At the heart of our Christian walk is God’s desire that we support one another and sustain one another. Each individual Christian lives not only for themselves, but also to love and nurture those who are called to participate in God’s Kingdom, showing the world what it means to live as part of that Kingdom.
We do that in many ways. We worship and we provide service to our communities. We prepare music to celebrate our faith. We study the Bible and the theology of the church. All of those things are necessary, but if we are to develop the relationships of mutual support that Christ has called us to build, we need to go further. We have to set our minds to building a church in which mutual, spiritual support is central.
Some of that support can happen in worship, some in bible study, and some in mission and service. However, without purposefully building in room for sharing our personal and spiritual struggles, that vital sharing is too easily crowded out by the other work of the church. Church can easily become another place to go and be so swamped by busyness that we lose sight of the whole point of the journey. We have to resist that temptation, and find a way to build meaning and purpose into our walk with God.
That’s exactly what our Gatherings Ministries are intended to do. They aren’t anything fancy. They’re not some new Christian fad. We’ve got no Seven Steps to Spiritual Satisfaction book to hawk or a 10 Habits of Highly Jesusy People inspirational DVD set to pitch. These are just little groups of human beings who come together to talk, to laugh, to support one another, and to pray. Some groups focus on Bible study, others on supporting one another through the real challenges all of us face in our day to day lives, others a place to share in fellowship. But all of them give us something that the modern world tries to take away: A place to be accepted, where you can openly share your journey with others. In supporting each other and sustaining each other, we’re pursuing what lies at the heart of the Gospel.
Sound like something that stirs you? Let us know! You can contact us by following this link. You’re more than welcome to join us in this gracious journey. What might that look like? Take a look:
Currently Active Gatherings Groups:
Wednesday Bible Study: Every Wednesday night at 7PM, this young adult study and fellowship group comes together in Burtonsville. There’s a little music, a little singing, and a chance for fellowship and sharing. The gathering is hosted by Jenny Yoo. She can be reached at ijyoo1980@gmail.com.
Acoustic Praise Circle: For those interested in music, an acoustic praise circle comes together for singing and Bible study every Saturday evening at 7 PM. This gathering follows our praise team’s Saturday practice, and is lead musically by praise team leader Andy Choe. If you’ve got questions about the study, or are interested in sharing your musical gifts, contact Andy at achoe28@gmail.com.
Sunday Young Adult Study: Life poses all kinds of challenges. This gathering provides attendees (mostly college age or 20-somethings) with an opportunity to share their own journey of faith, and to find ways to apply their faith to their day-to-day lives. The group sometimes meets on site and other times travels off-site for a few cups of primo java and a few moments of shared blessing. For information, contact Mike Kim at 240.460.7333.
Sunday Adult Study: Every Sunday, this gathering comes together at noon for a more traditional and scholarly Bible study. Our group focus is study of scripture and history and theology, coupled with an opportunity for us to share together a bit of our lives in fellowship. For information on our course of study, see our curriculum on the Trinity web site, or contact Pastor David at 301.229.4440.
DIVAHS: This gathering is geared for moms, both single and married, who are trying to find a way to sustain their spiritual walk in the face of all the other demands on their lives. It’s a great chance to laugh and share and get some support in your journey. The group meets in Alexandria once a month. For more information, contact the church at 301.229.4440.
Sports Fellowship: On most Sunday afternoons, a group of us heads out to a local field for a little...um...body worship. Typically, this involves soccer. It's a good chance to get to know one another, and to enjoy a little competitive fellowship. If that sounds like something you're looking for, you can get more information by contacting Kyung at kyung.trinity@gmail.com or Sarah at 240.475.3839.
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Don't see that perfect match? If the idea intrigues you enough, you can...brace yourself...do it yourself. In the very near future, we'll have a series of online training videos available right here that will help guide you through the process of creating your own Gathering. How much will it cost you? Nothing but your time. So stay tuned.
