July 17th, 2026
by Brad Banks
by Brad Banks
Dear Trinity family,
I'd like to begin with one more thank you for everything that so many of you did over the past several years, the past several months, and now the past several weeks. God used you to help sustain us in this season and that helps me to trust that He will continue to do so in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
Barring something unforeseen, I will come off sabbatical and return to active work on Monday with a view towards returning to preach on the 26th of this month, a week from Sunday. Again, thank you to Doug, Jim, and Dave Furman for helping to provide that time.
I think that it would be helpful, at least for me, to try and explain where I am just shy of two months since Bree's passing and what that means as I re-enter the rhythms of being your pastor.
The closest example I can think of (and I've been thinking about this a good deal), is that of an amputee. Really, in every way short of physical, this is how I feel. An amputee has lost something significant, a literal part of themselves. The wound heals in the sense that the person isn't at risk of serious complications like infection or something along those lines, but the individual now faces life in a way that's categorically different than what it was before. The loss is something you get used to living with but the sense of absence of what was lost never goes away.
It's likely that there are things an amputee can't do that they once could. There are other areas where they can still participate but need to learn workarounds. Depending on what happened, some things need to simply be re-learned.
This is me. I haven't been a single pastor since I was 23 years old, and I was a youth pastor at the time. I don't know how to do this without Bree and thus will have to learn. Relating to you without her is just different. I'm used to introducing myself as, "I'm Brad and this is my wife, Bree." I don't get to do that anymore. Having me over is going to be different than having us over. The same goes for having you over to my house. It isn't "our" house anymore. That's going to take some getting used to.
I'm not trying to be maudlin or morose here. I'm just trying to communicate that this will be a work in progress for me, but it's a work in which I'm committed to progressing because there is still work to be done at TBC.
God has placed this church here that we might impact our community for Christ for the sake of His glory. That hasn't changed. The work is still ongoing. We are still called to do that work. I'm committed to living out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission alongside you. Romans 8:28 says that, "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." I still believe that's true and I believe we'll get to discover what that looks like together.
God bless and I'll see you on the 26th.
In Christ
Pastor Brad
I'd like to begin with one more thank you for everything that so many of you did over the past several years, the past several months, and now the past several weeks. God used you to help sustain us in this season and that helps me to trust that He will continue to do so in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
Barring something unforeseen, I will come off sabbatical and return to active work on Monday with a view towards returning to preach on the 26th of this month, a week from Sunday. Again, thank you to Doug, Jim, and Dave Furman for helping to provide that time.
I think that it would be helpful, at least for me, to try and explain where I am just shy of two months since Bree's passing and what that means as I re-enter the rhythms of being your pastor.
The closest example I can think of (and I've been thinking about this a good deal), is that of an amputee. Really, in every way short of physical, this is how I feel. An amputee has lost something significant, a literal part of themselves. The wound heals in the sense that the person isn't at risk of serious complications like infection or something along those lines, but the individual now faces life in a way that's categorically different than what it was before. The loss is something you get used to living with but the sense of absence of what was lost never goes away.
It's likely that there are things an amputee can't do that they once could. There are other areas where they can still participate but need to learn workarounds. Depending on what happened, some things need to simply be re-learned.
This is me. I haven't been a single pastor since I was 23 years old, and I was a youth pastor at the time. I don't know how to do this without Bree and thus will have to learn. Relating to you without her is just different. I'm used to introducing myself as, "I'm Brad and this is my wife, Bree." I don't get to do that anymore. Having me over is going to be different than having us over. The same goes for having you over to my house. It isn't "our" house anymore. That's going to take some getting used to.
I'm not trying to be maudlin or morose here. I'm just trying to communicate that this will be a work in progress for me, but it's a work in which I'm committed to progressing because there is still work to be done at TBC.
God has placed this church here that we might impact our community for Christ for the sake of His glory. That hasn't changed. The work is still ongoing. We are still called to do that work. I'm committed to living out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission alongside you. Romans 8:28 says that, "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." I still believe that's true and I believe we'll get to discover what that looks like together.
God bless and I'll see you on the 26th.
In Christ
Pastor Brad
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