parish profile 2011 - trinity episcopal...

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Solebury, Bucks County, Pennsylvania

www.trinitysolebury.org

Trinity Episcopal Church

Parish Profile 2011

http://www.trinitysolebury.org/

2 Trinity Episcopal Church Solebury – Parish Profile

Table of Contents

Letter to Candidates ................................................................................................... 3

Mission and Vision Statement ................................................................................... 4

History .................................................................................................................... 5-6

Clergy ......................................................................................................................... 7

Demographics and Attendance ............................................................................. 8-9

Ministries at Trinity ........................................................................................... 10-12

Worship and Music .................................................................................................. 10

Spiritual Formation .................................................................................................. 10

Pastoral Care ............................................................................................................ 10

Parish Life ................................................................................................................ 11

Communications ...................................................................................................... 11

Stewardship .............................................................................................................. 11

Church School .......................................................................................................... 11

Youth Ministries ...................................................................................................... 11

Outreach ................................................................................................................... 12

Property and Cemetery............................................................................................. 12

Finance ..................................................................................................................... 12

Trinity Day School ................................................................................................... 12

Parish Survey ..................................................................................................... 13-14

Characteristics We Seek in Our Next Rector ..................................................... 15-16

Search Committee Members .................................................................................... 17


Trinity Church Confidential Address: Church Address:

Trinity Church Search Committee Trinity Episcopal Church

17 Doyle Street 6587 Upper York Road

Doylestown, PA 18901 PO Box 377

[email protected]

GREETINGS!

The Search Committee of Trinity Church is pleased to acknowledge that we are ready to move

forward with our search for our new rector, and that we appreciate your interest in Trinity.

We have prepared the attached Parish Profile to provide you with a sense of who we are and

what we are looking for in our next rector. Trinity Church is a welcoming and active parish, and

our members reflect our Bucks County community – informed, socially conscious, and

committed to critical thinking. We pray and play well together, have fun and laugh a lot, and

know ourselves to be caring, Spirit-filled, joyful, and generous.

Trinity is blessed to have had Rev. Emory Byrum serve as our Interim Rector for the past two

years. With his help we have grown in love for one another, and we have moved into a period of

intentional transition. Appropriately, our congregation has spent time in prayerful reflection and

renewal, and we have re-discovered who we are as a congregation.

In April, 2010, Trinity became actively engaged in the transition process and began moving

toward the new chapter that awaits us as a congregation. We reworked our Strategic Plan and

created a Parish Survey that provided the framework for this profile. The congregation engaged

in active listening sessions to prepare for our new relationship with the priest we hope to call.

Trinity is a dynamic congregation, excited about beginning a new pastoral relationship. We‟re

open to God‟s will for our parish, and to discerning the best candidate to lead us into the next

stages of our mission and ministry, and our personal spiritual growth. Our contact information

is listed above for your convenience in submitting your information, and we look forward to

hearing from you.

Peace,

The Search Committee of Trinity Church


TRINITY’S MISSION

In response to the love and challenge of

Jesus Christ, the Mission of Trinity

Church, Solebury, is to:

Worship God in Christ

Welcome all people

Rejoice in fellowship

Grow in knowledge

Give of ourselves

Care for one another

Serve the world

Proclaim the good news of God in Christ

TRINITY’S VISION

In communion with the Spirit and one another, we are called to recognize the spiritual lives of

every member of Trinity: to assist one another in finding our own ways to enrich and nurture our

spiritual practice, and to develop our ministries in the world.


TRINITY’S HISTORY

The original settlers of Solebury's open farmland were Quakers, and during the early 1800's the

few Episcopalians in the area traveled by horse and wagon to the church in Buckingham. Lizzie

and Mary Jones, concerned about the religious education of nearby children, began holding a

children's Sunday school on a local farm. Soon the families gathered in the little stone

schoolhouse at the Solebury crossroads of Sugan and Old York Roads. In 1860, the Rev. William

Griest from Buckingham incorporated this small group as Trinity Solebury Chapel, a mission of

Trinity, Buckingham. Rev. J.T. Carpenter followed Rev. Griest and the group became large

enough to move from the schoolhouse. In 1876, ground was broken for our own chapel, and it

was completed two years later at a cost of about $1,000.

Rev. Carpenter moved away and during the following years, traveling priests and seminary

students provided services on an irregular basis. About1900, a new rector at Buckingham helped

revive interest at Trinity. Horse sheds were built to encourage attendance, and gated booths

replaced the benches in the church. In 1911, when ministers from Newtown acquired a car,

regular services resumed at Trinity and, although not officially recognized by the Diocese,

Trinity considered itself a parish and elected a vestry.

During the 1930's, Trinity's Women's Auxiliary raised money through community suppers,

which led to construction of a parish hall and small kitchen. The first Christmas Bazaar was held

in 1946, and Trinity's famous Christmas cookies were first introduced. The congregation

remained small, however; it was not until after World War II that it begin to swell. In 1948 the

Rev. Walter Malone was installed as Trinity's first full-time vicar, and the rectory was built for

him and his family. The first volume of Bucks Cooks was published in 1953 as a major

fundraiser, leading to expansion of the church chancel. In 1954, the Diocese recognized Trinity

Episcopal Church as a self-sustaining parish, and the Rev. G. Crofton Thompson became our

first rector.

Trinity's Day School opened in 1959, and the cemetery was established in 1963. The Women's

Auxiliary was renamed the Women of Trinity in 1963. Two years later, the first woman was

appointed to the vestry. Following Mr. Thompson's sudden death, the Rev. John M. Smart was

chosen as Rector in 1968, and the congregation continued to grow. The Wiley property adjacent

to the church was purchased in 1973, later to become the site of the present church. Ron

Kershner, a professional musician, served as organist and music director from 1974 until 1994;

under his direction, the choir blossomed. In 1978, the Rev. William H. Wood III became Rector

and led the parish for thirteen years, the longest tenure of any of Trinity's clergy. Following his

departure in 1991, the Rev. Barbara A. Kelley served as Interim Rector. The second volume of

Bucks Cooks came out in 1984, and the Christmas Bazaar was reorganized as the Christmas

House Tour in 1991.

The Rev. David A. Anderson was called as Rector in 1992. Three years later, Trinity had its first

Assistant Rector, the Rev. John Capellaro, who expanded the Trinity Youth Group first


organized in 1992 and initiated Lobsterfest and Mission Philadelphia. Trinity Tidings became

the monthly newsletter. PEACEMEAL,a monthly dinner for families from throughout our

communities who are afflicted with HIV/AIDS, was inaugurated in 1995. The Anderson family

moved into their own home in 1997, and work was begun to

transform the rectory into administrative offices. The 1990's had

brought remarkable growth to the area, and the parish continued to

expand.

In May 1998, the church buildings burned down and the church itself

was badly damaged. For two years, services were held in the New

Hope/Solebury Elementary School gymnasium across the road and

the school's classrooms were used for Church School. This was a

traumatic time for both clergy and parishioners, lightened by the

arrival in August of Tim Harrell, an accomplished organist, and the

addition of the Rev. Susan J. Butler who joined Trinity as Assistant

Rector in January. During the years in the gym, the congregation kept growing and eagerly

watched the construction of the new church; the first service was held there in June 2000. That

Fall, Trinity Day School moved into its six new classrooms. The old church was renovated and is

now the Chapel for smaller gatherings.

In 2002, a bell was installed in the new bell tower, and Vacation Bible School was held for the

first time; it is now an annual event. The Rev. Susan Sica served as Assistant

Rector. In May 2003, the parish regretfully wished Mr. Anderson and his family

well as they moved on to Connecticut. In July, the Rev. Christine Ritter took

over as Interim Rector, serving during the search for a new rector, assisted part-

time by the Rev. Virginia Sheay. Church School enrollment grew to 100

children, and the Day School flourished.

The Rev. Marshall Shelly arrived in time for Holy Week in 2005, the Rev.

Mariclair Partee became assistant rector and the Rev. Sheay continued to assist

as well. After many years of planning and fund raising, in the spring of 2006,

Trinity celebrated the arrival of our new pipe organ, installed in space provided

for it when the new church was built. During the following years, the

parish continued to support a wide variety of spiritual and community-

conscious ministries. The Outreach ministry extended help to our sister

parish in Guatemala and sent a Team Tabasamu to provide dental care and

education to Kitale, Kenya. The Trinity Youth Group continued to look

forward to its annual "Mission Philadelphia" in June. In the fall of 2008,

Kyle Evans, a longtime member of Trinity and Director of Youth and

Children's Ministries for many years, left her staff position and began a

year as Missioner in Haiti, working through its theological seminary.

Marshall Shelly‟s ministry as rector of Trinity ended in early 2009 and

2003 - Present

1998 - Present

2009 - Present


with the leaving of the assistant rector, Mariclair Partee, Trinity entered another period of

change. The Rev. Emory Byrum was appointed interim rector and began his ministry the week

after Easter 2009, leading Trinity as a vital Episcopal parish in the Diocese of Pennsylvania,

welcoming all.

TRINITY’S CLERGY HISTORY

Walter K. Malone, Vicar 1948-1954

J. Crofton Thompson 1954-1967

John A. Smart \ 1968-1977

William H. Wood III 1978-1991

Barbara A. Kelley, Interim 1991-1992

David R. Anderson 1992-2003

John J. Capellaro, Assistant Rector 1995-1998

Susan J. Butler, Assistant Rector 1999-2001

Susan S. Sica, Interim Assistant 2002-2002

Christine E. Ritter, Interim 2003-2005

Virginia Sheay, Clergy Assistant 2003-present

Marshall Shelly 2005-2009

Mariclair Partee, Assistant Rector 2007-2009

Emory Byrum, Interim 2009-present

TRINITY’S STAFF

Trinity enjoys the support of our tenured and capable staff. Our staff consists of:

Cindy Bove Day School Director

Timothy Harrell Music Director

Debbie Stedman Parish Administrator

Stephen Wilson Director of Youth and Family Ministries

Jane Ellen Nugent Parish Secretary

Anne Yarnall Financial Secretary for Operations

Ed Goeller Sexton

TRINITY WARDENS AND VESTRY

Senior Warden - David Griffith - [email protected]

Junior Warden - Lorri Perkins - [email protected]

Complete information about our Vestry Members can be found on our website -

www.trinitysolebury.org

2009 - Present

http://[email protected]/

http://[email protected]/



Demographics and Attendance

AREA SERVED

Trinity Episcopal Church is located in Solebury Township, Central Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Trinity draws most of its parishioners from Bucks County, PA, Hunterdon County, NJ and

Mercer County, NJ. The 2005 Trinity Strategic Plan was based on rapid population growth in

these areas between1990 – 2004. Since 2004, population growth has continued, but at a slower

rate.

In Hunterdon County, NJ, the population has

remained flat at 130,000 each year from 2005 – 2008.

The Mercer County, NJ population was essentially flat

from 2005 – 2008 at 365,000 with growth expected to

be 3% total by 2010. The population of Bucks

County, Pennsylvania grew by 8,000 or 1.3% between

2004 – 2008, making it one of the few counties in

Pennsylvania to have grown since 2004. Bucks

County total population was estimated to be 626,015 in 2009.

Solebury Township population was 25,880 in the 2000 Census and was projected to be 30,689 in

2010, and 31,941 in 2015. The median age is expected to increase from 41.7 in 2000 to 46.1 in

2010 and 48.0 in 2015. This increase in median age is also reflected in somewhat lower

enrollment in the younger grades as compared to the older grades in the New Hope – Solebury

schools. A 2000 Census snapshot of a 5 and 10-mile radius around Trinity showed 26,825

people and 113,818 people respectively.

Median Household Income in Solebury Township was $75,539 in 2000, $105,196 in 2010 and is

projected to be $112,828 in 2015. The 5 and 10-mile circles around Trinity show similar median

age data and only slightly lower median household income. In comparison to Pennsylvania and

the US, the area served by Trinity is relatively affluent.


TRINITY MEMBERSHIP AND ATTENDANCE

Trinity Church records indicate total active baptized members to have been 435 in 2000, with

steady growth to 606 at year-end 2004. The years

2005 – 2007 show sudden jumps in membership to

865, 897, and 963, respectively. The years 2008 and

2009 show significant drops to 506 and 472,

respectively.

Two key factors were in play here. First, we did lose

a number of families in the aftermath of the departure

of our last rector. The second factor, and perhaps the

more significant, was the concerted effort on the part

of our Interim Rector and church staff to adjust the

rolls so that they more accurately reflect the true membership of Trinity.

An indication that the rolls may not have reflected of the true membership comes from

comparing average Sunday attendance in 2000 of 282 with membership listed at 435 to average

Sunday attendance in 2007 of 268 with membership listed as 963. We believe that some real

growth took place in the years 2005 – 2007 and that some real losses occurred in 2008 – 2009.

Unfortunately, the data obscures that information and does not tell our story well.

Church School enrollment peaked at 209 in 2006, which coincided with the peak in Sunday

attendance at 316. In 2009, Church School enrollment was 85, down both from the peak and

also down from 115 in 2004. This reflects both the larger number of families with school age

children who attended Trinity in the years 2005 – 2007 and the trend toward fewer school age

children in the area.

Trinity Episcopal Church membership and attendance are shown in the following bar graph.


MINISTRIES AT TRINITY

We at Trinity Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, strive to live

into the call of Jesus Christ to grow in mutual love, fellowship

and grace. The following list contains descriptions of the work

of our ministries:

WORSHIP AND MUSIC

The mission of the Worship Committee is to provide a

reflective setting for church services, to set the tone, and lead

the congregation in worship. The worship style at Trinity is

traditional and not “high church.” The Worship and Music

Committee is broad-based and includes Altar Guild, Lectors,

Lay Eucharistic Ministers, Flower Guild, Acolytes and Ushers,

a large senior choir and a junior choir. Musical standards are

high and music is a rich part of our worship tradition. The

sanctuary has a Martin Pasi tracker pipe organ. We enjoy many

concerts throughout the year and share the sanctuary with other

musical groups from the community

SPIRITUAL LIFE AND FORMATION

The Spiritual Life Ministry seeks to actualize Trinity‟s Mission

Statement. It provides opportunities for Trinity parishioners to deepen

their spirituality, grow in their knowledge of the Scripture, the Episcopal

Church and Christianity. The active committee organizes many events:

books studies, retreats at various religious communities, Lenten quiet

days, centering prayer and Mindfulness Meditation classes. The success

of the recent adult program Living the Question, a film and discussion

series each Sunday, speaks to the value and importance of this type of

program for our adult members.

PASTORAL CARE

We are all called to participate in pastoral care at Trinity. In addition to the general pastoral care

we provide each other, there are specific pastoral care ministry teams, whose members offer their

pastoral gifts, together with ongoing pastoral care provided by the clergy. The teams are the Lay

Eucharistic Ministry, Pastoral Care Team, Trinity Cares, our Grief and Bereavement Ministries

and our Prayer List.

PARISH LIFE

The Parish Life Ministry invites and invigorates our members through the joyful practice of

„Welcoming all People‟ so we may serve God. Parish Life includes all aspects of hospitality: the

Welcome Committee, Coffee Hour, Receptions, Men‟s Breakfast, Cookie Bake, and House

Tour. We foster the good health of the Parish through fellowship. We are an inclusive parish,


welcoming all ages and people joyfully. We invite and welcome members of our community to

share in our abundant food and fellowship, music, and youth activities.

COMMUNICATIONS

The Communications Ministry has been blessed with the

tasks of capturing and delivering the good news of

Trinity. The Communications Ministry is responsible

for Trinity Tidings, our monthly newsletter, bulletins,

parish directory and our website

www.trinitysolebury.org .

STEWARDSHIP

The Stewardship Ministry involves parishioners through worship, personal

commitment, and spiritual devotion, which leads to their pledging of their time,

talent and a personal financial commitment. The Stewardship Committee takes a

very structured approach to organizing stewardship efforts as part of the ongoing

life of the parish. The emphasis in these efforts is to create and communicate a

Path to Pledging with these tools. We give all an opportunity to walk that path

throughout our Christian life.

CHURCH SCHOOL

Trinity‟s Church School provides an opportunity for children in

the parish to explore and share their ideas, beliefs, questions

and feelings through formal Christian education. Church

School meets each Sunday during the school year and holds

vacation Bible School in the summer. Trinity is currently

using the Living the Good News curriculum for its 1st - 12

th

graders. The Church School Ministry is also responsible for

Early Communion, Confirmation, the Christmas Pageant, and

the Easter Egg Hunt. A vibrant, exciting Church School program has been an important way we

attract new members, particularly young families.

YOUTH MINISTRIES

The Trinity Youth Group (TYG) is an active, thriving part of the

parish. The mission of this ministry is to foster spiritual growth of

the youth of our church and in the broader community. This is

accomplished through the many activities of TYG: Lobsterfest,

Mission Philadelphia, and Youth Eucharist. Fifty youth from our

congregation and the community at large participate weekly in

TYG, which is well supported by 15 adults volunteers. Mission

Philadelphia is TYG‟s largest event with 45 families participating in this community outreach

project. We also have a retreat in the Fall and Spring and an annual Ski Trip. TYG families come

to Trinity as they follow their children into Trinity‟s parish life.



OUTREACH

Outreach is an essential and defining aspect of Trinity‟s mission, funded through our budget and

through fundraising efforts outside of our budget. There are multiple “hands on” Outreach

projects including Aid for Friends, Haitian Relief, Habitat for Humanity, Mwamba, an

educational ministry for students in Kenya, and support of our

sister parish in Guatemala. In addition, Peacemeal is a monthly

celebration of food and fellowship for members of our

community who have AIDS or are HIV positive and is a strong

example of Trinity‟s ongoing commitment to community

outreach. Outreach at Trinity includes direct financial support of

local and international agencies.

PROPERTY AND CEMETERY COMMITTEE

The Property Ministry is responsible for maintenance of our physical plant, as well as

coordinating the sexton‟s activities. It includes the Cemetery Committee, which maintains

traditional cemetery grounds on the property with a commitment to perpetual care. The cemetery

has a stand-alone budget and is self-sustaining.

FINANCE COMMITTEE

The Finance Ministry provides the Vestry with guidance and advice in the faithful stewardship of

Trinity's financial resources, always seeking to ensure that thoughtful financial planning is an

integral part of the parish's overall mission.

TRINITY DAY SCHOOL

Trinity Day School was established in 1959. It exists to create a

learning environment based on Christian values, celebrating the

uniqueness of each child, and as a daily outreach of the church. Cindy

Bove is the Director of The Day School. There are 5 teachers and 45

students at this time.


Parish Survey

In order to prepare a profile of Trinity, 179 parishioners participated in a survey. The survey

could be taken on-line, and we also made paper copies available. In addition to the survey, small

group sessions were conducted in the chapel in order to give everyone an opportunity to express

their views and be heard. The first part of the survey provides information about the

demographics of the survey participants and the second part determined what the parish wants in

a new rector.

The survey was open to all members of the

Parish. The majority of the participants that

took the survey were older; that is, 127 out of

179 participants or 71% of the survey takers

were more than 50.

Survey participants were asked, “What first

attracted you to Trinity?” The first 3

responses were 1) Sense of Community, 2)

Clergy and 3) Proximity to home. However,

when asked why do you continue to worship at Trinity, the first 3 responses were 1) Sense of

Community, 2) Music Program and 3) Clergy. The Music Program at Trinity is a big reason that

people continue to worship at Trinity.

Interestingly, when asked “What is missing for you at Trinity?” the first response was “a sense of

community.” While on the surface this may seem like a contradiction, the respondents stated

that the “sense of community is not what it used to be.” Two other areas that were missing for

participants were “spiritual practices” and “a permanent rector”.


Trinity is a church with many activities and ministries. We are an active church with many

opportunities in which people of all ages can participate. The survey asked parishioners to

indicate which activity they participate(d) in and to rank the activity in terms of importance. The

chart below shows the results from this question.

In our small group sessions, we asked people “What word or phrase would you like to see

applied to Trinity?” Responses were:

• Welcoming, loving, inclusive parish

• Active, spiritual community

• Vibrant, diverse, caring programs and ministries


The Characteristics We Seek in Our Next Rector

Trinity Church is looking for our new rector to:

Provide strong spiritual leadership

Attract, inspire and unify our membership

Respond to the Pastoral Care needs of our congregation

Support and encourage Outreach

Develop education programs for all ages and develop lay leadership

Celebrate our music program with us

Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills

Enhance / deepen our sense of community – grow the “Trinity Spirit”

We need our next rector to lead us spiritually in the formation and development of our life at

Trinity. The parish, responding in our survey, felt that our new rector should have strong

preaching skills, participate actively in the life of the parish, be dynamic in the area of pastoral

care, and facilitate our growth.

We seek a preacher who leads varied and enriching services, from which parishioners leave

feeling inspired to discern and do God‟s work. We are looking for a priest whose sermons relate

the readings of the day to everyday life.

We have identified Pastoral Care as an important focus for our new rector. It is our desire to

have a Rector who will get to know all members of our congregation, be caring and loving and

participate in pastoral visits. We seek a rector who is a shepherd to his/her flock and recognizes

the importance of visiting both new and existing members of our parish. Our new rector will

need to be available in crisis situations to those who are homebound or in need.

Education is also an important aspect of our new rector‟s job. Our parish is looking for a rector

to actively direct development of religious education for all ages. Our adult members have

actively participated in a recent adult education series and have expressed a wish to have similar

opportunities in the future. The youth of Trinity are enthusiastic, and we need a leader who will

continue to develop and grow our youth programs. The music program is strong at Trinity. We

need our next rector to continue to enthusiastically support the music program.

We seek for our next rector a person who has strong interpersonal skills. It is our desire to

have a leader who is approachable and sincere. We want our next rector to manage and guide

our staff and encourage our lay leadership. He or She needs to have a strong personal faith and

practice, be deeply spiritual and feel „called‟ to being our priest. Trinity is looking for our next

rector to have had previous, positive experience as a parish priest.


While Trinity Church sees itself as a diverse and welcoming church, it is hoped that the new

rector will be able to further inspire the members of the parish and bring a sense of unity to

the church. It is important that our rector welcome diversity and encourage the inclusion of

all people.

In our survey, a „sense of community‟ was the primary reason that people first came to Trinity

and the main reason that they stay. However, when asked what is missing at Trinity, the number

one response was that „inclusion and a sense of community are not what they used to be‟.

Trinity is looking for a leader to help us transition and experience a renewed sense of

community within our congregation.

Trinity is a dynamic congregation, excited about beginning our new pastoral relationship. We

are seeking a priest who is self-confident, has humility and a sense of humor, and is a good

listener. We’re open to God’s will for our parish and to discerning the best candidate to lead

us into the next stages of our mission and ministry.


Search Committee Members

Ashby Saunders

Bob Marcino

Chris Grabarz

Don Eavenson

Helen Montgomery

Jon Hayward

Lorri Perkins

Mary Miller

Matthew Summers

Megg King


Notes

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