Trinity UMC in Denton, TX Welcomes you to our Online Palm Sunday Worship
Pastor Jim Will offer Communion, and viewers may participate with Bread and Cup from their own homes.
Our Communion Rail Offering this month is for the Denton Community Food Center. Donations can be mailed directly to the church office, or sent through our Online Giving portal at trinitydenton.org
A companion to the YouTube service
Greeting: Tawny Rybowicz
Opening Hymn
Spirit of The Living God
The UM Hymnal, No. 393
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Opening Prayer: Tawny Rybowicz
Children’s Moment: Denise Davis
Offertory Prayer
Please go to our website, trinitydenton.org, and click “Giving.”
Offertory: Marcin Parys
Scripture Reading: Marie Snider
Philippians 4:4-8, 11-14
Message: Rev. Dr. Jim Bowden
Invitation to Faith and Service
Hymn of Sending
It Is Well With My Soul
The UM Hymnal, No. 377 (vv. 1 & 4)
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
Pastoral Benediction
It’s a bright, warm, and beautiful First Sunday of Lent, Trinity Family, and we missed a lot of you in worship this morning!
Here is the link for today’s 11AM contemporary service, in case you couldn’t make it today.
REMINDER! WE HAVE A SECURE ONLINE GIVING LINK AT THE TOP OF THE MAIN PAGE OF THE WEBSITE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP SUPPORT TUMC DENTON.
Greetings, Trinity Family!
Today’s broadcast of the 11AM service is separated into two parts.
As there’s only room for one in the Latest Sermons section of the main page, we’re leaving both videos here for ease of viewing.
Don’t miss our wonderful Trinity Ringers with the Prelude!
Have a great week!
Good Morning, Trinity Family!
Technical issues prevented our LiveStream from working last Sunday, But we don’t want anyone to miss the story of our own Rev. Vanessa Sims, and how the MLK Pedestrian Bridge on the Loop came to be so prominently painted!
From Rev. Sims:
Someone in the City of Parks and Recreation Department authorized the removal of Dr. King’s photo at Denton MLK’ Jr. Recreation Center. For me, this didn’t make sense and was disrespectful. I contacted Councilwoman Charlye Heggins to discuss the matter. After asking many people to donate a professional photo for the Center, Dr. Simon Allo provided agreed to purchase a photo for the Denton MLK Jr. Recreation Center. I then traveled to Dallas and Ft. Worth to find a photo for the Center. On June 19, 2008, the photo was dedicated and hung at the Denton MLK, Jr. Recreation Center. The photo hangs behind the visitor’s desk at the center. On June 19, 2008, I received a Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Denton Parks and Recreation Department for this work.
The naming of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Pedestrian Bridge was led by my friend the late Councilwoman Charlye Heggins. She died before the bridge was completed. The bridge opened on May 29, 2013, and was dedicated on June 14, 2013. The 793′ long bridge span crosses 6 lanes of Loop 288 near Colorado Blvd. A bronze plaque was placed at the north entrance of the pedestrian bridge and spans Loop 288 connecting the rail trail. This bronze plaque is located behind businesses (Bed Bath & Beyond) and is hidden from public view. This made no sense to me and I believed it was disrespectful to the late Dr. King and his fight for Social Justice and Civil Rights.
As one recalls, Selma’s Bloody Sunday, (March 7, 1965) approximately 600 civil right marchers (men, women, and children) were assaulted as they marched through downtown Selma. As they marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, (a bridge named after a Confederate general and reputed Grand Dragon of the Alabama Ku Klux Klan). They were knocked to the ground, struck with sticks, whips, rubber tubing wrapped in barbed wire, and tear-gassed. My people were beaten just because they wanted the right to vote. This and other events led Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act, which President Johnson signed into law on August 6, 1965.
In February 2016, as I reflected on the contributions of numerous African’mericans and the continuous fight for voting rights. I wondered why Denton’s bridge didn’t have Dr. King’s name on it. The memories of the beatings of men women and children on Bloody Sunday troubled me. In addition to the memories of Bloody Sunday, memories of the removal of Dr. Kings photo from the Denton MLK Jr. Recreation Center surfaced. Dr. King gave his life fighting for me to have the right to vote. The least I can do is fight for his name to be placed in public view on a bridge named after him.
Consequently, on February 4, 2016, I contacted the City of Denton and Texas Department of Transportation and asked why Dr. Kings name wasn’t placed on the bridge. A city representative informed me that Texas Department of Transportation had denied a request to place a name on the bridge. The Texas Department of Transportation representative informed me that they did not recall receiving a request. I would need to contact the City of Denton and that the City of Denton would have to make a formal request.
I then made a formal request for the City of Denton to place the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s name on the bridge. After six months of e-mails, phone calls, and visitation to the bridge, the City of Denton Parks and Recreation Department began painting Dr. Kings name on the bridge.
In addition to Dr. King’s name being painted on the bridge, I was also able to negotiate a physical address for both sides of the bridge. The physical address of the bridge is 2004 S. and 2005 S. Loop 288. Address signs have been posted on both sides of the bridge.
I was recognized and given a Community Service Award by the Denton Juneteenth Committee for this work.
Rev. Vanessa Sims
Thank you, Rev. Sims, for all you do in both the community and in ministry. We at Trinity are proud to call you family!
Happy Sunday, Trinity Family!
Attendance was thin this morning, even in the choir, due to the various ailments sweeping through town.
We missed ALL of you who were unable to join us!
Here is the LiveStream of the 11AM traditional service. Note that there were audio issues at the beginning – sound comes in at about 8:20.
Get well, everyone!
Unfortunately for everyone, there were technical difficulties with Sunday’s broadcast.
While we can’t offer a complete video of the performance, we did have several people record with their phones and post the videos.
Head over to Tawny’s Facebook page to see them (link opens in a new tab)
Join us this Sunday for the premiere event of the Trinity Music year, the Christmas Cantata.
Tawny Rybowicz leads the Chancel Choir, Youth Bells, Children and a full orchestra in Joseph M Martin’s “Appalachian Winter“
Come share this musical journey to the Manger with us, as we all prepare for the coming of the Christ Child.
As you prepare your hearts and minds for our Thanksgiving worship this coming Sunday, November 24th, please read and reflect upon Luke 23:33-43.
It may seem a bit odd to preach on the meaning and the power of Jesus’ crucifixion the Sunday before all of the Thanksgiving festivities. Upon further reflection, though, what could we be more thankful for than God’s gracious act of self-giving love in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
I’ve been hearing the term “crisis” with greater frequency these days.
–Our world is in crisis.
–Nations are in crisis.
–Churches and schools are in crisis,
–Individuals, marriages, and families are in crisis.
How is a crisis defined? What constitutes a crisis?
Consider this definition:
The noun crisis comes from the Latinized form of the Greek word krisis, meaning “turning point in a disease.” At such a moment, the person with the disease could get better or worse: it’s a critical moment. The etymology of the term “crisis” shares a relationship with the term “Christ.”
Life is about choices. If we find ourselves in a crisis, we can choose to embrace the power of the crisis or the power of Christ. I choose to embrace Christ and hold on to his everlasting promises.
The only crisis which has ever existed is the corruption of the human heart. On the cross, Jesus took our disease of sin upon himself, thus offering us the opportunity to be forgiven, loved, and free.
If you ever visit England, be sure to spend time in the city of Coventry, northwest of London.
During WWII, The Coventry Blitz (blitz: from the German word Blitzkrieg meaning “lightning war” struck the beautiful city with relentless force. The city was bombed many times by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe). The most devastating of these attacks occurred on the evening of 14 November 1940 and continued into the morning of 15 November.
Christians of Coventry took two charred embers and made the form of a cross with the inscription “Father Forgive.”
While serving a previous church, I would join in a duet with one of our choristers who has a lovely soprano voice. We sang “Give Thanks” every Thanksgiving Sunday. The hymn, written by Henry Smith in 1978 is based on Luke 1:49–53.
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son
And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us”
Give thanks
We give thanks to You
This Thanksgiving as you feast with family and friends at your table, give thanks to the Holy One for giving us Jesus Christ.
Rev. Jim
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
When it’s in your best interest, practice obedience.
Let others know when they’ve invaded your territory.
Take naps and stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you’re not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone you love is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you (advisedly/carefully).
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
No matter how often you’re scolded, don’t buy into the guilt thing and pout — run right back and make friends.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
One of my deepest beliefs is that God gives us dogs (and other domestic pets) to teach us things that God wants for us to know and practice.
The Holidays are quickly approaching. While they can be joyful occasions, they can also be stressful. Love one another as Christ (and your pet) loves you.
Daily prayer: “Dear God, please help me to be just half the person my dog thinks I am.”
In Christian Love,
Rev. Jim