Trinity Toledo 2030 Vision

VISION 2 0 3 0 Come and See: Building Christian Community Committed to Radical Transformation Trinity Episcopal Church, Toledo, OH

Notes, Thoughts, Dreams

TRINITY'S 2030 VISION

Come and see

What follows is a vision for Trinity in the year 2030. This work began in the spring of 2019 and was finished and approved in 2021.

Written by a faithful community striving to discern God’s will, it paints a clear and compelling picture of a preferred future. The work evolved over two years, during which more and more people were invited into the process This final document is the product of more than 30 meetings, workshops, writing sessions, and parish-wide feedback.

We look to this final document to chart our course for ministry in the years ahead. We will use this vision on a regular basis to set annual goals, create strategic plans, and keep us accountable to God and each other.

We thank all who invested so much. May this narrative be the compelling story we work toward together with God’s help in the months and years to come

T R I N I T Y E P I S C O P A L C H U R C H , T O L E D O , O H

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Introduction: Following a Radical Way of Love

Congregational Vitality: Building up the Body of Christ

Worship: Reverence and rejoicing through radical welcome

Music: Making a joyful noise

Spiritual Formation:

Growing a community of learners and disciples

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6 Children & Youth: All are welcome and wanted

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Social Justice/Social Service:

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Respecting the dignity of every human being

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8 Community Partnerships: Changing the world together

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9 Community Engagement: Being the church in and outside of our walls

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INTRODUCTION: FOLLOWING A RADICAL WAY OF LOVE

It is 2030. Trinity is alive with energy, purpose, and passion We honor our long-held identity as a progressive, inclusive, creative faith community Accessibility and relevance have been incorporated into that identity, as we welcome those who have yet to discover the love of God we have found together in this community

Acknowledging that we are all both broken and blessed, we sustain one another living out Jesus’ Way of Love –through worship, prayer, study, giving, service, and advocacy – extending God’s revolutionary love in all that we say and do in every aspect of our lives. We welcome questions and doubts as much as we appreciate deeply held convictions and faith perspectives; we believe God’s love has no limitations.

We are a beacon of hope, healing, encouragement, and inclusion in Toledo and beyond We stand in both a beautifully restored and reimagined building, and in a loving, liberating, and life-giving online presence We live into our radical welcome and seek and serve God in all people and respond to our neighbors’ changing needs.

Ten years ago, we embraced the idea of Trinity becoming a Christian community committed to radical transformation That transformation is clear within our church, the broader community, social structures, and most importantly, in our lives.

As an intergenerational, multiethnic community, we remain committed to the work we began many years ago Today we see our on-site and online communities have more than doubled, reflecting the diversity of our neighborhood and city We have learned how to best support people on their spiritual journeys More than three quarters of our community is integrated into one or more ministries or small groups, with more than half of the community involved as servant leaders for ministry, groups, projects, and service. Choosing courage over comfort, we remain active in the work of racial reconciliation and economic justice, collaborating with community partners while affirming one of our five baptismal promises:

To strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being

Through God’s action in our lives and in our community, deep connections transform our lives.

2030 VISION

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CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY: BUILDING UP THE BODY OF CHRIST

Within the Trinity community, God shows us we are better together: supporting the challenges of living a life of love in a world with hate; glimpsing clarity in a chaotic culture, and witnessing the wonder and joy of God’s presence in both the ordinary and the eventful Trinity truly is Christian community committed to radical transformation We live from a place of gratitude for God’s work in our lives and in our community, in and outside our walls, moving forward together ever hopeful Walk into Trinity any day of the week and find signs of life everywhere Whether people are coming for worship, a concert or art exhibit, or to volunteer with one of our community partners, they find inviting spaces and radical welcome We are intentional in our hospitality, seeking to offer the same care and concern for each stranger who walks through our doors as we do for one another

Our welcoming spirit includes attention to accessibility. Our signage helps visitors navigate our historic building, now accessible with a new elevator Sign-language interpreters aid worship and live performances. Accessibility is also vital throughout our expansive digital presence, Trinity@Home, with all online events closed captioned

The vitality of the community is reflected in growth in numbers and in spirit Our worshipping community has doubled, and an ever-growing “softborders” community join us for activities beyond worship.

Relationships are enriched through movie nights, public forums, and popup dinners Our church culture encourages members to naturally support one another, with prayers, meals, and rides We show up for each other in times of tragedy and joy In response to the experience of the extravagance of our Loving God, we give out of a sense of abundance. Acknowledging the financial gifts of our spiritual ancestors, we share our own financial gifts with the church Our planned giving program provides opportunities to serve the Trinity community well into the future We measure our community’s vitality in many ways - qualitative and quantitative. Today we find ourselves overflowing with joy, compassion, generosity, and radical love - evidence that God’s Spirit is at work among and within us

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WORSHIP: REVERENCE AND REJOICING THROUGH RADICAL WELCOME

Weekly and special worship services continue to be the primary reflection and experience of Trinity’s radical welcome

Through our liturgy, we combine our reverence for our rich Episcopal tradition with an expansive, modern expression of God’s love. We offer open-armed hospitality, accessible theology, creative expression, and deep connection to God and to one another Community participation is a hallmark of our worship. Members of all ages participate in worship: lighting candles, proclaiming scripture, and offering personal reflections Our teens and young adults have adopted our intercessory prayer ministry, praying with those who request it. We responded to 2020’s pandemic with a new digital expression of sharing God’s love through online worship, and that continuing ministry provides yet another loving and joyful vision of Jesus’ Way of Love.

We honor the liturgical seasons, exploring new ways to deliver the message of God’s love through prayer, ritual, and music We create our own additional texts and music as another way to welcome many. The sum of all our worship aims to offer an experience of God's unconditional love, resonating through heart, soul, mind, and body

Our willingness to, and success in, pushing the boundaries of Episcopal liturgy has drawn attention

The book we wrote about our practices -a best seller for the publisher for three years -- details how we combine emergent spiritual expression with ancient liturgy, creating worship that leaves us filled with the joy of being fully alive We are invited to present at least four times a year to dioceses across the Episcopal Church and other denominations

It is exciting to see how our worship schedule has grown over the years. Today we have many days and ways to gather as a community The 2020 pandemic pushed us from our worship comfort zone, and we have never looked back We continue to grow and expand in membership and engagement through both in-person worship and Trinity@Home We take pride in welcoming, through our doors and our digital presence, people looking for a way to follow Jesus, to proclaim the Good News, all while living into an expansive and progressive expression of Christianity

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MUSIC: MAKING A JOYFUL NOISE

Music is an integral part of our worship, welcoming participation by members of all ages and levels of musical experience Opportunities include Trinity choir, Trinity’s singers, our children’s choir, our house band, Trinity bell ringers, and our ever-popular ukulele choir, with other musical groups organically forming and dissolving

Our wide musical palette creates a unique soundtrack, pushing the boundaries of traditional church music We move seamlessly from full-bodied congregational singing to an a cappella high school choir; from chamber music to opera; from traditional hymns to gospel, from contemporary praise to jazz (including popular weekly jazz vespers)

The arts are also an important part of our liturgies within our sanctuary and online. The visual arts, dance, drama, poetry, puppetry, and more invite participants to engage with worship more fully

2030 VISION

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SPIRITUAL FORMATION: GROWING A COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS AND DISCIPLES

Spiritual formation refers to all we do as a community, encouraging lives of deep faith, commitment, and reflection Growing out of three of the five promises in our Baptismal Covenant, we ask:

Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?

Will you persevere in resisting evil, and whenever you fall into sin, repent, and return to the Lord?

Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?

We answer: We will, with God’s help

Honoring the God-given diversity of our members, we nurture spiritual growth in a multitude of ways. Prayer partners and identity-based and topical small groups provide nurturing mutual support

Classes and study groups explore our faith and view current events through that lens Our annual all-parish retreat, planned and led by members, is one of our most well-attended activities, fostering a deep experience of God’s presence. We welcome the richness of interfaith gatherings and annually offer the Toledo Faith Speaker Series

These gatherings build meaningful relationships and a more respectful understanding of the wide diversity of faith traditions throughout Toledo and the world We are delighted when visitors say we are different due to what we offer.

We encourage members to try new things and ask for what they need The result: a vibrant and dynamic spiritual community with multiple opportunities for visitors as well as new and longtime members

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CHILDREN & YOUTH: ALL ARE WELCOME AND WANTED

Our commitment to the spiritual formation of our children and youth can be seen in worship All ages worship together, even our youngest, so they grow up knowing that they are valued These hands-on worship experiences provide developmentally appropriate learning and tangible connection to our rich traditions

Trinity’s children and young people know without a doubt they are wanted and welcome Before or after our primary worship services, we offer formation opportunities for all ages Our youth group is vibrant, involved in service, social, and formation activities locally as well as in diocesan youth events and the triannual Episcopal Youth Events

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SOCIAL JUSTICE/SOCIAL SERVICE: RESPECTING THE DIGNITY OF EVERY HUMAN BEING

Our commitment to social justice and social service is based on Jesus’ example and the final two questions of our Baptismal Covenant. We ask: Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?

Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?

We answer: We will, with God’s help Our affirmative response encourages us to lean into the Way of Love We learn through our own and other faith traditions, and we strive to be a welcoming, justice-seeking people, propelled by God’s love for us, and our love for God

We make a clear distinction between social justice and social service With social justice, we educate ourselves and work to dismantle the structures that allow some groups to benefit while other groups are oppressed With social service, we work with other organizations, providing direct services to our neighbors in need. Both parts – working to dismantle oppressive systems while also providing support to those in need – are part of the work God has called us to do

Today we embrace a model built on mutual respect and a generosity of spirit We reach out to make connections with people in need. We walk side by side, offering our support and in return discover radical transformation Our lives continue to be forever changed as we embrace kinship with our siblings and an ethic of working together rather than doing for others alone

We believe God calls us to freedom, and no one is free until all are free. We urge all members of our community to use their hearts for caring, their feet for marching, their souls for praying, and their resources to support our collective holy work. In support of this call, the Trinity Response Team connects our faith community with opportunities to mobilize for community issues and events requiring education, conversation, advocacy, and witness. Over the past 10 years, we have focused on gun violence, food insecurity, racism, human trafficking, young adults who age out of foster care, and LGBTQIA+ adolescents at high risk of being without shelter

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COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS: CHANGING THE WORLD TOGETHER

To seek and serve Christ in all persons, we identify unmet needs in our community, partnering with others to extend our reach This process led us to offer free laundry services and haircuts to unhoused individuals, and use of our commercial kitchen by social entrepreneurs Our community commitment is long term and nimble enough to respond to needs as they arise. We invest in relationships with area organizations, including other service-minded faith communities, Toledo Public Schools, agencies serving children and youth, food/employment providers, and housing advocates.

We recently celebrated a decade of support to young adults exiting foster care. We offer this often-invisible group, whose marginalization we ’ ve long recognized, an innovative groupmentoring model launched years ago at Trinity We recently had our 25th participant finish this program, and our Better Together Toledo ministry is widely identified as a high-impact program

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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: BEING THE CHURCH IN AND OUTSIDE OF OUR WALLS

Music and the arts expand our community engagement for activism and advocacy. We sponsor free community concerts, workshops, and lessons for all ages and abilities Our partnerships with schools and arts organizations have led to programs such as our resident artist program, bringing in diverse artists for a season of workshops, master classes, performances, art installations, readings, and lectures. Both our sanctuary and community performance space are in high demand, reserved months in advance We offer flexible options, ranging from one-time space rentals to integrated programs with full Trinity partnership.

Our building -- literally an offering to the community -- provides creative spaces for public use indoors as well as on our newly redesigned plaza. Our fees are clear, reasonable, and elastic when necessary

The greater Toledo community uses our space in many ways: a nondenominational small-church music conference; dinners and event receptions; organizational retreats; performer auditions; concerts, recitals, plays, and poetry slams; and monthly dinners for youth aging out of foster care People come as visitors, and many stay, finding a place of meaning, belonging and authentic community- a spiritual home.