Pastor Brian's Blog

I was deeply disturbed by the news of a shooting at a Baptist church on Nov. 5 in rural Texas.  Twenty-six people were killed, and twenty others were injured.  The fact that the shooting took place during worship leads some to wonder if it could happen at Trinity.  While it is unlikely, it is better to have a plan - just in case.    Last October, the two officers from the Wilmette Police Department made a presentation to the Trinity Church Council. "What if someone starts shooting at Trinity?"  The short answer is: (1) Run. (2) Hide. (3) Fight.  Here's a link to a simple pdf resource  with information from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation prepared by the  Washington Post .    The Wilmette Police showed the following video clip during a recent training for faith communities that Trinity hosted.  The goal is to help you think about how you mig...

Last week, my cell phone suddenly stopped working.  The screen went blank, even though the battery meter indicated a 40% charge.  When I plugged the phone into the charger, it worked but not for very long without being plugged in.  It was time to change the battery.  With the new battery, my phone is now functioning properly.  Grace is the power of God that changes our hearts.  As the apostle Paul writes: “If anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation.  The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!” 1 God’s grace makes a difference in our lives.  With God’s help, we can experience a transformation into the image of Christ here-and-now. 2 One definition of grace, adapted from John Wesley’s Instructions for Children , is that grace is the power of God working in us enabling us to know, love, and serve God. 3   From a Wesleyan perspective, God loves us as we are but does not leave us th...