A Carpenter Gothic Church from the Gold Rush
Trinity Episcopal Church rises on Figueroa Street in the heart of Folsom's Historic District, its frame a reminder of a town that grew up almost overnight in the 1850s. The parish is the third oldest Episcopal church in Northern California, and the building it still calls home is the oldest house of worship in Folsom still being used for weekly services.
The first recorded service in Folsom was officiated on July 18, 1856, by the Reverend Dr. F. W. Hatch, an Episcopal theologian who had traveled up from Sacramento. At the time, Folsom was a bustling frontier community: a terminus for the Sacramento Valley Railroad, a Pony Express overland mail route, and twenty-one stage lines serving the northern gold mines. Early worshippers gathered in the old Hook and Ladder Company Hall on Sutter Street.
The first Trinity church was constructed in the classic Carpenter Gothic style of the day for about $2,500. Construction began on April 15, 1862, and was finished that summer. Because the original architecture has been carefully preserved for more than 160 years, Trinity is listed in the Survey of Historic American Buildings. In September 2020, with the campus already closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the congregation packed everything up and began a major expansion and renovation. The historic portion of the church was restored and made more accessible, and the original Romanesque arches, long hidden inside a wall, were reopened for the first time in many decades.
A Campus Built Around Community
The campus around the original church has grown with the parish over more than a century. In 1961, the first of three Historic District homes adjacent to the church property was donated by a parishioner and became the home of the Trinity Thrift Shop. In 1972, the second home, Trinity House, was purchased and now serves as the church office for the rector and staff. The Parish Hall was constructed behind the main church building in 1994, providing a fellowship hall, a kitchen, and meeting rooms for Sunday school, youth groups, adult classes, and social functions. Most recently, a house on Mormon Street, long used as a rental property, was renovated during the 2020 expansion project to serve the children of the parish; the nursery, the Children's Chapel, and the kindergarten and elementary Sunday School classrooms all moved into the space.
Worship Through the Week
Trinity's Sunday pattern has four services. At 7:30 am, the day begins with a quiet traditional Eucharist. At 9 am, the parish celebrates with prayer, Bible readings, a sermon, and the Eucharist, accompanied by traditional music; the children's chapel and nursery open for this service, and the choir sings about twice a month. At 11:15 am, the same liturgy unfolds with the choir singing weekly during the program year. In the evening, at 7 pm, a contemplative service gathers in a darkened sanctuary, with one hymn, no sermon, and extended silence for meditation on that Sunday's Gospel reading. The 7:30 am service lasts about an hour; the 9 am and 11:15 am services run between one and one and a quarter hours; and the contemplative service runs about 45 minutes.
Between the morning services, Sunday School for all ages, including adults, begins at 10:30 am during the program year, which runs from mid-August through Trinity Sunday in late May or early June. On Tuesdays, the parish gathers in the church at 10 am for Morning Prayer. On Wednesday evenings at 8 pm, Compline is offered online on Facebook. Two of the Sunday morning services, at 9 am and 11:15 am, are also livestreamed on the parish's YouTube channel, with digital bulletins posted online for those who prefer to follow along at home.
What Visitors Will Find
Trinity is a parish where all are welcome, regardless of background, culture, family structure, or personal identity. A few practical details help newcomers settle in.
Parking is most available on Wool and Mormon streets, with marked spots along the borders of the campus and additional street parking in the surrounding neighborhood. Accessible parking is available in the alley between the church and the Parish Hall.
Worshippers at Trinity wear all types of clothing, from suits and ties to comfortable weekend wear. Ushers greet visitors at the front doors, hand out a service bulletin, and are happy to answer questions. The bulletin walks worshippers through the service. Episcopal services often include sitting, standing, and kneeling, and visitors are welcome to follow along or simply observe.
In The Episcopal Church, all baptized Christians, no matter their denomination, are welcome to take communion. Ushers invite the congregation forward to the altar rail, where most people kneel. A gluten-free wafer is available on request. Those who prefer a blessing can cross their arms over their chest, and the priest will bless them instead of giving a communion wafer. Anyone who prefers to stay in their seat is welcome to do so.
Music at the Center of Worship
Music at Trinity is led by Dr. Brett Judson, who has served as Director of Music since the fall of 2018. Brett holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music, Yale Institute of Sacred Music, Yale School of Music, and the Hartt School, where he earned his doctoral degree in choral conducting; he received the Barnes Award for Excellence in Pipe Organ at Eastman. He also serves on the faculty of California State University, Sacramento, where he conducts choirs and teaches music theory. Beyond his work in worship, Brett leads the parish's Stephen Ministry.
Music plays a central role at every morning service. Organ preludes and postludes accompany each liturgy, and the congregation sings traditional hymns. The 9 am choir, which rehearses Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm, leads the singing about twice a month and presents an offertory anthem; the children's choir occasionally sings at the offertory. The 11:15 am choir, which rehearses Wednesdays at 7 pm and Sundays at 10:20 am, sings each Sunday during the program year, chanting the psalm and providing an offertory anthem. The 9 am and 11:15 am choirs combine for Holy Days and special occasions, and the children's choir sings once a month at the 9 am service.
Children, Youth, and a Building of Their Own
Children and youth are a visible part of life at Trinity. The nursery, staffed by paid adult childcare workers, welcomes children from newborn to age 3 and is open from 8:45 am to 12:30 pm on Sunday mornings. Children's Chapel, designed for ages 3 to 8, meets during the first part of the 9 am and 11:15 am services and offers age-appropriate worship that mirrors the Book of Common Prayer liturgy in the main church; the children return to the sanctuary to join their families for communion. Sunday School for children and youth begins at 10:30 am during the program year, with Godly Play for Pre-K through 2nd grade and Holy Moly for 3rd through 5th grade meeting in the Annex; the Middle School class for 6th through 8th grade meets in a small group room in the Parish Hall.
The parish's youth group, for 6th through 12th graders, meets weekly on Sunday afternoons with a mix of games, lessons, off-campus activities, and volunteer opportunities. Once a month, 3rd through 5th graders are invited to a Holy Moly Outing, an afternoon of off-site activities such as roller skating and bowling. Each summer, Vacation Bible School offers a week of friendship, fun, and formation for children entering kindergarten through 5th grade. The children's choir, for ages 8 to 13, rehearses on Wednesdays in the late afternoon and sings about once a month at the 9 am service.
Tim Knight, the parish's Director of Children's and Youth Ministries, joined the staff in the fall of 2023. A Folsom native and a credentialed teacher, he previously spent eight years in education and non-profit work, holds an MA in History from National University, is a USNR veteran, and is also attending Bexley Seabury Seminary. In addition to directing youth and children's ministries, he leads the Education for Ministry class and the online Wednesday Bible Study.
Adult Formation
Formation is a lifelong practice at Trinity, and the parish offers several adult learning opportunities throughout the program year. The Sunday School for Adults class meets at 10:30 am in the Parish Hall, usually led by the rector or another member of the clergy, and frequently designed as a series on history, theology, scripture, contemporary issues, or parish life. The class is broadcast live on Zoom and made available as a recording the following Friday.
Online Bible Study meets Wednesday mornings at 11 am on Zoom, with Tim Knight as the facilitator, to discuss one of the coming Sunday's Scripture readings. The Trinity Book Group meets weekly on Wednesdays from 6 pm to 7 pm throughout the program year for thoughtful discussions on a range of books. Walking Through Christianity, an in-depth book-based study of Christianity, the Bible, Christian history, and the church's beliefs and practices, meets Monday evenings from 6:30 to 8 pm on Zoom each year from September through May. Sacred Ground, an eleven-session faith-based exploration of race, racism, and racial history in America developed by The Episcopal Church, meets approximately twice a month on Sunday afternoons from January through May.
Small Groups and Fellowship
Trinity's small groups are designed for parishioners to share fellowship and connection through shared interests. The Bridge Group meets Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 1 pm to 3 pm in the Middle School Room, welcoming players of all levels. Faith and Civics meets monthly on the first Tuesday as a forum for conversation about faith in the context of current national political and cultural issues. Lunch Bunch meets on the fourth Friday of each month for casual conversation over lunch. The Prince of Peace Chapter of the Order of the Daughters of the King, a worldwide community based in Anglican tradition, meets monthly on Saturday mornings and pledges itself to a lifelong program of prayer, service, and evangelism. St. Martha's Quilters and Friends meets on the second Friday each month for fellowship, creating quilts for those baptized at Trinity, embroidering altar linens, and making Christmas stockings for holiday outreach.
Coffee hour is offered after the 9 am and 11:15 am services in the Parish Hall, with the parish supplying coffee, tea, juice, and donuts. The Hospitality Ministry also organizes receptions and events and offers its services for wedding and funeral receptions held in the Parish Hall. The Garden Guild tends the grounds through sustainable seasonal projects, and Trinity Tool Belts is a fix-it ministry that cares for and improves the church's facilities.
Stephen Ministry, led by Dr. Brett Judson and Mother Anne, provides one-on-one Christ-centered care to people in the congregation and the community who are facing life difficulties. Eucharistic Visitors, who are lay Eucharistic Ministers licensed by the bishop, take communion and the love of the parish to parishioners who are unable to attend services. The Flower Delivery Ministry delivers arrangements made from Sunday's altar flowers to parishioners at home.
A Place for Recovery
Trinity welcomes the wider community by making space available for several recovery groups throughout the week. There is at least one Alcoholics Anonymous meeting on the campus every day: the Folsom Sunday Book Study at 4 pm, the Folsom Big Book Group on Mondays at 7 pm, the Folsom Noon New Life and the 12 and 12 Touchstone Group on Tuesdays, the Folsom Young People's Group on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm, the Folsom Noon Serenity Group on Thursdays, the Folsom Friday Night Group on Fridays, and the Folsom Saturday Morning Group on Saturdays. Al-Anon meets on Tuesday nights, and Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families (ACA) meets on Sunday nights. All groups meet in the Parish Hall, located behind the church and across the alley at 410 Wool Street.
Outreach and the Trinity Thrift Shop
The Trinity Thrift Shop, housed in a charming Victorian home on the corner of Wool and Mormon Streets, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm and is staffed entirely by volunteers. The shop sells new and gently used clothing, household items, toys, books, furniture, and other items to customers from across the region, and all of its profits are used to support Trinity Folsom's outreach efforts.
Outreach is a core value of the parish. The Outreach Committee directs the outreach portion of the annual budget and a wide range of volunteer activities. Five nights every month, small teams of parishioners plan and prepare dinner for the residents of Powerhouse Ministries' Women and Children's Center and Men's Recovery Center, sharing the meal and fellowship with the residents. The parish provides a week's worth of volunteers for HART of Folsom's Winter Shelter, which feeds and serves Folsom's unhoused population during the coldest months. Twice a year, parishioners assemble Easter baskets and backpacks for local food banks. Each year, the parish collects diapers, wipes, and feminine hygiene products for the Mother's Day Diaper Drive, hosts a Thanksgiving Food Drive, sponsors the Women's and Housewares Stores at Powerhouse Ministries' Christmas Around Towne, and fields a team for Powerhouse Ministries' Dragonboat Race fundraiser.
Trinity maintains ongoing relationships with the Folsom Cordova Community Partnership, HART of Folsom, the International Rescue Committee in Sacramento, the Orangevale-Fair Oaks Food Bank, Powerhouse Ministries, and Twin Lakes Food Bank. Globally, the parish supports Episcopal Relief and Development, Heifer International, and Rise Against Hunger.
The Clergy
The parish is led by the Reverend Bret Hays, who was called as rector after serving as rector of Advent Episcopal Church in Tallahassee. A lifelong Episcopalian, Father Bret discerned a vocation to ordained ministry as an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary in 2008. He is passionate about helping everyone to put, or keep, God at the center of their lives and to grow into the full stature of Christ.
The Reverend Anne Smith joined the Trinity team as a priest associate in July 2020 and became Assistant Rector in June 2021. She was ordained to the priesthood in December 2010, after earning her Master of Divinity from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, and has served parishes in the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin and the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California. Her primary areas of responsibility are liturgical leadership, adult Christian formation, pastoral care, and outreach.
The Reverend Dr. Libby Vincent, a priest associate, became a Christian during her college years at UCLA, earned her M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary and her Ph.D. in Religious Studies from the University of Edinburgh, and was ordained an Episcopal priest in 2020. She also serves as a spiritual director and lives in Folsom with her husband Dan.
The Reverend Michael Kerrick has been an ordained priest since 2007, has served as interim rector at parishes across Northern California, and previously served at Trinity Folsom from 2011 to 2012. Before entering the priesthood, Father Mike worked in law enforcement and taught criminal justice; he continues to serve as a supply priest and is actively involved in diocesan governing bodies.
An Open and Affirming Faith
Trinity sits within the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California, and the parish's beliefs follow the larger church: a faith centered on the teachings of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection saved the world, and grounded in the Bible, understood through tradition and reason, and the Book of Common Prayer. The parish embraces a legacy of inclusion, with people of all genders and sexual orientations serving as bishops, priests, and deacons in The Episcopal Church. The parish extends the same welcome to same-sex couples for weddings. Trinity ordains women and men, including those who are married, to the orders of deacon, priest, and bishop, and shares Holy Communion with all baptized Christians, not only members of The Episcopal Church. The parish holds to traditional Episcopal teachings, including amendment of life, the forgiveness of sin, and life everlasting, and celebrates unity in Christ while honoring differences and recognizing that there is grace after divorce.
In a town that grew up around a railroad terminus and a stagecoach stop, Trinity has been a steady presence for more than a century and a half, and the parish continues to look for ways to love God and its neighbors in Folsom and beyond.