Life in the Trinity — Prologue to Post-Pentecost | TRANSITIONS WORSHIP SERIES
Peace with Justice Sunday | Memorial Weekend (USA)

NRSV texts, artwork and Revised Common Lectionary Prayers for this service are available at the Vanderbilt Divinity Library.
Leccionario en Español, Leccionario Común Revisado: Consulta Sobre Textos Comunes.
Lectionnaire en français, Le Lectionnaire Œcuménique Révisé

Calendar Notes

The colors for today (Trinity Sunday) are white and gold. Starting next Sunday and until All Saints Sunday (November 4), the color is green.

For Your Planning Team

Planning for This Service

Today launches a new series and a new season, the Season after Pentecost. As we noted in the Series Overview and the Preaching Notes, the focus of this new season is to help us live out the ministries we have been given using our spiritual gifts, all in the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. Today marks the beginning of a season of missional action and focus in the life of the church.

We mark that beginning by remembering and getting deeply in touch with the reality that makes our mission possible for us—the reality that our life and work is in and through our Triune God.

And we take the time in this series to transition into that beginning, even as this time of the calendar year marks all kinds of transitions for many of us, including not a few United Methodist pastors, deacons, and congregations who will experience a move during the coming weeks.

The promise for this series is that, grounded in the life of our Triune God, we will be equipped and supported in working through questions and seasons that come with this and every time of transition in our lives.

Today’s service makes a transition from Easter Season to where we’re heading by preserving, for today, at least, a kind of dramatic act of entry to kick it off, and by continuing the Easter Season practice of weekly Communion. At the same time, the form of that act of entry is different— this time three bells rung in harmony, then straight into opening songs without an intervening act of testimony. The form of the Great Thanksgiving changes as well. These changes, modulated this way, are intentional. They signal some continuity with what has come before, but also introduce enough difference that it’s clear we’re starting to head in a different direction, starting now.

We begin to see just how different beginning next week.

One last word. This service is not designed to “explain” the Trinity. Worship is not a theology class. This service is designed to bear witness to and give thanks for the reality of life we, as the baptized, share in the Trinity. Do not try to explain Trinity today. Focus on praise and testimony.