January 18th

WELCOME AND LITURGY OF GATHERING 

Leader: Reading of Psalm 40.1-11 (FNV). This is the word of the Lord.

ALL: Thanks be to God.

Trinity is fostering a haven of belonging where wanderers and wonderers 

gather to discover and embody the love of Jesus in the world.

COMMUNAL SINGING

40

I waited patiently for the Lord.
He inclined and heard my cry.
He brought me up out of the pit
Out of the miry clay.

I will sing, sing a new song.
I will sing, sing a new song.

How long to sing this song?
How long to sing this song?
How long, how long, how long
How long to sing this song?

You set my feet upon a rock
And made my footsteps firm.
Many will see, many will see and hear.

This I Believe (The Creed)

Our Father everlasting

The all creating One

God Almighty

Through Your Holy Spirit

Conceiving Christ the Son

Jesus our Saviour

I believe in God our Father

I believe in Christ the Son

I believe in the Holy Spirit

Our God is three in one

I believe in the resurrection

That we will rise again

For I believe in the Name of Jesus

Our Judge and our Defender

Suffered and crucified

Forgiveness is in You

Descended into darkness

You rose in glorious life

Forever seated high

I believe in You

I believe You rose again

I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord

I believe in You

I believe You rose again

I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord

I believe in life eternal

I believe in the virgin birth

I believe in the saints' communion

And in Your holy Church

I believe in the resurrection

When Jesus comes again

For I believe in the Name of Jesus

COMMUNITY CONFESSION

Leader: We find it so easy to walk down the familiar roads of foolishness, turning our backs on those God would have us love, and ignoring the map God gives us.  As we speak of our choices, let us open our hearts to the One who offers us the hope and grace we seek, even if we don’t realize it.

ALL: If we turned toward the Light you offer, Creator of stars, we would find the road you want us to travel.  But we are more comfortable on those shadowed streets of seduction we know all too well.  We can drive down the roads of rebellion with our eyes closed.  We continue to play hopscotch with hate and fear on the sidewalks placed along the paths of prejudice. Have mercy on us, Shaper of universes as well as our lives.  

Leader: How foolish we are to continue to take the easy paths, rather than that road of justice, that road of hope, that road of forgiveness that are less traveled in these days. May we be like those wise ones of so long ago, who found grace, salvation, and you by following that different road of faith which led them to that Child called Jesus, who would guide them and the rest of us, from that moment on.  Amen.  

Silence is kept

Leader: Open your eyes! The Light has come to all of us, to each of us. The Light of justice, the Light of love, the Light of life.

ALL: This Light is not just for us, so we will carry it to everyone we meet, as we travel down the different road of faith in our lives.  Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen!

BLESSING AND PASSING THE PEACE 

Adults: The Lord be with you!

Children and Kids Ministry Leader: And also with you! 

During this time we greet one another, recognizing that we are all a part of the body, as PreK-5th grade children are led to their ministry space. Younger children and youth remain, and are welcome, in the Gathering. Materials for toddlers are available and we understand that their presence means they will be heard, no need to worry about their vocal contributions.

SERMON NOTES

A People Re-Membered: Out of Line

Song and Prophecy - the Improv of Re-membering

Luke 1.46-55

• What feels playful to you in the text/story this week? What is Jesus revealing to you?

• How are you losing and finding yourself as you step into the text/story this week? What has been forgotten? What are you being called to re-member?

• How might God be inviting you/us to be fully human in this season? How might that overflow to those around you/us? How does this week’s text/story point toward being a people of God?

• Where/how might the Spirit be inviting you to bear witness to the good news this week?

* Description Card

*Womanism and Womanist Theology Resource Paper

*For additional discussion prompts visit the series page here.

LORD’S TABLE LITURGY

Leader: Siblings in Christ, 

If you will to love God before, in, and above all things,

in the power of God’s holy and living Word, then let us say: 

ALL: We will.

Leader: If you will to love your neighbors 

and to serve your neighbors with deeds of love

then let us say: 

ALL: We will.

Leader: If you will to practice mutual admonition toward your siblings,

to reconcile yourselves with those whom you have offended, 

to abandon all envy, hate, and evil will toward everyone, 

and to also love your enemies, and do good to them,

then let us say: 

ALL: We will.

Leader: If you desire publicly to confirm before the church this pledge of love,

by eating bread and drinking juice,

the living memorial of the suffering and death of Jesus our Lord, 

then let us say: 

ALL: We desire it in the power of God.

Leader: Let us eat and drink with one another in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  May God give to all of us the strength to carry out our pledge. Amen.

*communion elements are gluten free, not allergen free

RESPONSE & OFFERING OF WORSHIP        

The Offering Basket

Prayer requests may be posted in the Zoom chat (Zoom participants) or written and placed in the offering basket.

This Is Our God

A refuge for the poor,

a shelter from the storm

This is our God.

He will wipe away your tears,

and restore your wasted years

This is our God.

So call upon His name,

He is mighty to save

This is our God.

A father to the orphan,

a healer to the broken

This is our God.

He brings peace to our madness,

and comfort in our sadness

This is our God.

This is the One we have waited for.

This is the One we have waited for.

This is the One we have waited for.

Jesus, Lord and Savior, this is our God.

A fountain for the thirsty,

a lover for the lonely

This is our God.

He brings glory to the humble,

and crowns for the faithful

This is our God.

You are the One we have waited for.

You are the One we have waited for.

You are the One we have waited for.

Jesus, Lord and Savior, this is our God.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sermon Series. The sermon series and resources for our new year series are posted online at www.indytrinity.org/sermon-series. In conjunction with the sermon series, Trinity Seasonal Small Groups in the winter will form around All The Black Girls Are Activists: A Fourth Wave Womanist Pursuit of Dreams as Radical Resistance by ebonyjanice. The free audio book (and e-book) is available on Hoopla and Libby. Please contact the group host for more details and to generally RSVP. You are welcome to join the group that fits your schedule/needs. You are not bound by geographical location/parish. 

Mondays (every other) 5:45-7:15pm - Broad Ripple starting January 26th

Mondays 12-1pm - Fishers/Zoom starting February 9th

Wednesdays 7-9pm - Midtown/Downtown starting February 4th

Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm - Queer Affinity starting February 5th

Civic Action Group. Join us for our next Civic Action Group (CAG) meeting on Sunday, January 25th, at 11:30 AM, right after the Gathering. We’ll meet in person at COhatch and virtually via Zoom for those joining remotely. We will review our civic action plans and talk through practical ways to engage at the State House, including how we can be effective there. Want to stay connected? Sign up for the CAG info list by filling out this info form! Contact joel@indytrinity.org with questions. 

Enlace Academy Food Pantry - Enlace Academy is a K–8 school on the west side of Indianapolis serving nearly 700 students in a predominantly immigrant and multicultural community. Many families rely on the school’s food pantry, which serves 70–80 families and operates about twice a month. We are looking for volunteers to help with one (or both) of these shifts:

• Packing shift: 9:30am–1:00pm - Help receive the food bank delivery and pack bags for families.

• Distribution shift: 2:00pm–4:00pm - Help welcome families and carry bags and boxes out to cars. On occasion, clothing is also available for families.

Donations are also welcome, especially nonperishable food and toiletries. For more info please contact joel@indytrinity.org 

Move-In Kits: Help a Neighbor Start Fresh. Northside Congregations for Housing is collecting move-in kits for previously unhoused neighbors through Streets to Home. Trinity members and seasonal small groups are invited to provide a kit ($300) with essentials to help neighbors settle in with comfort and dignity. Sign up here: https://www.indymultifaith.org/moveinkits. Kits are delivered to: RDoor Housing Corporation (441 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis, IN 46202). To coordinate delivery, contact Barb Williams (317-294-7956). Trinity contact: joel@indytrinity.org

Butler University is hosting Jim Obergefell, the “accidental activist” at the center of Obergefell v. Hodges—the landmark Supreme Court case that secured marriage equality nationwide. Hear Jim share his story and reflections on the ongoing pursuit of civil rights and equal justice under the law. Tuesday, February 3, 2026 | 6:00 PM | Clowes Memorial Hall More info & tickets may be found here!

An opportunity to support Irvington Counseling Collective! ICC is working to bring a Mental Health Destigmatization specialty license plate to Indiana; a design that reflects care, connection, and wellbeing on the road. As part of the application process, the Indiana BMV asks for 1,000 Indiana residents to complete a brief statement indicating interest (No cost. ️No obligation.️ Just community support.) if the plate is approved. Information shared through the form is kept private and used only to prepare the required application spreadsheet submitted directly to the Indiana BMV. If approved, proceeds from plate sales would support our Mental Health Relief Fund, which helps expand access to affirming care across Indiana.

Click here to sign. Share with fellow Hoosiers to help us get these plates on the open highway!

Leader: May the God who exists in a multitude lead you into communities of true belonging. 

ALL: May they protect us from spaces that demand a selfhood that is no longer true to us and guide us toward those who can glimpse our true face.

Leader: May God preserve those friendships that are meant to last, 

ALL: and may they grant us the stability of heart to let go when the time has come to find belonging elsewhere. 

Leader: And to the lonely, the isolated, may the divine be company to you as you wait for the embrace you are worthy of.

ALL: Let us go in peace, one sacred soul in a collective. Amen!

(Some liturgies adapted from Black Liturgies by Cole Arthur Riley, enfleshed.com, and Peace and Justice Support Network of the Mennonite Church USA )

Remain in the Gathering space for general connection and prayer.

GATHERING RESOURCES AND INFORMATION

Guide and Service Dog Training. As we welcome Guide/Service Dogs at Gatherings, please familiarize yourself with resources under on these two websites https://www.guidedogs.com/resources/blindness-and-guide-dog-etiquette and https://www.guidedogsofamerica.org/best-practices-when-around-a-service-dog/  and discuss main points with those in your household. If you or anyone in your household has severe allergies or any fear of dogs, etc. please contact us (contact@indytrinity.org) so we can do our best to keep Gathering spaces welcoming for all. 

Health Guidelines. Gatherings can look differently according to the needs of our leaders and community if health concerns take effect. We ask that everyone remain flexible if and/or when this is the case. If a Gathering is going to be virtual, we will send an email by 8am on Sunday, or earlier. If you are experiencing fever, coughs, or other clear signs of illness, please remain home and join the Gathering via Zoom. If your symptoms are not highly contagious or you are unsure about exposing others, please wear a mask. Specifically, if you have been exposed to or have symptoms of Covid-19 or the Flu, you can follow the guidelines from the CDC to determine what are your best precautions to take.

Land Acknowledgement. We acknowledge that the land on which we gather for worship was stolen from Native peoples, who were driven out of the area and of their native lands by genocide, force (through broken treaties and laws imposed upon their nation), and systematic disposession.  The Myaamiaki, Kaskaskia, and Kickapoo peoples* and their sovereign Nations have cared for, and are deeply a part of, this land - past, present, and future. (ref: Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery, Trinity Church)

Gathering Hosting Schedule. As an act of service and care, please join staff, leaders, and others from your parish in hosting Sunday Gatherings. These are great times to connect and welcome others to converse while serving as well. Arrival at 9:45am is great, 9:30am is super helpful for assisting with audio equipment and/or indoor set up. Cleaning up on the back end should only take 10-15 minutes. The hosting checklist is in the Trinity office. Thank you!

January 

4th/New Year Brunch: Fishers

11th: Broad Ripple

18th: North/Carmel

25th: Midtown/Downtown

February

1st: Fishers

8th: Broad Ripple

15th: North/Carmel

22nd: Midtown/Downtown

First Nations Version of Psalms. We understand that the Spirit has no gender. While the FNV does use the word “Grandfather” for the Great Spirit, and we at Trinity might more naturally gravitate toward a feminine or gender-inclusive term for the Spirit, we have chosen to read from this version to open ourselves to the diverse humanlike depictions of Creator and hear these sacred texts in new ways. No translation is perfect. If you’d like to read what the translators of the FNV have to say about their choice regarding gender and the Great Spirit, you are welcome to read the excerpt at the front of this Trinity Gathering copy (it is marked).