Trinity Baptist Church is at 300 North Benson Road in Fairfield, Connecticut. Its life is centered on Jesus Christ through singing, prayer, preaching, discipleship, and service. Trinity is known for blended English worship at 9:30 a.m., Spanish worship at 12:30 p.m., programs that bring children and students into the life of the church, groups for adult fellowship and formation, and outreach extending from Fairfield County to more than 20 global partners.
Sunday at 9:30: Blended Music, Communion, and Coffee
The English Morning Worship Service begins at 9:30 a.m. Sundays and can be joined in person or online. A typical service features a message from the pastor and blended music that mixes traditional and contemporary songs. Special music and multimedia presentations may also be part of the gathering. Communion is served on the first Sunday of each month.
Trinity's dress range runs from business casual to jeans, and people are invited to come as they are. Coffee Hour begins at 11:00 a.m. after worship, when visitors can mingle with church members over coffee and fellowship.
For people joining from home, the Sunday livestream begins at 9:30 a.m. The TBC app also provides access to the livestream, sermons, event registration, and church chat. Past messages can be listened to or watched on YouTube, and the TBC Provoke podcast carries Sunday conversations into the middle of the week.
From Sixteen Swedish Christians to a Bilingual Fairfield Church
Trinity was founded June 15, 1882, by sixteen Swedish Christians as The First Swedish Baptist Church in Bridgeport, Connecticut. P.T. Barnum donated the property in honor of Jenny Lind, known as the Swedish Nightingale, and the first church building was constructed on Seeley Street in 1884.
By 1906, the church had 185 baptized believers and a large ministry among young people. A larger sanctuary on Colorado Avenue was built in 1920. Continued outreach to young people and the surrounding community helped make English, rather than Swedish, the spoken language. Membership reached 310 in 1942, and on June 12, 1946, the name became The Baptist Temple. A sister church, Long Hill Baptist, was founded in Trumbull with 22 members in 1958.
Trinity purchased its current Fairfield property in 1969 and adopted the Trinity Baptist Church name in 1971. The first service in the new sanctuary took place April 6, 1972, under Pastor John Dischinger. Dave DeVries joined in 1973, first as youth pastor and then as senior pastor in 1976. He served for 45 years before retiring in December 2018. Dan Van Horne became lead pastor in January 2019 after five years as associate pastor. Adjacent properties were acquired for staff, global partners, and Renew Counseling Center. The sanctuary, foyer, and classrooms were expanded in 1986, a gym and gathering hall were added, and the foyer expanded again in 2018.
Love God with Everything
Trinity's mission is stated in capitals: TO LOVE GOD WITH EVERYTHING. Jesus is central to everything the church does. The church sings, prays, and preaches in his powerful name and says its past, present, and future are centered on Jesus Christ. Its stated purpose is to make much of Jesus Christ. Trinity points to Colossians 1:16-17 and the promise that all things were created through Christ and that he holds all things together.
Three core values shape the church's life:
- Welcoming: As the body of Christ reflects Jesus, Trinity hopes people experience Christ's welcoming spirit, grow in the knowledge of God, and build relationships within the community.
- Safety: Trinity gives priority to spiritual, mental, and physical safety as people explore deeper matters of the heart and mind.
- Transforming love: The church exists in Fairfield to see the love of Jesus transform families and believes that allowing Jesus to work through people is the greatest service it can offer society.
Nursery Care, Sunday Classes, and Transformed Students
Nursery care is available throughout the 9:30 a.m. service for children from birth to age three. During the school year, children ages four and five begin worship with their families and are dismissed during the sermon for crafts, singing, and teaching about God's love. Trinity uses a secure check-in system for its Sunday morning children's classes so a parent can be reached if needed. In July and August, childcare is offered through age five, and children in grades K-5 participate in Summer Sunday School.
Transformed Student Ministries serves students in grades 6-12. During the school year, students begin in worship with their families and then gather in the Youth Room during the sermon. The relaxed class discusses the sermon and its application to real life. In July and August, students remain in the service and use sermon notebooks. The Sunday youth group meets from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. during the school year for a lesson from God's Word, games, snacks, discussion, and laughter.
Trinity's Vacation Bible School is an annual free program for children from age four through grade five. Bible stories, music, crafts, games, and hands-on activities teach children about God's plan for their lives.
Discipleship, Joy Groups, and Soul Care
Adult Discipleship Hour begins at 8:30 a.m. on Sundays in the Patio Rooms. The year-round class series is intended to help adults grow more like Christ and live with godly character in daily life, and the class topics vary.
Joy Groups welcome women from the greater Fairfield area to meet in person or online. Each group chooses its own meeting time and receives a Scripture passage, a worksheet, and life-application questions. Meetings also include sharing and prayer. Fresh Brewed Life Breakfasts happen four times a year with a catered meal, a speaker, and a game or worship.
Soul Care Groups begin with eight to 10 people who fellowship, serve, pray, and grow together. Drawing from the caring communities described in Acts, these groups seek to create an environment for encouragement, accountability, and ongoing healing. Both newcomers and longtime participants are invited to find a group.
Discovering Trinity is offered periodically for people who want to know more about the church, become connected, or become members. Pastors Dan and Moses cover Trinity's beliefs, history, ministries, and baptism, with time for questions and a light lunch. Trinity also gathers weekly for prayer on Wednesdays.
Square One Begins with Breakfast
Square One meets on Thursday mornings in the Gathering Hall. Coffee and fellowship run from 6:00 to 6:30 a.m., followed by Bible study and discussion from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. All men are welcome to fellowship, study, and discuss the Word together.
Spanish Worship and Study Across the Week
Pastor Moses Garcia serves as Trinity's bilingual pastor for Spanish-speaking and English-speaking members. He focuses on preaching the Word of God and cultivating a life of prayer. Spanish-language worship and formation are woven into the regular week through three gatherings.
Servicio de Adoración takes place in the sanctuary at 12:30 p.m. Sundays. Estudio Biblico y Oración meets in the Patio Room at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and in the sanctuary at 7:00 p.m. Fridays. These services make Spanish ministry a regular part of Trinity's life alongside its English worship service.
What Trinity Believes
Trinity holds that the Bible is fully inspired, without error in the original manuscripts, and supreme in matters of faith and conduct. It believes in one living and true God in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and in Jesus Christ as God's only begotten Son. Its beliefs include the virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension, perpetual intercession, and the personal and visible return of Christ.
The church teaches that people are sinners by nature and choice, that those who repent and trust Jesus as personal Savior are regenerated and sealed by the Holy Spirit, and that the Spirit convicts, regenerates, sanctifies, empowers, and gives spiritual gifts for the ministry of others. The universal church is the body of Christ, while the local church gathers baptized believers for worship, instruction, witness, and fellowship. Trinity recognizes believers' baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper as its two ordinances. It also affirms religious liberty, the independence of churches, separation of church and state, voluntary cooperation among churches, resurrection, final judgment, and the eternal consequences of that judgment. Trinity is a member of Converge Worldwide, formerly known as the Baptist General Conference.
Renew, Higher Ground, and Fairfield County Partners
Renew Counseling Center provides Biblically integrated, professional counseling for a range of life issues. It follows high ethical standards, respects clients' beliefs, and seeks to promote their well-being. Renew is housed on an adjacent property acquired by the church.
Higher Ground is a Christ-centered church ministry for men and women struggling with life-controlling issues. Family members affected by a loved one's addiction are also invited, as are people in sobriety who want to grow spiritually. Meetings take place at 7:00 p.m. Thursdays in the Gathering Hall and use Scripture and biblical teachings called Precepts. They are confidential and intended to provide encouragement, spiritual growth, and involvement in the life of the church.
Bridgeport Rescue Mission serves hungry, homeless, and addicted people throughout Fairfield County around the clock throughout the year. Its work includes food, shelter, clothing, education, job training, and residential discipleship. Trinity supports the mission through clothing and coat drives and collections for food pantry needs.
Bridges International partners with Trinity at the University of Bridgeport to welcome international students through social connections and spiritual conversations. The ministry seeks to help students feel connected and become leaders internationally. Hopeline Pregnancy Resource Center offers pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, counseling, healthy-relationships education, and abortion-recovery services for women facing an unexpected pregnancy or difficult circumstances after an abortion.
Faith Promise and a Global Network
Trinity's GO Team supports more than 20 partners around the world. African partners help refugees, fight against AIDS, and assist orphans. Partners in the Philippines, Brazil, and elsewhere provide education and share the Gospel, while partners in India assist with Bible translation. The network also includes medical assistance, church planting, sports ministry, clean-water projects, work in the Amazon region, and inner-city ministry.
The GO Team maintains communication with these partners, encourages them, and invites the congregation to support them spiritually and financially. Faith Promise giving provides a way for people to participate financially in the work of the global partners, while regular support from the church encourages continued communication and prayer.
Many Ways to Serve
Trinity's service opportunities reach from inside its buildings to partners around the world:
- Children's Ministry includes Sunday school, nursery care, Vacation Bible School, and other children's events.
- Worship Ministry includes the vocal ensemble, visual arts, and technical arts.
- The Deacon and Deaconess Board helps newcomers become connected and builds fellowship through activities and events.
- The Operations Team uses skills such as gardening, handyman work, and painting to care for the church facilities.
- The Global Outreach Team encourages support and prayer for Trinity's partners around the world.
The church's expanded facilities include a sanctuary, foyer, classrooms, gym and Gathering Hall, Youth Room, and Patio Rooms. Trinity's ministries remain tied to its central aim of loving God with everything and making much of Jesus Christ through worship, formation, care, and service.