June 22, 2025 Welcome to Trinity!
Basic Theme:
Our church is a family of faith where‘ You Belong Here,’ united in God’ s love as a place for all. Rooted in scripture, we reflect our shared identity in Christ, deepening our connection through support and welcome. We long for others beyond these walls to experience this love, inviting them into a family that reveals God’ s embrace— a belonging that grows within us and shines outward. Our underlying scripture for this series is Ephesians 4:15-16,“ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” This passage ties our shared identity to a family growing in love, where“ You Belong Here” invites all to experience God’ s embrace.
Sermon Snapshot( Key Points):
Our shared identity as a family of faith says‘ You Belong Here,’ healing through forgiveness. Genesis 45 has Joseph embracing his betrayers, restoring their bond— our family’ s way. Luke 15’ s prodigal son finds mercy, a home reaffirmed. Here, grudges— like a sharp word— test belonging; forgiveness, like coffee over conflict or a heartfelt sorry, renews it. Beyond, it’ s grace for a rude neighbor, showing God’ s heart as one family. Practical steps: write a reconciliation note or pray for an offender. This shared forgiveness, rooted in Christ, defines us, saying‘ You Belong Here’ even in messiness, uniting us and witnessing to God’ s love.
So What?
Why do you belong here, at Trinity Church? Who in the church or your life needs your forgiveness to feel they belong? How does forgiveness reinforce‘ You Belong Here’ in our family?
Scripture Reading: Genesis 45:1-8a; Luke 15:17-20( NIV)
1
Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out,“ Have everyone leave my presence!” So, there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’ s household heard about it. 3 Joseph said to his brothers,“ I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. 4 Then Joseph said to his brothers,“ Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said,“ I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8“ So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.
17
“ When he came to his senses, he said,‘ How many of my father’ s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
The altar flowers are given to the glory of God, and in celebration of their June birthdays, by Linda Driver and Tony Nelson.
The single white rose is on the altar in memory of Dot Lemmon, who died June 15, 2025. Service was held on Thursday June 19 at Gehlbach & Royse Funeral Home in Corydon, IN.