Every year, Discipleship Ministries partners with annual conferences by offering the One Matters Award (OMA) to one eligible congregation at each annual conference. At the 2023 Susquehanna Annual Conference, the One Matters Award was given to one church in each of our districts.
Trinity UMC, Bellefonte
Pastor Doug Conway
The One Matters Award for State College district was given to Trinity UMC in Bellefonte. Trinity Bellefonte’s approach to making disciples for Jesus Christ is all about Matthew 25:35 “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.”
One of Trinity’s goals is to feed as many people as they can, as often as they can, and give every person a place to belong and be accepted.
The sharing of food for the physical body often leads to many opportunities for the sharing of Spiritual food.
- Each Wednesday evening a hot meal is offered. Participants can eat in but the church also arranges for pick up and delivery. An invitation is extended to everyone to the informal Wednesday evening worship. Called “The Gathering.” Trinity currently serves approximately 80 meals and served more than 3,800 meals in 2022.
- Tuesday and Thursday mornings is the Drop-in Centre – The church provides coffee, pastry, and breakfast sandwiches twice per week. It’s a time when people can come in, sit and enjoy the company of others.
- Prayer Breakfast – On the last Saturday of each month, Trinity serves a prayer breakfast, open to all.
- Dinners are provided for Thanksgiving and New Years Day. There are also Thanksgiving food baskets and a Christmas toy distribution.
Trinity focuses on the immediate needs of people, so there is the opportunity to develop friendships and relationships. In time, the relationships that are built at Trinity enable them to make disciples for Jesus Christ and to tell the Gospel story, encourage believers and nurture servants and future church leaders.
Working together with other churches in the community, regardless of denomination or affiliation, has allowed Trinity to expand their service of outreach to those who seek companionship and a place to belong; many walk through the church doors, that otherwise might not ever consider it. When they do, Trinity is able to extend the love of God, which is the starting point on the journey to the gift of salvation that comes through Jesus Christ.
Trinity has experienced that the more the doors are open the more people come in. Being open 6 days a week and sometimes 7, enables Trinity to make great in-roads into the community.
Hearts for the Homeless
Trinity Bellefonte’s growing food programs have [revealed the] need for a homeless assistance program in the Bellefonte community. The congregation of Trinity is committed to being a leader in addressing the issue. On April 7, 2023, for a 24-hour period, Trinity Bellefonte hosted its first Hearts for the Homeless Challenge to raise both awareness and funds for their ministry to:
- Meet the immediate needs of those who find themselves homeless in our Bellefonte community and
- Seek a more consistent and permanent assistance program for them.
Trinity UMC meets people where they are and addresses immediate needs. God works in amazing ways when we allow God to lead. In 2023, Trinity added 8 new members and celebrated 2 baptisms, not to mention the countless new relationships that are being fostered.
