We have quite a few volunteer openings available right now. Whether you love holding littles in the Nursery, working with our children or youth, are interested in volunteering from home with our Sunday Livestream, want to try your hand at sound or video, or have a big smile to share as a greeter, we have a place for you! Learn more and sign up for all of these opportunities and more here.
"Think about it: the passion narrative that we read and rehash in our liturgies year after year, at the core of our Christian faith, is the story of an arrest, a standoff with police, a betrayal against the accused, a junk trial, a community’s fears and politics, public protests, a prosecution and sentencing without a defense, a public execution — and the roles that a religious community played in it all.
For all the sermons, movies and greeting cards about hope and empty tombs, how do we not recognize a glaringly dark criminal legal experience – and its undoing (resurrection) – at the very center of our faith?"
Click here to read an article on One Parish One Prisoner in this month's Presbyterian Outlook, written by Chris Hoke, the founding Director of Underground Ministries and creator of OPOP here in Washington.
Trinity’s ministry with children is all about “growing authentic, committed and loving followers of Jesus, one relationship at a time.” Our Godly Play classes invite children into this journey every Sunday morning through sacred storytelling, creative expression, and inquiry. These rooms hum with questions, connections, prayers, stories, and laughter.
Trinity's intergenerational team of children's minstry volunteers had the opportunity to glean wisdom and inspiration from a well-experienced Godly Play teacher from Bethany Presbyterian Seattle this winter. Refreshed by the training and delighted to see growing numbers of little ones joining us in recent weeks, we invite you to consider serving with us as an assistant over the remaining weeks of this school year! It's a "dip your toe in the water" rather than "full plunge" ask.
Most urgently, we need a helper for the two remaining Jubilee Sundays in May and June. Additionally, we'd love to welcome more folks into support roles in our Godly Play classes. This will enable us to respond to larger class sizes and help sustain our current collection of volunteers, whom we thank and appreciate deeply!
Please join us in continuing to pray for this vital part of our church with gratitude and anticipation. We continue recruitment for a Director of Children & Families and thank Kyle Bradshaw for his oversight and organization during this transition in leadership. Contact him if you are interested in learning more about volunteering.
Good news! After several weeks of having our BNC doors securely boarded up due to vandalism, new glass has been installed and the doors are usable once again. Trinity was selected for a one-time window replacement grant by the City of Tacoma. We're grateful for their assistance to us and to the broader community, as so many of our neighbors have experienced similar vandalism.
It's a Trinity tradition to have Easter lilies, given in honor or in memory of someone or some group, adorn the Sanctuary on Easter Sunday. We invite you to sponsor a lily for our first Easter Sunday in our building since the renovation.
Orders must be received by Monday, April 11. Payment can be made online or by check. If paying by check, please write “Easter Lilies” on the memo line place in the offering box in the Narthex on Sunday, or bring payment to church office.
In response to Washington State's decision to end our mask mandate, as well as to Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department's decision to support the state's decision to end the mandate, Trinity will move to a "masks welcome but not required" policy during our services and events as of March 20. In alignment with local and state health department recommendations, we will continue to mitigate risks in other ways by encouraging those who attend events or services at Trinity to get vaccinated and boosted, wash hands regularly, and maintain a safe distance when possible. We understand that not all will be comfortable with the shift away from masking in indoor spaces. We anticipate that there will be some who continue to mask, regardless of crowd size. We encourage everyone to make the best decision for themselves, knowing that Trinity and its leadership will lovingly support the decisions of all those who attend. We have also upgraded all of our building's HVAC filters and have added freestanding HEPA filters in our children's classrooms, and will continue to offer masks at the door as well as easily-accessible hand sanitizer for all who enter. Click on the image above to view a message from Pastor Matt.
Several have asked about how to help the people of Ukraine who are fleeing their country. Through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance International you can help. Here is the link - https://pda.pcusa.org/situation/ukraine/- . There are other orginizations helping too, but here is one way to support families caught in the Russian invasion.
Trinity members are invited to attend a special congregational meeting Sunday, March 6, 2022, to vote on this year’s nominees for Elder and Deacon.
Elders exercise leadership, government, spiritual discernment, and together (as a Session) have responsibilities for the life of the congregation. The office of Deacon is set forth in Scripture as one of compassion, witness and service after the example of Jesus Christ. It is a ministry of caring, love, compassion and prayer. The 2022 Trinity Nominating Team brings the following nominees to the congregation for election as Deacons and Elders at Trinity:
KEVIN HUNTER, Elder Nominee
Kevin and his wife Kim moved to Tacoma in 1990 and what started as “checking out” a small neighborhood church has resulted in being a Trinity members for 32 years. Kim and Kevin raised their three children (Zach 34, Katie 32, Callie 28) at Trinity and have served in multiple capacities in the church over the years. Kevin has a deep love for diverse communities and their families and has served in leadership roles of both local and international non-profit organizations throughout his professional life.
“Trinity has been a blessing to our family as well as being great gift to countless children and families from the Bryant neighborhood and the broader Tacoma context over the years. I am deeply hopeful that we will continue to live into our calling as a community of authentic followers of Jesus and to be actively seeking the spaces that God is asking us to fill, being present to each other and those in our midst. ”
CHRISTINA REYER, Elder Nominee
Christina has been attending Trinity for about six years and a member for almost three. She has really enjoyed helping in the pre-K classroom, the connections she has made in her small groups, and the wonderful sense of groundedness and community at Trinity.
Christina works as an occupational therapist with kids ages birth to three in their homes and also through hippotherapy (using equine/horse movement as an occupational therapy treatment strategy). She is looking forward to building a deeper understanding of our church and mission, as well as growing in her own faith and further serving the community and city that she loves!
MEGAN SNOW, Elder Nominee
Megan and her husband, Tyler, and their son, Weston, live on Fox Island and were glad to have found Trinity in 2018. A first grade teacher by day, Megan enjoys volunteering in Trinity's children's classes. She is also a member of our newly formed One Parish One Prisoner team.
"We arrived at Trinity new to the South Sound and a bit disillusioned by the experience of "church." We longed to find a community in which our family — especially our young son — could encounter and respond to God's compassion and hope in an authentic way. Trinity has been that to us, and I'm honored to have the opportunity to add my voice to the chorus of elders who have come before me in love and service."
IRIS JACKSON, Deacon Nominee
Iris has been loving and serving the Trinity community and the Bryant Neighborhood for many years. She has been on Trinity's staff in various capacities (nursery, custodian, Pat's Closet) for more than 20 years. Currently she leads a circle of Trinity volunteers to host a meal on Trinity House's front porch for neighbors each Thursday evening. Iris joined Trinity as a member in 2019, and is eager to serve the Lord as a deacon for these next few years.
POLLY WITHROW, Deacon Nominee
Polly and Bob are back in Tacoma after a hiatus of many years. They are close to children and grandchildren. Trinity was Polly's home church from birth to age 24. It is truly a blessing to be back to a place where she felt so loved and cared for as she was growing up. The names have changed but the people of Trinity are still the same. It is good to be back home.
Polly feels honored to be nominated as a deacon and looks forward to the personal growth this experience will bring. She hopes to give back a little of what she has received from this community that lives the gospel in the heart of Tacoma.
TAP is going well this year. We have ten TAP kids — first and second graders learning to read better as we continue with our in-person program at the BNC after school. Our tutors range from Trinity congregation to college students to middle schoolers to people in the community who have heard about TAP and want to be a part of it! We thank you all for your support of this long-standing program, where kids from Bryant Montessori get the literacy (and emotional-social) support they need. If you are interested in volunteering, we need more tutors on Wednesdays. Please contact Kelly Humphreys for more information.
Last year, a social service agency out of Olympia called Morningside Services, that works with the disabled to engage in meaningful employment in the community, purchased the building next door to Trinity on Sixth Ave. Just this past week, Morningside began a major renovation of that building that will serve as their offices for their work here in Pierce County. So, over the next eight months or so, we'll see lots of construction vehicles and personnel coming and going across the alley. We've been in touch with Morningside since they purchased the building and look forward to being neighbors and partners in the years to come.
Due to the rapid increase in Covid cases in our area and out of an abundance of caution, members of Trinity's Session have decided that worship will continue to be via Livestream only for the next two weeks. There will be no in-person worship. We hope to return to in-person worship at the beginning of February.
Please watch this video from Pastor Matt regarding the decision to pause in-person worship.
Trinity Presbyterian Church in Tacoma seeks to hire a Director of Children & Family Ministry for a 20 hours/week position. The Director will lead the faith formation program based in the Godly Play curriculum, for the children from birth through fifth grade. Trinity’s ministry with children is all about “growing authentic, committed and loving followers of Jesus, one relationship at a time.” We do that through our values: Intergenerational Community, Sacred Storytelling, Meaningful Service, Family Faith Formation, Radical Hospitality, and Corporate Worship.
Ideal candidates should be proactive, self-directed, and possess strong organizational and relational skills. We seek a director who has an active personal spiritual life and will lead the children and family ministry with energy and vision. Familiarity with the Godly Play curriculum is desirable.
Click here for the full job description. Pay range: $21–23/hr. Send resume with cover letter to: childrensdirectorjob@tpctacoma.org.
A small team has been created in response to the current needs of the Bryant Neighborhood Center (BNC). The Transitional Leadership Team (TLT) will assist with both the weekly management and most urgent decisions until a Senior Director is hired. Four individuals, working approximately five hours each week, will collectively keep BNC activities, planning and fundraising moving.
Members of the TLT:
Daniel Akamine—a familiar face at Trinity, Daniel is drawing on his 5+ years of experience with Trinity Outreach and programming and partnerships.
Brendan Nelson—a longtime staff member at Peace Lutheran Church and chair of the Hilltop Action Coalition, Brendan is contributing his perspectives and partnerships from the neighborhood as well as program management experience.
Nalani Linder—a member of Trinity Session and part of the BNC Launch Team, is providing her project management skills and serving as a communications 'hub' for the TLT.
Benita Ki—starting mid-November, Benita will bring the grant writing lens to the TLT, along with the insights and ideas from her time as Executive Director of The Neighborhood Clinic.
Though not an official part of the team, Pastor Matt as Trinity Head of Staff will meet with the TLT as needed. The TLT met with members of Transformational Presence, BNC Launch Team and Trinity Staff last week to discuss the plans for this interim leadership. TLT members have committed working for up to six months (October–March) until a Senior Director be hired and onboarded. More info about the TLT is available here. If you have any questions about the TLT, please send an email to the team.
Make a difference in the life of a Bryant Montessori first or second grader by serving as a tutor! You’ll meet one-on-one with a student and use an easy literacy curriculum that will help strengthen their reading skills, which in turn will help build their self-confidence.
Please note that masks will be required by students and tutors, and proof of full vaccination is required for all volunteers. Questions? Please contact Kelly.
Click here or contact Kelly to sign up.
Another summer is behind us and a new school year is in front of us very soon. Just like the previous year, the words ‘unprecedented’, and ‘uncertain’ are at the front of all our minds. I think this is especially true for our youngest Trinity kids and their families as they get ready for school to start.
How do we support and love our Trinity families and children during this time? How do we grow as a faith community even when some families are going to choose to stay home while others come to church every Sunday? I know these are questions that I wrestle with and many of you are probably wrestling with also.
One answer that I have is to keep as much stability and consistency as possible. For the autumn of 2021, the Children’s Ministry Team, Pastor Matt, and I have brainstormed a simple plan for engaging our Trinity Children—returning to Godly Play classrooms, but with two multi-age classrooms, with a high emphasis on COVID-safe practices so that families can rely on as safe an environment as is possible.
One of our Core Values for Children, Youth, and Family Ministry is Intergenerational Community. That means we need ALL OF YOU to help us grow authentic, committed, and loving followers of Jesus, one relationship at a time. I know thinking about committing to one more activity during this unprecedented and unpredictable time is hard, however I hope that seeing this simple plan can support YOU as a volunteer or parent in guiding how you choose to spend your time and show up in community and service.
MASKS:
All adult volunteers will be masked the entire time and have a record of full vaccination on file with Trinity. All children will be expected to wear a mask as well.
We will use three-ply disposable masks during class time. We will have them on hand if needed.
ROOMS:
We will primarily use the two new rooms in the stair tower. These rooms have big beautiful windows and new fan systems to help keep air circulated.
In the rooms we will keep to six feet of social distancing.
The rooms will be clearly labeled with how many people can be in there. On the occasion we have more children than can fit in the room, the BNC will be used as it provides the most space.
There will be no snack during class time.
Art/Response time will be done on the floor with individual trays.
Schedule and Volunteers:
Children will be broken up into two rooms: pre-kindergarten–second grade and third–fifth grade.
Five adults are needed each week: two Teacher/Storytellers, two Doorkeepers/Assistants, and one nursery volunteer (alongside our Nursery Attendant Tiffany Keenan).
First Communion Sunday will be a Jubilee Sunday, with pre-K to fifth grade all together. Children will be dismissed to the BNC for large group and then brought back up early to participate in communion with their families.
Fifth Sunday will be Family Worship with no Sunday School classrooms (only one fifth Sunday this fall).
Volunteer Teachers & Assistants:
As Melissa is transitioning out of her role, we need as much help from you as possible. We need about five adults each Sunday, volunteering once a month. The most helpful way is to sign up for Sundays in advance. Please let us know of any Sundays from September thru December you will be GONE and UNAVAILABLE to volunteer. Please send those to Melissa Yager by Monday, September 6.
Make sure to join us on Sunday, September 12, as we begin our first week of Sunday School for the fall. Before class starts there will be a special children’s blessing, and gift for all kids and parents to take home with them. We will also have a chance to say thank you to Melissa Yager who has so capably led us in this challenging season.
Thanks for all you do to love our kids!
Pastor Matt Robbins-Ghormley
Melissa Yager
Children’s Ministry Team: KariAnn Elling, Amber Robbins-Ghormley, Annie Lambert, and Kelly Christel
Did you know that the month of July is "Love Thy Neighbor" month in Washington State? Yes, it's a signed declaration by the Governor. The Tacoma Ministerial Alliance wrote the proposal and submitted it to the Governor this last month. The proclamation is an encouragement for all of us love and respect one another. Especially in these times of division. There may be more to come, but this is a place to start. Through your pastors, Trinity is a part of the TMA.
The Anti-racism Task Force of the Olympia Presbytery invites you to a 2-hour workshop with the Rev. Irvin Porter to understand and begin dismantling the religious framework used by the Church to justify the dispossession of Indigenous people lands, territories, and resources on behalf of Christendom. You can find a fuller description of the workshop when you click here to view the syllabus.
All are invited to participate. The General Assembly encourages “. . . the church to study and to learn about the historic and current social, missional, and theological implications of the Doctrine of Discovery." The Anti-racism Task Force of our Presbytery has planned this workshop to help us understand the issues and to partner with the Indigenous peoples, locally and nationally, to become more informed and proactive representations of God’s peace and justice.
Zoom link for the event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8143240890
Please download and have these documents available for our workshop time together:
“Christopher Columbus and the Doctrine of Discovery: 5 Things to Know”
“The Doctrine of Discovery and its Enduring Impact on Indigenous Peoples”
“Native American Coordinating Council Report: 2020 General Assembly”
“Reclaiming Native Truth: The False and Harmful Current Narrative About Native American Peoples”
Questions? Email Rev. Liz Kearny at liz@longviewpres.org.
After two years away from our home Sanctuary, and one year of online worship, we are thrilled to announce the return of in-person worship Pentecost Sunday, May 23, 2021.
Appropriate COVID-19 precautions according to Washington State Phase Three Guidance for Religious Institutions will be taken to keep everyone safe. Simultaneously, we plan to launch live-streaming of our services, moving away from our current Zoom format, for those who are not able to or not comfortable with attending in person.
If Pierce County is in phase three on May 23, service size will be limited to 50% capacity; if in phase two, service size will be limited to 25% capacity. Either phase necessitates reservations to attend. You can register now to attend our May 23 service. We will release registration links weekly following the Sunday service.
Final building projects are being completed and all steps are being taken to prepare our refreshed space for our first Sunday together. Watch for more details as we return to our beloved space.
Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021
Dear Neighbors, Partners, Members and Friends of Trinity, Fellow Tacomans,
It is with great joy that I write this letter announcing the opening of our search for the founding Senior Director of the Bryant Neighborhood Center.
The Bryant Neighborhood Center grows out of the long-term presence and commitment of the Trinity Presbyterian congregation as a vital community partner here in our neighborhood. Trinity’s outreach programs have supported neighbors through tutoring and mentoring for kids, meals, clothing, and medical care for the past 30+ years. In 2016, Trinity faced a tough decision—as the church building was deteriorating and would need significant investment in order to be safe and effective into the future. Trinity took a step of faith to be “here for good” in a major fundraising effort, and invited participation with many local foundations, businesses, churches, and individuals. In 2020, we were thrilled to be able to complete a $4 million renovation of our historic church building—and now have ready a beautiful, multi-purpose space in the entire lower level of the building dedicated to this neighborhood work. As our neighborhood emerges out of COVID-19, we look forward to all the ways the BNC will be a gift to this community.
Now we are eager to find a senior leader to join our team and make this vision a reality. What kind of a person are we looking for? Well, here’s some essentials:
A builder. We have a vision, a motivated community, and a great history of service, but we need someone who can inspire, connect, and build out this vision here in our corner of the Hilltop.
A proven leader. We need someone who knows how to manage and motivate staff and our partners, set and keep to budgets, and can set good policy.
A partnership broker. It is clear to us that the BNC will be a wonderful place for our neighbors to gather, and connect with resources, but we know that we can’t, and shouldn’t, do it all ourselves. We need someone who knows how to grow healthy partnerships with other Tacoma organizations who can bring their strengths to bless our Bryant neighbors.
Someone with big ears. No, not like Mickey Mouse or something! But ‘big ears’ in that this person always has their ears open listening to, and knowing what is going on with neighbors, and other partner organizations.
A fundraiser. It’s going to take significant financial resources to reach this vision—and we want to see our budget, and staffing, grow over time.
A fellow Christian. We are looking for someone who shares our Christian faith, and is eager to join Trinity in seeking to live out the Gospel of Jesus in the Heart of Tacoma. Now, to be clear, the BNC programs are not a means to some religious end, but it is our faith that motivates us to do this community-development work for the common good.
The full job description for this exciting opportunity can be downloaded here, with a salary range of $60–70,000 annually. Applications should be made via email to: BNCSrDirectorjob@tpctacoma.org. The position will remain open until filled.
God’s Peace to you,
Rev. Matt Robbins-Ghormley
Pastor, Trinity Presbtyerian Church, Tacoma, Washington
Trinity's Session Speaks Up on Black Lives Matter and Racial Injustice
Protests have broken out across the country over the tragic and senseless killings of several African Americans at the hands of the police. These precious lives include Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Tacoma’s Manuel Ellis, among countless others. We at Trinity Presbyterian Church mourn these tragedies and stand in solidarity with our black brothers and sisters who have endured a lifetime of systemic racism.
We realize that too often the practice of the white American church is to adhere to a passivity that allows us to watch in silence while the Black community is subjugated to a racist system that dehumanizes its people and treats them as less than.
We at Trinity Presbyterian Church repent for our sins for not standing with the black community. BLACK Lives MATTER. We ask for forgiveness for hiding behind the cloak of white privilege where we show empathy but do not sacrifice or give up anything to stand up for our black brothers and sisters who cannot breathe. We will not take part in a community of silence that perpetuates the status quo.
Amos 5:24 says, “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Jesus lifted up the oppressed and marginalized in His day and told us to “go and do likewise.” We take this as a call to action. Dismantling systemic racism must be part of our DNA. Racism and white privilege stand in denial of God’s purpose on this earth.
We are called to be a place of healing and hope. We pledge to make a three-fold commitment in the following ways:
1) As individuals, to both study and confess our own biases, and to change those parts of ourselves that need transformation.
2) As a congregation, we will commit to anti-racism in our relationships fostered in worship, bible study, and prayer. We will also explore ways where we need to make systemic changes within our church and in the implementation of the Bryant Neighborhood Center.
3) As part of the Tacoma community, we will listen to our Black brothers and sisters without asking them to shoulder the burden of teaching us. We will be neighbors to BIPOC congregations and listen, learn and offer support where needed. We listen, the Black community leads, and we follow.
This statement was authored by elders Don Blagsvedt and Aya Clark,
and was affirmed by the Trinity Session on Tuesday, June 16th .
