Our Reconciling Church Mission Statement

“We believe in the value of all people. We celebrate differences and stand for acceptance and inclusion. We, Trinity United Methodist Church-Whitesboro, feel it is our responsibility to be a community where our differences are celebrated and all are included. We welcome and celebrate persons of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions. We affirm that all people are created in the image of God and know that all, as beloved children of God, are worthy of God’s love and grace.”

We Are A Safe Haven Congregation

Safe Haven Congregations are local churches among the United Methodists of Upper New York that are particularly equipped to welcome anyone whose church has closed or disaffiliated. If you find yourself in these circumstances, a Safe Haven Congregation may be just what you need to fulfill your desire to Remain-UMC. Consider these United Methodist faith communities a resting place, with people who will care for you while providing a haven of peace and grace.

You Are Welcome

We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, gay, straight, filthy rich, dirt poor. We extend a special welcome to those who are crying newborns, skinny as a rail, or could stand to lose a few pounds.

We welcome you if you can sing like Pavarotti or can’t carry a note in a bucket. You’re welcome here if you’re “just browsing,” just woke up, or just got out of prison. We don’t care if you’re more Christian than Billy Graham, or haven’t been to church since little Susie’s baptism.

We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet and to teenagers who are growing up way too fast. We welcome stay-at-home moms, football dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, junk food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems, are down in the dumps or if you don’t like “organized religion,” we’ve been there too!

If you blew all your money at the casino, you’re welcome here. We offer a welcome to those who think the earth is flat, work too hard, don’t work at all, can’t spell, or just wanted to go to church because grandma is in town.

We welcome those who are inked, pierced, or both. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, those who have had religion shoved down their throats, or got lost and wound up here by mistake. We welcome tourists, seekers and doubters, bleeding hearts… and you!

Our Vision

We are a community of belonging, spirit-led, holding space for all in the Mohawk Valley.

Our Values

ALL INCLUSIVE

LOVE - NOT JUDGE

SPIRIT-LED SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Our Values

Spiritual Growth

We understand that true fulfillment comes from a loving relationship with God. We actively reach out to those seeking God so they, too, can embrace Him, be amazed by His wonder, and know how much He loves them. We trust Jesus. We pursue a lifestyle of discovery to establish a personal relationship with Him and are guided by His Spirit and truth. We are fueled by a passion that mobilizes us to make the world a better place.

Passionate Celebration

We live our lives as a passionate expression of our love for God. Our worship of God is a personal experience and is expressed in a variety of ways. Prayer…using our gifts in service to others…reading the Bible…sharing our faith…tithing…gathering in worship weekly to connect, learn and grow in Spirit and experience God’s dynamic presence in our midst.

Including Children in All that We Do

By design, God created Church and Family to work together to spread His word to all future generations. The heart of God is primarily communicated by the family. The role of family is to impress on their children the love and character of God. Our role as a Church is to turn on the light. As a Church community it is our responsibility to partner with families and empower them to become the Spiritual Leaders in their children’s lives.

Relationships

Trusting relationships with others is the foundation of living a Christian life. Our relationships with each other allows us to connect with each other in deep and meaningful ways. At Trinity, we meet regularly in small groups as a way of creating this connection. Being part of a small group allows us to strengthen our walk with God, encourage and care for each other, and reach out together to help others.

Inspired Service

We are the Church. We are the hands and feet of Jesus. We are devoted to making a difference in our community and around the world. We pursue excellence in everything we do knowing that our work is God’s work. Each of us has been blessed with unique gifts and talents to fulfill a special purpose in service to others. No matter what our age, each of us needs to learn fully what gifts we have and how we might best use them to make a difference in God’s world.

Together in Community

For many, Trinity is like an extended family. As a community we strive to create a place where everyone feels they belong, knows they are supported, and loved by God no matter what. Together we celebrate life’s joys, make a difference in God’s world, and provide comfort and support for each other when life becomes more than we can handle alone.

What We Believe

We talk a lot about mission, vision and family values at Trinity, but they’re all built on something even more important, our faith in the transforming power of Jesus Christ. Here are the foundations of what we believe: