Trinity Church
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Trinity Church
What is Backyard Church?
Thursday nights on ZOOM @ 8pm with Trinity Camp speaker Ken Robertson.
Sunday mornings in a BACKYARD near you.
Dear Trinity Church Family,
For the Sundays in August, we are taking a break from “drive-thru” church, and meeting instead in each other’s backyards. This week I am calling people who are willing to HOST these backyard churches, and we already have 18 volunteer homes!
Next week each family or individual at Trinity will receive a list by email naming the outdoor small group to which you are invited. We are doing everything we can to minimize risk and to protect the most vulnerable -- but please feel no pressure to attend. I’m organizing backyard groups as best I can geographically to minimize travel time, and to minimize group size. From Leavenworth to Cashmere to Sunnyslope to East Wenatchee, Wenatchee and Malaga, we are choosing houses that will gather the Backyard Small Groups on Sunday Mornings.
But before coming to your Sunday morning group, please listen to our Trinity Family Camp Speaker Pastor Ken teaching on “The Gospel and Politics.” Ken is the lead pastor of International Anglican Church in Colorado Springs. We had to cancel our regular camp gathering at Tall Timber, but Ken is still willing to stay up late and teach us live from his home on Zoom, Thursday nights at 8pm Wenatchee time.
So find your favorite chair, grab a cup of tea, (or wee dram of Whisky), watch Pastor Ken teach, and then watch me lead a live Q&A discussion on “Gospel Politics.” This isn’t about Republicans converting Democrats or vice versa. It’s about howweengage in politics as Christians. What does the Bible teach? What would Jesus do? And what is the Spirit doing? Then on Sunday morning, we get to practice what Pastor Ken preaches.
So please set aside Thursday nights in August at 8pm, and Sunday Mornings for Backyard Church. The church staff & vestry are doing everything we can to work within the limits we’ve been given by the State of Washington. Our goal is to stay safe, and to stay healthy in Christ. I am speaking to each Backyard Host about the necessity of:
1) Staying outside
2) Wearing Masks
3) Ensuring that the most vulnerable in our small groups feel the most cared for.
So let’s keep on being resilient in Christ! I never thought Pilgrimage Church would take this long, or have this many stages. But I continue to believe that God will keep guiding us to be the church in ways that love God, our neighbors, and ourselves in Christ.
See you soon in a backyard near you,
Father Matt
Trinity Church
What is Backyard Church?
Starting in August, Sunday morning services for Trinity Church will be held outside in small groups in each other’s back yards. Next week I will give more details on how this will be done safely, including instructions on social distancing, masks, and communion. But today I want to explain not only what Backyard Church is, but why I believe this is a good way to safely begin bringing the Body of Christ back together.
I took the above picture on my birthday, July 15, in the Blazquez backyard. The purpose of my visit was to see where the family dog, Jerry is now buried. I met Jerry in June through the backseat window of the Blazquez car at Drive-Thru Church. And now outside the Blazquez home, I was doing my best to keep 6 feet of distance from the four grieving family members, when 6 1/2 year-old Lina came and stood beside me. She then placed her tiny hand into mine. I decided to not let go. After a few moments of building silent trust, Lina looked up and asked: “Pastor Matt, can I lead you to the place where we buried Jerry?” There were several questions beside the garden grave about death, dogs, and heaven, and I could feel Lina’s brother Rhodes watching me carefully. He was watching to see whether I took seriously the gravity of his loss, as well as the hope that he felt. Once decided, Rhodes didn’t use words. He walked over, hugged me, and then went back to showing me the stones he helped paint to remember Jerry.
We need to see the stones in each other’s backyards.
That’s why we are going to safely try doing Backyard Church in August. We need to see each other’s stones. We need to hear each other’s stories. Despite the masks, we need to see each other’s eyes, and re-establish trust. We need to do this safely, so please read my email next week. In the meantime, please put into your calendars:
Thursday Night Zoom Talks - every Thursday in August @ 8pm
Sunday morning Backyard Church - every Sunday in August @ 10am
Pastor Carson and I will soon be contacting healthy families willing and able to be hospitable backyard hosts during these confusing times of COVID 19. If you are willing to be considered, please click the button below:
Our goal is to gather safely, in each other’s backyards, for a service combining 2 things:
Leisurely Time (while children play) for teenagers & adults to talk.
Liturgy, Prayer, & Communion with children (15 minute service).
Unless you are either ill or traveling, please dedicate these 5 weeks to reconnecting as the Body of Christ, and to building trust. If you are sick, or know your travel dates, please contact Amanda Brack at (210) 310-8922 before July 20 when we organize the Backyard Church Groups.
As your pastor, I am asking everyone to start praying that the Holy Spirit will use these outside-of-the-box Sundays to help us reconnect. Pray that the questions we ask, stories we tell, laughter we share, and careful hospitality we give will all be Christ himself ministering to each one of us, through each one of us. That’s the miracle of church. It can happen anywhere Christians put others before ourselves - anywhere we give each other the sacrificial love Jesus first gave us.
From my backyard to yours,
Father Matt
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