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I’ m truly grateful for each of you who gave from the heart— it shows the strength of our shared commitment, especially during a time when many churches are struggling. Well done!
It’ s been inspiring to see the deep connections forming in our gatherings. At Dinner Church, folks share meals and stories that build real bonds. The Men’ s Monday Prayer Group is a vital ministry that prayers for our member and our church. Our new Men’ s Bible Study Group is off to a great start. And our Sunday School classes and other small groups continue to be hubs of encouragement and friendship. If you haven’ t joined one yet, I encourage you to give it a try— there’ s a spot for everyone, and you’ ll find it rewarding.
Now, let’ s look forward, because the best is yet to come. This Lent, starting on Ash Wednesday, February 18, we’ re diving into a theme that’ s close to my heart:“ Thy Kingdom Come.” Our Young Adult Small Group will lead that first service, bringing fresh energy to mark the beginning of this season. The heart of our Lenten series draws from Jesus’ early days after overcoming temptation in the wilderness. He bursts onto the scene with this urgent news: the Kingdom of God— the long-hoped-for era of heaven touching earth— is here and now. Through His words, His
2 healing touch, and who He is, we see God’ s rule breaking in, challenging the status quo and inviting us into something transformative.
Over these six weeks, we’ ll trace Jesus’ steps in Galilee, where He not only talked about this Kingdom but lived it out— showing mercy, justice, and love in action. Lent becomes our collective prayer:“ Thy kingdom come.” It’ s a time to step back, let go of the things that pull us away from what’ s truly important, and realign our lives with the priorities that matter most. We’ ll reflect on rival“ kingdoms”— maybe busyness, worry, or self-reliance— that sneak in and take center stage. Together, we’ ll repent, refocus, and get ready to celebrate Easter by affirming Jesus as the true King of our lives. I believe this series will inspire us to live with more purpose, seeing glimpses of heaven in our everyday world.
As we move through 2026, our big focus remains reaching out and inviting others in. In a world that can feel isolating, people need God more than ever— and they need a community where they belong. That’ s what we’ re about at Trinity: pointing folks toward a deeper sense of peace and purpose, while offering a familylike space to connect. Our gatherings aren’ t just events; they’ re about building real relationships, cheering each other on during the good times, and holding one another up through the tough ones.
To make this happen, let’ s commit to showing up consistently. Join us every Sunday for worship— it’ s where we recharge and unite as one. Plug into a small group or Sunday School class; these are the places where friendships deepen and support flows freely. And don’ t miss Dinner Church on the fourth Wednesday of each month, it’ s a casual evening of good food and great conversation. Better yet, bring a friend or neighbor along. You never know how a simple invitation could change someone’ s day— or even their life.
I’ m excited for what God has in store for us this year. Let’ s step into it together, with open hearts and welcoming arms. God continues to be faithful and grow the Kingdom through the Trinity Church family. The invitation extended by Jesus to his earliest disciples continues to be offered to us,“ Follow me.” Will we extend that invitation to others? We may not always know where we are going, but we know who we are following. God is faithful. Therefore, we expect great things, and we are certain we will enjoy the ride! Blessings!
Pastor Chris chris. neikirk @ trinityna. org