Our Mission & Vision
Welcome to Trinity
You are part of God’s good creation. You uniquely reveal God’s image. You are welcome to belong in our community which God gathers, transforms, and sends to share the expansive love of Christ.
Our Vision
To be a community that God gathers, transforms, and sends to share Christ’s expansive love.
Our Values
Cultivating Growth: Inspiring curiosity and creativity
Embracing Community: Holding and being held by others
Pursuing Justice: Promoting a world where all life flourishes
Shoes Off! Engaging the sacred with humility and wonder
Welcome Statement
In response to God’s love made known to us through the Word and the work of the Holy Spirit . . .
We believe God made a good, diverse creation,
and we celebrate the way God’s image is revealed through human diversity.
We believe God is reconciling all of creation through Jesus Christ,
and we receive this gift by uniting as one body.
We believe God’s Spirit calls us to join in this work of reconciliation,
and we respond by living as an open and affirming community of Christ-followers—
blessed and strengthened by the rich diversity of lived experience, economic circumstance, race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, culture, abilities, and interests present among and around us.
Trinity Reformed Church welcomes all people into the full life and ministry of the church.
Community Context
Trinity Reformed Church is a Reformed Church in America (RCA) congregation rooted in the middle of the West Grand neighborhood of Grand Rapids. West Grand is a vibrant medley of students from nearby colleges, long-time Westsiders, immigrants from across the globe, and exciting new local businesses joining beloved old ones. Trinity is committed to being a part of this dynamic neighborhood, which continues to grow in diversity.
Congregational Character
The people of Trinity are formed by God’s call to love our neighbor. Trinity is mindful that our neighbors are all around the world; so, Trinity partners with the Al Amana Centre in Oman and Re-member on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Trinity’s remains especially committed to our immediate neighbors by housing the NW ACCESS food pantry, in hosting a Narcotics Anonymous group, and through our work with West Michigan Community Organizing.
Worship is the central hub of our week as persons from all types of backgrounds gather in our well-worn wooden chairs to celebrate God’s story of all of creation being made new. Trinity is an egalitarian, open and affirming congregation, and all God’s people are welcome—to worship, to participate in the life of the church, to serve, to respond when called to leadership, and to belong. We warmly embrace the form and freedom of our liturgy and appreciate the breadth of scriptural witness provided by the lectionary. We celebrate communion weekly (with gluten-free bread and alcohol-free juice); all baptized children and adults are welcome at the table.
“The people of Trinity use inclusive language to talk about God & people, value liturgy, remain committed to the neighborhood, believe pursuing justice is central to the church’s mission, and partner with others to do more with our talents. We invite you to belong in this community of Christ followers in the fullness of who God made you to be. “
– Pastor Benjamin Bruins
Who We Are
Staff & Partners
Trinity’s staff works to help the church embody the fierce, inclusive love of God.
The church office is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and by appointment.
Our office telephone number is 616-217-3987.
Email the church office at trcoffice@trinityreformedchurch.org
Benjamin Bruins (he/him) and Sarah Van Zetten Bruins (she/her)
PASTORS
Benjamin Bruins and Sarah Van Zetten Bruins are a clergy couple who have ministered together for fourteen years. They are also the parents of delightful eleven-year old twin boys and a seven-year old daughter. They share their work with the church and the work at home.
Benjamin hails from Wisconsin, growing up on a farm about 3 miles west of Alto. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin—Madison with degrees in Business and Psychology. He furthered his education at Western Theological Seminary where he was introduced to the joys of Reformed theology and Sarah Van Zetten.
Sarah grew up as a pastor’s daughter in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She studied religion and music at Central College in Pella, IA and then returned home to West Michigan to explore the idea of pastoral ministry at Western.
When Sarah and Benjamin met, both were undecided about their call to ministry; through their studies, their work in various churches, and their relationship with one another, they sensed a call from God to minister together as a married couple. They have been delighted to discover that they are better ministers together than on their own. They are enough alike to work well together, but different enough that their varying gifts and passions add a richness to their shared ministry.
Benjamin loves the way God forms the church to be a community participating in the reconciling love of God. As we encounter the presence of God we are shaped for lives of service—walking with vulnerable people, caring for creation, and embodying the good news of Jesus Christ.
Sarah is passionate about helping the church to meet God within a community. We gather together to encounter the living God in worship, especially in the face of our neighbor. As we study, sing, and feast together we are built into God’s people to live out God’s reign in the world.
In addition to parenting, Benjamin enjoys learning about personal finance, listening to podcasts, reading newspapers, and incorporating as much physical movement into the day as possible.
Sarah spends her time reading home decor blogs, growing in her cooking and baking skills, and soaking up as much sun as she can during the precious summer months.
sarah@trinityreformedchurch.org
benjamin@trinityreformedchurch.org
Amanda McElroy (she/her)
Coordinator for Children’s Ministries
amanda@trinityreformedchurch.org
(616) 217-3987
Partners
God reigns in Grand Rapids and throughout all of creation. God’s family includes people from all races, cultures, and countries. God’s diverse, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural church is beautiful. At Trinity, we are about building long term relationships with partners committed to holistic ministry that embody God’s expansive love.
We are always looking for additional partners to help grow our vision of sharing and embodying God’s expansive love.
Northwest Food Pantry
The Northwest Food Pantry collects food and personal care items and distributes them to Westside families when they are faced with loss of income or any other short-term emergency. Open M/W/F from 9am to 12:30pm in the Trinity basement.
nwfoodpantry.org
(616) 300-5079
New Development Corporation
The New Development Corporation is running a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program out of Trinity this fall and winter. VITA provides free income tax preparation for low and moderate-income households.
Together West Michigan
Trinity is a founding member of TWM, a group of organizations, community groups, & faith communities building a broad-based community organization. The focus of TWM is leadership development, building relationships across the lines that tend to divide our community, and citizen-led action.
Narcotics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous is a global, community-based organization offering recovery from the effects of addiction through working a twelve-step program, including regular attendance at group meetings. The group atmosphere provides help from peers and offers an ongoing support network for addicts who wish to pursue and maintain a drug-free lifestyle. Membership is free, and the T.G.I.F. group meets every Friday from 7:00-8:30pm in the Trinity basement fellowship room and is open to addicts and non-addicts alike.
Shower Ministry
During set times twice a week, individuals from the neighborhood who would like to shower are provided with towels, toiletries and, when needed, clothes. The shower ministry is always in need of white socks, shaving cream, men’s deodorant, men’s underwear, and hoodies.
Mission Partner: Justin Meyer
Justin Meyers is the director of the Al Amana Centre in Oman, whose primary focus is Muslim-Christian relations. Justin is passionate about bringing people from different religions and cultures together to learn about each other and to break harmful stereotypes. He is joined in mission by his wife Stephanie and their two sons, Gavin and Collin.
Re-member
Re-Member brings more than 1,200 volunteers to Pine Ridge each year for a week of work and cultural learning. Trinity aims to send a group of adults and youth on a Re-member Trip every summer.