FA I T H L I K E
A RIVER
The Campaign for Trinity Cathedral
“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.� - Matthew 25:23
FA I T H L I K E A R I V E R The Campaign for Trinity Cathedral
Case For Support
“W
ell done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.” Matthew 25:23
The Word of God always guides us. For many generations, faithful Episcopal servants have lived the scripture set forth in Matthew 25:23. They have loved and lifted Trinity, laying the firm foundation for today’s dynamic worship and servant ministry to church and community. The dedication of these past servants and the spiritual commitment of our current members and ministry team resulted in Trinity being named the Episcopal Cathedral for the Diocese of Nevada in 2016. Much like a river, Trinity’s faithful service has flowed mightily from hand to hand, heart to heart, generation to generation, and now, as the Cathedral, from parish to parish, forging new paths of love and friendship through the peaks and valleys of life. Today, our river of faithful service is roaring with possibilities as Trinity embraces its new, more inclusive and greater role as Trinity Cathedral. God has set us over much.
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Trinity is a growing church.
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rinity’s mission statement, “to welcome all people to live as Christ in the world” is affirmed each day by our church’s growth in diversity, attendance and volunteer service.
“To live as Christ in the world” means we seek to be his body, his arms, his hands and his mouth, sharing our blessings to bring love, meaning, comfort and joy to others, especially those on the fringe of society. When we give of ourselves, we make Christ’s presence known. Embracing inclusiveness and openness to all people, wherever they are on their spiritual journey, has also led to increases in church membership and participation at all levels. Communicants (baptized and confirmed members):
Holy Week Attendance (at all services):
2016
2016
2017
2017
2018
2018
S
ince the Rev. Dr. William Stomski began his ten-year term in 2015, our growth has been steady and inspiring. In 2018, with the hiring of the Rev. Canon Mikayla Dunfee as the new Associate Priest for Education, the Children and Youth Program’s dramatic leap in attendance exposed a deep desire in our community for children’s Sunday school classes and youth instruction and activities. With a full-time minister in charge, the Children and Youth Ministry has grown to 40 regular attendees from just a handful last year. Canon Mikayla’s appointment has allowed the Rev. Canon Rick Millsap time to develop a comprehensive Pastoral Care Program. Canon Rick has expanded his ministry to include the training of church members with excellent pastoral skills. Once a month, the trained care givers are provided the name of someone who would appreciate a phone call, a cheerful card or an outing for coffee. Collectively, this new ministry has touched the lives of over one hundred people since January of this year. The “Circle of Friends” calling group and the “You Are Not Alone” illness support group ensure that our seniors who live alone as well as those members facing medical challenges receive the loving outreach and attention of their peers. The noted preacher and theologian, Peter Marshall, once advised, “The stone was rolled away from the tomb not to permit Christ to come out, but to enable the disciples to go in.” Trinity members are going in!
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Trinity is an active church.
n the great tradition of Episcopal cathedrals, Trinity serves as a house of prayer for all people, a center for respectful dialogue on social justice issues and a venue for church and community concerts and art exhibits. Trinity was the leader years ago in organizing the Reno Ecumenical Council and is often the forum community leaders look to for organizing events. Because of the sanctuary’s beauty and superior acoustics, the Reno Chamber Music Festival performs yearly, and the University of Nevada, Reno, holds student recitals. Trinity’s own Pipes on the River concerts have become a popular event because of our magnificent Casavant Organ. Our church is also the meeting place for several community organizations and programs sponsored by the University’s Sanford Center on Aging. Hundreds of volunteers support our servant ministry. Just last year, our parishioners: Provided clothing, a toy and a new pair of shoes for 188 children of Stead Elementary School as part of the Daughters of the King annual Angel Tree project; Distributed over 11,000 Sack Lunch meals to those facing food insecurity, delivered parishioner’s food donations to St. Paul’s Food Pantry monthly; Delivered a simple layette of needed items to 89 infants born in local hospitals; and
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Knitted and crocheted prayer shawls and baby blankets for those needing comfort, warmth and prayer. Each item is blessed by the congregation.
n preparation for worship services and special programs, Trinity’s choir and church musicians faithfully rehearse for hours each month, and the Altar Guild works tirelessly, setting the altar for over 400 worship services each year, polishing silver and preparing linens to help create an atmosphere of wonder and solemnity. In their homes, church members host Foyer Dinners, lunches for Divinely Fine Women and A Lot of Good Men. They also help to prepare food for the coffee hour after services, holiday potlucks, and Parish and Diocesan meetings, gatherings and celebrations. Our youth are also busy too. During the winter, they hosted a hot lunch for our at-risk neighbors on Martin Luther King Day and President’s Day, distributing much appreciated HUGS: hats, underwear, gloves and scarves. They also helped to raise $7,000 for the Eddy House, a refuge for homeless youth, and volunteered at the St. Paul’s Food Pantry in Sparks. “We do fun activities together while learning about God,” shared a smiling young congregant.
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Trinity is a giving church.
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n the last four years, Trinity has witnessed a revival in giving. Members and nonmembers alike are stepping forward to increase their annual giving and asking how they can do more. The servant spirit at Trinity is touching the life of our church in many wonderful ways. The growth in our generosity is impressive: annual pledges, non-pledged annual giving, and the open plate offering contributions have all increased substantially over the last three years. Last year, annual pledges jumped a reassuring 20% to help support the hiring of the Rev. Canon Mikayla for the Children and Youth Program.
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rinity also has a modestly growing endowment. The Endowment Fund is a separate, dedicated fund that is used to help support church operations, but it is not directly controlled by the Vestry. It is operated by a Board of Trustees elected by the parish membership at the annual meeting, plus a Vestry member and the Rector. The Endowment Fund, by terms of its Trust Agreement, is able to contribute up to one-half of its earnings to specific needs on an annual basis. Contributions have increased for the third year in a row, exceeding $21,000. The Endowment stands at $757,556.99 at the end of 2018, with the goal to reach $1 million.
Trinity’s generous giving is trending up:
$625,413 $358,425 t To
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2019
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2017
$599,396
$518,629
$581,735
$469,425
$497,474
$405,521
2016
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Trinity is a planning church.
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ince its humble beginnings in a school house in 1870, Trinity Parish grew steadily until the 1940s when adequate funds were raised to allow construction to begin on our present church, modeled after West Point’s Protestant Chapel. In 1949, Trinity Episcopal Church was dedicated with a “new” cornerstone laid at the base of the church tower. The original cornerstone that was laid in 1929 read “Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.” In 2016, Trinity joyfully fulfilled the dream of its founders when it was named Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. Our church is often cited for its historic architecture and beauty, but 70 years of wear and tear have taken a toll. Consequently, over the last four years, Trinity’s clergy, Vestry, special committees and congregants have been prayerfully planning for Trinity’s future, both as our church and as the Episcopal Cathedral of Nevada. The task, at times, has been daunting as the number of needs and costly repairs continue to mount. With each new discovery, we have waded deeper into the River of our Faith, knowing that “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” While the worship, education, prayer and servant ministries at Trinity are thriving, our facilities are just not keeping up with our growth and our needs. In some cases, areas of our facility are inaccessible and difficult to navigate for our seniors, while other areas are inadequate or not adaptable for innovative worship and arts programming. In short, our buildings are failing us. In late 2017, a concentrated planning effort was begun to address facilities and resulting program challenges. Robert Andrade, Sr. Warden, and the Vestry reviewed and updated our mission and vision statements. The Property Committee, chaired by Julie Demler, began the painstaking process of itemizing church accessibility and structural issues. Then the Development Committee, chaired by Bob Sauerbrei, held cottage meetings to assess congregational interest in a capital campaign, and in 2019, Howard Bennett led four Visioning Sessions for the entire congregation to establish capital campaign priorities.
At each step, we have prayed for guidance. We know that for Trinity to accomplish its daily mission and embrace its long-term vision, serving the congregation and the diocese, several capital projects need to be undertaken as soon as possible. In response, at its May 2019 meeting the Vestry unanimously approved the Scope of Work and the campaign goal for the $7 million Faith like a River Capital Campaign. This will be a comprehensive capital campaign with appeals to members of the congregation, frequent attenders, church user groups and area foundations. The Quiet Phase of the campaign is underway. The Congregational and Community Phase will follow. A five-year pledge period is being offered.
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Trinity Cathedral’s $7 Million Capital Improvements Project prayerfully and joyfully seeks your support. SCOPE OF WORK
Worship:
Worship is how all people come to know and love Christ, but people enjoy worshipping in a variety of ways from the traditional to the innovative. Trinity continues to grow at a rapid rate, and we believe this is due, in part, to the variety of our worship offerings. Sanctuary improvements will help us to continue attracting diverse populations and the growing numbers of unchurched people seeking a spiritual home. The sanctuary needs several major changes to accommodate multiple worship services, music performances, weddings, funerals and ordinations.
Trinity Cathedral Sanctuary Improve the cathedral’s accessibility and adaptability: Install an elevator to connect the cathedral’s two floors; Add an ADA compliant restroom to the main floor; Add an additional restroom in the front entry; Remove five chancel platforms, creating a flexible space for worship and concerts; Restore the pews, purchase new chapel chairs and repurpose existing woodwork; and Modify the Bishop Lewis Chapel to be a flexible worship and gathering space.
Create a more welcoming sanctuary: Add new signage and lighting at front and side entrances to the sanctuary; Replace the current heating and cooling systems; Update the lighting and sound system throughout the sanctuary and church; Repair the stained glass, replace the flooring and brighten the walls with new paint; and Complete the Casavant organ and purchase a new grand piano for worship and concerts.
Projected cost: $2 MILLION
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God’s Inspiration ~ Faith Like a River’s Creation
God’s Inspiration ~ Faith Like a River’s Creation
God’s Inspiration ~ Faith Like a River’s Creation
Trinity Cathedral Crypt
Education:
Trinity is passionate about the spiritual growth of our children, families and adults. The recent growth in our Children and Family Worship Service and the increased participation of youth in the church’s servant ministry activities caused the Property Committee to examine more closely improvements to the Sunday school classrooms and other facilities in the crypt used by our choir and bridal parties. As the complexities and challenges of this era grow, it is essential that Trinity strives to be a safe haven for all youth, where the Good News of the Gospel becomes ever more relevant to their lives.
Renovate the crypt to serve as a fully functioning children and youth education center, while also updating and enhancing the meeting space for other groups:
Reconfigure and update classrooms and the gathering space; Design a larger youth assembly room with updated technology for teaching and performances; Add an ADA compliant restroom near the elevator and an additional children’s bathroom near the classrooms so it is easily monitored by teachers; Renovate the library area with new lighting, carpet and furniture for use also as a multi-purpose space and bridal dressing room; Create ADA accessibility by building a hallway between the east and west sides of the crypt and reconstruct the existing ramp; Update the crypt kitchen for use by the choir, Sunday School and youth group; Eliminate the stairs from the crypt to the narthex to create needed storage space; and Create a new area for acolytes’ vestment storage and robing.
Projected cost: $1 MILLION Total Projected Cost for Sanctuary and Crypt: $3 MILLION
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The New Parish Hall
Fellowship:
Fellowship offers us mutual support for each other in our faith journeys. Thus, the Parish Hall is very important to our church life. Access to the Parish Hall is currently a challenge to many parishioners. The gathering space, kitchen, bathrooms and meeting rooms have needed to be updated and refreshed for a long time. As the process to assess the Parish Hall’s many needs moved forward, original plans to renovate the Parish Hall became obsolete once the structural weakness of the roof and the extent of the decaying concrete exterior were discovered. The responsible conclusion was to put good money to good and rebuild. A new building will address all the major concerns of optimal accessibility, functionally and flexibility of the gathering space, parish and adult education rooms, parish and community meeting rooms, and clergy and staff offices.
Build a new Parish Hall: Build a 8,500 square-foot Parish Hall that is engineered for future vertical expansion and is accessible, functional and welcoming; Design an inviting gathering space for fellowship and celebration complete with modern kitchen and restrooms; Plan clergy and staff offices and conference room with modern technological capabilities; Create an environmentally sustainable building, using technological advances to achieve longterm cost savings; and Build a Parish Hall that meets the meeting, assembly and storage needs of Trinity’s many service groups.
Projected Cost: $4 MILLION Total Projected Cost Trinity Cathedral Sanctuary, Crypt, & New Parish Hall:
$7 MILLION
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Trinity is a hopeful church.
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inistry is where we live as Christ in the world by bringing compassion and hope to humankind. Our hopes are high because we know the planned improvements to the Trinity Cathedral Campus will allow our ministries to flourish and reach out to parish, community, diocese and beyond. Trinity will have the resources to be a shepherding model to the diocese, supporting and sharing our resources with our sister congregations and hosting ministry training events to empower lay leadership and parish life across our great state. Trinity Episcopal Cathedral prayerfully requests your financial support of Faith like a River, The Campaign for Trinity Cathedral.
Clergy and Staff
Capital Campaign Cabinet
The Very Rev. Dr. William Stomski, Dean & Rector The Rev. Canon Rick Millsap, Associate Priest for Pastoral Care and Parish Life The Rev. Canon Mikayla Dunfee, Associate Priest for Education Deacon: The Rev. Patsy Pumphrey Adjunct Priest: The Rev. Ruth Hanusa Adjunct Priest: The Rev. Dr. Julius Rogina Director of Music: Pending Staff Assistant: Karla Valverde Sexton: Carmen Lopez
Nancy and Harvey Fennell, Chairs
Vestry - through 1/22/2020
Lindsay Campbell Lynne Charlat Terri Cooper Jill Derby Jim Lamb Gerrie Lilley Ann Morgan David Morgan Robyn Powers Bob Snavely The Very Rev. Dr. William Stomski,
Dean and Rector The Very Rev. Dr. William Stomski, Dean and Rector Robert Andrade, Senior Warden Lynne Charlat, Junior Warden David Morgan, Treasurer Kait Flocchini, Chancellor and Clerk Howard Bennett Lindsay Campbell For additional information or advice on how you can help, please Julie Demler email or call Lynne Charlat, Volunteer Campaign Manager, at Eloy Ituarte lbcharlat@hotmail.com, 801-710-5185 OR Dean William Stomski at Jim Lamb frwilliam@trinityreno.org. John Lilley Guy Moreno Dorothy Walrath Gretchen Wolfe
TRINITY EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL - P.O. BOX 2246 RENO, NV 89505-1815
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FA I T H L I K E
A RIVER
The Campaign for Trinity Cathedral
TRINITY EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL -
P.O. BOX 2246 RENO, NV 89505-1815
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