Our Values

Everyone is a Beloved Child of God

At Trinity, we believe that every human being- NO exceptions- is a beloved child of God. (Galatians 3:28; 1 John 3:1)

You do not have to earn God’s love. You cannot lose God’s love. (Romans 8:35-39)

We strive to help our members know this truth deeply. We seek to learn more about the character of God, His profound Love, what it means, and the challenges we face in the world that influence us to doubt or forget that we and others are beloved and created in the image of God. We seek to grow deeper in relationship with God and each other, and to learn how to live in response to the unearned gifts of God’s love and grace. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

We know we are not perfect. We can always deepen our love of God, of neighbor, and be more and more conformed to the image of Christ that is in all of us. As Christians, we believe we are called to live and grow in this way. (Romans 3:10; Galatians 2:20; John 13:35)

We also know that the world is not perfect, and that we live in economic and social systems corrupted by sin, which harm God’s children and creation. We seek personal transformation through our faith in Christ, that we can transform the world into the Reign of God. (Luke 4:43; Matthew 6:10; Psalm 45:6)

Through the study of the Holy Scriptures of Christianity, spiritual practices, service to others, theological education, and above all our common worship, we believe we can be transformed into the people God created us to be. We seek to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. (Micah 6:8)

Worship & Beauty

Worship in the Episcopal Church emphasizes beauty, reverence, and the ancient traditions of the Christian church. Through it, we connect both to the richness of our Anglican roots and to the creative ways that the Holy Spirit is working in our lives in the here and now. Our worship strives for good music, a sense of flow and grace, poetry and drama, prayerful reflection, and sometimes even a sense of silliness and play. We learn and express our beliefs first and foremost through the words and actions of worship. We believe that praying shapes believing and that as we pray, so we believe.

Scripture, Tradition, and Reason

We believe that every person is capable of having their own relationship with God, and is able to use the tools of our tradition to answer questions, define their ethics, and seek the truth. Our clergy guides us, but does not dictate what we must believe. The fundamental source we use for forming beliefs is the Holy Bible, which we do believe to be the Living Word of God. However, we also know the Bible is not easy to interpret. Therefore we also encourage people to use the tools of our tradition (our prayers and worship practices, the writings of theologians, ideas that have generally stood the test of time, etc.) and our God-given reason to aid us in forming beliefs, ethics, and practices. We also believe that seeking the help of other believers is an important aspect of seeking God’s truths.

Open-Minded Spirituality

Our spirituality is expressed in an open-minded, searching approach to faith. Engagement with God and the church is intended to open us to the mystery that is God. Doubt, questioning, exploration and openness to new insights are a part of journeying on the path with God and experiencing the wholeness of life. While we hold to the fundamental beliefs of Christianity as expressed in the Nicene Creed, we believe many other aspects of and doctrines in theology are open to examination and we don’t require any member to ascribe to any particular doctrine. As a community of believers, we practice being comfortable holding opposites in tension. We believe that what appears to be differences may contain a balanced truth. Living and engaging in our faith community in this way means developing a tolerance of differences in thinking and practice.

Service to ourselves & others

Episcopalians value a middle way between extremes. We seek a balanced, reasonable approach to life. It is a life in which prayer, work, study and play have a rhythm, taking into account the whole of experience, ambiguity and all. We follow Jesus by being compassionate and responsive to the needs of our local and global siblings. Some of the things we do:

Collaborate with Wheeler Mission Shelter for people experiencing homelessness
Sponsor a program for school kids in Haiti
Strive to give 10 percent of our operating budget to Outreach grants beyond our walls
Contribute monthly to Monroe County Ministries (MCUM)
Join in the Christmas Angel Tree gifts for the underserved
Collaborate with Community-wide Backpacks for Kids
Work to dismantle racist structures in our parish, church, and local community.
Work to increase access to mental health care for all who need it.
Partner with City Government, other churches and non-profits, and local businesses to seek solutions to challenges facing our community such as homelessness, poverty, access to education and health care, and racism.

A Loving Community

We are committed to being a loving and reconciling community where every member is known to be and always treated as a beloved child of God. While we know that because we are human and imperfect conflicts will arise, we always seek to follow our values and find healing and reconciliation for all. We have formal conversation values and norms which we all strive to follow and to which we hold each other accountable. When these norms aren’t followed, we seek each other’s assistance, and the assistance of the clergy and vestry, to resolve the conflict, reconcile, and return to serve God and each other. Our norms are:

Take time to listen. Do not interrupt! Be present with one another and God. Seek not just what is said but also what it means. Mirror and ask clarifying questions. Don’t think about your response while another is speaking, but take care to note their main points.

Allow silence and ensure others are heard. Pause between speakers. God may enter the pause. Allow space for someone who has not spoken before speaking again.

Speak for yourself. Use “I” language, and avoid “you” language. Don’t say, “You do X,” try, “When X happens, I feel Y.” Do not try to speak for someone else, but speak to your own thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

Do not challenge. Seek understanding, and offer alternatives, not just criticism.

Be attuned to one another. Listen for what the whole group is saying. All persons have God-given dignity, and therefore all people are empowered to speak. All persons are ALSO empowered and encouraged to speak up if a conversation is not healthy.

Hold opinions and convictions LIGHTLY. Be open to changing your mind.

Presume good intent. Do not make assumptions about someone else’s intent or motives, but instead ask clarifying questions, even if what they say seems to you to reflect poor values, motives, or intent. Ask clarifying questions, e.g., “It sounds like you meant X, did you mean that?”

Assume confidentiality. Be discreet in talking about what happens here outside this group. Ask up front if what is to be discussed will be confidential or not, and to whom. When in doubt, keep everything in strict confidence.

Avoid unhealthy behaviors. Don’t triangulate, gossip, attempt to build coalitions, etc.

When you make a mistake: Remember, you’re a beloved child of God no matter what. Apologize and seek reconciliation. And remember, we all sin, so be forgiving.