About Us
Trinity
Welcome to Trinity
Who Are We?
We are people of Faith. You probably already have a sense of what that means—because all of us have at some time sensed that there is more to our story, something we yearn to explore. We are all connected, part of something greater, made for ‘spirit-stuff.’ Well, guess what? Your intuition is right!
We are a Church Family. Did you know that the tale of how Jesus fed thousands of people with a few loaves and a couple of fish appears six times over the four Gospels? That suggests to us that sitting down together, eating together, laughing and learning together as a Church family is pretty darned important expression of life lived well. Trinity is a family space in which we encounter a message of love for every age, race, class and lifestyle.
We are a Christian community. The theologian Jaroslav Pelikan writes of Christianity that it can be divided into “tradition” and “traditionalism.” Pelikan writes: “Tradition is the living faith of the dead; traditionalism is the dead faith of the living.” In an even simpler way, he directs us: “Take what belongs to your fathers and mothers, and work to make it your own.” At Trinity, we do the work of deepening ourselves in the ‘God story’ lovingly handed down to us.
Together, we make a difference. Sometimes when we are asked how many people belong to Trinity, we like to turn it around: To how many people does Trinity belong? And the answer is: A awful lot of people who we love, serve, help, feed, and care for! Trinity’s building and its cast of characters are here to make the world richer, less broken and alone, more healed, happy, and whole. Search our website, witness our opportunities and our outreach. “Taste and see that God is good”!
Our Community
What You Should Expect at Trinity
“For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” ~ Romans 1:11-12
Trinity United Church is both a community and a place where you will meet friendly, thoughtful, caring community. We try to meet one another where we are, and as we are. That means you don’t need to dress up for a Sunday morning, or pretend to know more about the Bible than you do, or join in on activities that don’t speak to you.
If you think that “Jesus Christ” is a swear-word, then you might get a little offended, because we talk about that guy a lot! We trust that we can dig into the Christian story– dig deep and find real nourishment for the spiritual journey.
In terms of our worship, we always read the Bible on Sundays, but we have other sources of inspiration and guidance, too. We sing old songs, new songs, and some songs that probably don’t really count as “hymns”—but that feed our spirits nonetheless. We like to laugh (a lot!), but we think that church is an okay place for tears, too.
Children are present for a part of our Sunday Worship services at 10:30am, and can stay for all of it if they want. We also have an engaging Sunday School and a staffed nursery for all of our babies and children.
Most of the folks at Trinity are down-to-earth, open-minded, caring and intelligent. We won’t assume that you know a lot about the Christian tradition, but we’ll always offer something for those of us who do. We want to offer breadth and depth, comfort and challenge when it comes to the Christian story, and the life of faith.
Please join us at Trinity, where we hope to be enriched by Jesus, and by one another.
Events
A Year in the Life of Trinity
Below you will find some of the yearly events that take place at Trinity. Please note that these events and dates change from time to time! For regular updated information please see the weekly bulletin (posted under the Worship tab) or the weekly update posted at the bottom of the home page or ask to be added to the weekly email list and find us and like us on Facebook.
January
Soup Tasting Night Baptism Sunday Robbie Burns’ Sunday
February
Snowshoe Sunday
Trinity Families Retreat
Congregational Meeting
Scouting Sunday
March/April
Red Hot Chili Cook Off
Trinity Rocks Curling Event
Trinity Coffee House
Lent/Easter Events
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
Palm Sunday
Youth and Young Adult Overnight Vigil
AOTS Good Friday Breakfast
Good Friday Service
Easter Sunrise Service
Easter Sunday Communion
May
Annual Talent & Services Auction
February
Teacher Appreciation Day
Trinity Testosterone Men’s Canoe Weekend
July
Vacation Bible Camp – one week in July or August
August
Vacation Bible Camp – one week in July or August
September
Rally Back Picnic
Apple Pie Making
October
Worldwide Communion Sunday
November
UCW Christmas Tea & Bazaar
Santa Claus Parade
Annual Cookie Walk
December
UCW Christmas Catered Dinner – Monday evening
Dickens/Christmas Reading
Sunday School Christmas Pageant
Choir Cantata
Longest Night Service
Christmas Eve Family Service
Other regular events that are not pinned to specific date
- Mustard Seed Youth Theatre performance – usually early spring
- Glitter Gourmet Dinner – no specific date – has been late fall and early spring
- Trinity Families Events – approximately every other month on a Saturday or Sunday
- AOTS Ladies night – dinner at another location – Emmanuel United for example
- Youth Group Events – throughout the year
- J.O.Y. Band, Rapport, Joyful Bells concert
Recurring Events
- AOTS breakfast and meeting – usually first Saturday of the month
- Mossy Church – All ages Family centred events that take place outdoors several times a year
Mission
Trinity’s Mission Statement
We believe God is calling Trinity United Church to:
- reach out and serve the wider community and the world;
- to nurture spirituality in people of all ages;
- and to be a safe, open, welcoming and inclusive community of faith.
What do those words mean? Well, we gather together because we think that’s what God wants for us—to be a community. More than a community, we are like a big family who take care of each other and work hard to love and care for the world around us. And, like Jesus, we try to love and welcome everyone—regardless of who they are or where they come from!
Facts About Us
Trinity Tidbits: Fascinating Facts
The Beginning:
Trinity has a long and rich heritage. In the summer of 1882, the Rev. Silas Huntington, a Methodist Minister, arrived in North Bay and held his first service in a railway car, in a rock quarry west of Ferguson Street just behind the Cormack Block. Our heritage is reflected in many of the Stained glass windows at Trinity and in our motto, “Founded on the rock, sustained by faith.”
The First Church Building:
The first church was built in 1884 on a lot donated by John Ferguson, later the first mayor of North Bay, at #8 Main Street East. “Attendance has steadily increased and church membership has advanced from 20 – 30” reported Silas Huntington in 1884/5. A parsonage was built between Ferguson Street and the church.
The Second Church Building:
When the Main Street property became important as a business site, the church was sold and a second church was built on Ferguson Street. It was also a white frame building that seated about 200. It was erected in 1887 at a cost of $1,700. A new parsonage followed on the corner where our present church stands.
The Third Church Building:
Planning and then construction of a church “for the future” was underway in 1905 – 1907, and the capacity of this church far exceeded the requirements of the congregation of that time. The architects were Burke and Harwood and the cost was $20,000. The ministers at this time were Rev. J. W. Stewart, 1905-07 and Rev. A. P. Addison, 1907-10.
Ministers
Methodist ministers were moved on some plan of rotation which averaged about a 3-year stay at each location. Imagine, for these families, both the events of leaving and the arriving in such a momentous time!
A Church with a Rose
It is worthy of note that this building, during the original construction, was fitted with stained glass windows as seen today in the high windows of the sanctuary. This pattern was repeated exactly in every window throughout the building from basement to tower. The Rose Window in the balcony was the only exception. This window was a matter of great pride as it was the only one of this design north of Barrie at that time. The United Church of Canada has continued to be a uniting church and has welcomed the Wesley Methodist Church of Bermuda and the Evangelical United Brethren.
Founded in a Railway Car
Trinity United Church held its first service in a railway car in 1882, symbolizing its humble and pioneering beginnings.
North Bay’s Oldest Congregation
Established in 1882, Trinity is the first Christian congregation in North Bay, rooted in the town’s early history.
A Historic Rose Window
The stunning Rose Window, a unique design north of Barrie during its time, remains a cherished feature of the sanctuary.
“Founded on the Rock”
Trinity’s motto and heritage are reflected in its stained glass windows, representing its steadfast faith and connection to North Bay’s early development.
Minister's Message
A Theological Reflection from Rev. Ted
In the Book of Genesis (the very first book of the Bible) God says, “Let us make humanity in our own image.” Do you notice the “us” the “our,” the “we”? Simply by our name, “Trinity,” our community speaks the language of “we.” From its early days, the Christian tradition emphasizes that God embraces multiplicity, diversity, community!
As with most United Churches, you will find a diversity of beliefs at Trinity. After all, “United” does not mean “Uniform”! But it does imply the kind of “Unity” that you’ll find in healthy families—where we bear with one another, and together affirm that our diversity can be a source of profound strength.
In his stories of healing it is often stated that Jesus restored people to their communities–that an important part of Jesus’ healing is the mending of broken relationship. Acceptance, inclusion, and dialogue are all part of knowing that human lives are deeply interwoven. We try to live out the Good News story in ways that honour that truth. Now more than ever, community is so important!
Living in Christian community means engaging with the Christian story– which stretches back long before Jesus was born, and far beyond the written words of the Bible. We need to take our scriptures seriously, if not always literally. They have authority for us, although that authority is misused when it denigrates “the Other” (whether because of their race, faith, gender, sexuality or ability), because they too bear that divine image in which we are all made!
In my leadership at Trinity, I strive for the most generous kind of Christian orthodoxy. Where we learn from the richness of our history, but are not constrained by it in all its variety, triumph, and shame. Where we are open to the Spirit’s teachings from inside and beyond church confines. Where we expect to be surprised by how, when, and where God’s joyous love finds us.
More About United Church Beliefs:
Read about the United Church of Canada: http://www.united-church.ca/beliefs/creed
Testimonials
What People Say About Trinity
