The Church in My Life

Trinity Lutheran Church has a wide variety of processes for you to access God’s blessing throughout your life’s journey. Under each of the topics below you will find information that may be helpful:

becoming a new member

Becoming a new member of Trinity Lutheran Church usually starts with a conversation with one of the members of the ministry team. Joining the congregation at Trinity may be as simple as transfering membership from another congregation, it may include some basic instruction in what we believe as Lutherans and it may even include baptism for those that have never been baptized. Call (780.433.1604) or email the office to make an appointment with one of the ministers.

planning a baptism

We believe Baptism is a free gift from God. Through baptism God makes each individual a part of the family of God. We baptize in response to Jesus’ command to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19). As Lutherans we also believe that baptism is an unconditional gift and Jesus encourages children be baptized (Matt 19:14). To learn more about baptism, whether for an adult or a child, please contact a member of our ministry team (phone 780.433.1604 or email). To help you prepare for the discussion on baptism it would be helpful to complete a Baptism Registration Form which is available in the church office.

getting ready for confirmation

Confirmation is a ministry growing out of a loving concern for our personal and communal spiritual well-being. It provides a time to claim, and to reflect on our identity as Christians in our particular time and place. It is a lifelong ministry involving worship, learning, service, witness and support in all areas of the church’s mission and life to, through and with the entire congregation. Confirmation ministry gives opportunity for growth in discipleship as baptized people participate in the congregation.

Young baptized members of Trinity usually confirm their faith when they are 14 or 15 years old. This confirmation follows two years of confirmation classes where young people have an opportunity to ask Martin Luther’s key critical question “What does this mean?” Confirmation classes start every September; most young people from the congregation begin their confirmation journey when they enter grade 7 at school. Watch the bulletin or the News and Notes page every September for information about the start of confirmation classes.

However, confirmation is not limited to only young people, all baptized Christians are encouraged to increase their understanding of God’s grace and calling and to affirm their faith as part of their own spiritual journey. The members of our ministry team are eager to help you further your understanding and prepare you to confirm your faith within our worship community. Please contact a member of our ministry team for more information.

planning a church marriage ceremony

A wedding is a very special occasion in the life of a family. It is unlikely that you will include most of the members of your church family in your actual ceremony. However, your congregation can enrich your marriage. After all, a church wedding is a marriage that takes place in a congregation rather than simply in that congregation’s building. The congregation enjoys celebrating the goodness of God that is shared on such joyous occasions.

Here are a number of documents that can help you plan your wedding:

planning a funeral

Should you experience a death in your family, the first step would be to notify the church office and request the help of one of our pastors. If you requre help in locating a funeral home, please advise the pastors and they will assist you with this request.

By completing the Funeral Information Form you will provide our pastors with important information to begin planning the funeral service. The form can also be useful in guiding the discussion with family members about key considerations in planning the funeral.

requesting a visit

To request a visit for yourself or for a loved one, please call (780.433.1604) or email the church office and record your request. Please advise if you would like a visit from a volunteer visitor or from a member of our ministry team.

requesting some personal counselling

Requesting personal counselling is a very private matter and your privacy and confidentiality are very important to us. To meet with a member of our ministry team to discuss a personal matter, please call or email them directly and arrange a time to get together to discuss your situation.

joining a church group

Much of the ministry of the congregation is carried out through groups. Groups meet to learn, to worship, to serve, to study and to enjoy fellowship with others who have a similar interest or concern. All groups within the congregation are open to anyone interested in attending. Group meeting times and places are listed in the bulletin 1-2 weeks prior to the meeting and meeting times for groups that meet regularly are also listed on the monthly calendar.

The Groups, Education and Youth pages on this web site list most of the groups that are active at Trinity. Each group has a brief description of their focus, a description of when they typically meet and a contact name to get further information. If you are interested in a particular group or in supporting a particular ministry, feel free to come to a group meeting or contact the person listed. Where no current contacts are listed, please call or email the church office and provide your contact information; the group contact person will get back to you promptly.

volunteering in the church

Trinity is blessed with a skilled and committed team of full-time and part-time staff, but they could never do all the work that is required to keep our ministries active. We depend on the devotion and dedication of a large team of volunteers to support the work of our congregation.

Karen Goldstone, our Faith-Life Coordinator, is responsible for overall coordination of volunteers at Trinity. If you have a particular gift or skill that you would like to share or if you’d just like to find out what help is currently needed, please contact Karen directly (780.433.1604 or email). Alternatively, you can complete the Volunteer Application Form and submit it to Karen, she will follow up with you to discuss opportunities for you to help support the ministry of our congregation.

joining church council

The Church Council at Trinity functions as the board of directors for the church, overseeing the work of the church and making necessary decisions between General Meetings of the congregation. Church Council meets monthly 11 times a year to manage the business of the church and to set strategic direction for the ministry of the congregation.

Church Council members are elected at the Annual General Meeting and serve on council for a three-year-term. Trinity is always looking for people who feel called to take a leadership role within the congregation to serve on Council. If you are interested in serving in this capacity please speak to Karen Goldstone or to Frank Thede, our Council chairperson – both can be reached by email or by leaving a message with the church office.

renting the church for a family function

The church is available for rent to members and other non-profit groups. Several meeting spaces are available for rent. Please see Facility Rentals for more information.

donating to the church

Trinity is dependent on member contributions to make the ministries of the congregation possible. The offering is collected from members at every worship service. Donation envelopes are available in the pews and can be used to make a donation at any time; all donations over $10 will be issued a tax receipt if the contact information is included on the envelope. If you wish to make donations on a more regular basis, offering envelopes are available from the office. All members at Trinity are assigned an envelope number; by including the envelope number on the outside of the envelope your donations will be tracked and receipted without the need to fill out the full contact information every time.

For members wishing to make regular donations, Trinity offers a PAR program. PAR or Pre-Authorized Remittance will automatically withdraw the amount you specify from the account you specify every month. PAR significantly simplifies the collection and tracking of donations and helps to provide the Church Council a sense of the committed funding every year. The amount pledged can be changed at any time and the regular withdrawals can be cancelled or suspended at your request. To start participating on PAR, please complete and sign the PAR form and submit it to the office along with a voided cheque for the account you wish to use.

Please visit our donate page for more info on how to donate.

planning a larger donation

Larger donations to further the ministry of the church can be made to Trinity’s Legacy Fund. This fund is set up to receive donations either through wills or directly. Please go to the donate page for more information and a form.