Our 2026 Stewardship theme scripture, “Be The Light”  from Matthew 5:14, is a reminder that we are to be the light of the world to reflect God’s character so others can see it. Jesus tells us He is the light of the world and his followers will have the light of life (John 8:12). Jesus is emphasizing witness through visible life, not through self-promotion. Matthew 5:16 clarifies the purpose: “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”


Christian stewardship is the giving of time, talents, and gifts. This year, we are emphasizing our mission work through Trinity. Serving in Christian missions is a direct expression of Christian stewardship, as both center on faithfully managing what God has entrusted to believers for His purposes. In Christian theology, stewardship means recognizing that everything we have — time, talents, finances, spiritual gifts, influence, and opportunities — belongs to God (Psalm 24:1). Christians are called to use these resources wisely and obediently.


When we as Christians respond to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), stewardship is transformed from concept into visible action.


How is Christian mission work stewardship in action?  The intentional use of God-given resources to advance His purposes and share the gospel. Serving in missions demonstrates a believer’s commitment to managing God’s gifts responsibly, sacrificially, and for eternal impact.


Trinity members participate in a wide variety of missions that share Christ's love with working and serving those in need in the community and the world. Learn more about our mission projects on the Give Back page.


Below you will find information on Giving Back to God, Trinity’s Vision Goals, and How Trinity Will Accomplish these Goals in 2026. Following these are our stewardship speaker Videos, Frequently Asked Questions, and Finances-At-A Glance. Reference the Donate page for different ways of giving.

Throughout 2025, we emphasized the importance of stewardship through lay member testimonies using live, video, and written messages. You can watch and read those testimonies by clicking the links below:


To view and/or read more testimonies, click the names below:

 



Frequently Asked Questions

  • Could the different funds be explained and how do we decide how much to give to each fund?

    • For the past two years, we have had three funds:
    1. General Ministries - covers all operating costs, ministry areas, staff, and missions.  10% of the General Ministries budget is directed to mission work.
    2. Building Maintenance - covers all maintenance and upgrades for the building.
    3. Restoration Loan - covers our current Restoration Project which repaired and upgraded our building exterior, protected the sanctuary stained-glass windows, provided all new landscaping, and remodeled the Child Development Center (CDC).
    • The Restoration project has been completed and our current construction loan will be converted to a permanent loan by the end of the year.
    • For 2026, we will include the Restoration Loan into our Building Fund and only have two funds: General Ministries Fund and Building Fund.
    • To help members prayerfully decide how much to give on each fund, we will provide the 2026 budget amounts on the 2026 Commitment Cards to easily understand each fund’s proportion.  

  • Can I just give money to the General Ministry Fund and let the church allocate it as needed between General Ministries and Building?

    • Our General Ministry Fund covers operating costs, staff, ministries, and missions and the UMC apportionments are calculated as a % of the General Ministry Fund.  Our Building Fund was created to ensure proper amounts are budgeted for the restoration loan, building maintenance, and building improvements.  The church is not set up to automatically allocate portions of a General Ministry donation to the Building Fund.
    • As a general rule, money given to the General Ministry Fund will not be used for building expenses since we have a designated Building Fund.  In the case of an emergency building expense (like a HVAC unit going out), money in the General Ministry budget may be used if sufficient funds are not available in the Building Fund.  However, money in the Building Fund may not be used for any General Ministry budgeted items.

  • The 4th and final year of the Restoration Project capital campaign is 2026. How should my 4th year restoration loan gift be made?

    If you made a commitment to the Restoration Project Capital Campaign, please plan on including your 2026 restoration project gift with your 2026 Building Fund commitment.  This will help ensure we can proactively pay down our Restoration Loan.  Thank you for supporting Trinity's Building program to take care of the space where ministry happens.

  • Are the fees for outside groups using the building being reviewed to ensure we are covering our costs?

    Yes, there is a Facility Usage team reviewing the fee structure and will provide an updated policy next year.

  • With the decision to hold on a Welcome Center project, what can be done to improve the accessibility and navigation around the church?

    • The Trustees are planning improvements to the Wesley Wing entrance addressing flooring, paint, ceilings, and lighting.
    • The Trustees are engaging a consultant specializing in church signage design to enhance the signs on the exterior and interior of the church building to improve navigation.

  • Where can I see the finances of the church?

    To access the most recent reports of Trinity's finances, bookmark this page and visit it at the end of each month, which is updated after the monthly Finance meeting. Look at the Finances-At-Glance charts (to the right of this section) which provides high level summaries of each fund relative to contributions and budget, available cash, line of credit, and net income/loss. Also, look for the Faithful and Transparent section (near the end) of the weekly Trending at Trinity email (comes out on Mondays) which has a link to the monthly reports. Subscribe to the weekly newsletter HERE.

  • Could the monthly Finance report include a list of mission donations?

    Yes. This will be added to the 2026 Financial Reports.