Annual - Trinity Episcopal Church

Annual
PARISH
REPORT
January 2016
TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
1015 HOLMAN ST • HOUSTON, TEXAS 77004
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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AGENDA
NEW MEMBERS
RECTOR’S REPORT
ASSOCIATE RECTOR’S REPORT
SENIOR WARDEN’S REPORT
JUNIOR WARDEN’S REPORT
CHILDREN AND FAMILY MINISTRY
CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD REPORT
ECC TWEENS REPORT
MUSIC AT TRINITY REPORT
ACOLYTE GUILD REPORT
ALTAR FLOWER MINISTRY REPORT
ALTAR GUILD REPORT
ANNUAL BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS REPORT
TRINITY ARCHIVES MINISTRY REPORT
TRINITY ART MINISTRY REPORT
COFFEE HOUR REPORT
TRINITY CHURCH ENDOWMENT REPORT
EMERGENCY AID COALITION REPORT
EDUCATION FOR MINISTRY REPORT
EVENING PRAYER REPORT
FRANCIS STREET VISION TEAM
FUNERAL MINISTRY REPORT
GREETER MINISTRY REPORT
TRINITY GARDEN CLUB REPORT
HOSPITALITY APARTMENTS MINISTRY REPORT
LORD OF THE STREETS BREAKFAST REPORT
LORD OF THE STREETS LAY MINISTERS REPORT
MOVABLE FEAST REPORT
NEWCOMERS MINISTRY REPORT
PARENTING WITH GRACE REPORT
PHOTOGRAPHY COMMITTEE REPORT
PRAYER CHAIN MINISTRY REPORT
PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY REPORT
SANDWICH MAKERS REPORT
SIGNATURE MASSES
STEWARDSHIP REPORT
TRINITY JAZZ ENSEMBLE
TRINITY JAZZ FESTIVAL REPORT
TRINITY JAZZ AND GOSPEL SERVICE LAY MINISTERS REPORT
TRINITY JAZZ AND GOSPEL SERVICE GREETER MINISTRY REPORT
OFFICE VOLUNTEER MINSITRY
FINANCIAL REPORT
NECROLOGY REPORT
CLOSING HYMN
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AGENDA
9:20 a.m.
Welcome
The Reverend Hannah E. Atkins, Rector
Opening Prayer
The Reverend Rich Houser, Associate Rector
Election Procedures
Teddy Adams, Chancellor
Presentation of Vestry and Council
Delegate Candidates
9:30 a.m.
Dax Nesossi, Head Teller
Children’s Activities Begin
Balloting
Ushers and Election Committee Members
Endowment Board Report
Joe Brimberry, President
Treasurer’s Report
Larry Laubach, Treasurer
Francis Street Vision Committee
Dan Barnum
Recognition of Outgoing Vestry
Members
The Reverend Hannah E. Atkins
Rector’s Report
The Reverend Hannah E. Atkins
Anthem
Trinity Choir
Memorial to Deceased Communicants
10:10 a.m.
Closing Hymn
Mary Cloud
Handbells by: John Merullo
Wendy Wentland, Organist/Choirmaster
Trinity Choir
Election results will be announced during the Announcements at the 10:30 service
GO IN PEACE TO LOVE AND SERVE THE LORD!
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NEW MEMBERS
BAPTIZED
Maya Alexandra Chughtai Albini
John “Jack” Arthur Chipman
Diego Nicolas LeGrande
Addilyn Loraene Lomasang
Eleanor August Thompson
Macey Grace Trahan
Stephen Lee (to be confirmed by Bishop on next visit)
CONFIRMED
Brannon Jackson Albritton
Rheagan Marie Blackwell
Piper Alexis Bratton
John Alexander Bruton
Laurie Lee Christensen
Caitlan Snyder Hillier
Jhenna Snyder Hillier
Robert Snyder Hillier
Kenneth James Horton
Greg Simsuangco Lomasang
Ruth Elizabeth Nolen
Anthony Dewayne Sessions
Kevin Matthew Smith
Emilie Carter Stubbs
Anthony O’Brian Thornton
David Villarreal
RECEPTION
Melinda Houser
Karen Elizabeth Rogers
REAFFIRMATION
Bryan Anthony Montemarano
TO BE CONFIRMED/RECEIVED/REAFFIRMED BY THE BISHOP ON NEXT VISIT
(CLASSES COMPLETED)
Jim Castro
Katherine Jane Rose Davidson
Paul Alexander Knowles
Stephen A. Lee
Theresa D. McClellan
Adria Vacca Montmarano
Unay Ynaki Onate
Ademian Jermaine Pinder
Jack Anderson Quander
Michael Pizarro Rodriguez
Shelia Wainwright
Angel Williams
TRANSFERRED IN 2015
The Rev. Canon Henry Atkins
Lucy Treadwell Atkins
Mary Batsakis
Paul Bower
Alice Davidson
Elizabeth Davidson
Emily Davidson
Katherine Davidson
Elizabeth Donnelly
John Donnelly
Angie Fresquez
Christopher Fresquez
Clarice Gomez
Mary Margaret Kinnan
Julia Madden
Wanda Mullen
Diana Lynn Nichols
Leah Stasney
Mollie Hightower Weber
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Rector’s Report
The Reverend Hannah E. Atkins
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that
clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that
is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and
perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand
of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-3).
This year my report will consist of placing notable moments in our parish life during
2015 in the context of our stated vision. I intend for this to be the regular format from
now on, and therefore making a clearer connection of our actions in relation to our
vision. Our goals are intentionally broad, to keep this great cloud of witnesses that is
Trinity persevering with faith and flexibility. Many of the specific achievements and
challenges are outlined in the reports contained in this booklet and in our Stewardship
Brochure. Our vision consists of five points, equal priorities amongst themselves,
which guide us on our journey with Jesus.
1. Live into a full capacity crowd congregation
Churches exist to be communities where God in Christ is front and center, to foster growth in spiritual maturity and faith, to connect people to the Triune God, to
invite people to integrate their faith and their lives, and to collaborate in the
building of God’s Kingdom. The Great Commission in Matthew’s gospel urges us
to share what we have, who we are, what we believe. To that end, we do want to
grow the community of Trinity so that our mission might be
realized and more people find a spiritual home here.
The reality in 2015 was that our numbers remained steady even as we actively
sought to grow community through both traditional and creative means. In 2015
those means included but were not limited to: Creative Evangelism through the
Signature Music Masses, building and consolidating our Newcomer’s Ministry, fostering a culture of invitation via participation in Invitation Sunday, quality programming, community presence, thorough communication, and prayer. On the communications end, the design and publication of our new Parish Life Guide in the fall
and spring was a major step forward. There is still room to grow and in order to do
that we need to staff for growth. As of this writing, our stewardship contributions
do not support staffing for growth.
2. Offer more, varied, authentic, quality worship
We worship here in a diversity of styles and liturgical languages. In 2015, we incorporated a series of Evening Prayer and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament services during Lent and the new Marriage Rite for same sex couples into our liturgical offerings.
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3. Serve Christ in each other and the least of these abundantly
We do this through our on-going and new ministries outlined in the pages of this Annual
Report and in our Parish Life Guide. Notably, the Pastoral Care Committee was expanded
to include the group studying pastoral care and chaplaincy here at Trinity and all those
who head one of the pastoral care related ministries. They have begun meeting on a
monthly basis. Our Newcomer’s Ministry has broadened their scope to include not only
welcoming but staying intentionally connected. This ministry has also begun to meet
monthly. Our outreach ministries remain strong and we raised more funds than ever before at our Breakfast for Dinner Fundraiser in June. There has been healthy consistency as
well as rotation amongst ministry heads and participants.
4. Develop our buildings and grounds to their fullest potential in service to our
expanding community
We are still in a holding pattern on the RHS development of the garage across the
street. As soon as we know more, it will be communicated. There are no firm dates for
building, but the full lease monthly amount will be due to increase in 2017. We upgraded
the Wi-Fi and sound in Fellowship Hall. The Francis Street Vision Committee renewed its
purpose when Bob Schorr from the Diocese facilitated a joint meeting between them and
the vestry. Much movement has been made since then including expanding ideas for use
of the Trinity House, finding historical sources, researching possible grants and so on.
This work will be a priority focus in 2016. We will also contend with a major HVAC project to replace the 50-year-old (or older!) system right after Easter this year. One of the
most promising things to happen in the fall was the calling together of a talented and
committed Properties Committee with a range of responsibilities. Please thank Robert
McKenzie who is volunteering now to oversee and follow up on numerous projects
around the church fifteen hours a week.
5. Pray without ceasing
Prayer is our daily bread. We offer a variety of liturgies, opportunities and resources for
community, individual and small group prayer. Our cadre of Spiritual Directors includes
five members of Trinity who engage in active listening and spiritual companionship. Our
first Trinity pilgrimage to the Holy Land fostered deep prayer and insight into the life of
Jesus. A Parish Retreat and Women’s Retreat complemented our daily habits and weekly
liturgies, programs and opportunities for small group prayer.
Staffing wise, even as our Curate left to head his own small parish, the Rev. Rich continued
on with great enthusiasm and skill. Patti Carr became our Administrative Assistant as Sarah
Peters left to care for her newborn. The Rev. Bob Flick will begin presiding at the Taize
Services the third Sunday of the month and is organizing a men’s group. The Rev. Canon
Henry L. Atkins, Jr. move to Houston and into the role of Theologian in Residence here. I
want to thank all the volunteer and paid staff, vestry and ministry heads without which we
could not preserver in this race. We have an excellent staff, both stipendiary and nonstipendiary: The Rev. Rich Houser, Wendy Wentland, Paul English, Pat Laubach, Larry Laubach, Carol Turley, Patti Carr, James Candler, Ken Jones, Janice Jeys, Carrie Hirdes, Robert
McKenzie, Dean Shank, Sam Jones, Booker Lakes, Theresa McClellan, Rosa Gutierrez, Erica
Zavala, and Yolanda Catalan. Thank you to the Revs. Bob Wells and Barbara Lewis who support us with the blessing of their prayer and presence.
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I am grateful to all the members and officers of the vestry. I thank the officers for 2015:
Anna Goza, Senior Warden; David Nolen, Junior Warden; Larry Laubach, Treasurer;
Rhonda Rogers, Assistant Treasurer; Teddy Adams, Chancellor; Barbara Burch Franklin,
Assistant Chancellor; Joanne Starbuck, Clerk; Saba Blanding, Assistant Clerk; and Gayle
Davies Cooley, Historian. I thank all others who served on the vestry: Alex Bruton, Bob
Davenport, Richard Edgar, Dana Gannon, Paula Lewis Patterson, Jim Luke, Kathryn
Lanning Herman, Brad Hirdes, John Cloud, and Dax Nesossi. Anna Goza will continue
as Senior Warden while David Nolen rolls off the vestry and gets a well deserved rest
after two years as Junior Warden! Well done, good and faithful servants. We run this
race with a great cloud of witnesses full of character and faith! Thank you all so much!
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Associate Rector’s Report
The Reverend Rich Houser
I begin my position as Associate Rector in the first week of
August of 2014. I am honored that among my duties as Associate
Rector, I am the liaison to the Garden Club and the ministry head to
the following:
Youth Ministry
Throughout the past year, the youth of Trinity in grades 6th through
12th have assembled along with their parents and interested adults to continue visioning for the coming months and years.
The schedule that the youth created included fun events such as dodgeball, paint ball, Shrove Movie
Screenings, a Pie in the Face Bowling Contest, Escape the Room, a Halloween Lock-in, go-karts,
two pool parties, and a Christmas Party. Events saw collaboration, consistent attendance, and renewed interest in youth activities. Contemplative events included a Fall Retreat and Bible studies. Service projects included Easter Lily and Christmas poinsettia delivery to homebound and nursing home people, serving at Lord of the Streets and church fundraisers.
The Youth went on a Mission Trip to San Antonio for the first time in 5 years. They participated in
a variety of activities in partnership with other churches from the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
The youth program saw an increase in communication amongst themselves and the leadership
through semester calendars, updated Facebook/Instagram accounts, updated website pages, and
phone calls to each youth family the week of an event.
The group consists of youth in 6th through 12th grades and features a diversity of economic, social,
and nationality characteristics.
In January, August, and May, the youth congregate in a visioning process to create their own schedule of activities, outreach work, and Christian education pursuits.
Young Adult Ministry
The Young Adults through this past year have engaged in four evening meals in Midtown, a diocesan
service project at the Houston Foodbank and cemetery cleanup , a tasting and touring at three breweries, bingo, Lord of the Streets volunteering and a Christmas gathering.
The group will continue to meet monthly on varying days of the week to allow a variety of people to
be involved. A further innovation will include subsidized child care at the family’s home to aid parents of young children in allowing their participation.
Pub Theology
Beginning in late June, this group has met weekly on Wednesday nights at the Alley Kat Bar and
Lounge in Midtown. The format is open and honest conversation about things that matter. A table at
which all perspectives are welcome.
The Rev. Rich Houser
Associate Rector
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Senior Warden’s Report
Anna Goza
2015 has been a busy year for all our lay leaders and volunteers and I am grateful
for all the support provided by this parish to our various ministries and outreach
programs.
Last annual meeting, we elected to the Vestry Alex Bruton, Bob Davenport, Dana
Gannon, Paula Lewis-Patterson and Richard Edgar, all strong additions to your
Vestry.
The Vestry had a mini-retreat in February and an all-day retreat in April to help identify what needed to be done
this year, discuss how best to move forward and assigned specific tasks to the Vestry committees (Ministry,
Property, Administration). These committees work on their projects between the regular Vestry meetings and
then provide reports to the entire Vestry.
In May, the Vestry accepted the recommendation of the Unity in Mission committee for Reverend Hannah Atkins to request that Bishop Andy Doyle approve offering the witnessing and blessing of a life-long covenant liturgy by Trinity for Trinity parishioners. This was after discerning and thoughtful discussions with the Vestry and
open meetings with the parish on four separate dates in spring. In July, the State of Texas approved same sex
marriage so Trinity may now, with the Bishop’s approval, offer the sacrament of marriage to same sex couples.
Many thanks to Rhonda Rogers, Dax Nesossi, David Nolen and John Cloud for their hard and thorough work
on this committee and for their pastoral care of all those who participated in these discussions.
The Vestry amended the Trinity By-laws to allow call-in participation of Vestry members to have a quorum for
regularly scheduled meetings and to allow voting electronically on issues that need Vestry approval between
meetings. There is much more detail on these changes in the By-laws that are posted on our website. These bylaw changes were reviewed by the Diocese and approved by the Bishop on May 19, 2015.
Safeguarding God’s Children training was a focus this year and several sessions were held by Pat Laubach, who is
our Diocesan trained coordinator and facilitator for these sessions. Anyone who works with our youth, has regular interactions with our youth, or would like to help with programs for our youth, is required by the Diocese to
have this training. The training is good for five years. Please contact Pat Laubach if this applies to you or if you
have any questions.
In November, the Vestry adopted the Diocesan Weapons Policy at Trinity. As stated in the Bishop’s letter dated
January 4, 2016, “the long standing policy of the Diocese of Texas remains the same - guns have no place in our
churches, schools and institutions. Other than those carried by officers of the peace or security officers on duty,
we will adhere to our policy prohibiting guns on church and school property because we believe that our responsibility is to promote an atmosphere of peace and safety. The presence of firearms on church property is inconsistent with our diocesan vision of evangelism, service, and reconciliation.”
Many thanks to all the Vestry members for their hard work, their dedication to Trinity and our ministries and
their faithful service to all, it is a pleasure working with all of them as we continue to move Trinity forward in
God’s purpose.
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Junior Warden’s Report
David G. Nolen
It was an honor serving as your Junior Warden again this past year. I want to firstly
thank James Candler, our Sexton and Paul Turner for their tireless work at the
Church throughout the week and especially on Sundays. Thank you both for making
my tenure as Junior Warden much easier.
Below is a brief summary of the work preformed this year and a few future projects
that the Vestry will need to consider.
Church
Church Grounds
 Garden refurbishing – mulching, planting and transplanting. Thank you Garden Club for your tireless work
to make the gardens beautiful.
 Fountains – the fountains were retiled and repaired. Thank you Michael Bratton for supervising this work
and donating your services.
 Broken Tile at the Holman Street handicap entrance – all the broken tile was replaced.
Bering House
 HVAC unit – we changed HVAC maintenance companies and repaired the unit at the Bering House. Our
original company quoted us a price of over $6,500.00, with our new company it was repaired for less than
$2,000.00.
Miscellaneous
 Painted the walls and removed mold growing on the second floor administrative offices.
 We updated the audio equipment in the Sanctuary and audio / visual equipment in the Fellowship Hall.
 We now have assisted listening devices available for members and visitors attending Sunday services. They
are located in the back of the Sanctuary. Thank you John Cloud for overseeing this project.
Preventive Maintenance Contracts
 Signed a new maintenance contract for the HVAC units at the rectory, and the Bering House.
 Renewed the existing cleaning contract for the Church.
Future Work
This coming year will see a great deal of work being conducting in the Church Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall.
We are replacing the 50 plus year old HVAC unit . This work will be extensive and ultimately result in better
heating and cooling of the Church as well as a reduction in monthly utility costs. Another benefit of replacing
the HVAC will be the cleaning/replacing the ceiling tiles in the Fellowship Hall as well as repainting the walls.
I want to thank the Trinity Endowment Board for supporting this endeavor.
It was a pleasure serving you these past two years.
Respectfully submitted,
David G Nolen
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Children and Family Ministries
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Catechesis of the
Good Shepherd
Janice Jeys, Director of Catechesis
of the Good Shepherd
“Let the little children come to me and do not stop them, for
it is to such as these that the Kingdom of Heaven
belongs.”
Trinity holds in high regard the importance of the child to our congregation and the importance of the child’s
spiritual life. Upon leaving the Atrium (the Sunday school space for 3 to 9 year olds), just after the passing of
the peace, the children of our congregation are led forward to be greeted and blessed in the sight of all present.
In doing this, we live into this high regard that Jesus has for children. Additionally Trinity’s chosen Sunday
school offering for decades has been the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. This is a developmentally appropriate approach that offers the child respect, freedom within limits, and beautiful hands-on materials that respect
the child’s deep need for real, meaningful work and self-direction. In this ministry our goal is to offer the child
something beyond religious education, to offer the child spiritual formation. We call the prepared environment
for this ministry the “Atrium.” The work there integrates Scripture, Liturgy, and the Child. Much of the work in
the Atrium is meditative, allowing the child a quiet place of relationship with God.
Atrium begins at 9:30 a.m. in room 112. Children enter, shake hands with the catechist and go to work with
the materials that they have been shown. Individual and small group lessons are offered during our time in the
Atrium. Sometime before 11 a.m. children put away materials and gather at the prayer table for a last meditation, lesson, or song. The verger leads the children in procession for a blessing at the front of the congregation
just after the passing of the peace. Children then return to their families in the pews. Our Atrium year begins
after school has started in August or September and continues through Trinity Sunday.
The ministry of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd requires a strong volunteer team to assure our compliance with the principles of the Episcopalian Safeguarding God’s Children program. We have a minimum of 2
adults in the Atrium. During Atrium time these volunteers support children in finding engaging work. They
sometimes read books such as the scripture booklets that accompany the materials to the younger children.
They sit and contemplate the more meditative works with the older children.
Margaret Caldwell has over the long course of her relationship with Trinity, worked in many capacities with
Children’s Ministries as well as in other capacities. In 2015 she was a terrific asset as the assistant in the Atrium,
offering her time weekly to give our community the strong and consistent support it needs. We welcome additional support for those weeks when we are under the weather or otherwise out of pocket. Any and all who are
interested in our program or in volunteering would be very welcome to come in and observe and learn more
about this Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Please contact Janice Jeys to express your interest in visiting during Atrium time.
This year we found an exciting new way to include the children in our Annual Stewardship drive. Each child
received a small stewardship box into which they can place coins and dollars between now and the beginning of
Lent. On the outside of the box, they write various acts of care and giving that they participate in for the
Church’s and Congregation’s benefit, such as: Sandwich Making – November 14, 2015, being an acolyte, visiting the sick, or ushering, etc. The children will bring this back to offer them to the church on the first Sunday
of Lent.
The Informal Maundy Thursday evening foot washing in Morrow Chapel was a wonderful experience for the
young children. Besides the beautiful, humble shared experience of serving one another, Morrow Chapel offers
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an intimate and transparent experience of the Eucharist that is a must see for all the children of our
Atrium. This is an especially wonderful moment in their year for them to experience the Eucharist this
way – very up close and personal - since it comes just before our study of the Origins of our Eucharist.
The Atrium youth annually Re-Enact the Last Supper during the Good Friday Mass and Stations of the
Cross. This Re-Enactment examines the core of our faith and the origin of Eucharist in our liturgy.
Each child chooses the role of someone who was likely to have been at the last supper and wears a red
nametag. We process from the Masterson room to the Atrium. The two who enact Peter and John, prepare a long table, and all of us sit. So it began. “Jesus” spoke the words, and in time, it concluded with
grape juice, matzo, and other delicious Mediterranean foods.
On Easter morning the children participate in the Flowering of the Cross. Gathering in the Bishop’s
garden, the children process into the 10:30 service each carrying a flower. They go forward to the cross
near the baptismal font and put their flowers into it. Our Annual Trinity Group Photo is taken this
same day. We all stand still for a brief moment to take the Trinity Annual Photo, before racing to the
Easter egg hunt.
This year’s Come as You Are Christmas Pageant starred young Holden Cool as the baby
Jesus, carried by gentle Mary (Ruth Nolan) and a very kind Joseph (Holden’s dad.) The Star led the
multitude of shepherds, angels, kings, and creatures to the Creche for the Blessing of the Creche. Trinity’s Come as You Are Christmas Pageant honors the child’s experience of joy, reverence, and even
whimsy. The children enjoy Nativity dress-ups, an Atrium lesson, and participation in the procession to
the Crèche. It is peaceful, joyful, and stress-free. Reverend Flick spoke briefly and meaningfully to the
children, so that they understood that they were participating in a tradition that dates back to St Francis
himself!
Families of the children engaged in our Atrium receive occasional Notes to the Atrium Folks by e-mail
that keep them abreast of what is occurring in the Atrium.
We invite the help of parishioners interested in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. If you are willing
to become formally trained as a catechist please contact Janice Jeys. We also have need of untrained
assistance to support the Atrium in other capacities. We welcome new volunteers for both Atrium assistants and for materials making partners. Please contact Janice Jeys ([email protected] or
713 553 4541) if you’d like to ask about participating in the Atrium in any capacity.
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Continued on next page
ECC (Episcopal Children’s Curriculum)
Tweens
Theresa McClellan
ECC Tweens
Blessings:
During the tweens ministry we have between three and eight students in attendance weekly. Theresa D. McClellan took over for Fr Steve on December 6 using the Episcopal Children's Curriculum
and her own creativity. With Fr. Steve we concluded the study of the prophets and we are now in
the second session at the start of the Christian calendar with the New Testament stories and Jesus
ministry.
Each week under Theresa's leadership, and with the help of Laura Benevides and Saba Blanding,
each student receives a manila envelope which they decorated with their names and any designs
they wanted. By the end of class, they have something to insert into the envelope. For example, after learning about the prophets, Theresa explained that the Bible stories are messages and prayers to
future Christians so she asked the students to write a prayer or message to future Christians. Some
of the young ones expressed concerns over "World War III and ISIS" in their prayers for peace.
Over the next four weeks we will be learning parables, starting with the parable of the sower. So last
week they drew images of the kinds of seeds they are. One young student was a "listening" seed.
They are just little weekly lessons engaging them in the Bible stories. By the end of the session, in
the spring, the students and parents will be able to see what their young ones have done in class
perhaps spark some interesting conversations.
For more information contact Theresa D. McClellan at [email protected]
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Music at Trinity
This writing finds me almost near the three year anniversary as Organist/
Choirmaster. When I 'retired' from the same position after 27 years at The
Episcopal Church of the Epiphany here in Houston, never did I imagine that there
would be more professional life after that event. Well, Virginia, what can I say. God's
mysterious plans overwhelm, surprise, jostle, bless. This has been a dandy trip together.
Mother Hannah has been unwaveringly supportive and
encouraging, and choir membership has continued to grow. The saints at Trinity continue to express appreciation. And those terrific post-service goodies never disappoint. Just doesn't get any better.
The Trinity Choir now numbers 17, including 6 staff singers. This group of dedicated folk continues to give their
all, working diligently to honor God with their very best Sunday after Sunday. They have grown in their ability to
sing some of the most difficult literature with style and confidence. The addition of several new singers has provided depth to each section. Beside their regular singing schedule, the Choir has presented two Choral Evensongs, one
in the spring, the other on Nov. 1 honoring All Saints. Several members again participated in the Diocesan Adult
Choral Festival earlier this Fall.
The Trinity Youth Choir, under the delightful leadership of Stephanie Dory, has taken good foothold and promises
to continue in growth. Accompanied by Vickie Varteressian, this charming group of choristers also works diligently
to sing their very best. They have sung for several services this season, and will again sing on Christmas Eve at the
early service. Hearty thanks to the parents/friends/other relatives who enable and support the Choir.
This year, Easter Sunday's brass quartet was a group of professional friends from the UK who happened to be in
Houston for those holy days. What great fun to work with players familiar with the church's liturgy and practices. And what a great sound they made.
In early Fall, Bach Society Houston presented their first seasonal concert at Trinity. Because their normal venue is
currently under refurbishment, this group is presenting their season "on the road". The full house consented that
Trinity was a wonderful host. In early November, a newly formed group, including Emily Klein, harpist for last
Christmas Eve services, performed their initial concert at Trinity. Since then, I have received numerous calls from
arts organizations and colleges in the Houston area, asking if Trinity would consent to be a performance venue. Our
church building and facilities are so inviting and acoustically fine. But we are a small congregation and not yet in a
position to accept these requests. In future..............perhaps.
Long-time organ service person, Paul Jernigan, died suddenly this past Spring. His knowledge of organ building and
repair was huge and always dependable. Thankfully, his long-time associate, Shawn Saunders, inherited the firm and
continues to ably service Trinity's Kimball/Shantz organ.
Again, thank you for your appreciative and kind words. I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of Trinity at this juncture in its history. God continue to bless us, every one.
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Faithfully submitted,
Wendy Wentland
Organist/Choirmaster
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Acolyte Guild
John Cloud, Acolyte Master
The members of the Acolytes Guild serve and assist the clergy of
Trinity at the 10:30 service, as well as at many special services such as
Christmas Eve, Jazz Fest services, weddings, etc. This ministry provides an exceptionally rewarding opportunity to become a vital part
of the service, assisting at the altar. Many describe the experience as literally “AWEsome”. The ministry is
open to both youths and adults as positions become available.
This has been a great year for the Acolyte Guild in both participation and growth. We now have twenty-four
(24) young Acolytes. We schedule four (4) youth teams of five (5) Acolytes each in a six-week rotation, and we
plan to add a fifth team later in the year.
Our adult Acolyte program is one key to the success of the Acolyte Guild. Without the assistance of the adults
we’d lack the stability and participation necessary to build and maintain our ministry. The adult program consists of eight (8) adult Acolytes (2 teams of 4) with a waiting list for those interested in future participation. Anyone interested in pursuing an opportunity for themselves or their children as a Trinity Acolyte should contact
John Cloud to learn more.
Altar Flower Ministry
Samantha Rainman and Joanne Starbuck
Flowers beautify the sacred spaces of our church each Sunday
and on other special occasions. They are a gift to God and to
those who worship at Trinity. Flowers can be dedicated to commemorate a special event or to remember a loved one.
Samantha Rainman manages the Sunday flower dedications. There are several ways to submit your flower dedication:
Sign up on line at http://www.trinitymidtown.org/Flower-Dedication.html
Contact the Church office at 713-528-4100 or [email protected]
Sign up on the paper calendar on the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall
Special occasion flowers (Christmas, Easter and funerals) are managed by Joanne Starbuck, Altar Guild
Co-Director.
Thank you for your faithful support!
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Altar Guild
Mark Goza and Joanne Starbuck
In the early days of the church, followers of Christ gathered in private homes to break bread together and share
their memories of him. As Christians multiplied and
needed larger buildings in which to meet, certain people
were given the task of caring for these places and for
hundreds of years thereafter, were responsible for everything that is now considered “altar guild work.”
As is the case at Trinity, altar guilds today are groups of men and women who are called to serve God by
preparing and tending the space in which we worship. We are thankful for three new members in 2015:
Alex Bruton, Linda Davenport and Melinda Houser. Current Altar Guild members are Team 1: Alex Bruton, Sherri McGinty, Carolyn Reyes; Rick Reyes; Team 2: Pauline Maybee, Bethel Quander, Melinda
Houser; Team 3: Scott Blackmon, Mark Goza and Joanne Starbuck; Team 4: Linda Davenport, Steve Victor and Tim Youngman.
Each Altar Guild member is part of a team which has responsibility once a month. Trinity’s Altar Guild is
responsible for preparing for all Sunday and Wednesday Eucharistic services, as well as baptisms, confirmations, weddings, funerals and memorial services. The Altar Guild also prepares the Church and Morrow
Chapel for Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost. There are also has various workdays throughout the year, which are usually before Advent, Palm Sunday, Easter and Christmas.
Light housekeeping and set-up for the LOTS and 8:00 Chapel services takes place on Saturday. On Sunday
morning, the Chapel is cleaned and reset for the 12:30 service and preparations are then made for the 10:30
service.
There is a need for additional members for Teams 2, 3 and 4. If you feel called to serve on this important
and fulfilling ministry, please contact Mark Goza at [email protected] or Joanne Starbuck at
[email protected]. One-on-one training and a step-by-step instruction manual are provided!
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Annual Blessing of
the Animals
Kathryn Lanning Herman, Chair
On Sunday, October 4, Trinity Episcopal Church celebrated the Feast of St.
Francis of Assisi with our 15th Annual Blessing of the Animals. The patron
saint of animals believed that the light of God was perfectly reflected in all of
nature and nowhere is His essence better revealed than in the unconditional
love, companionship, and devotion of the pets we hold dear to our hearts.
The festival was held on the Francis Street lawn and was an opportunity for animal lovers to gather for fun,
fellowship, and to show off our beloved animals. Throughout the years, the Blessing of the Animals has attracted a variety of attendees, and more than just the two-legged and four-legged variety! Horses, turtles,
Guinea pigs, chickens, and parrots have joined the legions of dogs and cats to enjoy the festivities.
The Blessing of the Animals serves as a bridge event to increase awareness about Trinity Episcopal Church in
the community at large. This year, the event drew a crowd of approximately 175 people with about a third of
them being visitors to Trinity. After a short liturgy, the clergy offered blessings for each animal and the Lady
BG Productions provided musical entertainment while guests chatted, visited the variety of charity groups,
and learned more about Trinity Episcopal Church.
For the fourth year in a row Barrio Dogs and Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition graciously donated their
time to host information tables about their charities. Other draws for the event included a children’s activity
center, bake sale, and raffle. The raffle was a huge success and featured items donated by Blessing of the Animals ministry members, Trinity parishioners, the featured charities, and many more.
The Blessing of the Animals Ministry organized high altar flower dedications again as a part of the celebration
and as a fundraiser for the event. People were invited to donate $5 per pet, living or deceased, and the names
of their pets were included in the service leaflets for the standard Sunday services as well as in the special service leaflet for the Blessing. All surplus funds then went towards covering event costs like DJ, food, beer,
paper goods, etc. We are proud to report that all event costs were once again covered by the flower
dedication funds! The bake sale, raffle, and day-of-event donations also brought in a nice donation to Trinity!
This event would not be possible without the constant generosity and steadfast loyalty of the ministry members who show up every year to dedicate their time and treasure to this event. Many thanks to all of them for
making the event such a success!
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Trinity Archives Ministry
Gayle Davies-Cooley
THE PARISH ARCHIVES
The purpose of the Trinity Church Archives is to
provide a safe place for the parish’s historical documents and other artifacts. The church’s archival
collection includes service bulletins and newsletters
that date to 1918, vestry minutes, registers of sacraments and services, parish meeting records, some
financial documents, membership records, legal documents, architectural drawings, photographs, and
much more. Trinity Church was founded in 1893, and the parish’s collection is now of considerable size.
Many fragile and one-of-a-kind documents are housed in the archives. However, until recently the archives
were inadequate for long-term storage.
For the past two-and-a-half years, a project has been underway to remedy the situation. To summarize, the
archives room was emptied in mid 2013, and the contents moved to a nearby workroom. Shelving, and acid-free file folders, cartons, etc., were purchased for safe, long-term storage, and the process of transferring
documents into these new materials was begun. Following a bid process, in mid 2014 the archives room was
transformed through remodeling. Most importantly at that time, a new HVAC system and dehumidifier
were installed in the room to keep it at an ideal temperature (70°) and relative humidity (40%). This improvement of better climate control helps to preserve the collection since fluctuations in temperature and
humidity can contribute to its deterioration.
Since the remodeling was completed, organizing and re-boxing the church’s archival materials has continued at a slow but steady pace through much of 2015. Most of the easier-to-organize documents have been
transferred into acid-free storage cartons, and placed in the climate-controlled archives room. Now the
more difficult-to-categorize materials are being processed.
I want to thank Kay Jackson and Lisa Pearson for their help in processing and filing materials into their
new, protective storage. Their help has been crucial in advancing the archives project.
For 2015, Lisa wins the “prize” for best find. Sorting through most of the routine documents in the parish
archives can be interesting, and keeping on task can be a challenge when one would rather read through an
engrossing letter or other document. On the other hand, sorting through some documents can be, well,
tedious. In early 2015, Lisa was working on a box of legal documents. More specifically, they were files
from the 1960s and 1970s in which the church sold or purchased rectories. Out of the blue, Lisa found a
pencil drawing on vellum of the church’s cornerstone, hidden in a contract of sale. This detailed drawing
was produced by a Cram & Ferguson (architects) employee in anticipation of building the church in 1917.
A real treasure had been hidden away all those decades! The drawing will be exhibited as Trinity observes
the centennial of the historic church and parish house.
Respectfully submitted,
Gayle Davies-Cooley
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Trinity Art Ministry
Theresa Prebilsky
Goals for this year:
Continue artist reflections of Trinity’s mission to Make God’s
presence real by sharing Christ’s life-changing love.
Establish “Artists of Trinity” mission statement and Fact
Sheet for all interested artists.
August 2015
Horizons: Celebrating God’s Good Earth, Original art by Theresa Wyatt-Prebilsky
One piece sold, with 50% going towards the Church
September 2015
In No Man’s Land, an exhibit by Elmer Romero honoring International Literacy Day
Nov/Dec 2015
Christmas on Wall Street: An Advent Journey Less Traveled, photography exhibit by Dax
Planned Shows to come:
January 2016 – Jazz Fest Photos
February 10 – March 27, 2016 (Easter)
Lenten Art Series - Invitations for participation went out 12/28/15
April 2016 – Addie Socki Fabric exhibit
Mid-May 2016 – Kimberly Lakes “Faces of Faith”
Coffee Hour
Judith Edgar
The Coffee Hour that takes place between the 10:30a.m.
and 12:30p.m. services each Sunday is an opportunity for
Trinity's members and guests to meet in a welcoming environment where everyone may begin making valuable connections with each other.
This ministry is dependent on Trinity members, acting either alone or with a group of friends. Hosts who
sponsor the Coffee Hour are in charge of the menu for the day and for deciding whether to buy or make
foods that they select. Some Coffee Hour hosts choose to sign up for a particular date in order to celebrate a
personally important occasion, such as a birthday or an anniversary. Some of Trinity’s ministry groups sponsor the Coffee Hour in order to recognize or publicize an event significant to that ministry.
Members or friends of the parish are warmly invited to volunteer as hosts by signing up for a Sunday in 2016,
either on the Coffee Hour Calendar in the Fellowship Hall, online at Trinity’s website, or by contacting Judith
Edgar (832) 370-7110.
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Trinity Church
Endowment, Inc.
Joseph G. Brimberry, President
Trinity Church Endowment, Inc. regularly contributes significant financial resources to Trinity Church,
Houston.
In addition to the approximately $191,392 provided during 2015 to the general budget, the
Endowment has agreed to fund up to $850,000 for the replacement of the Church’s primary heating and air
conditioning (HVAC) system. The Endowment also plans to give to The Church over $200,000 towards the
operating budget in 2016.
As of December 31, 2015, the total assets of the Endowment exceeded $8.3 million. However, these assets may
be reduced in 2016 due to the planned and needed HVAC project. Therefore, please consider the Endowment
when planning your charitable contributions. For example:




To celebrate a birthday, graduation, marriage or other event.
To honor a loved one or friend
To memorialize someone upon their death
Join the Bishop Sterling Legacy Society by committing to make a gift to the Endowment in your estate plans.
Please know that gifts to the Endowment generate ongoing earnings for the benefit of the Church over the long
term. All gifts to the Endowment are acknowledged by a note to the donor, a note to the honoree or the family
of the person memorialized and an entry in a large book at the entrance of the Church.
REMEMBER: Make your discretionary charitable contributions to the Endowment and keep your funds working
over the long term for the benefit of the various ministries at the Church. Because of the generosity of parishioners who named the Endowment as a beneficiary in their wills, the assets of the Endowment have grown by several
hundred thousand dollars over the last few years.
If you have any questions about making a contribution please feel free to contact any of the following Endowment Board members:
Joe Brimberry, President
Mary Cloud, Secretary
Edgar Marston
Betty Pecore
Mike Laster
Mark Goza
Curtis Clerkly
Janet Greene
Brad Beers, Vice President
Ken Snell, Treasurer
Norman Kittrel
Marilyn Dorries
Dan Barnum
Larry Dickerson
Thom Gutherie
John Donnelly
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Emergency Aid Coalition (EAC)
Mary Johns
Trinity collects non-perishable food for the Emergency Aid Coalition (EAC) food
pantry at the 8:00, 10:30, and 12:30 services. It is delivered once a month to the EAC
food pantry on Fannin Street, an outreach supported by numerous mid-town congregations that targets working families and the elderly. Typically, Trinity delivers 4-8
bags of groceries a month to the pantry. Volunteers from Trinity help pack the groceries, deliver to elderly, and help with client intake. Know that these humble gifts from our kitchens to the Trinity offering to the EAC food pantry to hungry families travel with prayers along the way.
Education for Ministry
Rob Rumph and Rhonda Rogers
Through study, prayer, and reflection, EfM groups move toward a new understanding of the fullness
of God's kingdom. This process also helps participants to reflect and better define their individual understanding of theology and personal beliefs. The seminar group is the nucleus of the Education for
Ministry program. A group consists of six to twelve participants and a trained mentor who meet weekly
over the course of a nine-month academic year. These meetings are usually from two and a half to three
hours in length. It is also training for applying theological reflection to all aspects of one’s personal
ministries through study of the Christian tradition. The other major components of EfM, are the collective experience of the group's members and the community formed in seminar sessions where life and
study meet. Some form of worship, which is vital to the life of the group, is also a dimension of each
session.
Please prayerfully consider becoming a part of this community group when registration opens again for
next Fall. More information can be found at www.efm.sewanee.edu or feel free to ask Rhonda or Rob
for more details.
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Evening Prayer
John Merullo
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” (Matthew 25:35, NRSV)
At Trinity, we take our Lord’s commandment seriously. Nearly every weeknight throughout the year, at 5:30, we offer the beautiful Daily Office Evening
Prayer liturgy, after which bags with sandwiches and other foods are distributed to all who attend. The members
of the congregation of this service may be homeless, they may be unemployed, they may be underemployed, or
they may just wish to spend a short time out of the elements in a beautiful building and listening to a lovely service. Many of the participants are affiliated with our partner in service, Lord of the Streets Mission; however,
Evening Prayer is a ministry of Trinity parish. This is at the same time a pastoral care, worship, and outreach ministry.
The sandwiches served are prepared by the Sandwich Makers Ministry, to whom we are grateful for their assistance in making this ministry possible.
The Evening Prayer services are led by lay members of Trinity who are licensed by the Diocese as Worship Leaders. Each officiant leads the service somewhat differently. Some offer a short reflection upon the lesson. When
the service is over, the officiant distributes the sandwich bags to the members of the congregation, offering a each
a smile and friendly handshake.
Members of this ministry mainly work independently of one another. As of December, we have nine persons active in this ministry, each of whom lead every other week or twice a month, depending on their schedules: Linda
Davenport and Rhonda Rogers (Mondays): Pattie Murchison and Dax Nesossi (Tuesdays); Catherine Reed
(Wednesdays); Steve Borden and Danya Corkin (Thursdays); and Magdiel Martinez and John Merullo (Fridays).
Julia Madden will be joining the ministry in January to complete our roster.
Special thanks go to Mark Goza, Carrie Hirdes, Rob Rumph, Robert Snellgrove, and Charlie Spreull, who also
participated in this ministry this year.
As ministry head, John Merullo coordinates scheduling, facilitates communication and calls occasional meetings.
We are especially grateful to Father Steve, who served as clergy liaison during his time at Trinity. We also thank
Booker Lakes, James Candler, Patti Carr, and Mother Hannah for their support in making this ministry possible.
Francis Street Vision Team
Brad Hirdes
This group of individuals meets about once a month to intentionally and prayerfully
consider how to best develop Trinity’s current property along Francis Street and its
future uses that best meet the needs of our church and our surrounding community.
Contact: Brad Hirdes at [email protected]
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Funeral Ministry
Mary Cloud
Trained volunteers work with family members of the deceased
to ensure that arrangements go smoothly before and during
the funeral service. Rather than a traditional funeral service, families sometimes elect to hold a memorial service for their loved one. Arrangements may specify separate services at the columbarium located
on the Church property. You can contact Mary Cloud at [email protected] for more
information.
Greeter Ministry
Kathryn Lanning Herman
Welcoming guests and greeting our members at the 10:30 a.m. service
is the very important role of the Greeters Ministry of Trinity Episcopal Church. The Greeters are often the first people guests encounter
and Trinity’s first chance to make a positive impression. Our goal is
simple: we greet everyone – guests and members - and make sure they
know we are truly happy that they have joined us.
The general duties of the Greeters Ministry are to arrive 20 minutes before the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service
and any special services like those in Holy Week, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Greeters also invite
guests to fill out information cards and encourage everyone to wear name tags. After the service is over,
Greeters give guests welcome packets from the Newcomers Ministry and invite them to coffee hour
where they introduce guests to a couple of parishioners and the clergy. The guest information cards are
then turned over to the Newcomers Ministry and clergy for follow up later in the week.
Our goal is to have two Greeters at the main entrance to the sanctuary and at least one Greeter in the
hallway by the Holman Street entrance so as not to miss anyone who comes to worship. Unfortunately,
in 2015 the Greeters Ministry continued to face challenges due to decreased membership. In years past
we had six teams of 3 – 4 Greeters whereas we now have four teams of 2-3. As a result of this it is sometimes difficult to secure Greeters for the special non-Sunday services or find substitutes when conflicts
arise, but our dedicated crew finds a way.
Thank you to our wonderful Greeters Kryshon Bratton, Dana Gannon, John LaRue, Unay Oñate, Mary
Peterson, Nancy Toberman, Terri Torres, and Van White for a great year. The Greeters Ministry is always looking to add to our ranks. Anyone who is interested should contact Kathryn Lanning Herman at
[email protected] or 832-965-5022.
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Trinity Garden Club
Marilyn Dorries
The garden club continues to meet in member’s homes or at the church on the first Friday of the month,
from September through May. Our meetings begin at 10:30 am and workdays are scheduled to follow
the meetings held at the church. Other workdays are held on Saturdays and weekdays, determined by
need and weather. We welcome new members throughout the year and recently David Marsh and
Yvonne Meyer joined our club. This year we hope to increase our membership, making garden improvements while building strong and enduring friendships in this ministry.
During the past year, club projects included renewal work in the Abbott and Dalton Gardens, seasonal
plantings in the Bishop’s Garden and general grounds maintenance. We sponsor the annual Palm Sunday
coffee hour, the Chrismon ornament project and the presentation of the Chrismon tree. In 2015 five
beautiful needlepoint Chrismon ornaments were stitched and donated by Marilyn Chapman, Carolyn
Reyes, Anne Sloan, Rev. Stephen Spicer and Joanne Starbuck.
Besides a word of thanks to all of our great Officers, Chairpersons and Members, the club wants to
acknowledge Kryshon and Michael Bratton for the repair of the garden fountains
in the Bishop’s and Abbott Gardens: to Joyce Drew who donated a wrought iron
table and chairs for the Abbott Garden; and to Anne Sloan for hosting the
Christmas dinner party in her home.
Anyone interested in joining the garden club is asked to contact Sylvia Drew or
Marilyn Dorries. Those interested in donating a Chrismon should get in touch
with Marilyn. Thank you for reading this report and we wish you a Happy New
Year.
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The Hospitality Apartments
Ministry
Joanne Starbuck
Hospitality Apartments provide free temporary housing (from
two weeks up to three months) and a safe, welcome, comfortable
and supportive environment for families in need who live more
than fifty miles away from the Texas Medical Center who are receiving medical treatment at any of the medical care facilities in the Texas Medical Center area.
Mary Cloud, Rob Rumph, Charlie Spruell and Joanne Starbuck serve as Trinity’s Lay Eucharistic Ministers on
the fourth Sunday of each month. A Communion and prayer service is offered in the Community Room for
residents and their caretakers. Trinity’s partners in this enriching and rewarding ministry are St. John the Divine, St. Martin's and St. Mark’s.
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Lord of the Streets Breakfast
C. Thomas Behrman
Lord of the Streets (LOTS) began as an outreach program of Trinity in
1987 under The Rev. Steve Bancroft and a number of caring and committed Trinity parishioners. Trinity supports LOTS by direct financial assistance, food and by providing the use of its facilities, including the Sanctuary
and Parish Hall for the Sunday morning Eucharist services and breakfast.
It has been another hardworking and rewarding year for our Trinity LOTS Cook Team. The breakfast team
has cooked 6 times this past year, including cooking for LOTS at the Easter Sunday and Christmas time celebrations. This year we served between 225-250 homeless persons at the LOTS Sunday breakfast, averaging
225+ at the regular LOTS Sundays at Trinity. Additionally, the Trinity LOTS Cook Team cooked for the second consecutive year for the traditional Thanksgiving meal for the homeless on Wednesday, November 25,
2015, serving between 220-230 homeless, and another 20-30 volunteers, hearty Thanksgiving turkey meals,
with all the trimmings.
This report is to express great thanks to all for the continuing support of the Parish and to thank the many
devoted cook team volunteers who volunteered throughout this year, not only those in the kitchen but also
those parishioners who helped on all aspects of the Sunday breakfasts and the Thanksgiving dinner, from
food pickup, delivery, and preparation, to flowers, placemats, set-up, serving and clean-up. Throughout the
year we had over 25+ volunteers helping in all aspects of this ministry, and to name just a few: Elizabeth
McClintock; Carolyn Hollrah & Frank Ramig; Norma & Charles Cooper; Joanne Starbuck; Joe Brimberry;
Julie Fairbanks; Bob Lane and Deanna Bosch; Ken Jones; Jim & Amy Luke; Jack and Pattie Murchison, Mike
Bratton; Saba Blanding; Danya Corkin (and her brother), Sonia Serrano, Shelby Bradley, Winnie Davis;
Kamisha Escoto; Kathy Behrman; Pauline Maybee; Robert Snellgrove; Steve Lee; Ann McCoy; Corina
Groves; and, of course, the Church Office (Pat Laubach & Patti Carr). Also, thanks to Bob and Linda Davenport, and our many Trinity LOTS greeters, who volunteer throughout the year on Sunday breakfasts. A
special thanks goes to Mr. Chris Rodriguez (Manager) and all his staff at Kroger #313 for their continued
support of our Thanksgiving Dinner with those 17 cooked, deboned, sliced, and packed turkeys! And thank
you Pepperidge Farm and its local rep, Brandon Taylor, for donating the stuffing! We could not have done
the Thanksgiving Dinner without Kroger #313 and Pepperidge Farm. And we could not have the breakfasts
every Sunday at Trinity without the terrific help of James Candler, Sam Jones and Booker Lakes. Thanks be
to God for this ministry.
Trinity Church looks forward to continuing to fulfill its commitment and to advance the mission of LOTS to
minister to the spiritual, physical and social needs of the tired, poor and hungry, the homeless and needy of
Houston.”
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Lord of the Streets
Lay Ministers
Linda Davenport
Every Sunday, rain or shine, dedicated volunteers welcome
more than 200 homeless and disadvantaged neighbors for
Eucharistic worship. Volunteers assist in all aspects of this
unique service. You can be as involved as you like. Some first time volunteers choose to simply
model worshipful behavior as members of the congregation. Others like to hand out service materials along with a welcoming smile. We make stick-on name tags for the worshipers, help them find
seats, take offering, assist in the Eucharist, hear personal prayers, or help clean-up after the service. No training is necessary. It is the most fun you will ever have at 6:30 on Sunday morning. The
gratitude and love you receive by being part of this ministry will bless your week. Regular or occasional help is welcome. Contact: Linda Davenport: [email protected],
Bob Davenport at [email protected] or just show up in the church any Sunday at 6:30AM.
Movable Feast
Janet Greene
The purpose of the Moveable Feast ministry is to provide parishioners
an opportunity to get to know one another in an informal setting by
enjoying good company and good food with a small group of fellow
parishioners. Sharing a meal is a great way to build community, and
that’s what its all about.
The sign-up for participation in a group is during Aloha Sunday, and
groups are actually formed and start meeting in the early fall, continuing on through approximately May, or later if a group so decides.
For the 2015-2016 season, we have three groups with group coordination provided by Pattie and Jack Murchison, Amy and Jim Luke and
Janet Greene and Chap Chapman.
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Newcomers Ministry
Pat Laubach
Making God’s presence real by sharing
Christ’s life-changing love.
Welcoming our guests to Trinity is one way to live into our Mission Statement. Our guests are God’s
weekly gift to us, giving us an opportunity to share with those He sends to us.
The Newcomers team for the 12:30 service provides a welcoming atmosphere for all who attend that
service.
At the 10:30 service, Greeters and Ushers welcome guests and encourage them to complete our information cards and wear a “guest” nametag. The program we use at Trinity (for both the 10:30 and 12:30
services) is based on guidelines developed and promoted by our diocese. Parishioners who wear nametags are making it easier for our guests to feel part of our worship community. The 10:30 team includes
Winnie Davis and Courtney Vastine who help at the Welcome Table in Fellowship Hall and circulate
around the room to visit with guests and new parishioners and to share information about Trinity.
Thank you to all who welcome our guests and share Christ’s life-changing love.
Parenting with Grace
Sarah Fraizer
The Parenting with Grace group meets every other week in the
Masterson room at 9:30 a.m. for an hour. Our discussions
about books on parenting coincide with the Atrium for those
with children 3 and older and with the nine and up Sunday
school class, and focus on raising children of every age. Our meetings are meant to provide a time and place
to support and learn from each other as we try to bring grace into our family lives and our relationships with
our children.
Our readings over the past year have included books such as Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child by
John Gottman and The Blessing of a Skinned Knee: Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Self-Reliant Children.
We’re currently reading To Dance with God, which discusses ritual and household practice for all the church
celebrations of the year, in the hopes of learning how to bring into our homes (and practice with our kids)
sanctification and celebration. We sponsored a coffee hour in October and would like to have a family
event sometime this year.
All are welcome. This is a meeting you can attend even if you haven’t read the chapter because the baby was
up all night, or you are late and you had to put your son in the car in his PJs because even the lure of coffee
hour cookies was not enough to entice him to church, but you really need to vent for a few minutes about
the kids and remember you’re both sane, and good.
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Photography Committee
Charlie Spruell
The mission of the Photography Committee is to capture the history of Trinity Episcopal church by providing photo coverage for
all Trinity events.
In looking at the annual group photos on the walls of Fellowship Hall, you can begin to understand the importance of the art of photography. It’s story telling is evident in the clothing of the twenties, the reduced
number of men in attendance during WWII, the style of the sixties, all frozen in time, all apart of the history
that is Trinity Church.
I hope you will consider becoming a part of this team who, through the camera lens, desires to forever capture the life of Trinity for future generations. Please contact: [email protected] 832-265-3228.
Prayer Chain Ministry
Pauline Maybee
The Trinity Prayer Chain is open to anyone interested in praying when requests are received. These requests for our Trinity family, as an example, could be for the sick, deaths, families in need, or someone
who needs prayers but doesn't want to give any explanation. There are no meetings to attend; just your
time spent in quiet prayer. Prayer requests are passed from the church office or by individuals to Pauline
Maybee who sends out a request via email to all who wish to be notified and who then pray individually.
This ministry began as a phone prayer chain, but email allows the information to be received by everyone
more quickly. We currently have 42 members participating in this prayerful ministry.
If you would like to be part of this ministry, or if you have prayer needs or requests and would like prayers by this group, please contact Pauline Maybee at [email protected] or 713-668-1351.
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Prayer Shawl Ministry
Pattie Murchison
The Prayer Shawl Ministry meets the second Sunday of each month
at 9:30 a.m. in Room 210. Knitters, crocheters, and those wishing
to learn these skills are welcomed. Bring needle, hooks, and yarn, or
come and make use of what we have on hand and begin creating a
prayer shawl that will be given to a person in need who will benefit from this outward expression of
God’s mercy wrapped around them. Clergy and parishioners alike are welcome to share a shawl. Please
contact Pattie Murchison at [email protected] for more information.
Sandwich Makers
Richard and Judith Edgar
I take care of the Tuesday morning Sandwich maker group and my
wife, Judith, takes care of the Sunday group. Both groups have been
active for the whole year. The Tuesday group meets every 1st Tuesday of the month from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30-12:00.
The Sunday group meets the 3rd Sunday of the month in the fellowship hall after the 10:30 service. Both groups have a very faithful
core of supporters. We can always use more volunteers though. No special training is needed.
Signature Music Masses
Several times a year Trinity offers a unique worship experience in the style of signature music masses.
These musical masses are in keeping with the musical diversity celebrated at the church over the past 16
years. The four stylistic offerings so far have been a Bossa Nova Mass, Country Mass, Big Band Mass, and
the annual Jazz Festival that culminates with our largest music mass.
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Stewardship Report
Jim and Amy Luke
The 2016 Annual Giving Mission theme is God the Giver. The concept builds on the momentum we experienced
in our previous campaigns. Once again, in addition to the
familiar fall Annual Giving Mission campaign, the Stewardship Ministry Team is implementing a broad‑based, year-round stewardship program including the
following –
October 11th
Annual Giving Mission Kickoff
November 1st
In Gathering Sunday and Taste of Trinity Diversity Pot Luck
December -
Advent Alternative Gift Market
Look for a parish-wide thank you event in the spring.
These events strived to demonstrate good stewardship, appreciation of each other and our resources and
gratitude for the people who work tirelessly for Trinity.
Heartfelt thanks go to the Stewardship Ministry Team: Alex Bruton, Paul Lewis-Patterson, and Scott
Blackmon. Special thanks, as well, to Carrie Hirdes, who created our beautiful graphics and to Patti Carr
and Pat Laubach. We also appreciate the valuable clergy input from Rev. Hannah and Rev. Rich.
Through Trinity parishioners’ generosity, the 2015 Annual Giving Mission results as of January 17, 2016
are as follows.
2016 Annual Giving Mission Update
January 17, 2016
Current
$ 507,264
Total Amount
Total Pledges
123
Increased Pledges
TBD
New Pledges
21
Our goal this year was to have a majority of parishioners participate by making a financial commitment.
We are so thankful to all who have participated so far. If you have not yet made your pledge, it's not too
late! Please remember that while dollars are important, participation at any level demonstrates financial
commitment. It is this strong commitment that will enable Trinity to continue to Make God's Presence
Real by Sharing Christ's Life-Changing Love. Pledges can be emailed to Larry Laubach, Treasurer at
[email protected] or made online at the “online giving” link on the home page of
www.trinitymidtown.org. Please include a dollar amount and indicate if the contribution is weekly,
monthly, quarterly or annual.
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Thank you to the following pledgers for supporting Trinity ministries in 2016. We encourage all who have
not yet done so to turn in a pledge card.
Mr. Andy Achenbaum & The Rev.
Barbara Lewis
Mr. & Mrs. Edward Adams, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Donald Alderman
The Rev. Hannah Atkins & Mr. Elmer
Romero
Mr. & Mrs. Henry Atkins
Mr. Daniel Barnum & Mrs. Marilyn
Lewis
Ms. Mary Batsakis
Mr. Eric Beam & Ms. Mary Johns
Mr. & Mrs. Bradley Beers
Mr. & Mrs. C. Thomas Behrman
Anonymous
Mr. K. Scott Blackmon
Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Blanding
Mr. Paul Bower
Ms. Shelby Bradley
Mr. Alex Bruton
Mr. Richard Byrd
Mr. Nick Bilski, Jr
Mr. & Mrs. Myron Caldwell
Anonymous
Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence Chapman, Jr
Mr. Lawrence Chapman, III & Ms. Janet
Greene
Mr. & Mrs. George Church
Mr. Curtis Clerkley, Jr
Anonymous
Anonymous
Mr. & Mrs. John Cloud
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Cooper
Ms. Danya Corkin
Anonymous
Ms. Alice Davidson
Mr. & Mrs. Trayton Davis
Mr. Lawrence Dickerson & Ms. Marcela
Donadio
Mr. & Mrs. John Donnelly
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Edgar
Mr. & Mrs. John Escoto
Mr. Robert Feltenberger
Mr. & Mrs. Jason Fielder
The Rev. Robert & Dr. Sarah Flick
Mr. & Mrs. Chris Fresquez
Mr. & Mrs. L. Mark Goza
Ms. Clarice Gomez
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Guthrie
Mr. Thomas Guthrie, II
Mrs. Barbara Harrison
Anonymous
Mrs. Kathryn Herman
Dr. & Mrs. Scott Hickey
Anonymous
Mrs. Melinda Houser
The Rev. & Mrs. Richard Houser, III
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Hutton
Ms. Janice Jeys
Mr. Kenneth Jones & The Rev.
Francene Young
Ms. Nabila Kinghorn
Mr. & Mrs. Norman Kittrell, III
Ms. Suzanne Kupiec
Mr. John LaRue
Mr. Michael Laster
Mr. & Mrs. Larry Laubach
Anonymous
Mr. Stephen Lee
Mr. Greg LeGrande & Mrs. Sylvia Drew
Dr. Caroline Levander
Ms. Antoinette Longino
Mr. & Mrs. James Luke
Ms. Julia Madden
Mr. David Marsh
Mr. Edgar Marston, III
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Maybee
Ms. Theresa McClellan
Anonymous
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas McGinty
Mr. & Mrs. Robert McKenzie
Mr. John Merullo
Ms. Yvonne Meyer
Ms. Marcia Moore
Ms. Wanda Mullen
Mr. & Mrs. Jack Murchison
Mr. Dax Nesossi & Mr. Brian
Bannerman
Mr. Donald & Mrs. Diana (Lynn}
Nichols
Mr. & Mrs. Adam Noble
Mr. & Mrs. David Nolen
Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Obregon
Mr. & Mrs. Scott Painter
Mrs. Paula Patterson
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Mr. & Mrs. John Peterson
Mr. Ademian Pinder
Mr. & Mrs. Les Prebilsky
Mr. Stuart Purdy
Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Quander
Ms. Julia Ragusa-Thomas
Ms. Samantha Rainman
Mr. Jeffrey Reck & Ms. Debra
Desaulniers
Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Reed
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Reyes
Mr. & Mrs. Bryan Roberts
Ms. Rhonda Rogers
Mrs. Robert Rose
Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Rousseau
Mr. Robert Rumph
Mrs. Kathryn Schuller
Anonymous
Mr. Tony Sessions & Mr. David
Villarreal
Mr. Edward Silva, Jr
Ms. Barbara Smith
Mr. Kevin Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Snell
Mr. Robert Snellgrove & Mr.
Anthony Waguespack
Mr. Charles Spruell & Ms. Tammy Wu
Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Starbuck
Mr. Michael Tabert & Ms. Dana
Gannon
Mr. Richard Tate
Mr. & Mrs. Carl Thompson
Ms. Nancy Toberman
Ms. Stacy Toberman
Ms. Terri Torres
Ms. Lisa Pearson
Ms. Samantha Treadwell
Dr. & Mrs. Philip Turley
Ms. Victoria Varteressian
The Rev. & Mrs. Robert Wells
Mr. & Mrs. Richard White
Ms. Angel Williams
Trinity Jazz Ensemble
The Trinity Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Paul
English provides contemporary music for Sunday
worship at Trinity Church. The music is jazz, gospel,
classical and traditional, always in an acoustic, unamplified setting, sensitive, joyous and gentle.
Trinity Jazz Festival
Charlie Spruell & B.J. Smith
On January 23, 24 and 25, 2015, Trinity Church played host to
the 14th annual Trinity Jazz Festival. Master Classes for students
and jazz fans were held on January 24th. On Saturday the 24th
Master classes were held by Triosence, featuring piano, bass and
drums.
Saturday’s Performance was led off by the Young Jazz Artists
Quartet, featuring Sharif Stallworth, bass, Gregory Goods, Saxophone, Robert Chapra, drums and Raven Moran, Guitar. The Jazz Festival went international this year with the
appearance of the German jazz group Triosence. This trio featured: Bernhard Schuler, Piano, Ingo Senst, bass and
Stephan Emig, Drums. Triosence has performed all over Europe and this was their first performance in the USA.
They were enthusiastically received by our audience and called back for several encores. Triosence was followed by
our Festival headliners, “The New York Voices”. This outstanding vocal group featured Darmon Meador, Peter
Elldridge, Kim Nazarian and Lauren Kinman also featured were Alon Yavnai, piano, Paul Nowinski, bass and Marcello Pellitteri, Drums. “The New York Voices”, are a Grammy award winning vocal group and have been performing together for over 25 years. Their performance at the Festival received a standing ovation and several encores.
On Sunday the 25th we presented the annual Jazz Mass. This year’s Mass celebrated the Music of Horace Silver
(9/2/28 – 6/18/14), and was produced and directed by Horace Alexander Young. Rev. Hannah E. Atkins, Rector
of Trinity Episcopal Church, Celebrant . The Jazz Mass performance featured: Paul English, director/pianist,
April Sloan Hubert, vocals, Horace Alexander Young, alto sax/vocals, Dennis Dotson, trumpet, Juan “Johnny
Gonzales”, tenor sax, Brennen Nase, bass and Vernon Daniels, drums. Also participating was The Trinity Choir,
Wendy Wentland, director/organist with choir members: Stephanie Dory, Bill Jones, John Merullo, Catherine
Reed, Tony Sessions, Carol Turley, Victoria Varteressian, Jane Rousseau, Pat Emerson, Amy Luke, Dax Nesossi,
Abel Rocha, Ryan Stickney, Phil Turley and Anthony Larson. As usual the Jazz Mass was well received with over
500 people attending the two services.
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On Friday the 23rd Trinity Jazz Festival held the third annual VIP Dinner. The dinner was held at the
Doubletree Hotel in the Plaza Room. The VIP dinner presented “An Evening with Lady Day”. Artists
included Julie Jones, Vocal, Paul English, piano, Horace Alexander Young, Saxophone/flute, Brennen
Nase, bass and Vernon Daniels , drums. Celebrants enjoyed excellent music, food and good company
in beautiful surroundings with some 75 people in attendance. The VIP dinner has been a huge success and
will be a fixture in future Jazz Festivals.
Generous donations from individuals funded the Festival. As usual, the support of the Trinity staff was
excellent. Chairman, Bob Davenport and Horace Alexander Young, Jazz Mass Musical Director, would like
to thank the entire Jazz Festival Committee for their many hours of volunteer work that make our Festival
so special. Please contact Jazz Festival Co-Chairmen, Charles Spruell ([email protected]) or B.
J. Smith ([email protected]) for information and tickets to the 15th Annual Jazz Festival and the
4th Annual VIP Dinner. VIP Dinner to be held January 29, 2016 at the Doubletree Hotel in the Plaza
Room. Jazz Festival and Jazz Mass to be held at Trinity Episcopal Church , January 30th and 31st. VIP
dinner tickets are available but there is a limited supply.
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Trinity Jazz and Gospel
Service Lay Ministry
Linda Wise Davenport
The 12:30 Lay Ministry Team consists of a dedicated group of volunteers, committed to Making God’s Presence Real by Sharing
Christ’s Life-Changing Love. We realize our act of service is a
direct manifestation of God’s love, to every person who walks into Trinity.
Our team is structured a little differently than that in the main sanctuary, but we share the same
passion of service.
Host / Acolyte
The acolyte offers a personal and hands-on experience with parishioners during corporate worship. The acolyte helps prepare the altar and assists the priest during Holy Communion. Additionally, the acolyte serves as host to the lay ministry team, assuring that assigned members and
resources are present to assist with worship.
Lector
The lector has a vital role, reading aloud the assigned scripture passage during worship. A copy
of the assigned reading is sent to the lector in advance, usually arriving via email, on Friday.
Prayers of the People
The reader leads the people during this beautiful time of corporate prayer. It is a time of tranquil
unity, along with individual petitions.
Welcome Team / Greeters
This volunteer greets people as they enter the narthex, and distributes name tags. This person
demonstrates God’s love by making all people feel welcome. Greeters sometimes work in pairs.
Usher
The usher welcomes visitors – and everyone – to the chapel; demonstrating that, “All are welcome.” The usher assists worshippers in locating seats after the start of the service, and later
collects the offertory.
Healing Team
This volunteer offers prayer during Holy Communion to individuals in need of additional prayer
or comfort. Members of the healing team sometimes work in pairs.
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Trinity Jazz and Gospel
Service Greeter Ministry
Paul Bower
The Trinity Jazz Service Greeters is a heavenly calling.
Greeting participants and being able to call them by name is an important step in the welcoming process.
The Greeter/Welcomers arrive 15 minutes before the service starts to assemble the table with name tags,
visitor information cards, and information about the coffee hour and newcomer meetings.
The Greeters are often the first welcome to visitors and regular attendees. The only qualifications are a smile
and a love of people. It is a wonderful way to get to know your fellow worshipers.
Please contact Paul Bower for more information at [email protected].
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Office Volunteer Ministry
Pat Laubach
Many parishioners generously gave of their time and talents to insure
special projects were completed timely and that the front office was
staffed during lunch breaks, staff meetings and other times as necessary.
Many areas of church life are improved by the dedication of parishioners who answer phones, stuff envelopes,
and assist in many ways that are not often recognized. Sandwich Makers, Garden Club members and parishioners who helped administratively are all important to the daily life and ministries of Trinity. The information
maintained in our database has been corrected (a never-ending task) and updated, the library system is being
updated and improved.
If you can help, please contact me at [email protected].
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Trinity Women’s Circle
Sarah Flick and the Rev. Hannah Atkins
The Trinity Women’s Circle offers an opportunity for shared quiet time, reflection, and prayer. All
women are welcome to join the group for fellowship and supportive discussion. The Circle is facilitated
by Hannah Atkins and Sarah Flick. The Circle will meet this spring on the 4th Tuesday of each month:
January 26, February 23, April 26, May 24. (We will not meet during the month of March.)
Meetings will be held on the Trinity campus from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Questions? Please contact Sarah at
[email protected].
...Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on
her tongue.
Proverbs 31:25-26
Trinity Women’s Retreat
Sarah Flick and the Rev. Hannah Atkins
Trinity will host an overnight women’s retreat in November at the Cenacle Retreat House in Houston. The
retreat will be facilitated by Hannah Atkins and Sarah Flick. It will begin at 7:00 pm on Friday, and conclude at
4:00 pm on Saturday. All women 18 and older are welcome. The retreat will include time for quiet reflection,
group sharing, and rest and recreation in a beautiful setting. More information will be available in September
regarding registration for the retreat. Questions? Please contact Sarah at [email protected].
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40
41
42
43
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Larry Laubach, Treasurer
Ken Jones, Bookkeeper
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MEMORIAL TO THOSE WHO HAVE DIED
NECROLOGY REPORT
The following is a list of those persons deceased
during 2015 that were members and friends of
Trinity Episcopal Church:
The Rev. Israel Ahimbisibwe
David Atkins
Vernie Bennett
Erine Blackman
William Blackmon
Patricia Brinson
Brandi Laine Brown
Watson Anthony Davidson
Ruth Dory
Eugenia Farfan
Dell Fielder
Pat High
William Hillier
Bennie Johnston
Barbara Jordan
Joanne Kirklin
Beulah Lackner
Henry Lakes
Walter Lakes
Adair Mapp
Augusto Martinez
Churmey McClellan
Grace Middaugh
The Rev. Dr. Rhoda Swanner Montgomery
The Rev. Reed Morgan
Lois O’Connor
Michael Robert Ramig
Russ Reck
Felipe H. Reyes
Robert Rose
Edith Rosseau
Sue Socki
Sr. Theo
Betty Tull
Tim Tull
Howard Turley
John Scott Woods
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Closing Hymn
The Church’s Mission
537
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STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION
The Reverend Hannah E. Atkins, Rector
[email protected]
ext. 13
The Reverend Rich Houser, Associate Rector
[email protected]
ext. 17
Paul English, Trinity Jazz Ensemble Director
[email protected]
Wendy Wentland, Organist & Choirmaster
[email protected]
ext. 21
Janice Jeys, Director of Catechesis of The Good Shepherd
[email protected]
Patti Carr, Administrative Assistant
[email protected]
ext. 10
VOLUNTEER STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION
Pat Laubach, Volunteer Coordinator
[email protected]
Ext. 22
Larry Laubach, Treasurer
[email protected]
Carol Turley, Membership Secretary
[email protected]
Ext. 18
Trinity Episcopal Church
1015 Holman Street, Houston, Texas 77004
Phone 713.528.4100 Fax 713.942.0117
www.TrinityMidtown.org