What We Believe
We describe God in three persons. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are commonly used to refer to the threefold nature of God. Sometimes we use other terms, such as Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.
We believe that Jesus was human. He lived as a man and died when he was crucified. We believe that Jesus is divine. He is the Son of God. We believe that God raised Jesus from the dead and that the risen Christ lives today. (Christ and messiah mean the same thing—God’s anointed.) We believe that Jesus is our Savior. In Christ we receive abundant life and forgiveness of sins. We believe that Jesus is our Lord and that we are called to pattern our lives after his.
We believe in one God, who created the world and all that is in it. We believe that God is sovereign; that is, God is the ruler of the universe. We believe that God is loving. We can experience God’s love and grace.
We believe that Jesus was human. He lived as a man and died when he was crucified. We believe that Jesus is divine. He is the Son of God. We believe that God raised Jesus from the dead and that the risen Christ lives today. (Christ and messiah mean the same thing—God’s anointed.) We believe that Jesus is our Savior. In Christ we receive abundant life and forgiveness of sins. We believe that Jesus is our Lord and that we are called to pattern our lives after his.
We believe that the Holy Spirit is God with us. We believe that the Holy Spirit comforts us when we are in need and convicts us when we stray from God. We believe that the Holy Spirit awakens us to God’s will and empowers us to live obediently.
We believe that God created human beings in God’s image. We believe that humans can choose to accept or reject a relationship with God. We believe that all humans need to be in relationship with God in order to be fully human.
We believe that the church is the body of Christ, an extension of Christ’s life and ministry in the world today. We believe that the mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. We believe that the church is “the communion of saints,” a community made up of all past, present, and future disciples of Christ. We believe that the church is called to worship God and to support those who participate in its life as they grow in faith.
We believe that the Bible is God’s Word. We believe that the Bible is the primary authority for our faith and practice. We believe that Christians need to know and study the Old Testament and the New Testament.
We believe that the kingdom or reign of God is both a present reality and future hope. We believe that wherever God’s will is done, the kingdom or reign of God is present. It was present in Jesus’ ministry, and it is also present in our world whenever persons and communities experience reconciliation, restoration, and healing. We believe that although the fulfillment of God’s kingdom–the complete restoration of creation–is still to come. We believe that the church is called to be both witness to the vision of what God’s kingdom will be like and a participant in helping to bring it to completion. We believe that the reign of God is both personal and social. Personally, we display the kingdom of God as our hearts and minds are transformed and we become more Christ-like. Socially, God’s vision for the kingdom includes the restoration and transformation of all of creation.
What to Expect
It is a privilege to have you worship with us. We hope that during your time with us your faith will be strengthened no matter where you are on your faith journey. The mission of Trinity Church is to connect people to Jesus by reviving faith, restoring hope, and revealing love in the community. One way that we seek to fulfill this mission is by creating a safe and barrier free experience so that people can be one step closer to Christ by welcoming, informing, and serving our guests. We want you to feel comfortable when you join us so below we have put together some frequently asked questions so that you know what to expect before you even arrive.
F.A.Q.s
We are located at 303 North Walnut Street in Hartford City, Indiana, which is on the corner of Walnut (also Highway 3) and Franklin Street.
The main parking lot is to the West or behind the church building. The main entrance is on the South side of building on Franklin street. If the main parking lot is full additional parking can be found across Franklin street in the Goodyear parking lot just South of the church building. The elevator entrance and handicap parking are on the North side of the church building.
The worship gathering has a very relaxed in feel. The worship music is a mixture of contemporary songs and hymns. The messages are relevant to people’s everyday lives and can be understood without needing to spend five years to trying to learn a new “Christian” language.
The easy answer to this question is simply: clothes. Trinity Church has a come as you are policy. If you want to wear a suit and tie, great. If you want to wear shorts and a t-shirt, great. So come dressed however you are comfortable and you will fit right in.
We have only have one expectation of our guests: be ready to worship our Lord and Savior. When you first come into the sanctuary, find a place where you feel comfortable. Our members are fantastic with welcoming and orientating our guests, and will make you feel welcomed from day one.
If you own a Bible you will want to bring it because our pastor’s messages are grounded in the Bible. If you don’t have one that isn’t a problem at all. When you come you are more than welcome to use one by your seat and take it with you when you leave as a gift. Our pastor teaches from what is known as the New International Version Bible (NIV). If you have another version you are used to or prefer, bring it along. The differences from version to version are mostly minor. Having an NIV will simply make it easier to follow along when our pastor read or point out the wording in a particular verse or passage.
The answer is yes and you don’t have to worry about stopping to get one on your way either because we have our own Fireside Cafe with a variety of coffees, hot teas, cider, and hot chocolate.
Once you arrive you will be warmly welcomed by our members. One of them will be happy to show you were things are located, such as the restrooms, Fireside Café, and sanctuary.
During the gathering there will be a time of worship were an offering will be collected; however, we do not expect our guest to give any money. If you feel led to give then we thank you for giving, but you are our guest and our under no obligation to give. As our guest we want you to simply enjoy your time with us without feeling any pressure.