who we are
The Mission of Holy Trinity Church
We are apprentices of Jesus…
Learning how to do what he did…
Live as he lived…
For the sake of others…which includes all manner of mission, service and evangelism
The Core Values of Holy Trinity Church
- Do-able Spirituality for People of all Ages
HTC is about fostering “do-able” spirituality—one that doesn’t create (more) busy-ness. At the core of HTC, it’s about loving God, others, and ourselves. It’s about a simple spirituality for people of all ages within the already existing rhythms and routines of our actual present lives. (See www.3isenough.org for an example.)
. - Time-Honored Tradition for Everyday Spiritual Rhythms
Spontaneity is over-rated today. The best spontaneity comes from deep practice. When the late Pavarotti or Whitey Houston decided to do a vocal riff you could count on it being rooted in their art and grounded in long obedience to their craft. By mixing structure with spontaneity, HTC’s worship services follow the ancient practice of uniformity amidst variety. In pursuit of Christ-likeness, we encourage spiritual “rhythms” in life and worship. We recognize the power of order for shaping spiritual growth, so our services incorporate the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. We follow the Church Calendar. Historical traditions such as corporate prayer, scripture readings, creeds, confession, and the centrality of the Eucharist (Holy Communion) are employed in the pursuit of spiritual formation leading to mission as the sent people of God. Yet, within this uniformity, we recognize that cultural realities call for fresh modalities in teaching and musical genres.
. - God’s Powerful Presence for our Brokenness
We are all broken: emotionally, spiritually, physically. We worry. We lack faith. Hence, HTC relies on the Holy Spirit as our tangible power for comfort, encouragement, and healing. As “wounded healers,” we strive as ambassadors of the Kingdom, to follow and work alongside the Holy Spirit to bring recovery, restoration and reconciliation.
. - The Sacred Scriptures for a Jesus-Like Life
What is truth? What is reality? These are the big questions of life. HTC strives, rigorously, to find answers through accurate-as-we-can Bible teaching and challenging application. We passionately give credence to the historical Christian scriptures—the final authority on all issues of life.
. - A Global, Regional, Local and Historical Connection for Mission
As a worshiping and sent-by-God community, HTC values being part of something greater than itself. By being part of the third largest Christian denomination, HTC is linked to a global community of 80 million Anglican Christians worldwide, and to great Anglican heroes of faith such as John Wesley, C.S. Lewis, John Stott, J.I. Packer, Leslie Newbigin, and many others. Commissioned by the Archbishop of Rwanda, we are a part of a church planting order called The Anglican Mission in the Americas (”AMiA”). Our regional (West Coast) church planting order is called Churches for the Sake of Others (“C4SO”). At HTC, we are not just planting a church. We are planting a church planting movement on the West Coast. Ultimately, HTC finds great value in the significance of tradition and historical spiritual roots.
. - Vulnerable Relationships for Authentic Community
In a culture starving for community and deeper relationships, we aim to use all means available to us and to stop at nothing to become a well-connected community. Honesty and vulnerability were hallmarks of Jesus’ ministry. We desire to cultivate that culture, where each member can be known, accepted, and challenged to experience a flourishing life…for the sake of others.
