A Place Where Everybody Knows They Are Welcome
Trinity Episcopal Church sits on North Canal Street in Orange, California, tucked directly behind The Village Mall. Inside, the congregation has made a kind of art out of saying "yes, you belong here," and the welcome begins long before anyone takes a seat in the pews. A much-loved statement, printed and posted in the church's own voice, extends a greeting to those who are single, married, divorced, widowed, straight, gay, questioning, "vigorous or completely worn out." It welcomes wailing babies and excited toddlers, "keep-fit moms, football dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegans, and junk-food eaters," people in recovery or still struggling with addiction, those who work too hard or not at all, the inked and pierced, and anyone who got lost and wandered in by mistake. The closing line is simply: "We welcome pilgrims, tourists, seekers, doubters... and especially you."
That welcome is reinforced by the leadership. Rector Fr. Steve Swartzell serves as chair for Orange County of GLEAM, the Bishop's Commission for LGBTQ+ Ministry in the Diocese of Los Angeles, and is a member of the diocesan Commission on Ministry. On being called to Trinity, Fr. Steve described the community as "Christ-Centered, loving, supportive, inclusive, and welcoming" and said, "Every time I walk through the doors, I am filled with a sense of being at home."
Sunday Mornings on North Canal Street
Trinity keeps the Episcopal liturgical year, moving through Advent, the twelve days of Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost, so worship follows a recognizable shape week after week. The Holy Eucharist is celebrated at every Sunday service, and communion is open to all who wish to receive.
Two Sunday services anchor the week. At 8:00 am the congregation gathers for a Rite I Eucharist, a quieter spoken liturgy that draws longtime Episcopalians and newcomers alike. Coffee and conversation follow in the social time between services. At 10:00 am, the Rite II Eucharist fills the church with music; parishioners of all ages take part in leading worship. The service begins with the children gathering at the altar steps for a Children's Message, after which young people up to age 15 head to Sunday School and rejoin their families in time for Communion. Childcare is available throughout the morning for the very little ones. The 10:00 am service is also broadcast on Zoom (Meeting ID 833 6594 4793) for those joining from home.
The seasons of the church year bring their own rhythm. Worship highlights across the year include the lighting of the Advent wreath, a Blue Christmas service in mid-December for those experiencing loss, Christmas Eve services with a Children's Christmas Pageant, a Christmas Day Eucharist, the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday, Holy Week services with Taizé music and foot washing, Good Friday, the Great Vigil of Easter, the Pentecost Celebration, the Blessing of the Animals in early October, the All Saints Remembrance in early November, and an ecumenical Thanksgiving service.
Messy Church, S'mores, and the Summer Calendar
From June through September, Trinity takes worship outside. Messy Church is a summertime outdoor Eucharist paired with a potluck, a BBQ, and a bonfire, held on the second Saturday of each month. The format is unusual and unhurried: appetizers and social time begin at 5:30 pm, the service starts at 6:00 pm, and dinner follow, finishing with s'mores around the fire. Children lead the service, including the readings and a performance of the Gospel. The church frames Messy Church as worship for anyone who finds a typical Sunday morning too formal, and as a relaxed way to invite friends and neighbors into the life of the congregation. Alex Long, who also directs the acolytes and youth groups, coordinates Messy Church.
Healing, Study, and Prayer Through the Week
Beyond Sunday, Trinity keeps a steady weekday rhythm. On Thursday mornings at 10:00 am, a Healing Eucharist is held in the Side Chapel, a quieter setting for prayer and the laying on of hands. On Friday mornings at 10:00 am, Fr. Steve leads Bible Study in the Library. A Contemplative Prayer Group meets two evenings a month for shared prayer and reflection, with newcomers gently introduced to centering prayer. A Book Study Group gathers on the second Saturday of each month for a literary discussion; past picks have ranged widely, including Kathryn Stockett's Calamity Club.
The Faith Community Nurses host occasional presentations, such as a recent "Brain Health - How to Get it and How to Keep it" session, and they staff the Parish Nurse Program, which offers medical information and support to parishioners. Ann Walker and Yvonne Omer co-chair the Parish Nurse Program.
Children, Youth, and Christian Education
Christian Education is shared by Co-Directors Suzanne Bilodeau and Heather Anderson. Sunday School welcomes children ages 3 to 15 and is taught by volunteer teams. Vacation Bible School is offered twice a year as an all-day event, once in summer and once in winter. Acolytes, ages 9 to 18, serve in the Sunday services under the direction of Grant Avise, with training provided.
Youth ministry, directed by Alex Long, is organized by grade. Sonseekers is for third through fifth graders; Middle School covers sixth through eighth grade; High School is for ninth through twelfth graders; and a Young Adults & College group continues the journey after graduation. Activities mix fellowship, service, and praise, and the youth take visible leadership roles, from acolyting to leading readings at Messy Church.
Music and the Arts
Director of Music David Ripley has shaped Trinity's music program since 2000, when he accepted the post after years of serving as a substitute organist for Episcopal churches across Orange County. The choir sings regularly at the 10:00 am service and welcomes new voices. A Bell Choir, directed by Lindsay Whipple, offers a place for those who would like to make music together whether or not they read notation.
The Trinity Players, the congregation's theater ministry, are an extension of that creative impulse. Founded to give church members a chance to work together on and off stage, the Players offer productions that the church describes as "an enjoyable way to introduce non-churched friends to our community." John Jewett chairs the ministry.
Worship Ministries Behind the Scenes
A small army of lay ministries keeps Sunday running smoothly. The Altar Guild, led by Chris Laub, prepares the altar and worship space for Sunday services and special liturgies. Lay Eucharistic Ministers, directed by Robert Morales and requiring diocesan confirmation and training, serve at the altar and bring communion to those who are hospitalized or homebound. Ushers, under Rich Heim, provide an orderly welcome each Sunday. The Welcome Commission, led by Roy Wojahn, focuses on hospitality for guests and prospective new members at the front door.
Sunday Supper and a Wide Circle of Outreach
Outreach is a defining part of Trinity's identity. Several times a year, a Trinity team travels to St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Tustin to serve the Sunday Supper program, preparing and serving a hot evening meal for seniors, families with children, men, and women who live on the streets or on very limited incomes. Every guest also leaves with a supply of groceries for the coming week. Elizabeth Blush and Donna Watson co-manage Trinity's involvement.
Beyond Sunday Supper, the Outreach Commission, co-chaired by Karoline Johns and Kathy Racine, supports a long list of Orange County nonprofits. The list includes The Friendly Center, which serves more than a thousand Orange County families each year with after-school tutoring, food distributions, and family counseling; CHOC (Children's Hospital of Orange County); the Down Syndrome Association of Orange County; JDRF, which funds type 1 diabetes research; Casa Teresa, a residential program for pregnant women and their babies; the Muscular Dystrophy Association; the Southwest Community Center; Breast Cancer Angels; the LGBTQ Center Orange County; the Youth Centers of Orange; and Mary's Kitchen, which operates a food bank, clothing closet, hygiene services, and medical checkups. The Kitchen Guild, led by Laurie McKinnell and Yvonne Omer, supports parish activities that involve cooking.
Leadership, Stewardship, and the Building
The parish is governed by a Vestry, the elected body of lay leaders responsible for budgeting, policy, and stewardship of the buildings and grounds. Vestry members serve three-year rotating terms, with four new members elected at the parish Annual Meeting each January. Gayle Kenan serves as Senior Warden. The Stewardship Commission oversees year-round giving education and the annual pledge campaign, while the Endowment Committee focuses on planned giving. A Property Group, led by Doug Knarr, meets Friday mornings to maintain the campus, and the church offers online giving through PayPal.
Fr. Steve Swartzell holds a Diploma in Theology from the Episcopal Theological School at Claremont and a Master of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology. Before coming to Trinity, he served as Associate Rector at St. Wilfrid's Episcopal Church in Huntington Beach, where he oversaw the children, youth, and family ministry, and spent 24 years in bankruptcy law. He lives in Orange with his husband, Bob. Parish Administrator Tatiana Lozano grew up in Orange and brings a background in customer service, including years at the Disneyland Resort and in the coffee industry. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to noon and Friday from 8:00 am to 11:00 am, and Trinity maintains a sermon library, a parish calendar, and a church directory through Simple Church CRM.