Trinity Presbyterian Church focuses on the Word and the Sacraments in order to be obedient to the Great Commission, in which Christ commands us to proclaim the Gospel, baptize, and then teach all those who become part of the family of God (Mt 28:18-20). Our primary values and culture all flow from this approach.

  • Above all, Trinity values teaching and proclaiming what Christ has done for us. Since the entire Bible revolves around this theme, we understand that to preach the Word means to preach Christ crucified for us (1 Cor 2:1-2, Luke 24:44-47, John 5:39, Acts 3:18-24). We insist that every sermon hinge on the finished work of Christ, which is key to all of Scripture. This encompasses all parts of our Sunday worship services, classes, and Bible studies, as well as what we tell the world.
  • We value exegetical preaching and avoid politics and pop culture in the pulpit. We believe that the congregation is best nourished and equipped by a deeper and fuller understanding of God's law and the good news of the gospel rather than by commentary on the latest headlines or trends.
  • Our sermons also include a direct address to the children -- often an opening question, story, or illustration that encapsulates the sermon's theme. This helps the youngest among us to listen further, grow in their understanding of God's holiness and love, and feel included in the body.
  • We include the sacraments (baptism and communion), because they are powerful signs that God has endowed with the ability to reinforce in our hearts and minds what Christ has done for us (1 Cor 11:26, 1 Pet 3:18-22).
  • Our congregation deeply values the benefits of weekly communion. A Christ-centered sermon progresses naturally to the Lord's Table, where we believe Christ is spiritually (but not physically) present. We celebrate this sacrament as a true means of grace, calling us to regularly remember Christ and His sacrifice and to celebrate His finished work on our behalf.
  • In accordance with the consistent practice of the Church throughout history, we baptize the children of believers, generally as infants. We believe that baptism is a true means of grace that signifies God's salvation of helpless sinners from judgment. We do not believe that the act of baptism itself is salvific, nor do we require members to hold to infant baptism (though most do).
  • Trinity considers the Sunday worship service to be its primary event: Sunday School, community group, and other ministry events are important, but ultimately non-essential. We therefore encourage members to attend worship faithfully rather than insist they attend extracurricular events.
  • Throughout the New Testament, God calls the church to live life together and to bear one another's burdens (Gal 6:10). We see this in Acts 2:41-42: “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
  • We thus emphasize the need to spend time together, doing these very things in various contexts so that the body of Christ is built up. We host most non-Sunday events in members' homes, encouraging meaningful relationships within in the body.
  • Since Christianity is viewed with growing suspicion or disdain in an increasingly post-Christian culture, we emphasize that our evangelism needs to take place primarily through relationships.
  • The Bible calls us not only to proclaim the Gospel to the non-believing world but also to realize the debt of love that we owe to our fellow humans (Luke 10:37, Rom 13:8). As such, we encourage our members to build relationships with their neighbors, show them the love of Christ, and give them the reason for our hope (1 Pet 3:15-16).