September 11, 2024

The Vestry is overjoyed to announce to you that we have called Fr. Bret Hays as the next Rector of Trinity Folsom! Fr. Bret comes to us from Church of the Advent in Tallahassee, Florida.

Fr. Bret was ordained in 2008, and has been a rector since 2011, having been called in Colorado, Massachusetts, and Florida. His references are sterling, across fellow clergy, church partners, and diocesan leadership, and he has Bishop Megan's stamp of approval. His liturgical and musical preferences are a match to Trinity’s, and we’ve enjoyed his Christ-centered preaching. He is administratively skilled; not only was he responsible for the Day School at Advent, but also steered his parish through–and solved–challenging financial and operational times, ensuring they will be able to move into their own future. He is passionate about Christian formation and working with a welcoming parish to be more visible in the community. The Vestry also liked Fr. Bret for his calm, collaborative style and his warm heart. It’s our belief that alongside a strong vestry, skilled staff, and willing congregation, Fr. Bret will shepherd Trinity Folsom successfully into our future.

Fr. Bret is a lifelong Episcopalian and enjoys travel, hiking, film, sailing, history, theater, art, design, comedy, and live music. His first day at Trinity will be Monday, November 25–in time to celebrate Advent.  

We would like to take a moment to thank the people and teams that have been integral to getting us to this point, especially those on the Parish Profile Committee, the Search Committee, and our staff–all your visible and behind-the-scenes labor has been integral and critical for us to stand at this point in our history, and we are grateful.

Faithfully,

Tovi Abello, Sr. Warden

Janice Freeberg, Jr. Warden

Charlie Biegel

Christy Evans

Kim Hewitt

Katriona McLean-Lucas

Judith Richardson

Katie Rogers

Jon Sutherland

July 5, 2024

Dear Trinitarians,

It is with mixed emotion that we are announcing to you that Merritt Greenwood has accepted his next call as Interim Rector, at St. John’s, Petaluma. Merritt’s last day at Trinity will be Sunday July 21. I am thankful for Merritt’s time at Trinity, as we would not have reached this point without him. His experience in transition and guidance through this time has been critical, and I am confident that he has helped to prepare our hearts and minds to welcome our next leader.

I’d like to note that while this is a significant change, it is not a surprise. Merritt will have been at Trinity a year, roughly aligned to our expectations, and the Search Committee, with the help of the Diocese, is full-steam ahead in identifying a slate of candidates for Trinity’s next rector. As we did before Merritt’s arrival, we are blessed to have Mtr. Anne and Mtr. Libby guide us, our excellent staff are continuing to run the day-to-day operation of Trinity, and the vestry is working hard to lead us through this transition.

Please join me in thanking Merritt for his time at Trinity. We are grateful for your support as we continue to move through these exciting times together.

~Tovi Abello, Sr. Warden

April 26, 2024

The Vestry is pleased to announce that we have selected a Rector Search Committee!  This talented group of parishioners is representative of Trinity, and they will be using the soon-to-be-finalized Parish Profile to identify and attract rector candidates. They will work closely with the Office of the Bishop and the Diocese of Northern California to post, publicize, and maintain the job posting.  Their work will culminate in the presentation of a slate of candidates to the vestry for final evaluation.  It is important to note that this team’s work will be performed under strict confidentiality.

This prayerful group will be commissioned in front of the congregation on Sunday May 5, and consists of the following Trinitarians:

Bob Lucas, Committee Chairperson

William Breazeale

Deb Goldsmith

Sharon Hansen, Parish Profile committee representative

Karen Harvey

Kim Hewitt, Vestry Representative (1)

Liz McLeod

Jessica Nelson

Connie Buckley, Chaplain (1, 2) 

(1) Appointed by the Vestry, (2) Non-voting

Please join us in thanking this team, and pray for them as they undertake this critical work for Trinity Folsom.

Faithfully,

Tovi Abello, Sr. Warden

Janice Freeberg, Jr. Warden

Charlie Biegel

Christy Evans

Kim Hewitt

Katriona McLean-Lucas

Katie Rogers

Jon Sutherland

Judith Richardson

December 1, 2023

Your Vestry is thrilled to announce that we have chosen a Parish Profile Committee! This committee’s goal is to form the Parish Profile, which will be used by Trinity to call our next rector, and for candidates to identify us as their next call. This committee is comprised of a diverse group of parishioners who are representative of Trinity. They are a prayerful team, and they are skilled in communication, marketing, data analysis, organization, and teamwork.

Your Parish Profile Committee will be commissioned on Sunday, December 10, and they are:

Jessica Wallace, Chairperson

Anthony Austin

Leslie Haglan

Sharon Hansen

Hellen Lee

Richard Miner

Judy Pinney

Charlie Biegel, Vestry Representative (1)

Janet Salsman, Chaplain (1, 2)  

Keith Smith, Special Advisor to the Committee (1, 2)

(1) appointed by the vestry, (2) non-voting

Please join us in thanking this team for their willingness to serve and the critically important work they are undertaking.

Faithfully,

Tovi Abello, Sr. Warden

Janice Freeberg, Jr. Warden

Charlie Biegel

Christy Evans

Kim Hewitt

Katriona McLean-Lucas

Katie Rogers

Jon Sutherland

Judith Richardson

July 6, 2023

Dear Trinitarians,

The vestry and I are happy to announce we have called Merritt Greenwood to be the Interim Rector at Trinity Folsom!

Merritt is an Episcopal priest and has made a career of being an Interim Rector, having been an Interim Rector 9 times since 1998.  He was ordained in Ohio and has been in California since 2012, and most recently was the Interim Rector at All Saints in Sacramento.

Merritt comes to us gifted in transition.  He has sterling references from his past parishes, and also has the endorsement of the Bishop, after having guided multiple congregations through various transitions.  He has seen both successful and failed Rector searches, and we are confident that he, alongside Trinity’s leadership, will be able to help guide us through this transitionary period to a successful call of a permanent Rector.  While we don’t know precisely what the future will hold, we expect this to take about a year.

Merritt lives in Sacramento with his husband John, as they enjoy their quest to discover the best barbecue and craft beer in the communities in which they sojourn.

Merritt will start at Trinity on August 1 and we look forward to welcoming him with you to the Trinity family.

Please join me in thanking Mother Anne and Mother Libby for their steadfast leadership over the last four months.  Along with Brett, Travis, and Kelley, our wonderful staff have been foundational in getting us to this point, and will be equally important as we move forward.

We are grateful for your support as we move through these exciting times together.

Faithfully,

Tovi Abello, Sr. Warden 

Janice Freeberg, Jr. Warden

Charlie Biegel 

Christy Evans 

Jon Sutherland 

Judith Richardson 

Katie Rogers 

Katriona McLean-Lucas 

Kim Hewitt

February 1, 2023

Dear Trinitarians,

Ten years ago, Fr. Todd was called to Trinity to be our rector, and how grateful we all are for that! But change is inevitable, and as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. The vestry has accepted Fr. Todd’s resignation, and we are already working on our next chapter. We have begun working with the diocese to find the right interim rector, and we will be appointing a Search Committee to identify the next rector at Trinity Folsom.

Reflecting on the past ten years, our progress has been remarkable. We were a little church with a big heart, and with Fr. Todd’s leadership and guidance, we gained confidence in becoming who we are called to be. This cute little church in Historic Folsom became the fastest growing church in the diocese, with programs that touch those inside and outside our walls, on Sundays and throughout the week. We have become the inclusive church with the traditional liturgy, the beautiful music, the poignant preaching, the impactful outreach programs, and especially you, the welcoming people within.

Change is never easy. But dealing with change is Trinity Folsom’s specialty. Looking back, our path has been full of twists and turns that have led us to where we are today; together, we walked through that uncertainty with God’s love to guide us, and our adventures together have brought us closer to God and closer to each other, each adventure making this parish and parish community a little bit stronger.

I am so grateful to Fr. Todd for everything he has done and accomplished at Trinity Folsom. We would certainly not be who or where we are without him. I am also grateful that he has prepared us well for this moment: we know who we are, and who we wish to be. And I eagerly anticipate Trinity’s next chapter with you. 

I will keep you informed as we progress through this transition. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or any member of the vestry.

Faithfully,

Tovi Abello, Sr. Warden