"There are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."
~ St. Paul, 1 Corinthians 12:6-7
At Trinity we try to live by Paul's message to the Corinthians that everybody has a gift to offer the world through the church. Whether you speak in a deep voice that causes people to listen or have a heart for fighting poverty, whether you like to cook for large groups or to work with children, whether you have handyperson skills or love to plan creative worship, there is a space here for you to express these gifts. You don't even have to be a member of the church to participate in our work in the community. Please browse through our ministry areas below to see what opportunities Trinity has to offer. For more information about how to get involved, email us at office@trinitybell.org.
~ St. Paul, 1 Corinthians 12:6-7
At Trinity we try to live by Paul's message to the Corinthians that everybody has a gift to offer the world through the church. Whether you speak in a deep voice that causes people to listen or have a heart for fighting poverty, whether you like to cook for large groups or to work with children, whether you have handyperson skills or love to plan creative worship, there is a space here for you to express these gifts. You don't even have to be a member of the church to participate in our work in the community. Please browse through our ministry areas below to see what opportunities Trinity has to offer. For more information about how to get involved, email us at office@trinitybell.org.
OutreachCedar Woods Ministry
This team has been formed with the mission to bring Christ to the residents of Cedar Woods, an assisted living facility. Volunteers will serve one Sunday a month, singing hymns, befriending the residents, and serving at Trinity’s weekly service at Cedar Woods. Blood Drive Trinity hosts 2 blood drives every year and partners with other area churches which host at other times. Members of this ministry make calls to potential volunteers, assist on blood drive dates and, if possible, donate blood. Helping Hand Box Non-perishable foods and other items for delivery to the Helping Hand agency in Romulus; usually every 2-3 weeks or as needed. Outreach Team The Outreach Team meets 3 to 4 times a year to evaluate requests and oversee the distribution of funds to the church's outreach ministries. Soup Kitchen This ministry provides meals to those in need at Spirit of Hope Church in Detroit. About 7 times a year on a Saturday, the team either purchases and prepares the food OR serves the midday meal and then cleans up in the kitchen and dining room. Soup Kitchen teams are made up of adult and teen volunteers. The time commitment is approximately 4 hours per date. Friday Fill-up! “Like” the Friday Fill-Up Facebook page to stay up to date about immediate or emergency needs, packing dates and fun pictures. Groups and individuals can volunteer to help pack backpacks. It is a great team building project that takes about an hour to complete. WorshipBehind the Scenes
Worship Team This group meets every 6 weeks to help plan and implement special worship services including Martin Luther King Sunday, Holy Week, Fathers' and Mothers' Day, All Saints, and others. Altar Guild Care and service of the altar is what this ministry is about. Members prepare the altar and sanctuary before every service. Tasks include vacuuming, ironing, polishing, washing, and purchasing and arranging flowers for the altar. Generally, Altar Guild members need to be available on Saturday mornings (8 a.m.) and Sundays after services. Communion Bread Bake approximately 40 small loaves of bread once a year for us to bless, break, and eat in remembrance of Christ. Recipe provided! In Worship Acolytes All ages participate in worship by lighting altar candles, carrying torches and the cross, and other duties. Key qualities required are concentration, reliability, and willingness. Choir and Music The choir sings at Sunday Services from September through June and rehearses on Sundays between services (9:15-10:15 a.m.). Musicians are also invited to share their gifts by accompanying the church's singing and/or playing instrumental preludes, postludes, etc. Eucharistic Ministers Eucharistic Ministers assist in leading the worship: leading prayers, reading the lessons and administering communion. EMs meet twice a year. Gift Bearers Gift bearers bring bread and wine to the altar in teams of two. Healing Ministers Once a month, Healing Ministers gather in the back of the sanctuary during communion to offer prayers for healing to any who seek them. Listening, confidentiality, and an open heart are important to this delicate yet powerful ministry. Lectors Lectors read the lessons during 10:30 a.m. Eucharist on Sunday mornings. Both young and old are encouraged to participate in this ministry. Welcomers Welcomers perform a ministry of hospitality to all worshippers, especially helping newcomers to get acquainted with the church and its members. A gift for friendliness and making others feel comfortable is important to this ministry of making a good impression. Formation & EducationChildren
Children’s Education Leaders Children’s Education (ages 3-10) occurs from 10:30-11:15 a.m. on Sunday mornings during the school year. Then kids join adults for Communion. Working in pairs, teachers arrive by 10:15 a.m. and lead the kids through a curriculum that is easy to prepare and fun to implement. You do not need a perfect faith or Bible knowledge to lead these classes, just a commitment to helping kids learn and experience God at their own level. Training/support is provided, and background checks are done. Youth Junior High Youth from age 11-13 are encouraged to join this multi-faceted program, aimed at easing the way from childhood to the teen years and maximizing their development in Christ during this exciting period in their lives. Adult leaders run Sunday meetings as well as fun trips and activities. Senior High This youth group includes 14-18 year olds and also meets Sundays during the school year (plus additional social, outreach or other activities every 4-6 weeks). This curriculum equips adolescents for increasing levels of responsibility and teaches essential skills in the areas of self, society, sexuality and spirituality. The program culminates in a "Pilgramission Trip" abroad which is often life changing for all involved. Adults Adult Forum Meeting on Sundays from 9:15-10:15 a.m., the Adult Forum explores a range of topics through a Christian lens including personal financial health, social issues, history, Bible study and more. There is a lively mix of videos, lecture, and conversation. To join, just show up! Wednesday Bible Study This group meets on Wednesday, 10:30-11:30 am, in Room 5 at Trinity, often followed by lunch at a local restaurant. All are welcome any time! Lenten Program This program usually meets on 5 Wednesday nights in Lent for a light soup/salad supper, study, and a brief time of prayer. In the past we have covered topics like Discerning Your Spiritual Gifts or the Spiritual Discipline of Hospitality. Ideas for new topics are welcome. In addition to helping design the program, volunteers are needed to prepare food, set up, and clean up. Pastoral Care
Prayer Tree
The Prayer Tree is made up of members of the congregation who pray daily for persons in urgent need. Notifications typically come by email. All are welcome to participate. Cards and Calls Adult volunteers extend their hand by phone or mail to bring support and comfort to those who are ill, grieving, shut-in, or in need. Healing Ministers: To learn about our Sunday healing prayer ministry, please see the "Worship" section of this booklet. Parish LifeCoffee Hour
Coffee hour is an important part of Sunday mornings and provides a time for conversation and relationship building. It does not have to be elaborate. Parishioners sign up to host coffee hour and provide food. People may choose to host coffee hour as a team. Receptions and Events Volunteers engage in the important work of hospitality by planning events, purchasing supplies (paid out of budget), setting up, serving, cleaning up afterwards, and sometimes bringing dishes or organizing others to do so (e.g. for funerals, our Annual Meeting potluck in January or Chicken Soup Luncheon in December). You can help with one reception at a time, or several. Strawberry Festival Held on Father's Day weekend as part of a Belleville-wide festival, this is one of Trinity's highest-visibility events which brings many visitors onto our grounds for food and crafts. Even more important, Strawfest gives Trinity folks a great chance to build friendships with one another while raising funds for local social services and for the ministries of our church. A small team plans and publicizes this major event for months. Then we all pitch in to hull strawberries; make and sell sloppy joes, jams, desserts and baked items; serve in the food tent, bakery, or kitchen; park cars; set up and take down; etc. There is something for everyone to do. Community Halloween Carnival Trinity puts on this October afternoon event for all children and families in the community. Includes face painting, carnival games, photo booth, candy, hot dogs and more. Admission is one can of food for Helping Hands Food Pantry. Newcomers Luncheons Scheduled about 3 times a year, these luncheons offer new people at the church a chance to meet with some of the leadership, get to know one another, ask questions, etc. OperationsAdministration
Vestry Discerning God's calling and guiding Trinity Church into the future--what a privilege! The Vestry consists of twelve members elected to lead in this spiritual and business decision-making work. Vestry members meet monthly and are also active in many other facets of parish life. They must be at least sixteen years old, baptized, pledging members, regular in worship, mature, fresh thinkers, and good at working collaboratively. Vestry members serve 3-year terms except for the youth representative, elected for one-year terms by the church's teens. Communications Team The Communication Team consists of a number of volunteers that work on all the ways we communicate at Trinity: the Bell Notes weekly e-blast, The Bell monthly newsletter, website and online presence, branding and advertising, etc. The team meets monthly. Personnel Team This team advises and supports the Rector in managing staff including job descriptions and contracts, hiring processes and decisions, staff goals and morale, and other HR matters. Finance Stewardship Team This team is responsible for educating the Trinity family in the necessity of sharing time, treasure and talents to further the work of God’s kingdom. Each year we plan, coordinate and implement the fall pledge campaign and draft a proposed budget for the upcoming year. Finance Team This team maintains proper fiscal management of the parish through policy review and updating, budget tracking, incorporation of best practices from Diocese and National Church. A sub-committee of this team also conducts a review of the previous year’s financials and sees to the reporting and implementation of the recommendations arising therefrom. The Endowment Fund This Fund was established in 2006 to support the stability and financial future of Trinity, along with the Key Society, honoring those parishioners who have included Trinity in their estate planning or planned giving. The funds are invested in socially responsible programs and are managed through the Diocese of MI. Counting Team Team members work each Sunday in pairs to count and bank church income plus prepare an income sheet. The teams are scheduled to cover one to two months per year and training is provided. Buildings and Grounds General Maintenance The Junior Warden of the Vestry typically oversees Buildings and Grounds matters, and he is always excited to welcome help with improvements and repairs, landscaping, gardening, snowblowing/shoveling, and lawn mowing (equipment and fuel are supplied). Memorial Garden Volunteers assist in maintaining the garden as a sacred place for prayer and remembrance, as well as for the interment of ashes. Trinity Audio/Visual Systems This ministry operates and maintains the various audio and visual (A/V) systems at Trinity, including the sound and recording system in the sanctuary, and the A/V system in the parish hall. We aim to enable these systems to perform their function invisibly, such that the congregation can focus their attention solely on worship. | |||