Trinity Sunday- Week of June 7, 2020

Begin your devotion time by praying this prayer: Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Adult and Small Child

Read: Genesis 1:1-2:4a

Reflect: This very first story from the Bible is pretty fantastic. It all starts in the dark. Well, really it starts with God. Before there was anything else, there was God. And later on in the Bible, our friend John tells us that God is Love. So, before any of the things in the world that you see, before the stars and the moon and the Grand Canyon and Disney World, God was Love.

God’s love was so big, so full. And God made us to love. God made everything out of nothing but God’s love for us. That’s pretty great. I can’t even make cereal out of love—I have to have some milk and a bowl and some cereal. But God can—and God did. And in all that time, in all of those things that God ever made, or will make, or is making right now, God decided you needed to be in the world. God looked at the world and thought: I’m going to put some of my love right here. You are part of this very first story. You are part of the world that God made—part of this amazing story of love that God has been telling for so long. And you are very good.

Respond: Take a walk with your little one today. Look at all the good things around you. Find a rock or a leaf or maybe a feather to share with friends or other folks back home. Keep track of what you both find and recall these things during your evening prayers.

- Rachel Jones

Adult and Elementary

Read: Matthew 28:16-20

Reflect: I love to play sports. I love to feel the wind rushing past me as I run and I even like to feel the sweat drip down my face. In college, I played lacrosse. During my rookie year, I was responsible for our equipment. This equipment included everything we needed to play – lacrosse sticks, lacrosse balls, jerseys, extra mouth guards, and a first aid kit. Without the equipment, the lacrosse team would not be able to play our game safely.

I think of the Holy Trinity as the equipment managers for the team that we are all a part of – the Body of Christ. The Holy Trinity gives us everything we need to play the game of life.

Respond: Make a list of the items you need for school each day. If you do not attend school yet, think of the things you do in the morning. Some of the items that you might need for school are: a backpack, notebook, pencils, or your lunch. In the morning, most of us brush our teeth, make our beds, or help with breakfast. While you are getting equipped each morning, think of the Holy Trinity.

- Imani Driskell

Adult and Youth

Read: Matthew 28:16-20

Reflect: The Trinity is one of the incredible mysteries of our faith. There is no way to fully understand it. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are a big part of our sacraments, our worship services, and our prayers. Jesus charges the disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This goes back to Jesus’ baptism, where we have the Holy Spirit come down like a dove, and God’s voice from heaven. It also is a reminder that our call as Christians is rooted in the many attributes of the Trinity. We are called to be persistent and steadfast in our faith as God was with the Israelites and the world. We are called to radically love others as Jesus did. We are called to empower and be present with others as the Holy Spirit is. While trying to understand how God is a Trinity, but also God, can start to make your head hurt, what is more important is experiencing and knowing that the Trinity is mysterious and wonderful, and that we need only read the stories of the Bible to understand all of the wonderful ways God is with and among us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Respond: Draw three circles that connect in the middle and the sides overlap, like a Venn diagram, but with a third circle. Where all three overlap, write “Trinity.” In each circle, write where you see God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in your life, in the Bible, or in Church.

- Maggie Paul

Adult and Adults

Read: Genesis 1:1-2:4a

Reflect: As we ponder the mystery of the Holy Trinity, we read the opening creation narrative from Genesis. In it, God daily creates all that exists in the world, finally concluding with humanity, which, unlike everything else that is created, is made in God’s image.

Theologians have argued throughout the centuries about exactly what it means that humans are made in the image of God, but they all agree that it is significant. We all share some aspect of the Divine One who made us. We are all sacred because of the sacredness shared to us in our creation.

St. Irenaeus said, “The Glory of God is the human person fully alive.” As we celebrate the Holy Trinity, let us remember that God has created us all with sacred worth, and we bring God glory when we are fully alive – moments that can be “mountain-top experiences” or regular moments in our daily lives. It may sound simple, but to be fully alive is to participate in the Divine life of the Trinity.

Respond: When do you feel “fully alive?” Take some time this week, even just a few minutes, to do those things that make you “live fully,” and know that you are giving God glory in doing so.

- Clayton Harrington

Download a printable copy of this week's devotions HERE.