about us | trinity anglican mission

SERVICE TIMES

Sunday Worship
9:30am, 11:30am & 7:00pm

(For sign language interpretation, email: Sarah Garner.)

TrinityKids Worship
9:30am & 11:30am

TrinityYouth Worship
11:30am

Wednesday Mid-day Prayer
12:15pm

LOCATION

2270 Defoor Hills Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Tel: 404 367 6500

HISTORY OF TRINITY

Trinity first began as a Sunday evening worship service within a metro-Atlanta church. Being planted out of that local church in October of 2002 we sought to worship within the perimeter of Atlanta. Early on, God drew those hungry for Truth and formed a worshiping community that loved Jesus and serving others. We met in the beginning at a church in Midtown, then rented for a while in an old recording studio in West Midtown. In August of 2008, we bought a building a mile or two down the street from where we had worshiped for 6 years. We felt we were committing to our city for the long haul with the purchase of the property.
Today, we are excited about the work the Lord is doing in Trinity and in the city of Atlanta at large. We know not every church is a ‘one size fits all’, but if you should be drawn to make Trinity your home, we pray you feel as spiritually fulfilled and inspired as we do.

WHY WE LOVE CITIES

Cities carry a lot of influence to the rest of the world. Our great cities set trends in culture, are hubs for commerce, and promote social progress through its academies and institutions. The Apostles and those in the early Church knew that if the Truth of the Gospel could permeate the hearts of people in cities, then in affect it would carry influence to the outlying regions of those cities. This is why cities are important for the Church and important to Trinity.

AFFILIATION

We are part of the Anglican Mission in the Americas. The Anglican Mission holds the ancient creeds and scriptures to be true and preserves the worshiping practices long held by the church through the centuries.
For more information on the AMIA you can visit their website at www.theAMIA.org or find one of their pamphlets at our info table.

OUR MISSION: CONVERT. GROW. SERVE.

What do we mean by convert? We realize that this word carries a host of meanings and therefore requires a bit of explanation. In our context, convert simply speaks of life change and transformation brought about by the power and life of God.

We long to see Believers grow in their faith and in knowledge of Christ and His Kingdom. We do not want to be isolated, static, church- goers but ever-growing in wisdom and truth as people developed under grace. While we encourage you to grow individually through your private devotional or Daily Office, we also ask that you grow collectively through Small Groups and Classes at Trinity.

Serving calls us beyond the consumerist ‘me focused’ emphasis that is so prevalent in our culture. Mother Theresa once said about serving the lepers in Calcutta, “when I serve those in need, I am His hands, His eyes, His ears and His feet. He is made touchable.” We believe the same is true when we serve one another. To this end, we have created many opportunities to serve inside and outside of Trinity.

OUR VALUES: SUBMISSION. INTEGRATION. CONTEMPLATION. INCARNATION.

Submission is a rather charged word in our culture for we see how historically it has been abused. Submission is a value when we willingly submit to the good direction and use of God the Father as our supreme authority. In doing so, we accept our shortcomings as individuals, acknowledge our need for grace, and submit to the divine authority of God, the Holy Scriptures and to one another in Christian community.

Integration has both a individual and communal component. Individually, integration means that our lifestyle is consistent with our beliefs. It is a term akin to integrity. Communally, integration speaks of a diverse people who choose to be linked to one another. As believers, we cannot afford to live compartmentalized lives. We must exhibit integration.

Contemplation is probably one of the least valued ideas in our contemporary culture. Modern life encourages us to persistently subject ourselves to external input and desires. We believe there is an immense value to turning things off, to quieting our souls and our surroundings in order to commune with the Father through meditation, study, silence and reflection.

Incarnation means that we believe in the full presence and reality of God and His Kingdom at work in every component of our lives. There is no spiritual world detached from the physical world. Valuing the incarnation reminds us that God longs to be present in every aspect of daily life, even in the routine and mundane aspects that often times go unnoticed by others.

OUR BELIEFS: are best summarized in the ancient creeds that were drafted and commonly adopted by mainstream denominations in the Church. We find these statements of faith biblically true, theologically conservative, and in congruence with the basic ethos of Christian belief.

THE NICENE CREED:

WE BELIEVE in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

OUTREACH

Abroad and locally we seek as a church to serve those in need. In the past, this has come in the form of gutting houses in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, providing washing stations for coffee growers in Rwanda, and supporting an orphanage in Kenya. Whether, near or far, we long to take part in the work that God is doing in his Kingdom.

DISCIPLESHIP

Classes and small groups are designed to promote spiritual discussion. Each week small groups gather in homes around Atlanta to grow in discipleship and share in community. We do this by discussing the previous Sunday’s sermon text and praying with one another. Join anytime by contacting the leader of the group you wish to attend. Visit our small groups page to find a group nearest you. Classes are another way of growing spiritually, be it scripture study, exploring spiritual disciplines, or connecting with those who share a common interest, we know that being educated in our faith further serves to mature us as followers of Jesus.

VINE CITY

Vine City is an inner-city neighborhood with a rich heritage (located near Trinity and behind the Georgia Dome). As neighbors of this great Atlanta neighborhood, our intention is to show the love of Jesus to Vine City through a long-term partnership between Trinity and the community. Together, we participate in fellowship outings, service programs and mentorships. To participate or for more information on upcoming events and ongoing efforts, visit their blog at www.vinecity.blogspot.com.

LAZARUS

Lazarus is a ministry for the homeless. Our main purpose is friendship––to look the poor in the eye when most look the other way. There are several opportunities to get involved throughout the year. In addition to multiple large events, we take to the streets several times weekly to build relationships and pass out food items. For more information visit their site at www.lazarusatlanta.org.

TRINITY KIDS

Trinity Kids provides a safe place where children are invited to know and love God, His Word and one another. Babies are cared for, walkers and toddlers play, and school-aged children draw near to God in a worship setting. Teachers engage children through storytelling and invite the children to explore its Biblical truth together. Storytelling is followed by a time of reflection with art, story materials, music, and prayer. Children also share a small feast (a meaningful forerunner to Holy Communion). Trinity Kids happens during the morning services, as well as through monthly community events at Trinity and throughout the city. www.trinitykidsministry.blogspot.com

TRINITY YOUTH

Trinity Youth provides a safe place for teenagers from all walks of life to come with their questions, assumptions, fears and hopes about God. Through worship, teaching, and games, Trinity tries to help our youth understand the things we value as adults such as prayer, time in the Word, and the importance of a spiritual community. Our purpose is to help our teenagers grow into men and women who love the Lord and in turn, know how high, how deep, and how wide His love is for them. To get involved, fill out a serve card in the atrium.

TRINITY ARTS

Many among us are artists of varying disciplines, interests and skill levels. Its our desire to see Trinity's creative culture grow into a culture made of mature, believing artists who are wholly integrated with their community and working toward the renewal of all things. We do this through gatherings, workshops and community events. To get involved visit the Trinity Artists Blog: www.trinityartists.blogspot.com

LEAD PASTOR | Kris McDaniel

As Lead Pastor, Kris, along with the other Elders, help to cast the guiding vision at Trinity. He does the largest majority of teaching on Sundays during our worship services. He also pastorally counsels and cares for the congregation. Kris is married to Karyn McDaniel and they have three young ones; Madelyn, Scout & Finn.

WORSHIP PASTOR | Marty Reardon

Marty directs our methods of worship here at Trinity. He fosters and cares for the musicians and worship leaders as well as the volunteers who help with sound and slide presentations. Marty often leads the midday prayer service in addition to our monthly worship and prayer nights. Marty and his wife Jennifer have three children, Elliot, Bella & Oliver.

ADMINISTRATIVE PASTOR | Matt Yoder

Matt pastorally cares for the operational life of the church. He, along with the finance team, sets the budget and determines missional giving. Matt oversees the staffing structure at Trinity and keeps the crew organized and operational. Margo Yoder is his wife, with whom he has four children, Anna, Jill, Micah & Heidi.

SMALL GROUPS PASTOR | Brad Mauldin

Brad pastors our small group leaders as well as organizes our small group ministry at large. He helps to recruit and equip our small group leaders. He also teaches classes as well as preaches during midday and Sunday worship. He has a daughter named Emery and a wife named Gillian.

ASSISTANT PASTOR | Ashley Mathews

Ashley teaches our Monday School classes as well as teaches during midday and Sunday worship. She seeks to make Trinity a hospitable place so, she oversees our hospitality volunteers during the services on Sunday. She and her husband, Josh, live in the West End neighborhood of ATL.

CHILDREN'S PASTOR | Julia Guy

Julia pastors our littlest ones. From infants to 5th graders, she helps create environments conducive to the spiritual exploration and development of our children. Using contemplative methods, the children engage scripture lessons through artmaking, song and storytelling. She also pastorally cares for the children, counseling and praying with them during the week. She organizes the many volunteers within the ministry and trains them. She is married to Jeff, the Communications Director at Trinity, and they have one son named Henry.

YOUTH PASTOR | Jesi Allers

As Trinity's Youth Pastor, Jesi seeks to minister to the young ones who are growing out of being children and who are coming into being teens. She teaches most of the scripture lessons on Sundays and counsels the youth through the joys and dangers of high and junior high school. In addition to pastoring the youth, she also recruits and trains youth volunteers. She organizes social and missional engagements for the teens. She and her husband, Mark, have two young ones of their own, Toby and Tessa.

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR | Jeffrey Guy

Jeff handles our communication needs at Trinity. Utilizing simple methods such as printed flyers and the website, he works to keep the congregation in tune with what is going on. Jeff also pastors and cares for the many artists who worship here. An artist himself, he feels called to help inspirit purpose in their creative efforts and creates opportunities for them to gather. He is married to Julia, the Children's Pastor, and they have a little guy named, Henry.

OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR | Candace Smartt

Candace works to keep the church functioning. She purchases the church's needs and directly supports the staff in gathering the resources that are needed. She ministers through teaching Monday School Classes and Women's Bible Studies as well as counseling and caring for people within the church. She teaches from the pulpit during Sunday worship as well as Wednesday's midday. She and her husband Stuart live right around the corner from the church in Underwood Hills neighborhood.

BUILDING MAINTENANCE | John Burke

John keeps the Lord's house looking beautiful and ready for worship and learning. He handles all of the maintenance and clean up needs around Trinity. In addition to this, John has led the last four Alabama Relief Trips and has a deep heart for missions. John and his wife Lindsey have two boys, Eli and Noah.

LAZARUS DIRECTOR | Allison McGill

Allison is the founder and director of Lazarus Ministries, a ministry for the homeless of Atlanta. She organizes large Lazarus events such as Health Day, the Superbowl Chili Cook-off and the Christmas Dinner as well as trains and schedules volunteers who meet with clients weekly. She keeps an office out of Trinity and is lovingly known as the "Pastor of Antics" - never a dry moment. Alli is married to Joe McGill and they live on the east side of the city.

VINE CITY COORDINATOR | Drew Henley

Drew provides pastoral oversight and vision to the ongoing efforts of a neighborhood ministry for Vine City. Vine City is a nearby neighborhood that is rich in Atlanta history but has been subject to many of the social and economic ills in the last few decades. He along with many from Trinity have chosen to live in community with these good folks, to live out the gospel by being simply a good neighbor. He also teaches some of our Monday School classes and speaks from the pulpit now and again. He along with his wife, Diane, and their daughter, Anna, live in Vine City.

INSIGHTS INTO THE LITURGY

Liturgy in the church translates as the work of the people. It expresses our traditions of worship and describes our devotional customs. We understand that not all people grew up in a liturgical church, some of us have never even been to church. So, we feel a little explanation is occasionally due. Even for those who have experienced liturgy before, we must remember the reasons behind our actions, lest we merely conduct ritual abstracted from spiritual intent.

THE SEASONS:

Just as there are cycles within nature, the early church found it good to remember the various themes of the gospel through seasons. That is why at Lent we focus on penitence, sin and mortality remembering Christ’s temptation, persecution and death. During Easter, we feast knowing Christ has risen, promises to make all things new and return again.

What it looks like: You will see the seasons visually expressed through the changing colors on our website, the draperies on the table and pulpit. This is a subtle reminder that we are ever proceeding through the seasons and we can be participators in their themes; knowing it is good to remember all of the Great Story present in the scriptures.

THE LECTIONARY:

The early church adopted a plan of going through the scriptures in a rhythmic fashion. We have found good order in this reading plan because it, like the seasons, encourages a holistic approach to scripture instead of picking only the moments that are comfortable to us. We know this is a way of challenging us to grow in the whole Word of the Lord.

What it looks like: On Sundays, you will notice we read a lot of scripture. This is because we believe there is a power to hearing the Word read aloud. The Lectionary recommends 4 texts typically for a Sunday service; A Psalm, An Old Testament Reading, A New Testament Epistle & A Gospel Reading.

THE SACRAMENTS:

Sacraments are an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible Grace, meaning we believe that God graciously is at work during these sacred practices. Sacraments are not easily reduced to symbolic acts but rather is where the Lord is willing and desires to meet with us in a mysterious way. The most common sacraments at Trinity are Eucharist and Baptism.

What it looks like: Perhaps you have noticed that the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist comes at the end of our worship service. We do this because we acknowledge that this sacrament is the culmination of our gathering. When Jesus said, “as often as you gather” we believe he wasn’t waxing philosophical, but wanted us to remember him and meet him in this way. We also receive communion on Wednesday at our Short Midday Service as well as other services. At Easter, we baptize new converts and those who have yet been baptized.

RESPONSES TO READINGS:

Hearing scripture read aloud gives us the opportunity to respond to what is being read. Imagine in Baptist traditions people crying out, “AMEN!” at the reading of the word. Well the liturgical churches have an agreement response as well that we can all participate in, “Thanks be to God.”

What it looks like: After we read the four passages of scripture during worship we are prompted by the reader saying, “...This is the Word of the Lord.” We can then respond by proclaiming, “Thanks be to God!” This reply is used whether the scripture harsh, challenging, astonishing or beautiful. In responding this way, we affirm what has been read and participate in the reading of God’s word.

EXCHANGING THE PEACE:

The Apostles encouraged the Church to greet one another with a holy kiss. In doing so, they exchanged a common Peace - a Peace from being reconciled with God almighty. While we don’t kiss one another, we do shake hands or give a hug and speak the kind words, “Peace be with you.” after confession.

What it looks like: Exchanging the peace follows our time of silent confession. Why does it follow this in the service? Because it is only after we have confessed our sins to God and to one another that we can truly know His peace and share it with one another. When prompted by the pastor, “May the Peace of Christ be with you always,” you can respond, “...and also with you.” and then turn to your neighbor and greet them by saying, “Peace be with you.”

THE COLLECT:

There is a power to praying collectively. Collects are prayers that are meant to be prayed together. Sometimes they are prayed aloud with one voice by the congregation and sometimes they are prayed quietly together in our daily devotions. These prayers were penned long ago by church leaders who wanted common prayers to direct our petitions and praises so they run congruent to the lectionary readings and seasons.

What it looks like: On Sunday you’ll notice that before the service begins, the slide show features the week’s Collect. As you sit and prepare to worship, begin reading the prayer and adopting it as your own. The worship leader will lead all of us through this Collect at the beginning of the service.

BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER:

The Book of Common Prayer is a useful tool for private and public worship and devotion. It contains the lectionary plans for the Sunday texts, Collects to be prayed and provides Daily Office devotional readings along with orders of service and articles of traditional Christian belief.

What it looks like: On the News & Event Flyers you will see suggested Daily Office readings. These come straight from the Book of Common Prayer. The Collects as well as the readings for Sunday all come from the Book of Common Prayer as well. We would encourage you to acquire one of these as it is such a helpful resource for your walk with the Lord.

RESOURCES:

It is helpful to have some other resources during the week for exploring Liturgy. Here are a few we recommend whole heartedly.

The Book of Common Prayer Online
http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/formatted_1979.htm

The Lectionary App for SmartPhones
http://www.iphonelectionary.com/

The Lectionary Calendar
http://www.io.com/~kellywp/

A helpful calendar that shares the different feasts, fasts and seasons colorfully overlaid on top a conventional calendar. There are some additional suggested scripture readings for the days.

Beautiful and countless are the works of the Church. With so many good people doing great things, here are just a few links to other organizations, church plants, and missions we wish to share.

WITHIN TRINITY:

Trinity Worship Site | http://www.trinityworshipmusic.org/

Trinity Artists Blog | http://www.trinityartists.blogspot.com/

Trinity Kids Blog | http://www.trinitykidsministry.blogspot.com/

Trinity Softball League | http://trinitysoftballleague.blogspot.com/

Lazarus Ministries | http://www.lazarusatlanta.org/

Vine City Blog | http://www.vinecity.blogspot.com/

Trinity's Facebook Page | http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2431186878

Trinity's Bookstore | http://homepage.mac.com/trinityvineyard/deliciouslibrary/index.html

BEYOND TRINITY:

The Anglican Mission | http://www.theamia.org/

Church of the Advent | http://www.theadventatlanta.org/