would recommend reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis and Reason for God by Tim Keller. Cement your faith in the historical truth of the Gospel that Jesus died and rose again for our sins by reading the New Testament. If you gain conviction that these tenets of the Gospel are indeed true, you will have a tremendous foundation from which your faith can grow.

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I am a High School Coordinator at Trinity Church, and I moved here in late October from Long Beach, California. As someone who loves youth ministry, the temptation for me is to pour, pour, pour until there is NOTHING left to give. But to have a faith that is sustainable and healthy, one must find a day for Sabbath. I don’t have that practice down completely.

I wish I did, but I’m somewhat of a “yes” man. It’s really hard for me to say no to things. I feel like in this new season of life for me here at Trinity, I will be able to find that time of rest, that day to spend with God, that day to simply say thank you to our Creator for the work he has done and IS doing. I’m no professional at having a Sabbath, but may He be glorified in the pursuit of it!

I have a newfound love of cleaning. I’m starting to appreciate it more and more now that I’m going to be living in a brand new place with brand new roommates. I’m realizing that washing dishes and sweeping is really calming, and gives me room to think and reflect on the things that God has placed on my heart. I can converse with the Father in a way I don’t, in the busyness of the day, usually get to.

What would your Sabbath look like? How can you engage God outside of your 9-5? My prayer is that together we would rise to become a people who find Jesus in the moments we least expect to. May your faith be blessed and may you find rest in Him!

the train, I recite words of praise, and gratefulness pours from my heart into prayer. It’s also a perfect time to think about how I can serve my work team and contribute.

I’m nancy feetham I am a wife to Fred for nearly 40 years, mother of two sons and a daughter-in-law, and a grandma. At work, I oversee two cosmetic brands owned by the Estée Lauder Companies as the SVP/GM of North America. I truly understand the complexity of balancing competing agendas, a very common theme for many living in the greater NYC area. Like yours, my life is an ongoing series of choices made around where I will devote time, energy and resources. When asked, “What’s made the greatest impact on your spiritual growth?,” I guess it can be placed under three pillars: commitment to the local church, keeping space for Him, and lastly, being available to do His work.

The last “pillar” is about being available, ready to jump in even when it makes no logical sense at all! Through sacrifice and service my faith has been both tested and strengthened. You might say this is where the rubber hits the road! My husband and I provided a home to several teenagers struggling with issues of addiction, loss of hope, or in serious need of

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For me, the local church provides the connective tissue for a strong walk with Jesus Christ. Church is a place where my batteries are re-charged, and where support and encouragement from other believers is derived. We are exceedingly blessed at Trinity with a staff of amazing leaders and a senior pastor who opens our minds and hearts to dwell upon His purpose and plan for our lives. In addition, I love community worship through song. My heart is restored through the music and words of praise. I sense God’s pleasure as together we sing and the fellowship shared is like a vitamin for a healthy life.

Securing space for prayer and meditation has been paramount in my spiritual journey. Space and time with Him is transformative and yet often becomes a battle with a demanding schedule. Do I keep time for Him or instead read those never-ending emails? I make a choice that my train ride into NYC each day is reserved to dwell upon the Lord. My growth is dependent upon making this space for Him even while the world clamors for my attention. While on

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encouragement. Three arrived from a faraway place, another was sent to us, and the rest were local kids in sinking sand.

One thing for sure, we knew God was asking us to just say “yes.” Each one of them received Jesus as his or her Savior and have productive lives as grown adults.

In looking back, our entire family was transformed by the experience of being available to participate in God’s work.

Truly my life’s journey has been a story of grace. My sons and loving daughterin-law are strong believers, each walking the road of faith, and I cherish and adore them! We have supportive and loving friends, and many of my work colleagues have become family. But, it is my husband who has walked in love throughout this journey. While I attended church throughout my childhood, my decision to accept Jesus as my personal Savior occurred at the age of 20. Without Fred’s courage to share his faith with me, I just might have missed it all.

N ote f r om the edito r s : For more on the Sabbath, including what taking a Sabbath might look like, check out these articles in the Blog section of trinitychurch.life: “Freedom in Sabbath”

by Ben Valentine and “Renewed by the Sabbath” by Greg Doll.

7 things to do during winter

1. tubing/sledding (Bendheim Civic Center) 2. ice skating in Central Park 3. game night with friends (hot chocolate never hurt anyone) 4. weekend in Vermont to ski and snowboard 5. watch your favorite movies 6. see the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree (before Jan. 7) 7. go thru your summer clothes & see what you can donate 15

connect, grow At Trinity, we dream of a day when: • Everyone at Trinity is connecting with others, growing in their relationship with Jesus and serving our world.

• There are worshipping expressions of Trinity Church in towns across Fairfield and Westchester counties.

• The Trinity community is resourced from a larger, “everything but Sunday” ministry center in the Greenwich area.

• Trinity is distinguished by God’s abundant generosity and compassion to the poor and marginalized, locally and further afield.

• Leaders in every sphere of influence are equipped and released by Trinity to play their unique role in the advance of the Kingdom of God. Gil Ohls has his hands in helping several of these dreams come to fruition.

In the process, he has experienced firsthand the interplay between connecting with others, growing in your relationship with Jesus and serving our world.

GI L OHLS

The quiet yet determined pursuit of identifying and securing ministry space has been ongoing since Trinity’s earliest days. Four years ago, Gil, a 17-year veteran of the commercial real estate industry, was asked to lead the charge.

“We’ve looked at hundreds of properties.

There isn’t a building in Greenwich I don’t know about,” he shared. Week in and week out, he is evaluating options and keeping the process going. In his line of work he is accustomed to real estate transactions taking 9-12 months, but this project has required patience at a whole new level. Asked what the real estate

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search on behalf of Trinity has done for his faith, Gil replied, “It has certainly built resilience and patience, knowing God has a plan that may not be mine.”

He’ll often pray, “Lord, show me the way.

I’m going to use every tool you’ve given me to try to find a good solution: my persistence, my ability to speak to people and to try to convince them to help us, all the knowledge I have built in real estate, and all the connections I’ve made.” Gil is

w & serve confident that God will bring it together when He’s ready and when it’s right for us. “I’m trying as hard as I can to be faithful to that, but to also make sure that I am doing everything I can.”

Church as a Verb Gil grew up going to a Catholic church.

“I learned the basics through Religion class, not as much through life and faith. It was good and helpful, but it was definitely in my head and not my heart.”

He attended church occasionally as a single guy in his 20’s, “part by choice, part by Catholic guilt”, but never felt a consistent connection to a church or a pastor.

‘Let’s come back next Sunday.’ We haven’t missed, other than when we’re out of town, since then.”

Then he met Maureen Morris, a young woman going to a brand new church in Greenwich named Trinity. In fact, on their first date Gil joined Maureen at a Trinity 20’s & 30’s event. It was Trinity’s founding senior pastor, Ian Cron, who married them in July 2002 and all three of their sons, Ted (6th grade), Alex (4th grade), and Andrew (2nd grade), were baptized at Trinity.

Even so, going to church was not a regular part of Gil’s life. “I would say Trinity caught me during Andrew’s baptism and I remember saying to Maureen

A big part of the early appeal for Gil was the music on Sunday mornings and it’s still important to him. “I am fanatical about getting to church for the start of the worship service. I really like to hear all the songs. It’s so huge for me.

It centers me. It brings me into the place that I want to be—need to be—to actually have a meaningful experience.”

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Gil came for the music and the relevant sermons, but he stayed because he found Trinity to be a place where ‘church’ is truly a VERB.

Maureen concurred that Gil came with her for the music and the relevant sermons.

She added, “But he stayed because he found Trinity to be a place where ‘church’ is truly a VERB…where the expression of Trinity’s love inward is the feeling of

being known by a community that genuinely cares about and for one another, and Trinity’s love outward is evident in the variety of opportunities to serve others. Gil is at the point now where he eagerly looks forward to Sunday mornings, and it’s true that we arrange family vacations and trips around those Sundays!”

Gil’s own desire for connection to God and faith is coupled with his strong desire and sense of responsibility to raise their sons with that connection.

“I love that my children are exposed to faith.

I love that they’re taught about Jesus in a way that they can absorb and identify with, and that is fun. I love that they have examples of all ages in front of them and around them. I think it’s important that the people who are teaching them can connect on their level.”

‘It’s not like they are going to live there! Why are they trying to make it perfect?’

Gil and his men designed our residence as if Jesus lived there.

From Head to Heart “I love to help people. It is a passion of mine,” he states. For both Gil and Maureen, serving people has long been a priority and it is part of what attracted them to each other. Trinity Men’s Local Social Outreach Mission-Shaped Community is a natural outlet for him.

The first project he worked on was a painting day at Elinor Martin Residence for Mother & Child in New Rochelle, NY and that got him hooked, both with the MSC and with coming alongside this nonprofit organization that is one of Trinity’s local partners. Michelle Lovlie, Executive Director of Elinor Martin Residence,

says Gil is “the epitome of faith in action. I don’t think I have ever heard Gil tell us ‘no’ when we have asked for his help. His response to us has always been a resounding ‘YES!’ without hesitation.”

Michelle went on to tell of the work that Gil and a team of men did for them in renovating a building in Yonkers that now includes housing for at-risk pregnant women. “It was an honor to watch him work alongside of his team. The men who work for Gil have a faith in Jesus just as strong and powerful as Gil’s and it shows in everything they do. The work done on the new home for the Elinor Martin Residence was absolutely meticulous. I think it confused some people actually. Sad to say, but I had someone ask me why they went to such great lengths to make such a gorgeous residence. ‘It’s not like they are going to live there! Why are they trying to make it perfect?’ Gil and his men designed our residence as if Jesus lived there.”

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We would

love For Gil, another benefit of being involved with different MSCs over the years has been the friendships that he’s formed.

“You can go to church and see familiar faces week-to-week and be friendly, but there’s something much more when you meet someone through a MissionShaped Community, serve with him and really get to know him, and he gets to know you.” Gil calls it the “Cheers” factor, harkening back to the popular TV sitcom in the 1980s and its wellknown theme song lyric “you want to go where everybody knows your name.” The genuine friendship and care that results from serving side-by-side is special.

This past August, Gil served the Trinity family in a new way as he took a week off of work and joined our middle school and high school students and Student Ministries staff team at SummerQuest camp as an adult volunteer. He approached the week with a desire to be a good role model, have fun with the students, and enjoy the large group teaching and worship times. While Gil would tell you he did not feel completely qualified to lead kids in their faith, he knew that God would guide him. Josh Barton (Student Ministry Pastor) and Ben Valentine (Associate Pastor) co-led SummerQuest 2015. Ben said, “It was so fun to see Gil in action at SQ. Even though it was his first time as a leader, he led like a veteran with the middle school boys! One of my favorite memories from camp was of Gil repeatedly climbing to the top of the tall waterslide we rented and then sliding down at full speed (all the while yelling, “Film this one!”). It was a joy to work with him and see him serve our students in such a tangible way. He absolutely made an impact in their lives.”

for you to be a

What Gil wasn’t expecting was the profound effect the week would have on his own life. Each morning he did the same personal quiet time Bible study and reflection material as the students and he soaked up the worship, prayer and teaching time at night.

“On a personal level, I had my own encounter with God. The most succinct way to explain it is that my faith was transformed from something that I knew in my head to something that I now feel and know in my heart. It was an incredibly powerful and moving experience.”

part

of what

favor was dependent on good behavior and works of service. So, although Gil enjoyed serving others, there was still a feeling of ‘good works = God’s favor.’

Now, Gil describes our Heavenly Father as the God of relationship, who pursues us in uncompromising love and cares more about the condition of our heart than a resume of good works.”

Gil and Maureen tell their sons, “All our best qualities, talents, strengths, and abilities are gifts from God who created us. We need to use those gifts—not to win God’s favor—but because He intentionally gave each of us specific gifts for a reason to help advance His plan. And amazing things happen when you get involved in God’s plan!”

Gil encourages each of us to get out of our comfort zone and make time to serve in a way that is pulling on our heart. “The adage that ‘it is in giving that we receive’ is absolutely true for me. You’re never sorry when you help someone. Ever. I can’t think of a single time in my life that I thought ‘I wish I hadn’t helped that person.’ Of course, sometimes there are sacrifices, but at the end of the day, when you look deeper, it’s always the right thing to do. By serving others, your heart naturally opens and then you can receive more of God.”

Maureen shared an observation of how she’s seen Gil be transformed in recent years.

“When he first came to Trinity, Gil believed in a powerful and loving, but somewhat distant God whose

Katie Stallard, Administration & Communications Director, had the pleasure of sitting down with Gil Ohls to hear his heart for serving.

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God

is doing here at Trinity, and would

love

you to consider where you are connected in

community and

serving A great place to start is by joining one of our Mission-Shaped Communities. Check out the Trinity website for more information on the wide variety of groups. trinitychurch.life/ groupS Or maybe you would like to serve with one of our partner organizations.

Again, take a look at the website for regular service opportunities at Trinity.

If you want to talk more about how you can get involved in serving at Trinity then do get in touch with Ruth May, Mission & Mobilization Pastor ruth.may@ trinitychurch.life

MEET BETH BULL

Tell us about yourself.

I was born in Greenwich and grew up in the Stanwich Church parsonage. My father, Nate Adams, was the pastor of Stanwich for almost 29 years, until his sudden death

near the end of my junior year in college.

From childhood, ministry was the air I breathed and the lens through which I viewed the world. When I was little, I’d

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often accompany my dad on pastoral care visits. Later on, I did everything from teaching every grade of kids’ ministry, to leading the youth group, to re-starting and running the church bookstore, to leading adult Bible studies, preaching, leading healing services, leading healing prayer trainings, and running the healing prayer ministry. I also had the honor of serving on the call committee that chose Neely Towe as Stanwich’s head pastor and Joan Osgood as the associate after my father died.

I studied at Gordon College (a wonderful Christian college on the north shore of Boston) and in Oxford, England before graduating with a B.A. in English from Manhattanville College. My first job out of college was teaching at Brunswick School in Greenwich. I then served on a five-week mission trip to Poland with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. It was the year after the Berlin Wall had come down when the first mission organizations were permitted entry. The experience of losing my father had cracked open my heart wider to the needs and pain of those around me, and the memory of my college friends who didn’t know Jesus made me seek a job with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship as a campus minister at Yale College.

That experience sparked an interest to pursue my Masters in Religion and Literature at Yale. It was a thrill to be at a university where I could study literature, education and art history, alongside seminary courses in Bible, theology and church history.

The melding of these worlds fed my enthusiasm for integrating my faith with other disciplines. Soon I began to teach

at a private Christian school, relishing the opportunity to pass on a similar fusion.

After my stint of teaching, I pursued employment in the financial world. Freed from correcting papers and preparing lesson plans each night, I enjoyed opportunities to serve a new church plant. Even as I learned operations in the investment business and studied for the Series 7 exam, I continued to spread my ministry wings in helping to build the local church.

The experience of losing my father had cracked open my heart wider to the needs and pain of those

When I went to work in a private investment bank in Stamford, assisting the head of

around me.

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investment banking and a number of managing directors, my ministry life and my work life came together more than ever before. The bankers donated and cheered me on when I spent my vacation time in Rwanda on a humanitarian aid trip. And their enthusiasm led me to spearhead a Midnight Run put on by the employees of the investment bank, bringing food and clothing to the homeless in New York City. Spiritual conversations flowed naturally at the office. I later found out that my boss had told his wife the day he hired me that I would not be with them long because I was going to be a pastor.

The path I traveled to full-time ministry, from growing up in Greenwich in a ministry family and under the tutelage of my father, attending school here, teaching at two private schools, ministering to college students through InterVarsity, serving in a church plant, earning two Masters degrees from Yale, and then working in the finance world, has so clearly been His plan, giving me a deep understanding and unique ability to minister to the specific needs of those here in the Greenwich area.

In 2010, I married my best friend, the love of my life and my partner in ministry, Rob Bull. Rob has himself pursued a Masters of Divinity and has done extensive missionary/humanitarian work on all but two continents, while pursuing a corporate career. He is currently the COO of a healthcare expense management start-up based here in Greenwich. The same year we were married, I graduated from Yale with my Masters of Divinity, preparing me to be ordained at Trinity the following year.

Rob and I live in an 1870 one-room schoolhouse that someone added a little Cape Cod house to in the 1930s. We moved in the week before I started at Trinity, having bought the house with ministry in mind. The schoolhouse is our living room and makes it possible to host our Married Life Mission-Shaped Community and other church gatherings, which gives us a lot of joy! We share our little house in the woods with two American Mastiffs, each around 145 lbs. each. Georgiana (“Georgie”) and Isabelle are giant cuddle bugs who think they’re lap dogs. We love having our home be a

sanctuary for people in crisis as well as an inviting place where community can grow.

What is your role at Trinity and what do you love most about it?

I am the Care & Community Pastor.

It’s exciting because care and community are at the heart of what it means to be a church and a Christian.

It takes the Holy Spirit in all of us to create an authentic community known for how we care for one another. Jesus said: “This is how everyone will recognize that you aremy disciples—when they see the love you have for each other” (John 13:35, The Message). That kind of love comes from experiencing Jesus’ love for us, and it becomes a beacon to the world around us.

On the Care side, my specific focus is to equip people to care for one another and to take the lead in orchestrating various types of care for those in our church family and beyond who are facing struggles or crises in their lives. On the Community side, I provide opportunities for people to get away together and be filled up with the Presence of God on retreats and at special events or gatherings locally, including First Loved 22

It takes the Holy Spirit in all of us to create an authentic community known for how we care for one another.

If someone is going through a challenge, what are ways that the church family can come alongside him or her?

The first question I always ask is: “May I put this on the prayer chain?” The prayer chain is an amazing group of confidential intercessors within our church family who, when they receive an email about a prayer request, will immediately begin covering that person, family and/or situation in prayer. What God does through those prayers is extraordinary.

to Love Weekends (co-ed retreats throughout the year), Encounter (women’s nights of worship & prayer), and the annual Women’s Retreat. Rob and I also currently lead and host the Married Life MSC for couples. And I enjoy meeting one-on-one with various women weekly for prayer, Bible study and sharing, coming alongside them in their faith walks with the Lord. One of my greatest joys in life is watching someone grow in Jesus.

Then, depending on the situation, I or a Care Team member will offer help from a whole range of ministries, including immediate visits from the Care Team (prayer ministers whom I’ve trained in visitation), a prayer appointment with a healing prayer team (two trained prayer ministers), meals delivered to one’s home through Trinity’s Loving Spoonfuls Ministry, a prayer blanket, and the opportunity to join a Grief Share group (if they have lost a loved one), Divorce Care group (if they are going through separation or divorce) or the Networking group (if they have lost their job).

I love the opportunities I get to talk with people one-on-one about what is on their hearts and where they are with God— the things that really matter. Getting to be that person people share with and invite into the hard places of their lives is a huge honor.

Most of all, I love all the ways my role brings me into the Presence of Jesus. Psalm 34:18 says: “The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Whenever I walk into a hospital room or a funeral home, or sit across from someone who has just had the bottom fall out of his or her life, I am so keenly aware that it is holy ground I am walking on, and that Jesus has already arrived there before me. I’m there to be a tangible conduit for His love, and to represent the Body of Christ at Trinity who longs to come alongside that person or family. What an incredible privilege.

By this coming summer, I am excited that we will be able to offer a Stephen Minister to anyone going through a long-term struggle such as grief, prolonged illness, divorce or job loss. A Stephen Minister is a lay person with 50 hours of training who will spend an hour a week with the care-receiver, listening and coming alongside him or her in a confidential and encouraging way through whatever challenge that person is experiencing.

h

Likewise, Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20). So every time I get to help facilitate a gathering of people in His name, whether it be a large event or a more intimate gettogether, I experience the joy of knowing that I am somehow helping to create a space in which more people can encounter the Presence of the Lord. He is the One who does the healing and the comforting. He is the One who nurtures and restores.

And Jesus is the One who knits us together in community and teaches us how to truly love one another, empowering us by His Spirit. “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

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If you have a specific need or any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at beth.bull@trinitychurch.life.

Whatever the struggles we face in life, the wonderful thing about being part of a church family is that we don’t have to go through them alone.

T h e

N e w

N o r m a l ?

One of our dreams at Trinity is that there would be worshipping expressions of our church family in towns across Fairfield and Westchester counties. We know there are many different ways this could happen so we asked international church consultant and good friend to Trinity, Brent Dolfo, to talk from his perspective about some of the lessons he has learned about church growth.

Brent, you regularly consult with large growing churches across North America in areas of leadership development and strategies for missional church growth.

What are some of the trends that you are observing, in terms of the changes in our national culture and trends in the church across America?

In an increasingly challenging cultural climate, churches across North America are being forced to be more creative in how they approach growth and mission.

This is more than just about strategies of church growth, it is about how we engage with our communities—seeking to be

churches that love and bless rather than criticize and condemn.

Over the last few years there has been a significant rise across North America in, what has been termed, the “nones.”

“Nones” are people who identify as having no religious affiliation at all, and in the last census in America that number went from 6% to 20%. In areas such as the Northeast, the percentage comes in much higher. The era of the Baby Boomer generation is over and the church at large must think more creatively, and more intentionally, about how it will engage with this generation. The questions every

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n

church must ask itself are: what do we need to do to reach our community, in our current cultural context; how do we engage Millennials on a journey of spiritual formation; and how do we reach people in a culture where an invitation is no longer enough. The conversation can no longer be just about whether your service is bigger, flashier or in any way “better.”

Significantly, when I see churches that are growing and thriving it is because there has been something of a response to the Great Commission in the way they are structured. They are going out to their communities, not waiting for people to come in through their doors.

So, what do you see are some of the answers to this? How are you seeing churches reframe the conversation?

The answer can never be one of just a strategy for church growth; it has to be one of a missional heart. Probably one of the most significant strategic changes I have witnessed is the rise in the number of multi-site churches. In fact, multisite is now the “new normal”! If there is a growing church not doing multi-site they are now the anomaly nationally.

Something like 8,000 churches in North America are currently multisite, and on any given Sunday, around 5 million people are attending a multi-site church. I have seen it work successfully regardless of church culture, geography and demographics.

This is a model that has exponentially flourished and I think one of the key reasons is because it is a model that takes the church into the community.

It is a model that is successful only when it is partnered with a missional imperative. Most churches doing multisite are passionate about reaching more people. The narrative they are living is one of wanting to take the love of Christ to people, wanting to bless their communities.

The heart is never just one of wanting more locations. In fact, a multi-site strategy will not make a church that is not growing begin to grow, but it will make a church that is already growing, grow more. In the face of a supposed national picture of church decline, 85% of multi-site churches report they are growing, with an average growth rate of 14% a year. This is because multi-site strategy is an answer to the question of how to respond to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). When we have a heart that seeks to reach more people with the love of God, the result is a multi-location strategy.

So the concept of the multi-site church has reframed the conversation. What does multi-site look like in practice and why might this be something Trinity would do?

Multi-site is a distinctive strategy for church growth. Although I often see churches that run a “both/and”

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strategy doing both multi-site and church planting, they are very different strategies, predominantly because there is no intention that the multisite location would ever become an independent church. So, with a multisite you would except to see shared resources, oversight and staffing as well as a sense of a common identity; the fundamentals are shared, though the practice can look different. There are unique characteristics in each multi-site that respond to the particular geography, demographic and calling of each new location. The reason behind this is, again, about motivation. If going multi-site is a response to a heart for a community, a sense of wanting to take the love of God to particular people, then this builds in a flexibility of approach. If it is about growth for growth’s sake, it doesn’t work, so don’t go multi-site thinking you will reach more people if you are not already reaching new people. However, for a church like Trinity, with a sense of mission and calling, going multi-site is like suddenly having many more front doors.

A final thought for Trinity:

When you launch a multi-site, you are not just starting another worship service, you are starting a missional outpost. This means that a service is just one of the things that you do. If you are seeking to impact a particular part of a city or community, the conversation has to include all the other ways you can love and bless the community, far above and beyond just gathering for a service.

We are thankful for Brent’s wisdom and encouragement as we at Trinity look to where God is calling us next. Please be praying, and ask God about where He would have you bless the wider community, where He would have you serve, and how you might be part of what God is building here at Trinity.

the story of

redemption the Life of Joseph

A s e r m o n s e r i e s s ta rt i n g J a n u a ry 3

Making your summer plans early this year?

S ave these dates : Sk y Camp 2016

S u mmerQ u es t 2016 - August 1-6

Through interactive activity stations, worship and prayer, and much more, Sky Camp will ground kids in the rock-solid foundation of God’s love. Both weeks will cover the same material so join us for week A (June 28 – July 1), week B (July 11-14) or both!

SummerQuest is our annual summer camp experience for middle school and high school students. SQ provides a place for students to experience Jesus and community, and be empowered to live out the mission that God has for them, all while having a lot of fun together. This is a “can’t miss” week!

Watch www.skycampgreenwich.org for information.

Check out the SummerQuest 2015 highlight videos on the Blog section of trinitychurch.life.

Facebook

T wi t ter I n s tag ram:

Trinity Church - Greenwich, CT Trinity Kids CT Trinity Church: Student Ministries Trinity Church Women’s Ministry - Greenwich, CT

@TrinityChurchCT

Web s i t e:

http://trinitychurch.life

M ob i le A p p:

Trinity Church Life

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staff directory

Drew Williams Senior Pastor

Josh Barton Student Ministry Pastor

Dave Edwards Worship & Arts Director

Katie Evans Connections Pastor

Andy Hayball Executive Pastor

Kelly Lally Admin Assistant

Ruth May Mission & Mobilization Pastor

Kelly Teufel Graphic Designer

Kara Thompson Finance Admin / Bookkeeper

Staff email addresses: firstname.lastname@trinitychurch.life

find us

Hillary Bercovici Senior Fellow – Trinity Institute

Dylan Berry Middle School Coordinator

Joe Biscocho High School Coordinator

Beth Bull Care & Community Pastor

Mike Iodice CFO

Julien Jarry Storyteller / Videographer

Betsy Kearns Early Childhood Coordinator

KRISTEN OLSEN Middle School Coordinator

Ann Park Admin Assistant

Jonny Scott Children & Family Ministries Director

Katie Stallard Administration & Communications Director

Anne Valentine High School Coordinator

Ben Valentine Associate Pastor

Evelyn Viana Volunteer Admin Assistant

Elena Williams Prayer Ministry Director

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Trinity House (Office) 15 Sherwood Place Greenwich, CT 06830 203-618-0808 info@trinitychurch.life