Dear Trinity Wilmette Friends,

During the pandemic, Rev. Dr. David Wu and his wife Shirley became an active part of our congregation.  They are both retired United Methodist missionaries who have dedicated their lives to Christ and the church.  Dr. Wu notes that the church faces strong cultural headwinds these days, including secularism, materialism, and indifference.  But Christ’s call to make disciples has not changed.  The Spirit is still moving around the world and among us.  Your gifts allow Trinity Wilmette to be faithful, resilient, and ready to share the gospel in any season. Take a moment to read Mary’s reflection (see below), and then let your light shine!

Grace and peace,
~Brian C. Smith
Senior Pastor

A Personal Reflection by Rev. Dr. David Wu

Each year, we call our church members to provide financial support to sustain our church programs. This is important if we want to maintain the witness of our church in our community. The ministries of the church become difficult when our church membership is not growing. This is a common challenge faced by nearly all churches in the western world. To grow the church, however, it needs the power of the Spirit of God to move the hearts of people. The effort of church members is important but not sufficient. While we pray and seek God’s sustaining grace, we cannot lose heart. We need to remain faithful to God’s call and continue to walk in God’s path.
The apostle Paul charged his protégé Timothy: “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season.” He admonished Timothy to be diligent in preaching the Word, regardless of the circumstances or time. Paul stressed the importance of consistent and unwavering faithfulness in spreading the gospel, even when it is not easily received or when it is inconvenient to do so.

Christianity today in the western world is facing a headwind of secularism, materialism, and indifference. But God calls the witness of the church must go on “in season and out of season.” Jesus’ command to his disciples “Go, therefore and make disciples…I am with you always to the very end of the age” has not been abrogated.

Our church is a global church. The growth rate of the church varies from country to country. The Spirit of God continues to move in our midst, bringing peoples into the kingdom of God. Young men and women of different tongues and nations continue to respond to God’s call and go out to serve. Looking from a wider angle, our church is deserving our support “in season and out of season.”