Houston Trinity News

Friends,

As we come to the last Sunday of the liturgical year and anticipate the beginning of Advent, I thought it may be good to mention the new Texas Annual Conference initiative for the next quadrennium. Thrive is the title of the initiative. The following is provided from the Texas Annual Conference website.

Why Thrive? Why Now? 

Thrive began as a grassroots initiative, born out of deep listening sessions among laity, clergy and Bishop Harvey from across the Texas Annual Conference. The vision for Thrive emerged as laity and clergy made it clear they were ready to reimagine what it means to be a vibrant, thriving community of faith. More so than wanting their church to thrive, each group identified the flourishing of their neighborhood as a key driver in what it means to follow Jesus as a United Methodist.

What is Thrive? 

Rooted in Jesus’ teaching in John 15, Thrive calls us back to God’s intent for every person to experience life to the full. Jesus said in John 15:4, “a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”

We humbly rely on God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to invigorate us and help us to bear good fruit. Likewise, we know that our flourishing is interdependent and we need one another––fellow United Methodist Christians and community leaders throughout our conference––to fulfill this common calling.

Thrive introduces five cultivating markers:  clarity, witness, abundance, kinship and joy.

The five markers of thriving––clarity, witness, abundance, kinship, and joy––are vital indicators of our shared mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Congregations can use these five markers to become more aware, nimble, and responsive to how well they are engaging their unique missional context in order to nurture communities that truly thrive together.

Clarity invites churches to discern and articulate their identity, purpose, and mission, fostering a deep understanding of who they are and why they exist.

Witness challenges congregations to boldly proclaim the message of Christ’s love and grace, both in word and deed, becoming agents of transformation in their communities.

Abundance calls churches to recognize and steward the rich resources—both tangible and intangible—that God has provided, embracing a mindset of generosity and trust in God’s provision.

Kinship emphasizes the importance of authentic relationships, both within the church community and with those outside its walls, fostering a sense of belonging and interconnectedness.

Joy reminds congregations that true vitality is marked by an enduring sense of joy and celebration, emanating from spaces filled with purpose, love, and hope.

As we enter into this new year it is a good time to look at who we are; to look at what God calls us to do in this community; to look how we manage what we have been given; to look at the relationships we are building inside and outside our walls, and to do it all with joy. Too much time is spent on worrying about what may happen. Let’s focus on what we can make happen. Maybe the Bishop’s outline is a good place for us to start.

God bless. See you Sunday