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Dear Friends,

This weekend Holy Week begins. It can be tempting to just focus on Easter. It will be a truly joyful celebration at Trinity, as it always is. There will be awe-inspiring music, a grand procession, our brand new children’s choir, the Easter Egg hunt for the kids – it’s going to be wonderful! But I strongly encourage you to drink in all of the offerings from Trinity this week. The journey from Palm Sunday to Easter morning is dramatic, inspiring, and emotional. And I promise you, the Easter joy will taste sweeter having made the journey. We have been working on crafting these experiences for you for months and each opportunity is more than just a church service – they are each a step along the journey to the cross, and most importantly, to the journey of new and renewed life that we experience at Easter.

Blessings,
Jon+

Calling all kiddos! Do you love to sing? Perform? Stand there looking adorable while action happens around you? Join us on Easter Sunday for a super fun kids choir moment during the service at Trinity. Think traditional Vacation Bible School musical whimsy and Easter children’s charm. The song is short, sweet, and VERY EASY to learn. We will meet after service this Sunday March 22nd to learn the song and then gather at 9:30 AM on Easter Sunday to confirm our cues for where to be and when during church service.

All are welcome. No talent required. The louder the better, but honestly the quieter the kids, the cuter the performance. Reach out to Rebecca Facey if you have any questions – Rebecca.Facey19@gmail.com and check out the link to preview the song. See you Sunday!

Dear Friends,

Dinner with Stephen Colbert? Yes, that’s what we did this Wednesday in My Brother’s Place! The week before Pete Buttigieg was there for dinner – and yes, he was in Toledo yesterday, but we saw him first!

The Lenten Soup, Salad and the Sacred at 6:00-7:30 includes a video of Fr. Jim Martin interviewing a well-known person talking about their own experience of God and prayer on his podcast, The Spiritual Life. We then share about our own experience using similar questions. It’s a great way to see the private side of a famous person. The discussion that follows the video is a chance to explore our own experience of God (the absence, prayer, action, longing, fear, humor) with Trinity’s friends.

Who’s coming to dinner next? You, we hope.

Each interview is different, so each night requires no preparation, and you will fit right in for an evening of fun, faith and fellowship. Next guest? A mystery! Maybe Whoopi Goldberg, Sr. Helen Prejean (of Dead Man Walking), Richard Rohr, Gregory Maguire (author of Wicked).

You can watch the Stephen Colbert and Pete Buttigieg episodes by clicking on their names.

Come see!
Sheila Otto

Every once in a while Trinity’s staff experiences something in the day-to-day that is worth sharing with our larger community. Recently, we experienced one of those moments when St. Mark’s Cathedral of Minneapolis reached out to us.

More than 20 years ago, Trinity purchased our sanctuary chairs from a vendor who, all these years later, passed our name along as St. Mark’s began exploring replacing their traditional pews with flexible, modern seating.
This is not their first attempt. In fact, this is St. Mark’s third time trying to move forward with a major seating transformation. Anyone involved in sacred space planning knows that timing, congregation, leadership, and vision must all align—and that’s no small feat.

What started with a simple email quickly turned into numerous messages, photos, floor plans, and long phone conversations full of thoughtful questions. It became clear that St. Mark’s wasn’t just looking for new chairs—they were searching for someone willing to walk with them through the possibilities, the complexities, and yes, the challenges that come with reimagining a historic worship space.

Then something unexpected happened. After watching a variety of our worship services on YouTube featuring flexible seating in action, their team humbly asked if they could hop on a plane to meet us in person.
And of course, we said yes!

What followed was a rich four hour conversation where we had a deep, honest exploration of what their worship experience could become. We talked through layouts, liturgical flow, acoustics, movement and the emotional weight that comes with letting go of pews that have held generations. It was inspiring, energizing, and grounding all at once.
But the very best part? Somewhere between the coffee, laughter, Q&A, and shared passion for sacred spaces, we gained two new lifelong friends in Joe and Dana from St. Mark’s Cathedral.

Their enthusiasm, openness, and care for their community reminded us why flexible seating is never just about furniture but about mission, hospitality, and the future of worship. We’re honored to be part of St. Mark’s journey as they take this meaningful step, and we can’t wait to see where the next chapter leads.

Here’s to sacred spaces that grow with their people and unexpected friendships that form along the way!

Heather Meyer
Director of Operations

Dear friends,

This week after church we will be hosting a lunch and learn in My Brother’s Place for the for the first time since we started planning in Lent of 2023. It has been a long road to get to where we started, and I could not be more excited to share with you what those Lent-Lean-Ins have brought. This will be a time where Trinity guests and members will get to listen to, and engage with Michael Kidney as he speaks on Pride, Kimberly Kefalas about Breakfast at Trinity, Joe Dawson on our Trinity Response Team, Brian Ingman about worship leading, Mark Dubielak, and myself. We will be talking about what our plans for 2026 are in these ministries and answering any questions you have!

We have been working hard over the past few years to establish what community engagement looks like not only at Trinity, but in our larger community as well. We’ll start off by talking about what we discussed back in 2023, then where we are at now. So, come with your questions, and there will be a taco bar, so that is pretty darn exciting. If you’re planning on coming please sign up here so we know how much food to prepare!

Grace and peace,
George M. Benson
Director of Community Engagement

Dear Friends,

Starting Sunday, February 22, our Trinity Response Team will have a table set up at the back of the sanctuary. On March 11, a Trinity team plans to travel to Columbus to meet with our state representatives, including Josh Williams. District 44 Rep. Williams is well known in his district and throughout Ohio for the House Bills that are oppressive to our neighbors. At the TRT table, we will have prewritten letters addressing Rep. Williams asking him to withdraw support from the following bills:

House Bill 26, Enact Protecting Ohio Communities Act (anti-immigrant)
House Bill 155, Prohibit Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Public Schools
House Bill 190, Enact the Given Name Act (anti-LGBTQIA+)
House Bill 200, Enact the America First Act (anti-immigrant)
House Bill 281, Regards Hospitals and Enforcement of Federal Immigration law (anti-immigrant)
House Bil 544, Expand the Offense of Obstructing Justice (anti-immigrant)
House Bill 693, Enact the Affirming Families First Act (anti-LGBTQIA+)

Our plan is to hand-deliver these letters signed by you on March 11. If this type of activism is something you are drawn to, please consider saving the date and joining us for our Community Engagement Lunch and Learn next week after service (March 1).

Grace and peace,

George Benson
Director of Community Engagement

Dear Friends,

This Sunday is the “Shrove Sunday” pancake breakfast just after church. And that means that Lent is just around the corner. It is, in fact, less than a week away. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which is February 18th this year.

We will have two services that day – at noon and 7:00 pm.

A significant part of that service each year is a reading, from the priest to the congregation, that is an “Invitation to a Holy Lent”. It tells a little bit of the history of the season and invites us all to turn ourselves over to this tradition for a time – to let it guide our lives a little.

Today, I invite you to consider that. Consider the ways that you might intentionally deepen your sense of faith as we lead ourselves down this holy pathway that points the way for us between the finality of death and the eternity of life in Christ.

Lent is a time to take our lives as faithful people a little more seriously. For some that means “giving something up”, though not always. Sometimes people like to take on a new spiritual discipline. Either way – or if you have something else entirely – the real point is to focus on faith with greater intentionality. It’s not like a “New Year’s Resolution” – it’s a refocus. And we need that time to refocus, because each of our lives will get disrupted sometimes. We all get pushed off our ideal paths every now and then.

But Lent is about remembering – not just at this time of year, but any time of year – that even when the path is rocky and treacherous, even when we think we’ve lost our way entirely, Easter is always waiting on the other side. Renewal is always coming.

The story of God is always a story of hope, joy, and love. Lent helps us to remember that the tough times are never the end, and they’re never the point. New life through God’s grace is always just ahead. Even when we can’t see it. Especially when we can’t see it.

I invite you to walk with your church family on this journey of discovery. The more you’re willing to give yourself over to the process, the more rewarding the other side will be.

Blessings,
Jon+

A cup of warm coffee is one of the best emotional support items for social interaction. Pair it with a delicious snack and suddenly, socializing becomes less daunting. And yet, we know socializing is a huge part of creating community! Sharing time, establishing connections, and recounting stories over a meal (no matter how small) is a cornerstone of our tradition. Coffee hour plays an important role in creating our community; it’s where threads of connection begin, continuing threads are maintained, and soon we’ve built a large tapestry of community. And Trinity needs someone to lead it.

We’ve had two excellent leads on Coffee Hour for the past year and a half; Lucy and Nancy have worked behind the scenes as the Coffee Hour Coordinators. They’re stepping down in June, and Trinity is looking for another group of people to take on this role. As the new coffee hour coordinator, you wouldn’t be starting from scratch- you would receive a list of reliable hosts, the full calendar of dates, and a simple job description to help steer your ministry. Lots of people want to help – we just need someone to coordinate.

So if you feel called to this type of ministry, we’d love to have a conversation with you. This is important work, and we look forward to meeting our next Coffee Hour lead.

Chelsie
Chief Joy Officer
(technically, Director of Music and the Arts)

Dear friends,

It is a heavy time to be awake and caring for people in the world we live in. Everything seems heavy to hold, and the truth is, it is a lot. We are in a spot in our country right now where turning on the news or looking through our social media apps can cause us to cringe at unexpected violence. This reaction can cause us to think we cannot do anything, which my friends, is not true. This Sunday after service, the Trinity Response Team will be meeting in My Brother’s Place (2nd floor of our Parish Hall) to talk about current events, what we can do, what we want to do, and writing to our representatives.

I hope to see you this weekend, not just at this meeting but in general. I am sure I am not the only one feeling alone and helpless in the weight of this moment, and it is incredibly rare where there are clearly defined lines of right and wrong in the world. But this is one of those moments, and it helps to be in community with one another. Like our shared faith, life and activism should be lived out together, because together is how we make an impact and fight the feelings of helplessness.

Grace and peace,
George Benson (he/him)

Dear Friends,

This Sunday is our Annual Meeting! I know, throughout the church, collective groans go up when we hear about annual meetings. I’ve served in churches where the attendance that day looked about like the Sunday after Easter – lovingly called “low Sunday”.

But I encourage you to take this part of membership at Trinity seriously, and to choose to be a part of it. We promise to be good stewards of your time and to not let things drag on too much. But it is important to claim your ownership as members of this community.

As a priest, part of how I understand my calling is that I believe some of the most important work I do is about supporting you in the important work that God is calling you to do. The annual meeting is a time to embrace your role as a leader of Trinity, to take a hand in lifting up the next leaders of Trinity, and to celebrate the good work that God has led us to do in the past year.

When you read the Annual Report, I hope you’ll get a sense of the joy that it has captured, but also a sense of the vital ministry it shows. We have been busy in the best ways at Trinity. And that is not just the work I have done, or the work that our staff has done – that is the sum of the work we all have done, together. Most importantly, it is a testament to the work that Christ has called us to.

So, please do make it a point to be a part of the meeting after church this Sunday. We have so much to celebrate!

Blessings,
Jon+

Dear Friends,

There is often a manic energy that accompanies both beginnings and endings—a real or perceived urgency to do everything or finish everything. When we pause to consider how many “endings” we experience in a single year, it’s easy to see why. Many of these are dictated by calendars, deadlines, or goals, and it comes as no surprise that they bring with them a mix of emotions: stress and excitement, confusion and clarity, anticipation and reflection.

Vern McLellan’s words, “What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year,” offer an important perspective during times of transition. Too often, we become caught in the “what was” and lose sight of the “what will become.” As children, we rarely feared possibility. Curiosity guided our learning, our discovery, and our understanding of the world around us.

In Isaiah 43:18–19, we are reminded: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” We are reassured that new paths are being created—even when we are unsure where those paths may lead. God offers opportunities for discovery, even when the destination is unclear.

T.S. Eliot reminds us that “the beginning is often the end,” and that “to make an end is to make a beginning.” So we are invited to ask ourselves: where will this new year’s beginning lead us? Discovery can be unsettling. The world, quite frankly, feels frightening at times. Yet we are reminded that God promises to answer when we call and to reveal “great and unsearchable things” we do not yet know.

As we enter a new year at Trinity, we also welcome a new group of individuals stepping into committee and Vestry roles. Many may have wondered whether they were capable of meeting the expectations before them. They were hesitant, yet curious—and they chose to inquire and to serve. As we approach our Annual Meeting, a time to reflect on all that has unfolded within our community over the past year, let us remember to offer prayers for those who are concluding their service. May they know that their curiosity and willingness helped shape and strengthen all the good that Trinity has offered during their time.

One individual we especially recognize is Margaret Baehren, who has faithfully served as Trinity’s elected Treasurer for the past three years. We thank her for stepping into a role that may have felt both daunting and unfamiliar, and for all she has given to our community through her service.

With her departure comes a new beginning. I have recently been voted in by the Vestry to serve as the next Treasurer. I, too, feel both nervous and curious as I step into this role. I humbly ask for your prayers as I take on this responsibility in service to you and to Trinity.

As we move through the various seasons and transitions of our lives, may we remember that the entrance and exit ramps we travel are not unguided. We need only ask for direction—and trust that an answer will come.

Karen Keune

Dear Friends,

This Sunday at Trinity is “Safety Sunday”! This is a movement that has been in the works in both the Vestry and the Property Committee for several months now.

Safety has always been a significant concern at Trinity. We spend a lot of time talking about making sure this is a spiritually safe place, where people can heal from and grow after experiences of spiritual harm. And the safety of our children is always a critical concern. Every member of the staff and leadership of the parish, as well as anyone who has regular access to children is required to undergo a training program to learn how to recognize and report incidents of child abuse or endangerment.

This week, in a forum after church, we’ll have an opportunity to consider ways that we can further ensure everyone’s physical safety at church.

Kilee Keplinger, one of the Officers from the Toledo Police Department who helps to provide security every Sunday morning, will be speaking with us about best practices in the event of a need to evacuate the building suddenly.

Joe Wood from the Lucas County Health Department will be with us again to offer NARCAN training.

Finally, our own Megan Simmons, a Registered Nurse, will be with us to train us on where to find and how to use the AED machine that we have at church.

I hope you’ll be able to join us. Grab some snacks, and then settle in. We want Trinity to continue to stand as a beacon of hope in our community, offering a refuge of safety for everyone.

Blessings,
Jon+

Dear Friends,

It is my delight today to write to you with some good news about Grace Mauk. You’ll recall that last year, she was invited to join the national tour of “Dirty Dancing Live”. In fact, my first official act as Rector of Trinity was to join the epic bus trip that went to support her at their tour stop just north of Detroit on the Saturday night before our first Sunday together. It was such a fun way to begin our ministry together!

Today, I’m happy to report that Grace has been invited back on that tour. She will be leaving for a few months, beginning in January. Please make a special effort to be in church on Sunday, January 11th as we send her off with our blessing on this exciting opportunity. We are so proud of who she is and all that she has accomplished, and we are grateful to count her as one of our own!

The further bit of good news that I am happy to share is that when Grace returns in April, the scope of her work here at Trinity will be changing. In addition to serving as our Assistant Director of Music and the Arts, Grace will move into a new full-time position that will include her being our new Director of Communications.

The communications aspects of this ministry have been carried out for the last few years by spreading the responsibilities around the staff. While everyone has done a great job, it became clear to me, soon after arriving that this was a serious hole that would need to be addressed, sooner or later. Additionally, it quickly became clear that Grace has both the skills and the creativity to do more.

As a part of her new role, she’ll be absorbing most of the communications aspects of the work that Heather & Chelsie have been doing – freeing them both to concentrate on critical aspects of their work – and she’ll develop our broader communication strategy to be even more effective at spreading the good news of the work that the Holy Spirit is doing among us here at Trinity.

You should know that this wouldn’t have been possible without your generous support in our annual giving campaign. The success of that campaign – rising beyond the goals we’d set for it – have made it possible for us to increase our capacity for ministry in this meaningful way. Your gifts matter. Thank you for your support!

We are so excited for Grace as she embarks on this next adventure on tour, and when she returns, her next adventure: growing into her new ministry here at Trinity. Please take a moment to wish her well in all that these next few months will hold!

Blessings,
Jon+

Dear Friends,

As we come to the close of another remarkable year at Trinity Episcopal Church, I find myself filled with deep gratitude and pride for this extraordinary community we share. Once again, Trinity has shown what is possible when faith is lived boldly, love is extended freely, and generosity is offered joyfully.

This year, our Chorus of Generosity Stewardship Campaign did more than meet expectations—it exceeded our goal. That achievement is not simply about numbers; it is a testament to the faithfulness, trust, and shared commitment of this congregation to Trinity’s mission and future. Each pledge, each gift, and each prayer added a vital voice to a chorus that continues to sustain and strengthen our parish.

We also witnessed a vibrant and powerful expression of Trinity’s values through our joyful presence at Toledo Pride. Our public and unapologetic affirmation of the LGBTQIA+ community was a beautiful and faithful witness to God’s radical welcome. Trinity continues to stand as a place where all are seen, celebrated, and loved—just as they are.

Our Trinity Community Breakfast has continued to grow as a living expression of Christ’s hospitality. Week after week, open arms and open hearts have welcomed neighbors in need, offering nourishment not only for the body, but for the spirit. This ministry embodies the very best of who we are: compassionate, generous, and grounded in love.
This year also brought new beginnings with the arrival of our Rector, Jon, and his husband, Michael. Their seamless blending into the fabric of our community has been a true gift. Their warmth, authenticity, and shared ministry among us already feel like a natural extension of Trinity’s life together, and we are richly blessed by their presence.

On a personal note, as I roll off Vestry and conclude my service as Senior Warden, I do so with profound gratitude. Serving this parish has been one of the great honors of my life. I am endlessly thankful for the trust, collaboration, laughter, and faith that define Trinity. This community has shaped me, sustained me, and reminded me again and again why the Church matters.

Thank you, dear friends, for all that you give and all that you are. May we continue to move forward together—faithful, courageous, generous, and rooted in love—as we sing our shared song into the year ahead.
Remember: Each one of you is Beautiful, Worthy, Loved, and Enough.

With love and light,
Jeffrey J. Albright
Senior Warden

Dear Friends,

This year we have the brutal privilege of joining with St. Paul’s UMC, the Toledo Lucas County Homelessness Board, Cherry Street Mission, and 1Matters in the Unhoused Blue Christmas Service on Sunday, December 21. This service will be held at St. Paul’s UMC at 3:30pm, and while it is not the first time it has been held, it is the first we have been invited to participate in it. Over the past few years, Every month, Trinity helps with food insecurity through our partnership with Food for Thought for the mobile food pantry and providing lunch for Toledo Street News vendors. For nearly the past two years, we have been taking a more direct approach in walking alongside our marginalized and unhoused siblings with Breakfast at Trinity.

A few weeks ago, the news reported the death of Mr. Richard Kwapich who was unhoused and passed away outside due to the cold weather. This is a service where we will honor him, and the lives of our other siblings who have passed due to the unjust world and circumstances that have been created around us. If like me you are frustrated at the state of things, and at times feel helpless on what to do, this service will be a time and space to come and share in it.

I look forward to seeing some of you there.

Grace and peace,
George Benson (he/him)

Dear Friends,

I’m so excited to celebrate our first Christmas together here at Trinity! This community has already been such a joyful gift for Michael and me, and we are excited to be reaching this milestone together.

As you make your way through figuring out schedules for this Christmas season, remember that Trinity has lots of offerings – each special and unique – to help you get the most out of this season.

First, on Wednesday, December 17th, we’ll once again have our “Blue Christmas” service at 7:00 pm in the chapel. We know that Christmas can be a time of complicated emotions – particularly when we’re all surrounded by so many expressions of joy. Sometimes, no matter how much joy we see, we also have to acknowledge that this time of year can be a time of difficulty and grief for all kinds of reasons. But one of the greatest gifts of the Incarnation of Christ is that God took on and blessed the human experience. So, together, we will accept, honor, and bless even the more complicated aspects of the holiday season in this special worship service.

Then, on Christmas Eve, there are three distinct offerings representing the creativity of this community, each in its own way:

• At noon there will be Christmas Eucharist that’s a little more laid back than the later one – perfect for those who aren’t able to drive at night or who will have other obligations as the evening progresses. You will have a chance to sing some of your favorite Christmas Carols! There will be music, led by the piano and a cantor.
• At 5:00 pm there will be a special, non-traditional version of the Christmas service specifically designed to speak to the young and the young at heart. As a part of this service of Holy Eucharist there will be the annual Christmas Pageant! This year it’s been redesigned to reflect the progressive, inclusive, and creative nature of Trinity. There will be lots of music and mayhem and the glory of Christ will be revealed, as only Trinity can!
• Finally, at 11:00 pm (with pre-service music beginning at 10:30 pm) we will have our most traditional service. Music will be led by a string quartet and the choir. You’ll have a chance to hear and sing many of your favorite Christmas carols. The service ends with the moving candlelight service and singing Silent Night.

Of course, Christmas isn’t just a day! Be sure to join us for a service of Lessons and Carols and Holy Eucharist on December 28th at 10:00 am. You’ll get a chance to hear lots of Christmas music that you love and carry forward the joy and celebration into the new year!

I look forward to seeing you all during this time. It will be a joy to celebrate together!

Blessings,
Jon+

Dear Friends!

At Trinity, we are a community who truly understands and values the impact of music and the arts; two ultimate forms of communication. They allow us to take our stories and deepen our understanding, starting with analytical thought and moving into a deeper, internal wisdom of knowing. Their practice extends an invitation to share in the depth of human experience, shaped through a full telling of stories.

This weekend, Trinity is delighted to share one of Christianity’s greatest stories with you in a new way. “The Innkeeper” is a one-person play about the nativity, told from the perspective of the Innkeeper. It’s forty years after the birth of Christ, and we find the Innkeeper is contacted by a man named Luke, who is collecting the stories of Jesus’s life.

Joyfully, we welcome Michael Searle, a regional actor and active member of Zoar Lutheran Church in Perrysburg, performing the role of the Innkeeper. This piece was originally titled “I Remember Bethlehem: The Innkeeper’s Story” and written by Dr. Frederick Speakman. After many revisions by both Michael and his father John, the current version of the work has truly taken a life of its own. Michael takes this piece around the region for the holiday season, and knowing how short that season is, we are delighted that Trinity is a part of his tour this year.

My hope always is that this non-traditional sermon offering will help deepen your experience of Advent this year. Afterall, this is why we tell the story.

Chelsie
Director of Music and the Arts