Footsteps in Faith

Trinity United Methodist Church

Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.

Words from the Pastor

Text Box: “A Diverse Body of Believers, Living the Challenges of our Faith.”

Text Box: Salvation is our point, our purpose and our hope! About 70 years ago a bishop gave an inauguration speech that electrified the audience in the Bronx. His predecessor had been a very nice guy, had done lots of building projects, fundraising, organizing, and administrating. He had been a “good Bishop.” But the new Bishop took the podium to speak, announced, “I am here for one reason and one reason only. Everything I do for you will have one single aim: to save your souls.” The people were stunned at first. They had never heard anything like this before. But the Bishop went on saying the justification for every dollar raised, every hymnbook printed, every speck of dust swept up from under the pews, is salvation. We can do a lot of great things by being involved in church activities. We can care for the needy, help children learn how to read, give to local food banks, raising funds to build orphanages in Africa and many other things. These are all very good things to be doing. But sometimes we need to stop and ask ourselves,” why do we do these things?” The only reason for any of the Church’s activities, in fact the only reason for the existence of the church at all, is the same as the reason Jesus came into the world: to save a humanity that had lost its’ way. We are in the business of saving souls. So what do we mean when we say salvation is our one purpose? Leon Bloy wrote, “There is only one tragedy: not to have been a saint.” Jesus also said, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?” (Luke 9:25) Salvation is your end, your purpose, your hope and meaning. Ultimately, salvation is life with God, both here on earth and in the life to come. Let our efforts in giving, caring, praying and serving always have this at its center, the saving grace of Jesus Christ for the salvation of souls. May the Lord bless this work.

With God’s help, we commit ourselves to caring for our church family, reaching out and thriving.