Trinity Church of Northborough has stood on Main Street in downtown Northborough, Massachusetts for more than 175 years, a New England meeting house set a few steps from the site of the original 1868 Town Hall and the 1894 public library. The current congregation came together in 1948 through the merger of the town's First Baptist Church (organized 1827) and Evangelical Congregational Church (organized 1832), and the meeting house itself has been a gathering place for Northborough worshipers since it was dedicated in 1848. Today Trinity is a dually affiliated congregation of the United Church of Christ and American Baptist Churches USA, and it identifies openly as Open and Affirming, Welcoming and Affirming, and as a WISE Church for Mental Health.
The congregation states its mission simply: to "fill its people with the love of God and share God's love in all the world." That outward focus shapes much of what happens inside and outside the building on Main Street, from a free community dinner served every Wednesday evening since 1996 to a Northborough Neighborhood Support Team that has sponsored an Afghan refugee family.
A Merger of Two Northborough Traditions
The story of Trinity Church is really two stories woven together. The First Baptist Church of Northborough organized in 1827 and built its own house of worship elsewhere in town; the Evangelical Congregational Church followed five years later in 1832 and built the Greek Revival meeting house that the congregation still occupies. After more than a century of parallel ministry, the two congregations came together in 1948 to form Trinity Church of Northborough. The former Congregational building became Trinity's home, and the former Baptist house of worship eventually became home to the Northborough Historical Society.
A three-story annex was added in the 1950s to provide offices, classrooms, meeting rooms and fellowship space, and a commercial-quality kitchen was later built out for the growing number of community meals and events the church hosts. Today the 178-year-old building is the focus of a half-million-dollar capital campaign focused on restoring the steeple and spire (currently sitting in the parking lot), upgrading electrical service, rebuilding the front entryway floor and protecting the structure from humidity and water infiltration.
Sundays at Ten in the Sanctuary
Sunday worship at Trinity takes place at 10:00 a.m. in the second-floor Sanctuary, with a chair lift from the first floor and a wheelchair-accessible entrance on Hudson Street. The service is also streamed live on Facebook, and the previous week's service is replayed on Verizon channel 31 and Charter channel 191 on Sundays at 6:00 p.m. and Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month.
The service draws on both Baptist and UCC traditions. Members of the congregation help lead worship: someone may share a "God Moment," a "Moment for Mission," or an "Open and Affirming Moment." The musical program blends traditional hymns with contemporary songs, and prayers, scripture readings and a sermon are woven together. The church's motto, "No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here!" is taken seriously. There is no dress code, and the congregation describes its services as designed both to comfort and to challenge. Questions are welcome.
Children are considered full members of the worshiping community. A "Prayground" in front of the Sanctuary holds blankets, pillows, books and puzzles so younger children can be present with their families during the service. The Prayground has been expanded to give families more room to sit together at tables.
An Open and Affirming Congregation
Trinity's identity as an Open and Affirming and Welcoming and Affirming congregation runs deeper than a tagline. The church's ONA statement declares that it welcomes all people "of every age, race, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, cultural background, socioeconomic status, mental or physical ability, marital status, or any other distinctions of society." Weddings are offered for both opposite-sex and same-sex couples, and the church affirms all relationships grounded in love, mutual respect and Christian faith.
Two additional statements guide the congregation's public witness. The Racial Justice Statement, issued by the Board of Deacons on June 25, 2020, commits Trinity to opposing racial profiling, police brutality and white nationalism, to advocating for equitable healthcare, education and employment, and to educating itself about the roots of white supremacy within its own faith tradition. A Statement on Immigration responds to what the church describes as increased rhetoric of hate and xenophobia, pledging continued time, compassion and financial support for immigrant families, including the Afghan family sponsored through the Northborough Neighborhood Support Team.
The church is also a WISE Church for Mental Health, a designation that shapes how the congregation supports members living with mental illness and how it partners with outside organizations.
Music in the Round
Music is a central part of Trinity's worship. Scott Arnold serves as Minister of Music, working with an Adult Voice Choir, a Handbell Choir and a Low Voice Ensemble. Tom Danforth serves as Pianist and Organist for services, weddings and special events, and also directs the Handbell Choir. The music ministry page links to a shared Google Site resource for members of the various ensembles.
The musical year includes a Maundy Thursday Reading and Cantata each spring, and the Sanctuary has been the site of a free classical concert by the Charles River Sinfonietta, a chamber orchestra based in central Massachusetts.
Children, Youth and Faith Formations
Faith Formations is the church's Sunday-morning Christian education program for children from preschool through twelfth grade. Classes meet on the second and fourth Sundays of the month during the school year in a dedicated Faith Formations room. The program supports a lending library of faith-based books for young and teen readers, and points families to online games like Adventure Bible and Deep Blue Adventures for at-home learning.
Children and youth ministry also includes a separate youth group registration track for grades five through twelve, supported by a Safe Church Policy, a Trinity Youth Covenant and standard consent and photo release forms. A campership application is available for families needing financial help with summer camp. The children and youth pages invite parents to reach out to the church office with any questions.
Wednesday Night Community Meals
Every Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m., the Fellowship Hall of Trinity Church fills with people coming for a free, full-course sit-down meal. The Wednesday Community Meal began in January 1996 and has been served continuously since. Local religious congregations involved in preparing or supporting the meals include Trinity Church, Church of the Nativity, First Parish Unitarian Universalist, St. Bernadette, St. Rose of Lima and Congregation B'nai Shalom of Westborough. Civic partners include the Northborough Junior Women, the Rotary Club, the Lion's Club and the Knights of Columbus. Northborough Helping Hands administers donations, and the church encourages both volunteers and cash contributions to keep the program going. No reservations are required. Anyone in need of a hearty meal is welcome.
Reaching Beyond the Walls
Outreach is one of Trinity's defining traits. The Outreach Ministry Team organizes the congregation's involvement in a wide range of local and regional missions, and church members are often the ones to start new projects.
- Northborough Food Pantry: Trinity is a partner of the Worcester County Food Bank and supports the Northborough Food Pantry, which serves roughly 120 Northborough families each week from its location at 37 Pierce Street.
- Worcester Fellowship: An outdoor ministry to people experiencing homelessness in Worcester. Trinity helps financially and sends a team one Sunday a month to share a meal and worship alongside the guests.
- Afghan Refugee Project: The Outreach Team helped organize a 22-person Northborough Neighborhood Support Team that is sponsoring an Afghan family through WelcomeNST and Ascentria Care Alliance.
- Matthew 25: Trinity supports this Worcester nonprofit that provides food and housing relief.
- Northborough Interfaith Clergy Association: Trinity is one of several local congregations that meet monthly to pray, share resources and pool a voucher program that provides gasoline, groceries, heating oil and overnight lodging to Northborough residents in need.
The church building also hosts Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon meetings and serves as the regular meeting place for several Scout troops.
Called to Care
Pastoral care at Trinity is organized through the Called to Care ministry, which reaches out to people in need of support through visits, cards, prayer shawls, communion services at two local nursing homes, and a prayer circle. The Open and Affirming Social Justice Team works to maintain a welcoming environment and to educate the congregation about racism and LGBTQ concerns. The WISE Team supports mental health awareness in the church and the wider Northborough community.
The Blessings Boutique Thrift Shop
The Blessings Boutique is Trinity's thrift shop, with summer hours of Wednesdays only from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The attached garage is open during those same hours. The shop carries gently used infant, children's, women's and men's clothing, shoes and accessories, plus small household items. Electronics are not accepted. The mission is twofold: to provide affordable clothing and goods to neighbors and to generate some financial support for the church's ministries. Annual events have included themed fashion shows, including a recent 1970s-themed run.
Coffee House and Applefest
Trinity's Coffee House is a recurring open-mic evening featuring local musicians and the occasional poet, with coffee and light refreshments and a suggested donation of $5 per person ($10 maximum per family). It is organized by Rick Leif and has its own Facebook page.
Each fall the churchyard hosts Applefest at Trinity, a one-day community fair with a craft fair on the front lawn, the seasonal opening of the Blessings Boutique, live music, an open mic, the Trinity Cafe and a Blessing Bag donation drive supporting neighbors in need. Applefest is one of the year's biggest gatherings on Main Street.
Other Rhythms of the Week
A few smaller, regular gatherings complete the week. On Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m., Pastor Will hosts a coffee meetup at Coffee & Pi on Route 9 in Westborough, an informal hour for conversation. From October through May, the Saturday Breakfast Fellowship meets on the third Saturday of each month at 8:30 a.m. for breakfast and conversation. Several times a year, the church offers four- to six-week small group discussion series on the Bible or other spiritual topics of interest.
Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals
The Sanctuary seats 150 guests and is open for both opposite-sex and same-sex weddings. Pre-marital counseling with the pastor is standard, and a four-month preparation period is typical. The church organist plays for every wedding; if unavailable, an approved substitute is arranged. The Fellowship Hall and adjoining commercial kitchen are available for receptions. Detailed fees for non-members are listed in the church's usage policy, and members receive discounted rates. No alcohol is permitted on church property.
Baptism is offered in both of the traditions the church carries. In the UCC tradition, infants, children and adults are baptized by sprinkling water. In the American Baptist tradition, believers old enough to express their own faith are baptized by full immersion, and a dedication service is available for infants. The congregation recognizes any Christian baptism as valid, and new members can join at any time through a ceremony of affirmation and welcome.
The pastor is available to officiate at funerals and memorial services for any family in the community, whether or not they are members of Trinity, the UCC or American Baptist Churches. Services may be held in the Sanctuary or at a funeral home, and they focus on giving thanks to God for the life of a loved one and the hope and comfort of the Christian promise that in Jesus, God has overcome death.
The Building and Its Spaces
Beyond worship, Trinity's downtown campus is a working community resource. The first-floor Fellowship Hall seats 150 with stadium seating or 100 with twelve round tables, and includes a 6-by-8-foot projection screen, track lighting and a flat-screen TV. The third-floor Assembly Room, with its 11-by-22-foot stage, seats about eighty people and is used for staged performances, music productions and dance recitals. The commercial-grade, Board of Health-certified kitchen is available for rent, complete with a ten-burner electric range, two ovens, a high-speed commercial dishwasher, two food prep sinks, three tub sinks and place settings for 150. A pair of conference rooms on the upper floors can be reserved for meetings. Bakers or chefs using the kitchen for public sales must be Safe-Serve certified by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Restore, Renew, Rejoice
Trinity is in the middle of a five-year capital campaign with a $500,000 goal under the theme "Restore, Renew, Rejoice!" Identified projects include restoring the steeple and spire (with new copper roofing and painting), sandblasting and painting the fire escape, replacing the front entryway floor and reinforcing joists under the Fellowship Hall, upgrading electrical circuits in several rooms, installing a vapor barrier and improved drainage in the crawl space, and engaging a consultant to bring the building up to current accessibility codes. Gifts of cash, appreciated securities, real estate, life insurance, IRA charitable transfers and donor-advised fund grants are all accepted.
Leadership
The Rev. Will Seals serves as Senior Minister. An ordained minister in American Baptist Churches USA, he holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Morehouse College in Atlanta and a Master of Divinity from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, New York. Before coming to Trinity he served as interim and settled pastor in Massachusetts and New York State, and earlier worked as Director of Student Life at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and as Assistant for Deployment for the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. He and his family live in Wilbraham.
Scott Arnold is Minister of Music. A native of Arkansas and a graduate of Arkansas Tech University in Music Education, he moved to Massachusetts in 2020 with his husband, Ben, and now teaches K-5 music and drama at Northborough's Zeh Elementary School in addition to directing Trinity's music program.
Tom Danforth serves as Pianist and Organist and directs the Handbell Choir.
The Board of Deacons functions as the church's board of directors and oversees both spiritual and business matters. Working under the deacons are ministry teams for Faith Formations, Finance and Property, Open and Affirming Social Justice, Outreach, Called to Care, WISE for Mental Health, Worship, and Music.
Visiting Trinity
Trinity Church sits at 23 Main Street in Northborough, Massachusetts, with a wheelchair-accessible entrance on Hudson Street and a chair lift to the Sanctuary. Sunday worship is at 10:00 a.m., with communion on the first Sunday of the month and Facebook Live streaming for those who cannot attend in person. Dress is whatever a visitor is comfortable in. The Tidings newsletter is published monthly and is available online. Summer office hours are Tuesday and Wednesday only, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.