On a quiet block in the lakeside town of Excelsior, Trinity Episcopal Church has stood for sixteen decades, drawing Episcopalians from across the western suburbs of Minneapolis. The red-brick chapel at the corner of Second Street is the oldest Episcopal church in Minnesota still in regular worship use and the only original church building left standing in Excelsior. Across the alley stands the larger 20th-century sanctuary, and between the two, generations of Trinitarians have followed the way of Jesus through prayer, formation, music, and service to their neighbors.
Two Worship Spaces, One Parish
Sunday worship at Trinity takes one of two forms, depending on the season. During the program year, which runs from the weekend after Labor Day through Memorial Day weekend, two distinct services are offered. At 8:00 a.m., worshippers gather in the historic chapel for an early, contemplative Holy Eucharist beneath the timber framing that has cradled this congregation since the 19th century. At 10:15 a.m., the larger sanctuary fills with the sound of bells, voices, and the Hendrickson pipe organ for the principal parish Eucharist. In summer, the two services merge into a single 9:30 a.m. combined Eucharist in the sanctuary.
Each Sunday, the altar holds a freshly baked loaf of bread, contributed by members of a dedicated bread-baking ministry who rotate through the weeks. Lay Eucharistic Ministers assist with distribution of the wine, lectors proclaim the scriptures and lead the Prayers of the People, and a team of acolytes, ages 8 through 18, light candles and lead processions. Vergers, ushers, greeters, and sacristans keep the liturgy running smoothly, and a livestream technician bridges the sanctuary to the wider community through a Facebook broadcast.
On the last Sunday of each month, after the principal service, the parish gathers in the chapel for Centering Prayer, a method of contemplative prayer that rests in silence and receptive listening. Weekday mornings bring Morning Prayer at 7:30 a.m. over Zoom, with a host sharing the order of service on screen so participants can follow along from wherever they are.
A People of the Book of Common Prayer
Trinity worships each Sunday using the Book of Common Prayer, a tradition shared with Anglicans and Episcopalians worldwide. The prayer book, first compiled in 1549 and continually revised, is the primary symbol of the parish's unity and the anchor of its liturgy. Approximately seventy percent of the Book of Common Prayer comes directly from Scripture, and the Bible is read, marked, learned, and inwardly digested throughout worship. At baptisms and on great feast days, the congregation reaffirms the Baptismal Covenant; at every Eucharist, the Nicene Creed joins Christians across the centuries in a common confession of faith.
Trinity practices full inclusion in the Episcopal tradition. The church embraces the sacrament of marriage for both same-gender and different-gender couples and welcomes all people into the life of the parish. Worship is traditional and liturgical in style, and the parish values open-hearted conversation, curiosity, and the willingness to ask hard questions of faith.
Music: The Hendrickson Organ and the Handbell Choir
Music is woven into the fabric of Trinity's life. The sanctuary houses a Hendrickson pipe organ, inaugurated in February 2011 after years of preparation and fundraising. The mahogany pipes were crafted in Europe, and the organ case is built from locally sourced oak trees harvested from the corridor of U.S. Highway 212. The instrument anchors the principal Sunday Eucharist, accompanies congregational song, and supports the work of vocal choirs throughout the program year.
The Trinity Handbells rehearse on Tuesday evenings from September through Trinity Sunday in May, ringing in worship about once a month and at special services. The ensemble is open to anyone high school-age and older; no prior experience is required, though music-reading skills are helpful. Children in the Trinity Play Choir rehearse briefly on Sunday mornings before Sunday school, offering vocal music drawn from the liturgical year during the 10:15 a.m. service at various times throughout the program year.
Children, Youth, and a Generational Welcome
Trinity takes seriously its commitment to integrating children and adolescents fully into the life of the parish. A nursery is available for children from infancy through age five every Sunday morning. To ease the transition into full worship, a Children's Carpet in the southeast corner of the sanctuary invites younger children to play quietly while still taking in the sights and sounds of the liturgy, with parents close at hand in the bordering pews.
Sunday school meets during the 9:15 a.m. formation hour. Trinity Play, for kindergarteners through fourth graders, uses the Shine: Living in God's Light curriculum to nurture faith through gathering, Bible story, wonder, and hands-on response. The Twelve gathers middle-school youth in grades 5 through 8 for scripture, prayer, and conversation, and leads parish collection drives for the ICA Food Shelf throughout the program year. Older youth serve as acolytes, lectors, and instrumentalists, and on Maundy Thursday they lead the liturgy on one of the church's most sacred days.
Senior high youth deepen their formation through the Journey to Adulthood curriculum and Peer Ministry training. A Confirmation class for youth 14 and older culminates in a diocesan service at St. Mark's Cathedral on the last Saturday in April. The LIFT Youth Group (Love in Fellowship and Truth) brings together grades 6 through 12 on the third Wednesday of each month at Trinity, with a parallel gathering on the first Wednesday at St. David's in Minnetonka. Through the Ecumenical Youth Ministry Fellowship, Trinity's young people also work alongside peers from St. David's Episcopal, Excelsior United Methodist, and Mount Calvary Lutheran. Before they graduate, senior high youth travel together on a Holy Pilgrimage to a sacred site.
Faith Formation for Every Season
Beyond the nursery and Sunday school, Trinity offers a full slate of adult faith formation. Sunday-morning Adult Formation meets in the Fireside Room at 9:15 a.m., inviting curious minds to explore the intersection of faith, life, and the world through scripture, theology, and spiritual practice. Tuesday Bible Study gathers in the Library at 9:00 a.m. for an open conversation around the weekly lectionary lessons. On the first and third Wednesdays, Wednesday Women meets at 10:00 a.m. for connection, conversation, and faith; on the first and third Thursdays, Thursday Men gathers at 9:30 a.m. for fellowship, laughter, and meaningful talk.
Each Lent, the parish gathers on Wednesday evenings for a light soup supper followed by a discussion in the Fireside Room. Past themes have ranged from "A Beautiful Terrible Lent" to "Nurturing Beloved Community." Through the Faith+Lead Academy, parishioners can also access free online courses designed by and for Episcopalians, offered through a partnership with a Lutheran seminary.
Messy Church on Saturday Evenings
On the second Saturday of each month during the program year, Trinity opens its doors at 5:00 p.m. for Messy Church, a gathering built around all-ages hands-on activities, a short worship experience, and a shared family meal. Messy Church exists for families and friends who want to encounter God together in a creative, low-pressure setting, and dinner is always provided.
Pastoral Care and Mental Health
A standing Pastoral Care team works closely with Rector Charissa Bradstreet to support the parish through illness, loss, and life's harder transitions. Team members bring the Eucharist to homes and hospital rooms, visit and pray with those in need, and help connect parishioners with meals, transportation, or referrals to more specialized support. During Advent, the parish offers a Hope in Loss service of readings, music, and candle lighting for those grieving.
Trinity has long supported mental health both within the parish and in the wider community. In 2026 the parish joined Mental Health Connect, a collaborative of faith communities working to reduce the stigma of mental illness and connect people to free, confidential support through trained Navigators. The parish also points members toward a curated library of resources by author Kate Bowler and offers educational events focused on connectedness, supporting an aging population, grief, and reducing stigma.
Outreach Beyond the Walls
Trinity's outreach stretches well beyond its own campus. Several times a year, youth and adults prepare, cook, and serve dinner at First Nations' Kitchen in the Minneapolis Longfellow neighborhood, a justice-based, Gospel-focused ministry rooted in the All Saints' Episcopal Indian Mission. Trinity is one of the sponsoring congregations of ICA Food Shelf, which serves more than a thousand families each month with fresh and packaged food plus housing, employment, and mental health resources; the parish holds an annual March food drive for Food Share Month, an October pet food drive, and a Thanksgiving meal fundraiser. Monthly Meals on Wheels deliveries, drawn from Mount Calvary Lutheran, bring lunchtime meals to neighbors in Excelsior, Shorewood, Tonka Bay, Chanhassen, Deephaven, Minnetonka, and Glen Lake. Three Saturdays each year, Trinity hosts American Red Cross blood drives, typically in January, May, and October, collecting thirty to forty-five pints of blood per drive. Through Episcobuilders, Trinity also partners with other Episcopal churches and Habitat for Humanity to sponsor and build affordable homes.
Marking Life's Milestones
Baptisms, weddings, and funerals are central to the life of the parish. Baptism marks the baptized as Christ's own forever, a gift that can never be taken away. The church celebrates marriage as a sacrament and welcomes both same-gender and different-gender couples. Funerals and memorial services are offered to members, former members, and in some circumstances to non-members; a columbarium with niches for ashes is available on site. A dedicated hospitality and pastoral care team supports families through both joyful and grieving seasons.
An Open Door on Second Street
Trinity is an inclusive community that values reason and experience, the power of questions, and the practice of deep listening. Rector Charissa Bradstreet, Director of Music Eric Bigalke, Minister of Children, Youth, and Families Sally Hockinson, and a committed staff and volunteer team sustain a parish where every generation has a place at the table, every question is welcome, and the historic chapel and sanctuary alike remain open to anyone who walks through the door.