Weekly Email w/b 16th January 2023

As I drove home on Monday evening I heard on the radio that it was “Blue Monday”. Have you heard about this? Somebody (with perhaps too much time on their hands) calculated that a combination of grey days, failed new years resolutions and Christmas bills dropping through the door makes the third Monday in January officially the most depressing day of the year. There’s a full scientific formula online if you’re interested, but the truth is this was a marketing tactic dreamed up by a travel company to boost holiday sales at the start of the year! The idea was first shared in 2005 but it seems to have stuck and lots of companies are now telling us what we need to overcome that “Blue Monday” feeling.

It can be hard not to get dragged into these ideas, can’t it? Just a few weeks ago the marketing world was telling us we couldn’t possibly enjoy Christmas unless we had a new sofa and a fridge full of the finest foods. And now they are telling us we will be miserable unless we book that holiday and work on our bikini body.

As followers of Jesus, we’re invited to look at this another way, as Paul tells us: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:1-2) The days may be dull, we may well have failed in our new years resolutions and bills are sure to be stacking up but we are loved immeasurably by the God who created us and knows our every need. Let’s banish those blues by fixing our eyes on Him and clinging to the hope He brings.

Cerys Hughes

Children and Families Minister

This Sunday we’re meeting as usual across the four congregations at Trinity as well as continuing to serve our neighbouring parish of Belle Vue. Fi Iddon will be speaking at the 9am, 10.30am and 11am gatherings, whilst Keith Moore is speaking at HTBV. In the evening we’ll be on week three of “Made for Relationship” as Phil Cansdale opens up the theme of families. Apologies that we haven’t yet uploaded the first two weeks onto the website. Coming soon!

Activities for 0s-18s continue with Trinity Kids and Trinity Youth taking place at the 11am gathering, whilst members of Anon will be serving in various aspects in the service as well as joining in with the congregation in church.

We are now ONE WEEK away from Jonathan Veira‘s concert on Saturday 28th January. This promises to be a fantastic evening of live music, stories, and a lot of laughter. Tickets are £10 from the Church Office, or direct from the website. All profits from the concert will go towards the Cost of Living Fund.

An evening with Jonathan Veira – 28th Jan 2023

Want to join a group who get together every couple of months to share a meal and “do life” together? Suitable for all ages and ‘stages’, and whether old-timer or newcomer, you’d be very welcome at the next “Big Sunday lunch” taking place on Sunday 5th February. For those already in a group then details should be winging their way to you over the next few days. And if you’d like to join a group – and make the most of opportunities of getting to know other people at Trinity – then let us know and we’ll find some space around a Sunday lunch table near you!

The BIG Sunday Lunch – 5th February

For many years some of us have attended the New Wine summer conference. This year – perhaps for just one year only – it’s taking place in Kent, and a group of us will be trekking down there for the second week, from Tuesday 1st to Saturday 5th August. Most of us will be staying on site, though there are options to stay elsewhere and come in each day.

There’s an early bird booking by the end of January 2023, or take a look at the New Wine website for more details about team places where you get to serve alongside amazing people and have a free place! New Wine also promises amazing work with children and young people, and is often a spiritual highlight of the year for those who attend.

Interested in coming? Want to find out more? Chat to Phil or Fi who will both be digging out their tents for another year under canvas. Please book directly with New Wine, but let us know if you’re booked so we can all camp together….

Find out more about New Wine

Looking across Spring 2023 in the morning services we’re going to be looking at the book of Isaiah. We’re going try and get the big picture of chapters 40-66, and as the new year begins we’re going to allow some of these amazing passages speak to us as a Church. How can we know strength and hope? What “new things” might be bubbling up? How can we step forward and serve in Christ-like ways? What is God’s invitation to us in 2023?

In the evenings at the 6.30pm congregation we’re going to be looking at some of the big issues around “life, love and everything in between.” We’ll begin with some really crucial themes of friendship and family, and how we can flourish in the many relational contexts we find ourselves in. We’ll then be looking at some of the more topical and perhaps more controversial themes around marriage, sexuality and identity. We’ll be developing part of the website with some resources to help people listen further and reflect on some of these big themes, as well as some time for Q&A after at least one of the services later in the series. If you don’t usually attend the evening service then why not come and join in for this season?

Our new Trinity Life was published last weekend. You’ll find the usual update on life together here at Trinity, including Sundays, midweek, Cafe, Trinity etc. There’s an update on “Blessed to be a Blessing”, as well as the usual snippets of news and views across the parish and beyond. Pick up a copy wherever you are worshipping this weekend, or take a sneak preview online by clicking below.

Trinity Life – Jan and Feb 2023