Pastor's Note: Revised Service Structure 2024
January 9, 2024
Happy New Year, TCC!
As we prepare for all that God has for TCC this year, we are excited for where and how God is leading us! We, the pastoral team, have been praying and seeking the Lord’s direction for this new year. It seemed good to us and to the Holy Spirit to hold fast to the directions he gave us in the fall which were (1) to continue to implement truly inter-generational worship as a united body, (2) to set out a theme of preparedness for the coming of the Lord (Matthew 24:44-47), (3) and to put attention and effort behind the TCC mission statement, “to be and make disciples.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
After a strong summer coming out of Camp TCC, we were excited about the momentum and the theme of readiness. We were eager to implement the Biblical Discipleship Hour (BDH), age-appropriate, biblical education and discipleship. Kids’ hour accommodated 0-5th grade, Youth BDH, 6th – 12th grade, and Adult BDH, college students to pensioners. During the 9:30 service hour, the hope was that families would be able to come to BDH and Kids’ hour to be discipled in the word of God then transition together to the 11:00 service to worship as a family.
The momentum was strong at the beginning of the fall, but as time went on, we had fewer and fewer attend the Biblical Discipleship hour. As we evaluated how the fall services had gone, we recognized this loss of momentum. We felt that part of the problem was the competition between the 9:30 service and BDH. Asking families to come an hour and a half early for worship to participate in the education hour was a stretch even for the most stalwart especially with school, sports, and other weekly activities also making demands.
In answer, beginning in February, we are going to implement a one-service model at 10:00 with a fellowship / coffee time from 11:00-11:30, followed by Biblical Discipleship Hour from 11:30-12:15. We hope this will facilitate a few different things. (1) A return to the summer worship schedule will reunite all of us into a single worshipping body; a better reflection of our unity in Christ (Ephesians 4:3). (2) Competition between a 9:30 service and BDH will be eliminated; it is more palatable deciding simply to stay after the service than expend the effort required to come early. (3) The worship team will have an extra half hour of prep and could also participate in BDH if they choose. (4) Pastor Tom, having to preach only once, will be free to participate, teach, and be more actively involved in the discipleship element on Sunday morning as well.
The one downside is for the staff and volunteers regularly serving our kids in LTA (coinciding with worship). If things continue as they are, they would be unable to participate in the worship service. To facilitate their participation, we will need a rotation of volunteers who are willing to serve our kids one or perhaps two Sundays per month. Would you be willing to regularly serve on a rotation?
We pray that this structure will better serve the vision the Lord has given us. If you have any questions or concerns, please email, call, text, or visit me on site during office hours. May God our Father bless us richly through the unity of the Holy Spirit as members of his only Son, Jesus Christ!
Jeridan Dyck
Pastor of Family Ministries and Outreach
(406)849-0675
Trinitarian Congregational Church Guiding Principles for the Ministry Year 2024-2025 Ministry Theme: Return and Rest Theme Song: "Another In The Fire" by Hillsong UNITED (video below) Key verse: “Thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15 This ministry year we embark on a journey into the depths of the Gospel according to the Book of Isaiah. Some people have called Isaiah “the fifth gospel” because of its profound impact on the gospels (“the suffering servant” of Isaiah 53) and the rest of the New Testament. Isaiah’s call to rest in the Lord in the challenges of life, whether existential, physical or emotional (or all of the above) rings so true today! In an election year and a world in turmoil, the prophet, empowered by the Spirit of Christ (1 Peter 1:11; 2 Peter 1:21) asks us: Who do you trust? Your “chariots and horses” (Isaiah-speak for our own resourcefulness), “Egypt” (=political parties, elected officials, ideologies)? To know who you trust will inevitably be tested in these troubling times but here is the promise: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior (Isaiah 43:1-2). The goal and the prayer for TCC this year is that Isaiah’s call (“Here I am! Send me.”) will spark our own call to “dream big” (“they shall declare my glory to the nations” 66:19). World evangelization and preaching the gospel to our neighbors are impossible tasks, but we serve a God that is far greater than we can ever imagine, for whom nothing is impossible. As to the how this can be done, Isaiah is convinced that the power of God’s Word draws people in, not marketing strategies or fancy programming (is this what the American church trusts today? Isaiah would be sure to ask us!). Instead, it’s the Word alone that serves as the attractional pull and He (the Word is Jesus Himself) never returns empty (Isaiah 2:1-4; 40:8; 55:1). This year we commit ourselves to returning and resting in Him and His Word. In an age where the proclamation and application of Scripture is increasingly deemed irrelevant, if not viewed downright offensive, we instead put the Spirit and the Word at the center of everything we do. Such a commitment to the sufficiency of the Word of God will inevitably demand we cut back on certain things and add others. We are committing ourselves to resetting priorities to bring the good news to our neighbors (“for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” 11:9). We are the hands and feet of Jesus; so these “boots [or feet] are made for walkin'…” (“How beautiful are the feet of him/her who brings good news…who declares ‘our God reigns” 55:7)! Growth Groups This year we are launching a brand-new program of discipleship and outreach. To fulfill our mission for intentional biblical witness and discipleship at TCC, we are implementing a semester-based small-group format that runs in the fall and spring (with option for groups during the summer as well). Groups focus on transformation, intentional community and outreach which create a social space where we learn God’s character and live in openness and brokenness with one another. In the fall, Growth Groups will all read and discuss the book Empowering Missional Disciples. In the spring, one of the options will be integration of Isaiah’s themes such as repentance, the fear of the Lord, how to hear God’s voice, intercessory prayer, biblical meditation will be the topics of weekly discussion. Facilitators with the support of the pastoral staff will choose topics and themes. An integral dimension of our Growth Groups is outreach: together we will participate in outreach events such as sharing our faith with others in our communities and works of service. For TCC to fulfill her destiny in this generation and for her to lay firm foundations for the next generation, we need to recover, in the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer what “religionless Christianity” is all about (as opposed to rote church attendance as a religious ritual without any noticeable transformation in our lives); we need to recapture the vision for community and “life together;” we need to reconsider what the true “cost of discipleship” means as followers of Jesus Christ in the 21st Century. Sanctuary Renovations “I will beautify my beautiful house” (Isaiah 60:7). Our beautiful facilities at TCC are instruments for worship. Once in a while, we must tune them and make sure they function properly. Funded from bequest funds, we are thankful for this provision though we do anticipate the inevitable additional costs (included in the proposed budget for 2025 as part of our stewardship campaign). Scheduled for February of March 2025 (if everything goes well), the much-needed sanctuary renovations will include a newly reconfigured stage, lighting, sound, along with other aesthetic and structural improvements. The project timeline is two or three months during which time our worship service will take place in the Gym.
To carry out our mission “to be and make disciples of Jesus Christ,” regular (weekly/biweekly) church attendance is not enough. Ongoing small groups consisting of the same people over periods extending years can foster a strong social bond and spiritual support among trusted brothers and sisters. However, from feedback received, with life at a pace that requires changes and adaptation, Life Groups (LG) at TCC have experienced uneven attendance with the resulting lack of effectiveness to foster growth in discipleship. In addition, the open-ended commitment that LGs require (some have met for decades) can be daunting and lead to leader and participant burnout, with few options to explore other social spaces. For our newcomers, it can be difficult to find the “right group” with many competing schedules. To fulfil our mission for intentional biblical discipleship at TCC, we are implementing a semester-based discipleship program (10 weeks) utilizing a small group format (see description below) that runs in the fall and spring (with options for groups during the summer, as well). We are calling them “Growth Groups.” There is a real need and cry for new models of small groups as a way to meet new people and grow together. Growth Groups focus on transformation, intentional community and outreach which create a social space where we learn God’s character and live in openness and brokenness with one another. Topics such as repentance, the fear of the Lord, how to hear God’s voice, intercessory prayer, biblical meditation and more and are all part of the variables of the curriculum. The format of 10 weeks allows the facilitator to coordinate and lead the group, with the assistance of an apprentice, with a definite purpose and goals to accomplish within a set time period. Facilitators can opt to roll off and pass on the mantle to the apprentice or stay on for one more semester, alleviating the burnout we often see in Life Groups. An integral dimension of our Growth Groups is outreach: together we will participate in outreach events such as sharing our faith with others in our communities, works of service, and even fun days! Jesus concludes his teaching on the mountain in Matthew 5-7 with the contrasting image of the house built on sand and the house built on rock. The latter’s firm foundation is for the disciples who not only hear the Word (through teachings, preaching, biblical meditation, podcasts, devotionals, Bible reading plans, etc.) but also apply it. Someone once wisely observed that the early Church in the book of Acts was a missionary-sending, outreach-focused Body. There were no churches consisting of non-missionaries. For TCC to fulfill her destiny in this generation and for her to lay firm foundations for the next generation, we need to recover, in the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer what “religionless Christianity” is all about (as opposed to rote church attendance as a religious ritual without any noticeable transformation in our lives); we need to recapture the vision for community and “life together”; we need to reconsider what the true “cost of discipleship” means as followers of Jesus Christ in the 21 st Century. Implementation of Growth Groups will happen in fall, 2024. Existing Life Groups that wish to remain together may continue meeting as they have been, or they may choose to alter their structure to fit the Growth Group model. The Growth Group model is based on the structure outlined in Activate: An Entirely New Approach to Small Groups. More information about Growth Groups will be coming soon. Sign-ups will take place in September and groups will begin on Monday, September 30.
Guiding Principles for the Ministry Year 2023-24 Trinitarian Congregational Church Ministry Theme: “Are You Ready?” This probing question is based on the Gospel of Matthew, which we will cover in our Sunday morning services both in the Fall and Spring terms. Jesus challenges us to move from a ‘spectator’ role (self-satisfied and ‘comfortable’) to an active ‘participant’ role in the discipleship experience. ‘Un-discipled’ disciples (Pastor Pete James’ phrase) fail to persevere, disengage with the Word and therefore mute the witness of Christ to our neighbors. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus challenges our priorities and calls us to new levels of readiness. Readiness both in the now (“come unto me”) and readiness for the future. Matthew 24:44 captures the theme well: “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Our goal for this ministry theme (reached upon as a team at our summer staff retreat at Toah Nipi Camp) is that TCC Life Groups would commit to the study of Matthew at some point during this ministry year to apply the urgency to be ready: the urgency to witness to our neighbors both in sharing the good news of forgiveness of sins and through acts of compassion. The prayerful outcome, by God’s power, is to see the multiplication of new believers during this ministry year at TCC. “This Gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations, then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). Growth through Biblical Discipleship Hour at 9:30am on Sundays To foster family-rooted discipleship, we are implementing new Biblical Discipleship Hour programs at 9:30am on Sundays for middle school and high school students, as well as for adults. Following is a description of the new program: Last words are important! Jesus’s last words to his eleven disciples in Matthew are this, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). In keeping with the Great Commission, our Mission Statement, “To Be and Make Disciples” is critical. Accordingly, we are implementing an important teaching/training hour on Sunday mornings, 9:30am to 10:30am, for disciples of all ages and stages. We will hold two separate sessions during the hour upstairs in the main church building. Jeridan and Erin Dyck will supervise one session geared for our younger disciples. Donna Petter will supervise one session geared for older disciples. On certain occasions we will offer combined classes! Teachers and mentors from our own community will contribute weekly to the program. As we journey with Jesus, we must “learn” what walking with him entails. Our focus will be fourfold: defining discipleship, the demands of a disciple, the decisions of a disciple, and developing disciples. These overlapping categories will allow us to address important topics from a biblical worldview. These broad categories also permit us to have combined teaching sessions (at times) with younger disciples in our midst. Growth through Outreach Our identity as a sending church means we are committed to evangelism (proclaiming that Jesus is Lord and Savior) to our neighbors across the street. In addition to existing opportunities (Bridge House in Framingham), 2023-24 is the year to create new outreach programs under the pastoral guidance of our new Pastor of Family Ministries and Outreach, Jeridan Dyck. The Send mobilization conference (September 16 at BU’s Agganis Arena) officially launches our efforts to participate in evangelistic outreach in MetroWest. Collaboration among local churches is a critical dimension of The Send's vision and TCC is actively participating in this movement. Growth through Worship The 2023-24 ministry year marks the launch of our new permanent worship team with the recent hiring of Mia Hustad as Worship Leader. Alex Kouris serves as worship coordinator, Karen Johnson as seasonal choir director, and Charlie Orr as our organist. Mia is forming a core team of volunteers with the goal of a weekly practice in addition to Sunday morning practice. Mia and Alex’s vision calls for an anointed family worship hour representing the highest quality of Christian worship from the standpoint of performance and the adoration and praise of the Living God. Our goal for the year is to see new families join the church as our experience of God through worship grows both in Word and Spirit. Growth through Men’s Discipleship Programming This fall we are re-launching our men’s ministry program with a new name: Don’t Walk Alone. We will gather September 17 for a hike, bonfire, some grilling and some much-needed fellowship among the men at TCC. The goal is to foster an atmosphere of openness and transparency in sharing the struggles common to men so that we feel supported in our disconnected and isolated culture. Boundary and Accountability Principles The Board, committees, Senior Pastor, Pastoral and support staff, and the congregation as a whole come under the accountability structures established in the TCC By-Laws of 2010. We are all accountable to the Lordship of Christ and His Word. In Christ, the Judgment of the Last Day has already come to us as “righteous” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Also, we will all have to give an account on that Day as to what we did in the body in our justified state (2 Corinthians 5:10), whether we were zealous for good works or not (Titus 2:11-14). Theme Song for 2023-24 – “New Wine” by Hillsong Worship In the crushing In the pressing You are making new wine In the soil I now surrender You are breaking new ground So I yield to You into Your careful hand When I trust You I don't need to understand Make me Your vessel Make me an offering Make me whatever You want me to be I came here with nothing But all You have given me Jesus bring new wine out of me In the crushing In the pressing You are making new wine In the soil I now surrender You are breaking new ground You are breaking new ground So, make me Your vessel Make me an offering Make me whatever You want me to be I came here with nothing But all You have given me Jesus, bring new wine out of me Jesus, bring new wine out of me Jesus, bring new wine out of me 'Cause where there is new wine There is new power There is new freedom And the Kingdom is here I lay down my old flames To carry Your new fire today 'Cause where there is new wine There is new power There is new freedom And the Kingdom is here I lay down my old flames To carry Your new fire today So, make me Your vessel Make me an offering Make me whatever You want me to be God, I came here with nothing But all You have given me Jesus, bring new wine out of me Jesus, bring new wine out of me Jesus, bring new wine out of me Make me Your vessel Make me an offering Make me whatever You want me to be I came here with nothing But all You have given me Jesus, bring new wine out of me Sing that again, like me Make me Your vessel Make me an offering Make me whatever You want me to be God, I came here with nothing But all You have given me Jesus, bring new wine out of me Jesus, bring new wine out of me Oh, Jesus, bring new wine out of me, oh Jesus Jesus, bring new wine out of me (it means we're getting back on the altar) We're saying we surrender everything, Lord Bring new wine out of me, Jesus Jesus, bring new wine (keep going) out of me (Jesus) Jesus, bring new wine out of me Jesus, bring new wine out of me 'Cause where there is new wine There is new power There is new freedom And the Kingdom is here I lay down my old flames To carry Your new fire today Where there is new wine 'Cause where there is new wine There is new power There is new freedom And the Kingdom is here I lay down my old flames To carry Your new fire today So, I say make me Your vessel Make me an offering Make me whatever You want me to be I came here with nothing But all You have given me Jesus, bring new wine out of me, Jesus Jesus, bring new wine out of me Jesus, bring new wine out of me Source: Musixmatch Songwriters: Brooke Gabrielle Fraser New Wine lyrics © Hillsong Publishing, Hillsong Music Publishing Australia
