2025 Annual-Report by trinityupperville

Almighty God,

give us a new vision of you, of your love, your grace and your power; and then, give us a new vision of what you would have us do as your church at this time. Give us an awareness that in the strength of your Spirit we can do it all to your glory. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH

ANNUAL MEETING

Sunday February 1, 2026 | 9:10am | Cox Hall

AGENDA

• Opening Prayer - Rector

• Approve Registrar

• Approve Deputy of Elections

• Approve Ballot Tellers

• Certiﬁcation of a Quorum

• Approval of the minutes of the Annual Meeting of 01/26/2025

• Report: Senior Warden

• Report: Treasurer

• Reception of written reports

• Presentation by Nelson, Byrd, Woltz: Fulﬁlling a Vision: The Outdoor Sanctuary

• Report & Closing Comments - Rector

• Closing Prayer - Rector

Minutes

TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Upperville, Virginia

D R A F T

Minutes of the Annual Meeting, held on Sunday, January 26, 2025

The congregation convened for the Annual Meeting in Cox Hall at 9:00 a.m. following the 8:00 a.m. worship service and before the 10:30 a.m. service. The voting polls opened at 9:00 a.m. in the Cox Hall vestibule and closed at 10:45 a.m.

Opening Prayer

The meeting was called to order at 9:14 a.m. by the Reverend Jonathan Adams, who opened the meeting with a prayer.

Appointment of Registrar

Lori Ann Terjesen was appointed as Registrar of the meeting and her appointment was unanimously accepted.

Appointment of Deputy of Elections

Brett Bibb was appointed Deputy of Elections, and his appointment was unanimously accepted.

Appointment of Ballot Tellers

Sophia Mirra and Betsy Crenshaw were appointed Ballot Tellers. Their appointments were unanimously accepted.

Certiﬁcation of a Quorum

Senior Warden Brett Bibb determined, with the registration desk, that a Quorum was present. Fortysix is the threshold number for a quorum (10% of eligible voters), and attendance exceeded that number with many attendees standing.

Approval of the Minutes of the 2024 Annual Meeting

Upon motion duly made, seconded and unanimously adopted, the Minutes of the January 28, 2024, Annual Meeting were approved.

Senior Warden’s Report

• Brett Bibb, Senior Warden, opened with a prayer and offered opening remarks on the duties of the Vestry. He thanked Dan, Jake, Randy, and Jolly (Vestry Class of 2024) for their service, praised the Vestry’s ongoing service to the Church, and encouraged the membership to offer their thanks to Vestry members, as well. Brett expressed his gratitude for the Church’s staff and volunteers, the Treasurer, and Barbara Manning.

• The Nominating Committee is presenting Scott Andrews, Steven Putnam, Rebecca Schaefer, and Lisa White to stand for election for the Vestry Class of 2027.

• 2024 was a great year with lots of growth and recovery since the Pandemic. This past year was focused on building renovations and repairs with an emphasis on preventing repairs from impacting worship and parish life. The Vestry recently took a tour of the new infrastructure in the basement.

• Brett offered a call to action for volunteerism, committee attendance, and community engagement

Minutes

(e.g., Stable Tour), and asked for continued engagement during the third year of the Renew & Restore capital campaign.

Treasurer’s Report

Chase Rowan highlighted the following details from the 2024 Annual Report:

• The Church has seen a sharp uptick in attendance since Jonathan Adams joined as Rector, leading to an approximate 30% increase in operating income over the last ﬁve years, as well as a corresponding increase in expenses.

• For FY25, Trinity has a $1.2m. budget reﬂecting this 9% increase in total operating expenses, including a scheduled commitment for an associate rector who will focus on family and outreach ministries, enabling sustained and continued growth in the coming years.

• Pledge collections were reduced during the summer travel months ; however scheduled endowment draws helped mitigate the worst of this issue in 2024.

• Please consider using automated tools such as automatic monthly payments to help sustain the Church’s ﬁnances throughout the year. Church staff are here to help if you need assistance.

• Outreach was blessed with strong receipts during 2023 from the boutique store and the Christmas Auction which enabled more than $114,157.90 of outreach grant support in 2024 for local, national, and international charitable activities.

• With the return of the an exceptionally successful Hunt Country Stable Tour in 2024 raising over $100k after expenses, the Vestry has gained sufﬁcient comfort with this model of fundraising to authorize quarterly spending guidelines for the Outreach Committee for 2025.

• Renew & Restore received over $11m. of pledges. Of these, $5m. are estate gifts designated for the endowment. The remaining $6m. are for capital works and renovations. The first priority was a total replacement of campus utility infrastructure (now completed). A line of credit was used to finance construction in advance of pledge receipts. Remaining scheduled work will be contingent on repayment of that line of credit as well as escrow of sufficient funds to see each project through to completion.

• Chase offered a reminder that Renew & Restore pledge payments are as important in the coming months and years as they were last year.

Reception of Written Reports

• Written Reports, found within the Annual Report, were received and unanimously accepted.

Rector’s Report and Closing Comments

• Jonathan Adams offered his thanks to everyone for their involvement and trust in him as rector. Noted that the Church is growing across all three measurable categories.

• The Church is currently searching for an associate priest and asked for prayerful guidance. As a reminder, family ministry and outreach efforts are top growing areas of the Church.

• Jonathan recognized the following people who contributed to our success: Barbara Manning (registrar), the outgoing Vestry, the Wardens (Brett Bibb and Jonathan Catherwood), and the volunteers in the kitchen for providing breakfast.

• He also recognized Laurie Volk who shared that her sister and extended family residing in Southern California have brought to her attention the need to rebuild St. Mark’s Episcopal School in Altadena that burned in the recent wildﬁres. The Church is collecting funds and offering support for the school. Please see the appeal in the bulletin. The appeal is open through February 14, 2025.

Minutes

• Outreach continues to grow. Jonathan offered a call to action to anyone who knows of a need that needs to be met to contact the Outreach Ministry.

Closing Prayer and Adjournment - Rector

The meeting was adjourned at 9:55 a.m. with a closing prayer by the Reverend Adams.

Respectfully submitted,

Lori Ann Terjesen Registrar

Vestry Nominations

FOR THE CLASS OF 2028

Introduction

The Vestry Nominating Committee has canvassed for candidates for the Class of 2028. After discussions, prayer and discernment they are pleased to present four candidates who have agreed to stand for election to the four available positions.

Elections will take place at the Annual Meeting on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at 9:10am, Cox Hall, and will include a special Coffee Hour.

Vestry terms are three years and will begin in February 2026. Candidates must have met the eligibility qualiﬁcations as shown overleaf.

We are very grateful to the Vestry Nominating Committee for their work and to all the candidates who have agreed to stand for election in service of their church. Biographical information is presented here for your information.

Who is Eligible to Serve on the Vestry?

According to the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, Canon 11, Section 4:

Only lay persons who are conﬁrmed adult communicants in good standing of the church, as deﬁned in General Convention Canon 1.17., shall be eligible for election as Vestry Members of such church. However, regardless of eligibility of a person for election, no person shall be elected at a duly convened congregational meeting to consecutive full terms on a congregation’s Vestry or Vestry Committee.

So what does this mean in plain English?

• “Conﬁrmed Adult Communicant in good standing” means the following:

• You are age 16 or older.

• You have been baptized and conﬁrmed in the Episcopal Church, (or Baptized in a church “in communion” with the Episcopal Church) and your baptism and

• conﬁrmation should be duly recorded on the Trinity Church membership records.

• You are frequently active in worship, and have received communion at least three times this year.

• You have been faithful in working, praying, and giving for the spread of the Kingdom of God (meaning you are active and intentional about your participation in the life of the church and are known to the Treasurer of the Trinity Church).

• Furthermore, this Canon states that you can only serve one consecutive full term (3 years) on the Vestry.

Vestry Nominations

FOR THE CLASS OF 2028

Matt Blunt

Trinity Church has been an essential part of my family’s life for nearly fifteen years. Our two sons benefited from their service as acolytes and were both confirmed at Trinity. It is exciting to see even more young families in the church today.

I have previously had the privilege of serving on Vestry and was pleased to be a part of the Discernment Committee that selected The Reverend Jonathan Adams. The spiritual growth and progress that Trinity has experienced in recent years are exciting, and I hope we can sustain this momentum in the years to come.

Shannon Davis

I am deeply honored to be invited to stand for the Vestry of Trinity Church. Though Trinity ofﬁcially became our church home during COVID—when dear friends Beth and Wayne Gibbens invited us to worship outdoors—it has been woven into my life for more than 35 years. Through my daughters’ early school days, the Community Music School’s cherished home at Trinity, and decades of treasured friendships, I have long felt a quiet belonging here. The Gospel-focused message we encountered during that unusual season opened the door to a deeper faith journey, and Trinity has quickly become our place of safety, joy, and fellowship.

I am a Tidewater, Virginia (Norfolk) native, and my husband Jim and I have been married for 44 years, with 35 of those spent in the Piedmont. We are the grateful parents of three grown daughters, one of whom was married at Trinity in 2012 and has recently returned to Virginia with her family. Having our two grandchildren close by is one of life’s sweetest blessings.

I am a former RN with more than 35 years of nonproﬁt fundraising experience, including service to the Windy Hill Foundation, The Hill School, A Place To Be, the Community School of the Piedmont, the Washington Bach Consort, and the National Symphony Orchestra.

If elected, it would be my heartfelt privilege to extend the same warmth, welcome, and care we received—to nurture Trinity’s life, support its mission, and help carry Christ’s love to those beyond our doors.

Vestry Nominations

FOR THE CLASS OF 2028

Chase Rowan

It’s an honor to be asked to stand for the Vestry. My wife, Stephanie, and I were married at All Souls in DC. She was conﬁrmed and I was received at St. Paul’s, Alexandria. We moved to Aldie in 2019, where we found Trinity. Our children, Charlotte (5) and Whitaker (“Whit,” 18 months), were baptized here, and the parish is now the center of our family’s faith life.

My background is in finance and commerce. I graduated from Richmond in 2005 and received an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2009. Today I run a fractional CFO practice helping venture capital- / private equity-backed companies and others. I’ve served on several for-profit and non-profit boards and, since 2024, as Treasurer of Trinity, a role I’ll step down from next year. These experiences shape how I think about Trinity and Vestry service. Good stewardship - of people, resources, and direction - is the Vestry’s work. My background gives me a practical lens, but the motivation is personal: Trinity has been a gift to us, and I’d like to do my part to carry it forward. Thank you for your support.

Melissa Weyher Saunders

A Trinity parishioner since 2022, I chair the Outreach Grants Team, working closely with the team and Associate Rector Eslicker to review grant requests and give monetary gifts to those in need. I feel fortunate to be able to serve the church and God’s people and would consider it a privilege to serve on the Trinity vestry.

Previous church roles include chair of the Missions Committee at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Newport News and mission trip leader at St. John’s, McLean. Through the years, I have also served on served on Altar Guild, Flower Guild, and as a Sunday School teacher.

My career has been mostly in national security, which allowed me to live and work in England, Hong Kong, and Japan and to travel extensively abroad. My husband Rob, a Trinity usher, and I live in Orlean (motto: “It’s not New and there’s no s!”) We have one daughter, one son and daughter-in-law, and we joyfully welcomed our ﬁrst grandchild this year. I’m a native of North Carolina and return often to our family house at Topsail Beach and to Charlotte for grandson visits.

Rector’s Report

Dear Trinity family,

The path of church growth as part of living out God’s Kingdom in the here and now, is never a straightforward one! After all, although we seek God’s blessing on all that we do, we are mere mortals – imperfect human beings. Our efforts are frequently ﬂoored, and we make mistakes along the way. The story of the growth of our work with God in this place doesn’t point just one direction – sometimes it’s a case of “one step forward, two steps back” and along the road there are obstacles, potholes, humps and bumps! Life is never dull at Trinity Church and God’s work isn’t always easy and it’s sometimes messy! If I had to use a single word to describe something about our faith journey as a church during 2025, that word would be “embedded”. It was a year in which we dealt well with both the great opportunities and the numerous challenges that we came across along the road, and we were able to do this largely because

of the great foundational work that we had worked so hard to put in place in recent, previous years. Our preparation, plans, vision, and organization became “embedded’ in all our working out during 2025. Thanks be to God!

There were so many examples of this during the year that it’s impossible for me to write about them all, but the great ministry reports throughout this Annual Report are witness to the groundwork that has been done. The soil is good – the vine is ﬂourishing and fruitful! The structure of our staff team and especially the fruition of our longterm plan for the appointment of an Associate Rector “to lead in the areas of our ministry with families and young people, faith formation, and outreach” was a notable example of this. Welcome Jason! – and to Rachel and their beautiful young family! We love having you all here and we are already so blessed by all you have brought to us and all that you have been doing. Thank you.

… and of course, there are numerous other examples. It’s been especially heartening to watch more recent members of the Trinity family “plug-in” to one or more of our many ministries, where they can serve, or where they can be served. Of course, we always need more help in a growing church, and I would especially love to see more people offering to participate in aspects of worship and

welcome. If you’re happy standing at the front of church, offer to become a reader! If you’re happier standing at the back of church, offer to become a welcomer! A smiling face and a warm heart to welcome is all you need – these are important ministries. Please let us know if you can help. It’s been a joy to be part of new ministries ﬂourishing – Trinity Singles and

Rector’s Report Cont.

Bible & Bourbon; to welcome back former activities – Hunt Country Stable Tour; to be part of continuing success – The Trinity Christmas Auction and Trinity Thrift & Boutique; to witness enduring commitment – Altar Guild, Flower Guild, Musicians and Choristers, Acolytes, and many others; to enjoy a new ﬂourishing and energy – Men’s Breakfast, Outreach, Tree of Life and Pilgrimage; and for all this to have the assurance and underpinning of quiet and committed prayer, service, and learning – Bible Study, Prayer and Healing Ministries, Wine & Word, Trinity Village.

To all of you journeying on the

road together who are the pilgrim people of God in this place –thank you! Thank you for all you do and for all the many ways in which you share something of God with each other and with the wider community and world. Read on to ﬁnd out more…

Blessings and Peace,

Jonathan

+ Jonathan The Rev. Joanthan V. Adams Rector

V. Adams

ank you for all you do and for the many ways in which you share something of God . . . “

Associate Rector’s Report

Dear Trinity Family,

When Rachel and I first pulled into our new home back in August, one of the first things we noticed about this part of Virginia is just how dark it gets at night. It was around 10:30 in the evening, we had three young and tired kids in tow, and I had been navigating a U-Haul truck continuing all of worldly belongings through the very dark unpaved roads of Fauquier County. When I at last stepped out of the truck, accustomed to the city lights, I realized that it was so dark that I could hardly see my own hand in front of my face. I remember the first thought that went through my mind upon arrival: “What on earth have I gotten myself into?”

Fortunately for us, though, the next morning the sun rose. And when it did, its light unveiled what was hidden beneath the darkness of the previous evening: the beauty that this region has to offer; the rolling hills; hundreds of

deer; the expansive farmlands; the deep hues of green in the grass; did I mention the deer? We were stunned by what the light showed.

For me, the months of 2025 I’ve spent in Virginia were, in a way, all about this moment of things coming from the darkness to the light. In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells his disciples that he is the light of the world, and those who follow him will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. Behind the darkness of that ﬁrst summer evening in Virginia, I have found Trinity Church reﬂecting the “light of life” to me in innumerable ways: Through welcoming me and my family immediately to this community, through working with an incredibly supportive and professional staff, in the work of baptizing and marrying and burying, in the work of charity our outreach team does in blessing those in need, in the new Piedmont region of Tree of

I have found Trinity Church re ecting the “light of life” to me in innumerable ways... “

Life being formed. In the men who gather every month to grow in the knowledge and love of the Lord at Bible and Bourbon, in the proclamation of the gospel of grace in worship, and in the work that our Sunday school teachers do week in and week out to form our children in the Christian faith. There are too many to name.

But these past few months have also been about darkness coming to light in another way: Stepping into a new place as a priest always involves an extended period of time of “getting to know you.” And this means asking a seemingly endless series of questions, each of which brings something (however small or large) from the darkness to the light. When exactly does the outreach team meet? Where is the Bishop’s Garden? And (my personal favorite) what’s your name again?

For all the light of life Trinity has reﬂected to me in 2025, for your hospitality towards me and my family as we have settled into this parish, and for your patience in enduring my many questions, thank you. It’s an honor to have been called to serve here as your Associate Rector. In 2026, I look forward to working alongside you in the service of the Gospel.

Jason

The Rev. Jason Eslicker Associate Rector

Warden’s Report

Every year at Trinity, the Vestry asks two of its members to be its Wardens, and our main role is to be the point person for the Vestry, the Rector and the Congregation in the smooth operational function of the church.

The Vestry itself has a fiduciary role, ensuring – on behalf of the Congregation – that the resources the Lord has provided us (in people as well as assets) are well cared for, with different Vestry members taking on specific responsibilities for the oversight of areas like financial reporting, the Endowment, Buildings and Grounds and Outreach.

2025 was an excellent year on many fronts. Our Renew & Restore Campaign, launched in 2023 to ensure that Trinity will be available for future generations, continued to build in strength. $3.9 million of the $6 million pledged for the capital spend (as opposed to the Endowment) has been received to date, and a further $2.2 million for the Back 30 project, a separately funded initiative to enhance the acreage behind the church. $2.7 million of these funds came in in 2025 alone, and $3.4 million has been spent to date on the essential capital projects (boiler, water, electric, etc.) that had been deferred for years. It will doubtless please many of you reading this that

Stewardship Report

The response to the 2025 Stewardship Campaign “Joyful Living, Joyful Giving” was fabulous! Trinity had 175 Pledges for a total pledged of $777,023.00. There were 33 new pledging families. The attrition level was far below the anticipated 10%.

We continue to encourage parishioners to use the PushPay giving platform and set up monthly gifts for a smoother ﬁnancial base for the operation of Trinity.

Trinity kicked off the 2026 Pledge Campaign “Tapestry of Grace” in November, and it is off to a great start. To date we have received 112

our next project is the church sound system, for which we now have sufﬁcient funds!

In addition, in August this year Jason Eslicker and his young family joined our Trinity community, and we have all beneﬁted from his preaching and his pastoral work as our Associate Rector.

This past Fall was a very difﬁcult one, obviously, and both of us have appreciated the patience, understanding and loving concern that the Congregation has had for our Rector and his family, and for Jason and the Trinity staff team, who carried the lion’s share of the interim responsibilities. It is during testing times that character is revealed, and we could not be more grateful to our fellow Vestry members, all of whom stepped forward to help, contribute and support, and for our wonderful staff for their professionalism and dedication.

As we hand over our duties to the next team, we thank God for Trinity, our Vestry, our Rector, our staff, our countless volunteers, and for all of you, our fellow congregants, and pray that God’s light might continue to shine on Trinity Episcopal Church of Upperville.

Jonathan Catherwood & Kathleen Lange, Wardens

pledges, for more than $640,000. Pledges continue to arrive daily. We encourage anyone who has not submitted their 2026 Pledge to do so as soon as possible. The activities and programs described in this report are only possible because of generous, regular pledged giving.

A special thank you to Melanie Blunt and Ashley Kennedy, the Stewardship Co-Chairs for 2023, 2024, 2025 & 2026! They clearly love their roles!

Thank you all very much.

Sophia Mirra Director of Finance & Stewardship

Operations, Communications, & Administration Report

Social media can be both a great boon and at the same time a tremendous menace!

Social media platforms are of course a pivotal part of our regular communications at Trinity Church and we enjoy high levels of online engagement on Facebook, Instagram, and You Tube platforms, and consequently support for many of our worship services and events is boosted. More people get to know about Trinity Church and everything that goes on here.

One of the great merits of Facebook is the ability to be able to scroll back through a complete 12-month period and review all the highlights of 2025 in words and pictures. It’s akin to keeping a diary or journal and reading back over past entries with all the memories and emotions that this brings about. Hopefully, reading this Trinity Church Annual Report offers some of that same experience.

A review of all that we’ve done together in the past year is much more than just an administrative task or a bureaucratic necessity. It’s a reminder of highs and lows; successes and failures; and how, through many different achievements and challenges, we’ve all grown together in a love and knowledge of Christ and continued to witness as the people of God in this place. Enjoy your copy of our 2025 Annual Report! Read it from cover-cover. Absorb the wonderful images,

and perhaps you might even like to use the “highlights” illustrated on the back cover as a resource for thanksgiving prayers.

As a staff team it has been our privilege to serve and support the ministry program of Trinity Church during 2025. During the year we welcomed our new Associate Rector, The Rev. Jason Eslicker, and this move creates a full staff team for Trinity Church for the ﬁrst time in many years.

“Operations” at Trinity Church include everything from day-today management of activities, properties, maintenance, working with vendors and contractors, and repairs and renewals, both as part of our regular Buildings & Grounds program and as part of “Renew & Restore” our Capital Campaign program. With a total of 12 properties and 40+ acres this is (and will continue to be) a large program of work and an area requiring signiﬁcant resourcing – with staff time, expertise, and money. During the later part of year, we have beneﬁtted enormously from the volunteer help of Holly Bimba and Josh Adams who, working with Kit Hall our Grounds Supervisor, have formed a small team who are working hard on organization and storage across the Trinity Campus. Thank you for all you are doing!

Being in a busy church inevitably comes with a fair amount of

administration and paperwork! Our staff team continue to embrace the beneﬁts of new software to improve our organizational systems to be as effective and efﬁcient as possible. There is still a long way to go - we are all on a learning curve all the time. We continue to be mindful of the most appropriate ways to serve our congregation – sometimes the old ways are the best, but sometimes innovative ideas and methods, introduced in a timely and accessible manner can transform a ministry or activity within the church. Fortunately, we are open to all the many ways of working, and I take this opportunity to thank all the Trinity Staff Team for another great year of commitment, professionalism, and delivery in support of the Clergy, Vestry, and ministry programs of Trinity Church.

Richard D. Jones, Director of Operations & Communications

Worship Report

“Show me where you spend your time, money and energy and I’ll tell you what you worship.” This insightful quotation from John Wimber is certainly challenging, and might elicit a wry smile, too. It’s painfully accurate –an example of where just a short sentence casts light on a darkness that is a perpetual threat in all our lives. It’s a sobering thought to remind ourselves that as followers of Christ, worship isn’t an optional extra, a social activity, or an attraction or entertainment. Worship is the believer’s response to all that God is, all that God says, and all that God does. Such worship is authentic.

Worship can (of course) take many forms – assorted styles, traditions, days, times, locations. One of the many highlights for our pilgrims visiting Wales during 2025 was ﬁnding themselves gathered in a circle, on the edge of beautiful beach, on a sunny summers’ day. At the center of the circle was a small stone marking the location of the ancient Chapel of St. Patrick, the

very spot from which Patrick is said to have sailed from Wales to take his mission to Ireland in the year 432 AD. Gathered in a circle pilgrims shared a short act of worship and with water (fresh from a local holy well) each person reafﬁrmed their Baptism vows, witnessed and supported by each other. Such worship is authentic.

During 2025 all those involved in planning, preparing, leading, and assisting in worship at Trinity Church continued to prayerfully strive to offer and to share with others worship that was authentic. Through most of the year we continued with our (now) well established and popular three Sunday service pattern, which offers a rich variety of liturgy, prayer, and music. Interspersed with occasional acts of Choral Evensong or celebrations of the feast days of the church calendar (Epiphany and Candlemas were particularly marked out during 2025), and another powerful journey of worship through Holy Week, we give thanks again for the many people who make this all possible; Musicians, Choristers, Readers, Altar Guild Members, Welcomers, Eucharistic Assistants, Flower Guild Members, Acolytes, and many others.

It was a joy to welcome to worship at Trinity Church so many members of the Episcopacy! During the year we received our own Diocesan Bishop’s (active and retired) and the Archbishop of Jerusalem

“

We cannot claim to have

God at

the center of our lives if God is not the sole focus and purpose of our worship.

& the Middle East, The Rev. Hosam Naoum (for the collation of The Rev. Canon Dr. Betsee Parker as an Honorary Canon of The Diocese of Jerusalem & The Middle East). The Rt. Rev. Mark Stevenson, Bishop of Virginia, in his ﬁrst visit to Trinity Church for Sunday worship, Conﬁrmed or Received 25 people at joyful service on Trinity Sunday – the Patronal Festival of our Parish. Christmas 2025 was marked with our usual round of festive services and events, but with a re-imaged format for our Christmas Pageant. Taking part were almost forty young people, a real live goat, and a camel … Such worship is authentic (except for the camel, who wasn’t real – sorry to disappoint!).

Music Ministries Report

Trinity Church has a long history of outstanding music and musicians. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve this parish since August of 2020, and it is my great privilege to continue the work of those who have preceded me. I want to especially highlight Dr. James H. Laster who served as Organist and Choirmaster here for over 20 years and who passed away in August. Among his many accomplishments, Jim was a ﬁne composer who wrote many things for the Trinity Choir. Many of those works have been published and are performed throughout the world. He was also a professor at Shenandoah Conservatory and I had the privilege of studying with him there. His work as a choral conductor, teacher, organist and composer was an inspiration and I am proud to call him a mentor.

What is seen and heard during worship on Sundays is just the tip of the iceberg. During the week, dedicated volunteers give of their time and talent to come together and provide musical leadership as well as special music for worship. Our dedicated section leaders in the Trinity Choir provide strong leadership for our volunteers and enrich our worship with occasional solos. We give thanks for Noah Wagar, our music associate for the past two years, who continues with us as our bass section leader. He is a talented musician and we are fortunate to have him as part of our choir. We are most fortunate

What is seen and heard during worship on Sundays is just the tip of the iceberg. “

to have Anna Smith, a junior harp major at Shenandoah, serving as our Church Music Intern/ Organ Scholar this year. Anna is a talented organist, conductor, harpist, and singer who has done a wonderful job. Some of the highlights of this year included a visit from the Chapel Choir of St. James School in Hagerstown MD, on April 6, and a wonderful Easter Day with string quartet, oboe, ﬂute and a rousing “Hallelujah!” from Handel’s Messiah. A service of Choral Evensong was held on May 5 upon the visit of the Archbishop of Jerusalem, and another in June in conjunction with Shenandoah

University’s Church Music Institute and conducted by Dr. Jennaye Robison, Director of the National Lutheran Choir. In September, we held our ﬁrst ever Come and SIng! Evensong, where we invited other singers in the community to join our choir. Ten guest singers joined us in singing this beautiful service, which was conducted by Dr. Richard Robbins of Shenandoah. Our section leaders presented selections from Theodore Dubois’ “Seven Last Words of Christ” on Good Friday at noon, and several choir members and guests delivered a meditative program that evening. A Service of Advent Lessons and Carols was held on November 30, and Christmas Eve music was provided by the choir, string quartet, harp, and soloist Chip Connelly.

We are grateful for the talented Marjory Serrano Coyer, who gives so much of her time and talent by playing in worship and procuring instrumentalists for us whenever they are needed. Our series of guest performances

included an autumn themed concert by Marjory, her pianist Hsin-Yi Chen and cellist Camilo Perez-Mejia in October. The Blue Ridge Singers presented concerts in April and December, and the Inspiro Choir performed the Rachmaninoff All Night Vigil in May. Pianist Eoin Fleming gave a concert in April, and the Loudoun Symphony presented a program entitled “Soundscapes” in March. Anna Smith and Christian Hartman played a wonderful concert of music for organ and cello in November, and a Bach and Friends program in October was presented in memory of Dr. Stephen Cooksey of Shenandoah Conservatory, who died in March. Trinity was fortunate this year to acquire a one manual, Flemish style harpsichord that belonged to Dr. Cooksey, which has added so much depth to our music program.

Our Music Ministry is committed

to maintaining the highest standards both musically, theologically, and pastorally as we continue to live into our mission statement:

“It is our mission to enable and encourage all members of the parish to share in the experience of glorifying God through music;

Healing Ministry Report

The Healing Ministry has been praying weekly for those on the Sunday prayer list, the long term healing prayer list and our internal conﬁdential prayer list. We’ve also instituted Prayer Cards by email, from Trinity Essentials or the website (Click on Prayer Request or send email to contact@trinityupperville.org).

Parishioners may submit names for prayer just as they did via the black cards during services. Please include the name and what should be prayed for. The names are prayed for each week and then shredded so they will have to be resubmitted

each week.

We currently have 11 people engaged in the ministry. We have trained 41 people for the prayer ministry, including a number of people from other parishes. We are still in need of new members, especially from the 10:30 congregation. Please contact Ginny Fluet (540-6602636) if you are interested.

We remind parishioners to submit prayer requests for yourself, family and friends in need. We invite anyone who needs prayers for themselves or

to teach together the skills of music and the practices of faith; and to build the body of Christ through worship, rehearsal, outreach, and fellowship, using music as an instrument of God’s peace.”

Daniel J. Miller, M.M., Director of Music Ministries and Organist

others to come forward during communion at the Sunday services. Prayer requests may be submitted online, by calling the church ofﬁce or calling Ginny Fluet (540-660-2636) or emailing her at vﬂuet@yahoo.com We’d love to join you in prayer!

We have had many thanksgivings and reports of healings from those for whom we have prayed. Many have been blessed with God’s grace and healing power. Thanks be to God!

Ginny Fluet, Convenor

Parish Life Report

2025 was another busy year for all those involved in Parish life at Trinity. We began the year with a Parish Breakfast when Milvia introduced us to Arepas! These little pockets with their various, delicious ﬁllings proved such a hit that Milvia offered them again as part of our Trinity Christmas Party held on 12/21. The Christmas Party took on a new format this year, moving to the post-service Coffee Hour slot and separating from the previous Mini-Auction and Paddle Raise. This was a change which proved to be well-founded, and a great party was had by all – although it’s at times like these that we are reminded that sometimes Cox Hall isn’t large enough for a growing and vibrant parish!

Through the year we enjoyed some wonderful Coffee Hours, and it was especially great to welcome new hosts to offer these occasions – although we still need many more of the Trinity family to step forward and volunteer for this beautiful ministry of welcome and hospitality. Sign up on the Cox Hall noticeboard, call the Trinity Church Ofﬁce, or see the weekly service bulletins for online signup details. A new and popular initiative was “Lemonade & Cookies” though the Sundays of the summer and relocating these events to the church courtyard and breezeway seemed to go especially well. During the year we held our much-loved Pancake Supper, a soup lunch on Ash Wednesday, and special lunches for several visiting groups and special events.

The timing of the Hunt Country Stable Tour, Conﬁrmation, and our Parish Pilgrimage meant that we weren’t able to hold a Summer Picnic & Cookout to mark our Patronal Festival (Trinity Sunday) in 2025. Instead we gathered in early August and held a special picnic and party following an outdoor evening service of Celtic Prayer & Eucharist at the Outdoor Chapel. It was a beautiful summer evening, and a large crowd gathered to celebrate and especially to thank all the farm and stable owners, stewards and volunteers who had participated in Hunt Country Stable Tour 2025. We held a further Picnic & Cookout during September, this time in the Bishop’s Garden to coincide with the annual Ministry

& Activity Fair at the ‘kick-off” of a new program year.

Thank you to everyone who participates in making this ministry of hospitality so successful at Trinity Church. To everyone – those who host, those who cook and bake, those who set-up and decorate, and those who spend many hours taking down and cleaning up, so that we’re always clean, tidy, and ready for the next event! We don’t have a formal committee or a chairperson – we’re all doers rather than talkers! - so, if you’re interested in being part of this great team of friendly people please call the Trinity Church Ofﬁce and we’ll add your name to our list!

Trinity Singles Report

Trinity Singles is a safe place that enables members to expand their Christian friendships. We had an excellent ﬁrst year of activities and steady growth. Word is getting around about this group and members from other churches have begun to join in. This group is open to all ages holds events that will appeal to young, middle age and active

senior singles throughout the year. Whether never married, divorced or widowed, all are welcome.

We get together twice a month; this past year we had pot lucks in member’s homes, meets at Nomad for Trivia Night, wine tastings at Greenhill, after church brunches at Hunter’s Head,

Swing Dance Lessons and a Square Dance in Cox Hall as well as a guided historic walk through a cemetery at Halloween.

We just kicked 2026 of with a New Year’s Day open house at Elizabeth O’ Beirne’s enjoying each other’s company and discussing event ideas for 2026; tailgating at the races, attending plays, wine tasting at Greenhill, music events, line dancing, along with our potlucks and trivia happy hour nights. All events are posted in the church bulletin and social media. If you are not already receiving Evites to our events please contact Julie Weir

Lula at julieweir888@gmail. com to get on our Evite list.

Please note: This is not a dating club. We do not check male/ female ratios for events. This group was created to help foster community among Christian Singles in the area. Any single in the area is welcome, you do not need to be a member of the church to attend. Please bring your friends and pass the word about this group! The more the merrier!

Julie Weir Lula & Elizabeth O’ Beirne Coordinators

Flower Guild Report

The Trinity Church Flower Guild, chaired by Gina Hammond, consists of seven talented teams. On a scheduled rotation, each team prepares the flowers for the Sunday services. For a typical Sundays, flowers were placed on the reredos, in the entryway and in the chapel. Flowers were also provided for one wedding and three funerals using favorite flowers and colors, as specified by the families.

Special attention was given to ﬂowers for the seasons of Lent, Easter, Advent and Christmas. Memorial gifts are asked of

the congregation for Easter and Christmas to be given in thanksgiving for and in memory of family members and loved ones. In Lent only branches were used in the arrangements. For Easter, an arrangement was made for the sunrise service at the Outdoor Chapel, and a variety of spring ﬂowers were used in arrangements in the church. For the month of November, harvest arrangements were placed on the reredos, in the entryway and in the chapel. During Advent, only greens were used in the church to include two Christmas trees placed on

the reredos. A beautiful Advent Wreath was commissioned for the church, and three festive wreaths hung outside of Cox Hall. At Christmas, the church was decorated with evergreens, poinsettia and mixed ﬂowers in Christmas colors.

The Flower Guild thanks all individuals who make contributions for ﬂowers used throughout the year. Openings are available on the calendar if you wish to remember someone or an event (birthdays, anniversaries) during the year. People interested in serving on the Flower Guild should contact Gina Hammond, Chair, Trinity Flower Guild. Flowers are a welcoming way to greet visitors to Trinity. The Guild is honored to be able to work with so many gifts from God’s creation.

Gina Hammond, Chair, Trinity Flower Guild

Faith Formation Report

During 2025 we did not host a signiﬁcant, large-scale Faith Formation Event such as The Alpha Course held in 2024. However, we continued our varied Faith Formation menu of gatherings across different formats, times, and venues. It was especially good to see the start of a new faith formation group for men during 2025 –“Bible & Bourbon” and to travel on our ﬁrst Parish Pilgrimage for many years!

Bible & Bourbon

There are few places in the wider culture where men can come together to honestly share their burdens, mutually support one another, and lift up one another in prayer. Beginning in Summer 2025, a group of men at Trinity began gathering monthly for a time of fellowship, food, prayer, and Bible study. We gather typically for 45 minutes of fellowship, followed by another hour of reflection on Holy Scripture, usually around a campfire, enjoying a nomadic existence, gathering at a different venue each time, at the invitation of one of the group. If you’re interested in joining our group, please reach out to Rev’s Jonathan or Jason through the Trinity Church Office.

Bible Study Group

Our Bible Study meets at 10:30 am every Wednesday Morning. For the past 7 years, our format has been to study one or more entire books of the Bible, one chapter each week. Our leader Joe Fluet prepares

a list of approximately 20 study questions which are emailed out to everyone 3 or 4 days in advance of each session. These questions then form the basis of our interactive discussions. We all participate in the lively discussions. No prior knowledge or expertise is required.

This year we are studying the Gospel of Matthew. Everyone is welcome to join us in any or all sessions.

Wine & Word

Men of Trinity gather regularly for a brisk discussion of scripture and a glass of good wine and meet bi-weekly on Monday evenings from 6:30pm to 8:00pm. During the year the group studied the challenging book of Revelation. Wine & Word meets at the home of Dan Smith, 22834 Polecat Hill Road, Middleburg (a mile past Middleburg Elementary School off Foxcroft Road). For directions and further information, call Dan on 703 967-4578.

Pilgrimage

After several years of detailed planning a group of 16 hardy pilgrims from the Trinity Church

Family (including 4 friends from Christ Church, Alexandria) embarked on am amazing 15day Celtic Pilgrimage to Wales, U.K. Blessed with good weather, great company, and traveling through idyllic countryside the group spent time visiting ancient sites of worship and pilgrimage from the Romano-Christian period to the current day. It was also an opportunity to meet many local people of faith and to explore our shared faith heritage and learn new things, too. Each day we shared a short act of worship including celebrating the Golden Wedding Anniversary of Randy & Cindy Mullett with a moving service of Re-Afﬁrmation of Wedding Vows at a tiny,

“

Blessed with good weather, great company, and traveling through idyllic countryside the group spent time visiting ancient sites of worship and

pilgrimage from the RomanoChristian period to the current day.

ancient church dedicated to St. Bridget of Ireland, located right next to the sea.

We took as our vow “to know God better, to know each other better, and to know ourselves better”. In our quest we journeyed to some exceptionally special and holy places: to the oldest place of Christian learning in Britain (6th century); to St. David’s Cathedral, of which an 1123 papal decree stated that “two pilgrimages here are equal to one pilgrimage to Rome”. We visited places of the baptism of saints, the sites of miracles, the very spot where St. Patrick embarked across the sea on his missionary journey to Ireland, and we prayed at places of martyrdom, too. Much to amusement and entertainment of other visitors the group sang (A Cappella) “Rock of Ages” in a 6th century saints chapel built into the rockface next to the wild Atlantic Ocean! We journeyed to the most crooked church building in the world, where

the church tower leans at more than an angle than the Tower of Pisa! … and we absorbed the ancient culture and language and indulged in the delicious cuisine, too! … and for those who couldn’t come along, or wished that they had, we’ll do it all again someday, somewhere. Please register your interest in our 2027 Parish pilgrimage with Richard, at the Trinity Church Ofﬁce.

In June 2026 there is an opportunity for another amazing experience when we head to Turkey and Greece “In the Footsteps of St. Paul” for our Parish Pilgrimage. Speak to The Rev. Jonathan for more information and to secure your place.

Conﬁrmation 2025

Confirmation or Reception is a significant step on the journey of faith and so it was a particular delight to prepare 25 candidates and to celebrate with them when they were either Confirmed or Received by Bishop Mark Stevenson, on Trinity Sunday, June 15th, 2025. As part of their preparation the candidates enjoyed a retreat at Trinity Church led by Bishop Ted Gulick and The Rev. Jonathan. We are overjoyed to formally welcome all 25 of them to the family of God at Trinity Church – the second year in succession that such large numbers have come forward for these rites (33 candidates in 2024). Thanks be to God!

Looking forward to Lent 2026…

The Rev. Jason will be leading our 2026 Lent formation course titled “Learning Theology with C.S. Lewis.” This is planned for the ﬁve Sundays of Lent (Feb. 22nd to March 22nd), between the 8:00am and 10:30am services, starting at 9:15am, at Cox Hall. All are welcome!

Trinity Kids Report

In 2025, the Lord continued to bless and guide the Trinity Kids Sunday School program with the ultimate goal of teaching the students the Good News of Jesus Christ. Over 40 children in 30 families attended one or more times in the Fall. The average attendance grew to 12-15 students per week. An increase in attendance brought about the need for parent volunteers to assist with the lesson.

At the beginning of the year, the EEC (Episcopal Education Curriculum) was used to create several mini units, Jesus Popping Up, How to be a Fisher of Men and Symbols of Lent. During Lent the lessons were based on the Lectionary which followed Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. The students studied Jesus in the Wilderness with a First-Aid kit and the question, What would be in Jesus’ ﬁrst-aid kit? On Palm Sunday, a real donkey with the children marched around the church courtyard while waving palm branches and praising the Lord. Other experiential activities included eating the Last Supper and washing the children’s feet. Some of the lessons during the year focused on church service structures such as: What’s on the Altar, Passing the Peace, and the celebration of certain Saints. The Fall curriculum theme was Old Testament Heroes. Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Ruth and David’s stories taught the children that God is with us, He has a plan and He will protect us, even when things look bad or frightening. Arts and crafts,

decorations, snacks, and videos helped convey the message of these Old Testament Heroes. For Advent the Trinity Kids journeyed with 4 different characters who traveled to Bethlehem for the ﬁrst Christmas: Joseph-the Faithful One, Magi-the Watchful Ones, Shepherds-the lowly ones, and Jesus-the most Important One. An additional teaching element was added during December.

A parent page called Make It Stick was distributed and it encouraged parents to reinforce the lesson ideas in the car, at dinner, or before bed. Many parents liked this resource. The year’s end was marked with a Christmas Pageant which had over 40 children playing various parts in the most important story ever told! Older students participated by reading the Christmas story through the scriptures. Accompanied by

guitar and piano the students sang Christmas songs and asked the congregation to join in on a few. From a real goat in the stable to a beautiful baby sitting in as Jesus, the production was heartfelt, holy and memorable!

In Summer 2025, forty-three children from ages 3-12 and 8 adults participated in Vacation Bible School. The theme- Road Trip: On the Go with GOD focused on the journeys of Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Zacchaeus, and Paul. The scripture versus The Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:19 was taught and reinforced through stories, games, music, snacks and recreation. It was an energetic week where both children and adults grew in faith and love!

Susan Robeson, Convenor, Trinity Kids

Trinity Youth Report

In 2025, Trinity Youth Group continued to grow in faith, fellowship, and service, providing meaningful opportunities for our youth to build relationships with one another while deepening their relationship with God. Through worship, games, discussion, and hands-on service, our youth lived out what it means to be the Church beyond Sunday mornings.

The year began with an exciting ski retreat in February, where youth bonded through adventure, teamwork, and shared experiences. This trip fostered strong friendships and encouraged trust, resilience, and joy, while also offering moments for reﬂection and faith-centered conversation. Throughout the year, Trinity Youth met regularly

at the church for gatherings ﬁlled with games, laughter, prayer, and lively discussions. These meetings created a welcoming space where youth felt supported, heard, and encouraged to ask questions about their faith while building a strong sense of community. Over the summer, Trinity Youth served faithfully during Vacation Bible School, helping to lead activities, support younger children, and share God’s love through enthusiasm and kindness. Their involvement was a powerful

example of servant leadership and showed their willingness to step up and give back to the church community. Service remained a central focus of the year as the youth partnered with Seven Loaves Food Pantry to pack bags for families in need. While serving, youth also learned about the importance of compassion, generosity, and caring for our neighbors, putting faith into action in tangible ways!

Taylor Robeson, Convener, Trinity Youth Service remained a central focus of the year as the youth partnered with Seven Loaves Food Pantry to pack bags for families in need. “

Treasurer’s Report

2025 reﬂected both Trinity’s continued momentum as well some of the broader economic headwinds faced by the national economy.

We budgeted $1.2 million to operate Trinity in 2025. This was to be funded by $810k in pledges, $84k in plate offerings, and $122k from other revenue sources like special gifts and rental income. We anticipated a further $208k to come from endowment draws. Actual pledge collections were $731k and plate giving was $96k, with $102k from other sources. Endowment draws were $218k, slightly ahead of plan, due to the strength of our investment portfolio’s performance. This left us $111k behind plan in revenue. Staff cost controls and a fortunate

tax credit payment reduced the total budget net difference to $50k (4%), which coincidentally is just about the amount of pledges not yet funded. So, if you still need to fulﬁll your 2025 pledge, please do!

The second year of the renewed Hunt Country Stable Tour had an excellent showing, with $121k raised to support local, national, and international outreach activities. Our Christmas auction, entirely online, produced $44k.

For 2026, our budget of $1.3 million reﬂects slight increases to illustrate a full year of our new associate rector as well as modest inﬂation. We anticipate funding the Church’s work via $850k in forecast pledge receipts, $88k from plate offerings, $192k

Men’s Breakfast Report

The attendance at the Trinity Mens’ Breakfasts has grown signiﬁcantly in 2025. We continue to focus on good fellowship but the growth can be attributed to more work engaging quality speakers for our monthly presentation. We have heard about a wide range of subjects, from the investigation of the airliner sabotaged over Scotland, the resurfacing of the additional planned memorial tribute for the JFK grave at Arlington Cemetery, and the most recent talk about angels. It has been a particular pleasure to have several speakers from within the Trinity Church family.

We began our Fall 2025 program with a Chili Dog Cook Out in the Bishop’s Garden, and over 35 people gathered and enjoyed food, friendship, and gathered around a memorizing ﬁre on a beautiful evening.

from other sources, and $219k from endowment draws. We’re grateful 110 parishioners have already made their commitment. As always, your pledges are essential to Trinity and its mission. If you haven’t yet made a pledge for 2026, please reach out to The Rev. Jonathan and team. They are happy to answer your questions and discuss related opportunities like tax-efﬁcient giving and estate planning.

All of us are extremely grateful to Sophia, Richard, and the many staff and parishioners who work tirelessly – especially in partnership with us – in the service of Trinity and its ministries.

Chase Rowan, Trinity Church Treasurer

Attendance is from 12 to 28 people each month with an average of just over 20 for the 9 months we met.

An open invitation is extended to the men of Trinity Church and from the wider community. We gather on the third Saturday of each month, at 8:00am, in Cox Hall, at Trinity Church. We take a break for the summer during July & August.

Gray Coyner Convenor

Renew & Restore Report

“Renew & Restore” is the name of our Capital Campaign for Trinity Church. Many years of deferred maintenance, aging systems and infrastructure, and a desire to improve our facilities and make them ﬁt for mission and purpose for the 21st century led to the launch of Renew & Restore at Easter 2023.

Generous pledges to Renew & Restore (separate from annual pledges to the operating budget of Trinity Church and its ministries) resulted in a total commitment of $11.2m - $6m for capital works over a 5+year period and a further $5m of legacy/estate gift pledges. These legacy/estate gifts are being used to create a larger endowment for Trinity Church which will increase dividends available to better fund repairs and maintenance in the future. Many pledges are on-going and will continue through to 2028. The Renew & Restore appeal remains open for anyone to join at any time and to make a new pledge to support this important work. Please see the Trinity Church website for more information.

2025 was an altogether quieter year than 2024 and was a time when we rebuilt funds following considerable spending commitments during the previous year. We concluded the last minor works of a major HVAC, electrical and water supply upgrading to the Trinity campus, which was completed in 2024, at a total cost of $2.3m. As funds permitted, we moved forward with smaller, but important works: refurbishment of the church basement rooms including new

flooring and repainting, and external renovations and refurbishments to our much-loved Nursery building – substantial areas of rotted siding were replaced, guttering and downpipes reset, new wall insulation fitted, and the whole building repainted in original colors. Also, during 2025 we repainted the Bishop’s Apartment throughout, fitted a new window unit, and undertook other minor renewals.

During the later part of 2025 we agreed a proposal for the fitting of a new fire alarm system within the Church and Cox Hall (a condition of the installation of the new HVAC system) and these works will be undertaken in early 2026. Also slated for completion during the first half of 2026 is the installation of a new sound and video (livestream) system to the church, and at the time of writing final proposals for this are being obtained and considered.

Thank you to all those who support the Renew & Restore program which represents the biggest single investment in our church buildings and campus since completion of the current church building over 65 years ago. Our program of work has many more exciting projects stretching out over the next 3 years and beyond. If you would like to know more or have any questions, please contact our Director of Operations & Communications at the Trinity Church Ofﬁce who would be pleased to talk with you.

Richard D. Jones, Director of Operations & Communications

Hunt Country Stable Tour Report

Memorial Day Weekend 2025 marked the second year of the return of Hunt Country Stable Tour after the hiatus of the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath.

Our 2025 event was blessed with almost perfect weather and an attendance of over 1250 people. Ticket sales income reached an all-time high, boosted by a greater range of Stable Tour experiences offered for the very ﬁrst time in 2025. We were blessed to work with partners from Oak Spring Garden Foundation and The Piedmont Environmental Council, which enabled us to offer two VIP experiences, complete with transport and (at the beautiful Piedmont Overlook) a splendid lunch! Also, for the ﬁrst time, we introduced a highly successful “Sunday-only” 1 day ticket, which proved very popular with local residents. As always, we welcomed visitors from near and far – and on this occasion from as far as California and Alaska.

Total income exceeded $121,000, and the proﬁts from

this go to support the Trinity Church Outreach Program, which offers ﬁnancial assistance (principally through the form of grants) to local, national and international organizations and to individuals who are most in need of our love and support in difﬁcult times and hardships.

It was especially wonderful to have so many new farms and stables join the tour this year –many for the ﬁrst time – adding new locations and interest for our many visitors. We hope to build further on this success for 2026. We are especially grateful to farm owners, stewards and to the many volunteers, who make Hunt Country Stable Tour the wonderful and cherished event that it has become over so many years. We celebrated our 2025 event with everyone who was involved at a special summer picnic & grill at the

Trinity Outdoor Sanctuary during August – a great time was had by all!

We remember with fondness and affection the late Mary MacDonnell, who was a faithful and hard-working enthusiast of the Stable Tour who passed away during November 2025, after a long illness. She will be greatly missed.

On behalf of the 2025 Hunt Country Stable Tour Organizing Committee.

Ticket

sales

income

reached

an all-time high, boosted by a greater range of Stable Tour experiences o ered for the very rst time in 2025. “

Meade Society Report

The following list includes the current living Meade Society members as of December 31, 2025. There were no changes to the membership of the Meade Society during the year. We are deeply grateful for their commitments to help preserve Trinity’s unique campus and to sustain its mission and ministries. Their generosity will help ensure that future generations are able to worship God and learn of our Lord and Savior in this beautiful sacred space, nestled in the Piedmont hills of Northern Virginia.

All parishioners are welcomed and encouraged to become a member of the Meade Society. During

Anonymous (4)

Mr. & Mrs. Scott Andrews

our Renew and Restore Campaign, several parishioners chose to also include Meade Society Gifts. The process is simple. You simply need to inform the Director of Finance and Stewardship that you have included Trinity in your estate plan. If Trinity is already a beneﬁciary of your will, please notify us, so that we may add your name to the Meade Society membership, should you wish.

“All things come of thee, O Lord, and of thine own have we given thee.” (I Chron. 29:14b, KJV)

The Meade Society

Meade Society Members

Robert & Kathy Appenzeller, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Howard Armﬁeld

The Rev. Robert & Mrs. Janie C. Banse, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Henry O. Chapman, III

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Coolidge

Barbara Tragakis Conner

Josephine F. de Give

Mr. Guy O. Dove, III

C. Greg & Sarah Ellison

Joe & Ginny Fluet

Bradley & Melinda Gable

John Greely

Mr. & Mrs. Sydney D. Hall

The Rev & Mrs. James A. Hammond

Mr. & Mrs. David Hartley

Charles M. Hassett & Neil R. Peddicord

James & Rebecca Hoecker

Mr. & Mrs. Lou Kennedy

Mrs. Clyde C. Lamond III

Mr. Daniel Leger

Sheryl Heckler Mazzatenta

Ed & Margaret Moore

Ms. Deborah Payne

Nicole H. Perry

Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Principi

Edith Smart

Carolyn L. T. Smith

Heather & Richard Taylor

Pamela Jean Wynﬁeld

Altar Guild Report

The Altar Guild is made up of four teams of three to ﬁve members, each charged with preparing the altar for worship. Our responsibilities include setting the hymn boards, preparing the candles, laying the linens, and setting the table. After each service, we take down the altar, clean and properly store the service items. We also maintain the sacraments—wine and wafers—and care for all linens, altar frontals, and the sacred objects used in the Eucharist.

Altar Guild members set up and take down for

every service, including Sundays and Wednesdays, as well as Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, weddings, and funerals when requested. A detailed procedure manual for setting up the altar at Trinity is maintained in the Sacristy. This manual includes photographs illustrating the proper settings for each service and is used for training new members as well as serving as a helpful reference for experienced members.

To be a member of the Altar Guild is a privilege. Our work has great worth as we prepare what is needed to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. The Altar Guild is always welcoming new members. Both men and women are invited to join us. Each new member is fully trained in our procedures and supported as they learn. In time, many discover the quiet joy that comes from serving in this meaningful ministry—a joy we experience ourselves each time we serve.

Please consider joining us! To learn more, contact the church ofﬁce.

Becky Hoecker and Barbara

Augenblick

Altar Guild, Co-Chairs

Trinity Village Report

We’re not quite a “secret service”, but we do deliberately work discretely and sensitively, and often “under the radar” as part of the ministries of Trinity Church!

It is true that we don’t have a convenor at the current time, and we aren’t holding regular meetings, but that doesn’t mean that our ministry is in obeyance. In fact, quite the opposite! Individual members have responded to a wide range of pastoral situations during 2025 and have given pastoral support through providing meals to those

unwell at home or housebound, arranged and provided transport for hospital or other visits, or simply sent ﬂowers or notes to those who are experiencing a hard time, through sickness, loss, or other difﬁcult circumstances. Thank you to all those who have been involved and continue to offer this largely invisible, silent, but exceptionally important ministry.

To continue to offer and grow this exciting ministry we would love to receive offers from someone (or more than one person!) to lead this group. The duties are light,

and a skill set including being a good organizer, communicator, and encourager of others would be useful. Please contact the Rector to talk further about this opportunity to serve at Trinity Church. To continue to o er and grow this ministry, we would love to receive o ers to lead. . .

“

Trinity Thrift & Boutique Report

2025 was another amazing year for Trinity Thrift & Boutique! Our Thrift & Boutique store is only as good as the donations that we receive and can sell on. We’ve received a wonderful variety and great quantity of items this year. Please keep them coming! We are very grateful for all that you can donate and please remember that all our proﬁts go towards supporting the Trinity Outreach Program. Every little helps! In the early part of the year with the help of Lillian Gable, we refreshed our webpages at the Trinity Church website, and we improved our Google listing and have a growing number of great reviews! We also continue with our social media presence. We extended our regular opening hours to welcome visitors to the 2025 Hunt Country Stable Tour

weekend and received a large number of additional customers, many who were shopping with us for the ﬁrst time.

Total sales income for the year was an incredible $102,000 –the ﬁrst-year total income has exceeded the $100,000 mark. We continue to attract a high level of new customers as well as a faithful base of loyal, returning customers, too.

Behind this success lies a lot of hard work: sorting through donations, price tagging, displaying, and of course stafﬁng the store. We are immensely grateful to our dedicated and hard-working volunteers who come each week to help, some travelling from as far away as Maryland to support and work with us. If you would like to join us and be part of this Trinity story of success, please let the Trinity Church Ofﬁce have your name and contact details and we’ll connect with you and we’ll make it happen! Store opening

Endowment Report

Here are the highlights for 2025 concerning the Trinity Church endowment performance:

• 1/1/2025 market value of the total endowment- $6,267,078.89

• 1/1/2026 market value$8,892,449.27

There was a $2m contribution to the endowment from the Lambert foundation in September of 2025. This is eventually intended

to fund a program of capital works restricted to the Outdoor Sanctuary, and part of the total amount will be retained to create a new endowment fund for the long-term beneﬁt of the Outdoor Sanctuary, particularly its maintenance.

hours are Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, 10:00am to 2:00pm. Our volunteering / working day is each Wednesday, 10:00am –2:00pm.

Located, as we are, on the very edge of the Trinity Campus, it is easy to forget Trinity Thrift & Boutique or for a long time to pass before visiting us again… But the store continues to be an important part of the ministry of Trinity Church and a key source of funding for our Outreach Program, which serves those in our community, country, and the wider world who most need our love and support. Don’t be a stranger – come and see us soon!

Chloe Miller

Trinity Thrift & BoutiqueManager

Four planned, quarterly draws were made during the year for a total value of $218,000, representing below 3.5% of the start of year market value.

The total market value of the endowment increased over 10% ( excluding the $2mm contribution) through dividends, interest income and market appreciation.

David Hartley Atlantic Union, Wealth Management

Outreach Report

Responding to God’s love for the Church and the World, Trinity Outreach Ministries bring renewal, hope, and assistance to our neighbors both locally and throughout the world.

Working with a budget of $121,181 for the 2025 calendar year, the Outreach Grants team followed vestry guidance to distribute funds generally allocated as follows:  Local: 35% / Local Emergency: 5% / Regional: 30% / National: 20% / International: 10%

Thanks to the hard work and commitment of the many volunteers who made outreach fundraisers possible, the primary sources of funds for 2025 grants were the 2024 Hunt Country Stable Tour, the Christmas Auction, and Trinity Thrift and Boutique.

In addition to allocating sizable gifts to major community partners, the team responded to grant requests from parishioners, and initiated gifts for crisis relief. At year’s end, the team honored the late Mary MacDonnell, our beloved team member and passionate humanitarian, with a memorial gift of $400 to Holistic Haitian Alliance, an organization to which she was deeply committed.

Highlights of the 2025 budget distributions to a total of 13 organizations include:

• Local/Regional

» Tree of Life Ministries - $40,500 to distribute as local individual emergency relief on behalf of Trinity Church.

» Piedmont Child Care Center - $18,000

» Seven Loaves Services (food assistance)$14,000

» Windy Hill Foundation (housing assistance) - $12,500 (plus a generous gift of matching funds by a parishioner family)

• National Crisis Relief

The grants team coordinated with clergy on two special appeals to the congregation for crisis relief. Thanks to parishioners’ generosity and Outreach budget allocations, Trinity made major gifts:

» $25,000 to help rebuild ﬁre-devasted St. Mark’s Episcopal School in Altadena, CA. The school was brought to our attention by team member Laurie Volk, whose family is associated with St. Mark’s. Of the total gift, $12,000 was drawn from the Outreach budget, the rest matched by our wonderful and generous Trinity Church family.

» $15,600 was raised to help ﬂood-devastated Kerrville, Texas, through a donation to the appeal efforts of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Of the total gift, $5,000 was drawn from the Outreach budget and the balance donated by the Trinity Church family.

• International

» Holistic Haitian Alliance - $7,000 (plus $400 memorial a gift for Mary MacDonnell)

The Outreach Grants team welcomes new members and encourages grant requests from the congregation. To learn more or to access grant request forms, visit the Get Involved/Outreach page of www.trintyupperville.org or contact Melissa Saunders (mwsaunders.26@gmail.com) or Rev. Jason Eslicker (jason@trinityupperville.org).

Melissa Saunders Chair, Trinity Outreach

Grants Team

Tree of Life Outreach Report

Our Trinity Tree of Life Outreach ministry mission had a successful year contributing to the Purcellville Tree of Life free Thursday night meals. Tree of Life maintains three locations across Loudoun County, and Purcellville is the location serving all of Western Loudoun. The other locations are in Leesburg and Sterling.

The meal that we always prepare is a favorite one… roasted chicken, rice casserole (or sometimes potato salad or sometimes orzo salad), green beans, cornbread, and dessert (usually a cookie or brownie). We are very lucky to have had so many members of Trinity supporting us by baking goods, preparing dishes, organizing distribution, and simply showing up to serve. It is always a joyful event and humbling to know that we can help folks in need… even in a small way. I don’t think there was a night when we served that we did not have at least one person come up and thank us for the food. Often, they tell us they are reminded of home cooked meals that they enjoyed in the past.

Just so you can appreciate the

impact that Tree of Life had across Loudoun County, here is some of what was accomplished in 2025…

• Over 36,000 impacts with partners across all Branches

• Expanded grocery deliveries

• Relief assistance… ﬁnancial help with emergencies

• Transitional Housing… 6 family units in Western Loudoun and 2 homes serving special needs partners

• Over 450 volunteers serving all Tree of Life Loudoun Branches

Thank you all so much for your support and thanks be to God for a successful year!

AND LOOKING FORWARD…

If you have not heard, we are starting a new Tree of Life Region (named the Piedmont

Region) out of Upperville to serve northern Fauquier and eastern Clarke counties. Please pay attention to the announcements about the development and opportunities to volunteer. There are a few paid positions too if you might be interested. We are starting with the Food, Shelter, and Relief Branches. We are looking for Branch Directors for our Lifeskills and Healthcare Branches. Let us know if you would like to get involved.

Jim & Kat Gemmer, Tree of Life Ambassadors

We are very lucky to have had so many members of Trinity supporting us by baking goods, preparing dishes, organizing distribution, and simply showing up to serve.

Outdoor Sanctuary Report

Worship and Fellowship

The Outdoor Sanctuary continues to provide a cherished space for individuals seeking a connection with God and with community. This year has seen an increase in the number of visitors to the Outdoor Sanctuary, and also an increase in participation in our prayer and fellowship activities. Good Friday services were conducted on April 18, led once again by Julie Simonton. Over 50 youth (of all ages) participated in the service which included walking the Stations of the Cross from the church to the cross at the Outdoor Chapel. Mary McCaskey provided Hot Cross Buns as the fellowship continued in Cox Hall.

The Easter Sunday sunrise service continued to gain in popularity. The service always begins with a ﬁre at the Council Ring, and transitions to the Cross, where the Easter liturgy and communion is celebrated. This year, since Easter was relatively late in the spring, the donated ﬂowering trees and daffodils were in their full glory for Easter Sunday. (Please see list of donated trees which follows this report).

On August 10, the 5 PM worship service of Evening Prayer was celebrated at the Outdoor Chapel, and followed by a congregational picnic at the Council Ring. The weather was perfect, and the event was well attended. Many thanks to the Trinity chefs who tended the grills, and to the congregation

Stewardship

For the ﬁrst year, we did not have “waterers” for the trees because they have become sufﬁciently established to send their roots deep. Thanks to Ruben Bonilla Sosa for his help with spring and fall clean up, and to Kit for mowing the trails. Holly Bimba and friends continued to gently remove invasives and nourish native plants. The bluebells planted along Pantherskin Creek in honor of Wayne and Beth Gibbens are proliferating.

A View to the Future

The Outdoor Sanctuary working group has been collaborating with the American Landscape Architecture ﬁrm Nelson Byrd Wolz to develop a master plan for the future of the Outdoor Sanctuary space. The working group reports to the Trinity Church Vestry and the members are Stephanie Knapp, Ken Knapp, Holly Bimba, Kit Hall,

Von Voorhis, Jonathan Catherwood (as the Vestry representative) and The Rev. Jonathan Adams. Work on the ﬁrst phase of restoration work will be aimed at ecological restoration, including removal of invasive species and foundation planting of native species. Practical measures will include the expansion of Trinity’s maintenance and storage facilities for the campus, and thoughtful concealment of “back of house” necessary spaces. This work has been made possible by a generous grant from the Lambert Foundation, and with the enthusiastic support of Thomas Lloyd, Mrs. Mellon’s grandson. Trinity is delighted to welcome representatives of Nelson Byrd Wolz to this year’s Annual Meeting. We look forward to their presentation to the wider Trinity congregation.

Stephanie Knapp & Holly Bimba, for the Outdoor Sanctuary Team

for providing sides of salad and dessert.

Faith Eskew, Amanda Scheps, Richard Jones, Chandler

Outdoor Sanctuary Tree and Shrub Dedications

Anonymous – two Willow Oak trees and one Sunset Red Maple tree

The Reverend Robert L. Banse, Jr. -- twelve Redbud and Dogwood trees in honor of the Senior Wardens with whom he has served: Nicky Perry, Barbara Augenblick, Arch Randolph, Ellen Hall, Stephanie Knapp, Henry Chapman, Carol Miller, Meralyn Autry, Gina Hammond, Rebecca Hoecker, Jim Gemmer, and Matt Blunt.

The Blue Ridge Book Group – A serviceberry shrub in honor of Beth Gibbens

Whitney and Sherwood Bowditch – a Redbud tree, with gratitude and love in honor of Ken and Stephanie Knapp on the occasion of our wedding

Deede and Don Cady – a Dogwood tree, in thanksgiving for our many blessings

The Congregation of Trinity Church – native bluebells, in honor of Beth and Wayne Gibbens

Barbara DuPont – a Dogwood tree, in loving memory of my husband, Victor M. DuPont

Fauquier/Loudoun Garden Club – two Winterberry shrubs in memory of our beloved members who have been part of Trinity Church

Fauquier/Loudoun Garden Club (with others) – a Dogwood tree in memory of Linda Newton

Ginny and Joe Fluet – a Dogwood tree in memory of Deacon Carl Roberts

Debbie and Ben Gale – a Redbud tree, in memory of Charles and Margaret Broadley, Ben P. Gale, and Mary B. Lee

Beth and Wayne Gibbens – a Sourgum tree in memory of Janet Whitehouse and Diane Martin

Beth and Wayne Gibbens – a Serviceberry shrub in memory of Mrs. Anne Banse

Beth and Wayne Gibbens – a Serviceberry shrub in honor of Ann MacLeod

Beth and Wayne Gibbens – a Winterberry shrub in memory of Soccoro Sandoval’s mother

Beth and Wayne Gibbens – a Winterberry shrub in memory of Robert Newton

Beth and Wayne Gibbens – a Winterberry shrub in memory of Joe L. Allbritton

Beth and Wayne Gibbens – ﬁve Fothergilla and three Oakleaf Hydrangea shrubs

Beth and Wayne Gibbens – a Maple tree in loving memory of Susan Grayson’s father, Paul R. Gary

Beth and Wayne Gibbens – a Hackberry tree, in honor of Sam and John Epley

Susan and Cab Grayson – a Dogwood tree in memory of Betsy Crenshaw’s brother, Jim Maddock

Georgiana and John Greely – a Redbud tree, in thanksgiving for Trinity Church

Dan and Annabelle Haney – a Carolina Silverbell tree in memory of our daughter, Friday Elizabeth Haney

Dan Haney – a Dogwood tree in memory of Herbert R. Peddicord, Jr. Stormy and Jeff Hood – a Redbud tree in memory of our fathers

Johanna VanDoren Jackson – a Carolina Silverbell tree in memory of my father, Melvin L. VanDoren

Johanna and Robert Jackson – a Carolina Silverbell tree in joyful celebration of the marriage of Lauren Young and William Jackson on November 4, 2016

Sarah and Jeff Kennedy – two Redbud trees in honor of our daughters, Hillary Elizabeth and Katherine Louise

Stephanie and Ken Knapp – a Winterberry shrub in honor of Karen Hauswald

Stephanie and Ken Knapp – a Winterberry shrub in memory of William Lackman

Stephanie and Ken Knapp – a Winterberry shrub in memory of Gray Price

Stephanie and Ken Knapp – a Winterberry shrub in memory of George Shick

Stephanie and Ken Knapp – a Winterberry shrub in memory of Robert Newton

Stephanie and Ken Knapp – a Redbud tree in honor of Betsy Crenshaw

Stephanie and Ken Knapp – a Redbud tree in honor of Gina and Jim Hammond

Dedications Continued

Stephanie and Ken Knapp (with others) – a Yellowwood tree in memory of Herbert R. Peddicord, Jr.

Stephanie and Ken Knapp (with others) – a Dogwood tree, in memory of Linda Newton

Beth and Clyde Lamond – a Dogwood tree in memory of Marguerite Moncure Lamond and Clyde

Campbell Lamond, Jr.

Beth and Clyde Lamond – a Redbud tree in memory of Marion Putnam Kouns and Charles Wilmarth Kouns

Anita and Charles Ledsinger – a Burr Oak tree, in memory of Grace Whitney Clarendon

Anita and Charles Ledsinger – a Yellowwood tree, in memory of Betty Ledsinger Heller

Margaret C. Littleton – a Dogwood tree, in memory of my mother Emily N.K. Hutchison, and my mother-in -law Rosalie G. Turner

Sandra and Joe Markus (with others) – a Yellowwood tree in memory of Herbert R. Peddicord, Jr.

Cheri and Lewis Martin – an American Fringe shrub, in honor of Beth and Wayne Gibbens

Sheryl Heckler Mazzatenta – a Winterberry shrub in memory of my husband, John Maguire Heckler

Sheryl Heckler Mazzatenta – a Winterberry shrub in memory of my mother, Mary Elizabeth Kehl Bills

Sheryl Heckler Mazzatenta – a Winterberry shrub in memory of my father, Robert Jackson Bills

Carol Ann Miller – a Winterberry shrub in thanksgiving for the service of the 2012 – 2013 Vestry

Margaret and Edward Moore - a Redbud tree in memory of Margaret Sharpe Fair

Neil Peddicord (with others) – a Yellowwood tree in memory of my father Herbert R. Peddicord, Jr.

Christine Perdue (with others) – a Dogwood tree in memory of Linda Newton

Perennial Garden Club – a Dogwood tree in honor of Wayne and Beth Gibbens

Nicole Perry – an American Fringe shrub, in memory of my granddaughter Lucy Exene Owen

Piedmont Garden Club – a Sourwood tree, in honor of Wayne and Beth Gibbens

Ruth Ripley – a Dogwood tree, in memory of my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Williamson

Edie and Bruce Smart – a Dogwood tree, in memory of our parents Eddie and Helen Merrill, and Beatrice and Bruce Smart

Mary M. Stokes, and grandchildren Peter Hood, Will Stokes, Clara Leder Stokes, and Tommy Stokes – a Dogwood tree, in memory of Tommy Stokes

Heather and Richard Taylor – a Redbud tree, in memory of Charles and John Taylor

Heather and Richard Taylor – a Dogwood tree, in memory of William H. Leachman, III

Jill and Alex Vogel (with others) – a Yellowwood tree in memory of Herbert R. Peddicord, Jr.

Janet Whitehouse – a Dogwood tree in memory of Millicent West

Janet Whitehouse – a Redbud tree in memory of William C. Grayson

Pamela Jean Wynﬁeld – an American Fringe shrub in memory of my grandmother, a lifelong gardener, Leslie Ovada Wisener Breeden

Celeste and Henry Wheelwright – a Redbud tree, in memory of Samuel Thompson Adams

Penelope Yungblut and Raymond Ewing – a Redbud tree in honor of our marriage

Your Notes

The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia

The Rt. Rev. E. Mark Stevenson, Bishop

The Rt. Rev. Mark A. Bourlakas, Assistant Bishop

The Rt. Rev. Gayle Harris, Assistant Bishop

Clergy & Staff

The Rev. Jonathan V. Adams, Rector

The Rev. Jason Eslicker, Associate Rector

Richard D. Jones, Director of Operations & Communications

Sophia Mirra, Director of Finance & Stewardship

Betsy Crenshaw, Administrative Assistant

Dan Miller, Director of Music Ministries & Organist

Anna Smith, Church Music Intern / Organ Scholar

Kit Hall, Buildings & Grounds Supervisor

Angela Lake, Housekeeping

Chloe Miller, Trinity Thrift & Boutique Manager

Honorary Associate Clergy

The Rev. James A. Hammond

The Rev. Canon Dr. Betsee Parker

Ofﬁcers & Vestry

Jonathan Catherwood, Senior Warden

Kathleen Lange, Junior Warden

Chase Rowan, Treasurer

Lori Ann Terjesen, Registrar

Class of 2025

Jonathan Catherwood, Shannon Davis, Greg Ellison, Kathleen Lange

Class of 2026

Kate Armﬁeld, Teresa Condon, Bradley Gable, Mary Looney

Class of 2027

Scott Andrews, Steven Putnam, Rebecca Schaefer, Lisa White

Trinity Episcopal Church is within Meade Parish, a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia of the Episcopal Church

9108 John S. Mosby Hwy., Upperville, VA 20184