Stewardship – My Why is Trinity
The following thoughts were shared by Cindy Chatell during our Sunday Holy Eucharist service on October 18th. has been involved in all kinds of shared ministry at Trinity, from serving on the Vestry in the past, to working on the Milt Shumacher Memorial Run/Walk, and most recently, serving as Chair of the Stewardship Committee.
Throughout our Pledge Drive Campaign, we have heard from Kim, Shirley, and Ross as they shared their personal “Why” and what Trinity means to them. Their stories remind us that each of us has a unique journey, yet we are brought together by something meaningful: our faith, our relationships, and the feeling of belonging to a church family.
So, let me share my Why with you, and it’s simple. My Why is Trinity.
About eight years ago, I walked through Trinity’s red doors for the first time. I was welcomed. I remember sitting on the right side of the church, where Terry and John Holmes, Tina and Norman Shardlow, and Priscilla and Bob Liptrot made me feel accepted and included. They welcomed me into their space, and in that moment, I began to feel that I might have found a place where I belonged.
Then came the sermon that day. As I listened to Rev. Johanna, I remember feeling as though she was speaking directly to me. Her words resonated with something in my heart, and I felt a connection that was difficult to explain but impossible to ignore.
Looking back, I realize that my journey at Trinity began with two simple gifts: a welcome and a message. What may have seemed like an ordinary Sunday to others became a meaningful moment in my life. Those red doors opened into more than a church building; they opened the way to a spiritual home.
However, my understanding of what Trinity truly means to me deepened during a much more difficult time.
During COVID, a routine colonoscopy revealed precancerous lesions that required surgery. Like anyone facing surgery and uncertainty about their health, I had a great deal on my mind. On the morning of my surgery, at 4:30 a.m., Rev. Johanna met me here at Trinity to offer a blessing before I went in for surgery.
Think about that for a moment. At 4:30 in the morning, when most of the world was still asleep, she was there for me. She took the time to meet me, pray with me, and offer a blessing as I prepared to face the day ahead.
That is Trinity. That is faith in action. That is what it means to be family. That is what makes a church a home.
I will never forget that gesture of love and pastoral care. It reminded me that Trinity is not simply a place we come to on Sunday mornings. It is a community that shows up for us when we are vulnerable, when we are afraid, and when we need to be reminded that we are not alone. It is a place where God’s love is made real through the care and compassion of others.
That is what Trinity means to me. It is where I am welcomed, where my faith continues to grow, and where I am connected to people who share in the joys and challenges of life. It is a community that reminds me that we are never meant to walk our faith journey alone.
This is why stewardship matters. It is not simply about meeting a financial goal or paying the bills. It is about sustaining the place and the ministries that make these moments possible for others. Our gifts of time, talent, and treasure help ensure that Trinity’s doors remain open, that newcomers receive the same welcome I received, that the Gospel continues to speak to hearts, and that our church remains a place of comfort, connection, and hope.
As we embrace our 2027 stewardship theme, Faith. Family. Home. I am reminded that these words are not just a campaign slogan. They describe what Trinity has come to mean in my life.
Faith is where my journey begins.
Family is the community that welcomes and walks beside me.
Home is the place where I know I belong.
So, I invite you to ask yourself: Why do I support Trinity? What does Trinity mean to me? Perhaps your story began with a welcoming smile, a meaningful sermon, a friendship, a moment of comfort, or the feeling that you had finally found your place. Perhaps someone was there for you at a time when you needed it most.
Whatever your “Why” may be, I hope you will join me in giving thanks for what Trinity has meant in our lives and prayerfully consider how we can help sustain its ministry for years to come.
My Why is Trinity. What is yours?
