For us “Peace” is a redemptive Christian way of life that must be constantly worked at. We offer the Risen Christ who broke asunder the chains of death and who says to us, “Be not afraid.” One of our most exciting projects lately has been to help rebuild or rehabilitate the homes of those too poor to afford repairs and necessary improvements. If you can hammer a nail or move a paintbrush on a wall please call Trinity and ask for our Associate Pastor Julie Horne.
Pastor’s Reflection:
I began my pastorate in Greenville and Taylorsville UMC in 1969. I have served United Methodist Churches in Kelseyville, Rio Linda, Chester, Auburn, and Chico Trinity. I also served a year in 1973 on a sabbatical to Yale University where I was a Research Fellow. But I learned most how to be a pastor while serving on the streets of Sacramento, where from 1984 to 1994 I was a Counselor for the homeless mentally ill, the Director of Brother Martins Courtyard at Loaves and Fishes (a day shelter for homeless men) and then a roving Pastor for the homeless at Loaves and Fishes. As a pastor to homeless people I learned how better to love every person without judging them and how better to serve others with the deepest compassion, the way God in Christ loves me. As a disciple of Christ I have been called to the impossible task of bringing peace to a violent world. I try in all ways I can to model the Spirit of Christ for my parishioners, which is also an impossible task. But God calls us to be faithful to God’s visions. God never requires me, or you, to be “successful.” One of my favorite quotes is from Mother Theresa, who said, “We are not required to do great things, only small things with great love.”
History of Trinity United Methodist Church:
Trinity was once two Methodist Churches, the first of which is the oldest church in Chico. We will soon celebrate our 150th year Anniversary on December 13th, 2008. It was on this date in 1858, seven years after Chico was established as a town, that L. Coleson gathered a few Methodist friends for prayer in his home on Chico Creek. Five years later, John Bidwell, the founder of Chico, donated land for the new Methodist Church South and the congregation built a sanctuary and parsonage on what is now Main and 6th St. In 1867 Bidwell gave land on 4th & Salem to the Northern Methodists. And in 1939, these two prominent congregations united to form Trinity! They called themselves “Trinity” Methodist Church in honor of the Uniting Conference of that year, which combined three Methodist denominations nationally, the small Protestant Methodist Church and the two other branches now united in Chico. In 1941 the Trinity congregation worshipped in their new sanctuary which they built on 5th and Flume Streets. We stand on this corner to this day!
Our Mission Statement:
“Our Mission is to be a church with a heart that cares for everyone.” “We endeavor to be a church that is open, loving, welcoming, and accepting of all persons. We are enriched by the gifts of persons of different ages, abilities, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, education, and economic class. As followers of Jesus, we seek to help all people find their way to God and God’s will and grace through our ministries of worship, education, outreach, and care giving.”
Active Membership:
We have been purposely updating our membership roster, and we had a large number of deaths among our membership last year. We currently count 409 members.
UMW, Youth, Church School Programs:
We have three active UMW Circles that meet monthly, both as separate groups and as a combined group. We have a Jr. and a Sr. High group and are currently in discussion with two other Chico churches to combine our resources and amplify the programs we can offer them. We have an active young adult group and a robust children’s Sunday school program, including a children’s choir that sings on special Sundays in the year, does plays around Christmas and Easter, and features an all church picnic and worship service at Bidwell Park in the spring and fall.
Outstanding Sermon or Pastor’s contribution to the life of the church:
August 2nd to 19th I fasted and vigiled for peace at Rep. Wally Herger’s Office. I sat in front of his Chico door for 1 1/2 weeks, conducting a Communion at 12:30 each day. Many Trinity people and others from Chico came to join me. Our purpose was to ask Rep. Herger to help congress “Bend our Swords into Plowshares” Isaiah 2:4. We led by example, to use peaceful, Christian ways to bring Peaceful, Christian ends. There is a peace giving power in the Word of God, a Peace the world knows nothing about. Just before his death Jesus said, “My peace I give unto you.” Jesus is for me the source of peace. To be a Christian witness for peace is so important today. It is one of the most important moral issues of our time. You are welcome to read my sermons on the Trinity website, http://www.chicotrinity.com. |
