Alan Jones describes spirituality as "that which gives meaning and harmony to the whole of human experience…the peculiar way in which we arrange all the bits and pieces of our lives and glue them together." In one sense, then, the term "spirituality" refers to something universal: the way each of us understands how the pieces of our lives are connected to the life of the world. "Spirituality" also has a more specific meaning: the practical and specific aspects of shaping a life of prayer or structuring worship-each of which can develop a greater awareness of the spiritual in human experience and can energize us for action in the world.Finally, "spirituality" has to do with how each specific religious tradition knits together experience into a meaningful whole through specific spiritual practices. Trinity Church stands within a Christian and Anglican or Episcopal Spiritual Tradition that finds its roots in Benedictine Spirituality. In addition, our congregation is shaped by a Trinitarian spirituality in that we are named for and dedicated to the Trinity.

Christian spirituality sees Jesus Christ as "the fully human being." In other words, Christian spirituality views the person of Jesus as the picture of what it means to live a fully human life-one that is passionate, self-giving, truth-telling and connected to others. Christian spirituality is also fundamentally a Trinitarian spirituality. Finally, Christian spirituality views the Church as Christ's body-the primary way in which Christ continues to be present and active in the world. Thus, for Christians, Church is essential. It is the place where we participate in the realm of God and are nourished both for our journey and for Christ's continuing work of reconciliation in the world.

Put simply, prayer is the way we commune with God. We can pray with others (as in Sunday worship or in prayer groups) or alone. We can pray using words or in silence. Out of our Anglican roots, we at Trinity draw on the idea of a three-fold rule of prayer (Holy Eucharist, Daily Office and Personal Devotions), with the Holy Eucharist being the focus of our prayer life together. In terms of personal prayer, we encourage people to find forms that fit with their own personalities and life circumstances and to experiment with different forms out of the Church's tradition until they find forms that work for them. Click here for links to more detailed information about different forms of prayer.

The Eucharist is the primary way we at Trinity are formed as a spiritual community. All other prayer (forms of the Daily Office and forms of personal prayer or personal devotions) flow from and back to the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the experience in which adults and children come together to share in the life and realm of God -- a realm in which gratitude, community, justice and hope are made visible.

In addition to the kinds of prayer mentioned above, Trinity offers other practices that can support spiritual development. Individuals can schedule a time with the Rector for the Rite of Reconciliation (confession). In this rite individuals can formally or more informally address areas in their lives that impede their reconciliation with self or others. Spiritual Direction, done either as a one-on-one activity with the Rector or another spiritual director or done in groups is another way of focusing our own spiritual development. Finally, we engage in short Retreats or Quiet Days during times of the year to help us prepare for important sacred seasons or days. We also support those seeking additional retreat resources beyond the parish or desiring a more committed relationship to a specific religious order. Click here for a list of links to retreat houses and religious orders.

Anglican or Episcopal spirituality has its roots in the Benedictine spirituality, an approach to life and prayer that arose from the monastic community of St.Benedict in the 6th century AD. Benedictine spirituality sees life as ordered by daily prayer that is biblical and reflective. Click here for an outline of a method called lectio divina used by Benedictines to pray using the Bible. At its base Benedictine spirituality is grounded in a commitment to "the Benedictine Promise"-an approach to spiritual life that values "Stability, Obedience, and Conversion of Life." For a more detailed description of this approach, Click here.

Out of its Anglican roots and its American experience, The Episcopal Church has developed a particular form of Christian spirituality. The following is a summary of some of its elements. For a more complete description, go to Episcopal Spirituality.

Grounded in Christ: Our spirituality is grounded in the love of God for humanity as seen in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
World-Embracing: Our tendency is to affirm life and this world.
Open-Mindedness: Our way has stressed an open-minded, searching approach to faith.
Comprehensiveness: We value comprehensiveness and ambiguity, holding opposites in tension, and appreciating paradoxical thinking, assuming that what appears to be irreconcilable differences may contain a balanced truth.
An Adult Spirituality: We value personal responsibility and freedom in the process of shaping and living life as a Christian.
Beauty: Our spirituality thrives in an environment of beauty.
Balance: We are moderate, seeking a balanced, reasonable approach to life.

Trinity Church is dedicated to and named for the Trinity, a doctrine that expresses the Christian understanding of God and the mysterious and loving way that God functions. Through the Trinity, we experience God's love as dynamic and active in creating, redeeming and renewing the world. Through the Trinity we also experience unity in our diversity. 

The doctrine of the Trinity reveals that community (three in one) lives within the very heart of God. At Trinity Church we express our commitment to the practice of community through our emphasis on communal worship, our communal ways of gathering the ideas and opinions of our members and our ministries among those in our local community. Click here to learn more about this under our Ministries and Programs.