An Urban Faith Community at 33rd and Meridian
Trinity Episcopal Church sits on the southeast corner of 33rd and Meridian Street, on the north side of Indianapolis, just north of historic Meridian Park in the Mapleton Fall Creek neighborhood. The parish and its buildings share a city block with St. Richard's Episcopal School, an integrated day school that opened in 1960 and now educates more than 360 children from preschool through eighth grade. Together, the church and school have been a fixture of the changing neighborhood around them for more than a century.
Trinity describes itself as an urban faith community that embodies the love of Jesus Christ through welcome, worship, witness, and work that seeks to transform lives, the surrounding neighborhood, and the world. Its tagline - Welcome. Inspire. Transform. - is matched by a long list of stated values, including Expansive Welcome, Joyful Gathering, Beauty and Creativity, Inquiry and Curiosity, Generous Stewardship, Mutual Care, Service for Others, Incubation and Partnership, and Bold Action for Justice. The church is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis.
A 13th-Century Norman Church in Indianapolis
The most striking fact about Trinity is its sanctuary. In the middle of a 20th-century American city stands a building modeled on early Norman churches of Norfolk and Suffolk, England, with a rood screen inside and the proportions of a parish church that was meant to last two thousand years.
The building grew out of a vision of Edith Whitehall Clowes, wife of the Indianapolis philanthropist Dr. G.H.A. Clowes. After a period of considerable growth during the 1940s, Mrs. Clowes traveled with her husband through rural English parishes, studying medieval churches still in use. Their research led to the construction of an authentic 13th-century Norman church in Indianapolis. Completed by 1952, the building earned the parish a new name - Trinity Episcopal Church - in place of its original Church of the Advent. Inside, the interior had already been remodeled in the 1930s to incorporate more traditionally Episcopal elements, including a rood screen.
Parishioner John Bridge has woven the story into a 290-page history called Be Thou My Vision: The Story of Trinity Episcopal Church, Indianapolis. The book places Trinity in the wider story of Indiana, Indianapolis, and the Episcopal Church, includes a glossary of Episcopal terms, contains Edith Whitehill Clowes' own account of the concept, design, and construction of the building, and lists the bishops and rectors who have served the parish.
From Church of the Advent to Trinity's First Hundred Years
Trinity was established in 1919 as the Church of the Advent - a name chosen because of its nature as a coming church, suggesting that the congregation was on the cusp of becoming a significant parish. The parish was formed to serve what were then the northern suburbs of Indianapolis, with a modest parcel of land and a vacant church building purchased at 33rd and Meridian.
The 1950s and 1960s brought a turning point for the surrounding neighborhood, as the suburb became an inner-city area and experienced economic decline. In response, the Rector, the Reverend G. Ernest Lynch, proposed the creation of a church day school modeled on English private day schools. St. Richard's Episcopal School opened in September 1960 and was among the first integrated schools in Indianapolis. By Trinity's centennial, St. Richard's had grown to serve more than 360 children ages three through eighth grade and operated as a separate 501(c)(3) organization even as its property remained shared with Trinity.
In 1977, after the death of pharmaceutical pioneer Eli Lilly, Trinity received 132,000 shares of Eli Lilly and Company common stock valued at approximately four million dollars. Mr. Lilly, a lifelong Episcopalian, intended the gift to ensure the continuation of Trinity's urban ministry. Through sound investment, the parish endowment has grown to approximately twenty million dollars, allowing the parish and school to expand their physical structures over more than a city block.
The 1980s and 1990s brought new leadership. In 1986, the Reverend Nancy Ferriani was called as Trinity's first female deacon; she later rose to become Senior Associate Rector. Rector Roger White participated in founding the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes (CEEP), and Rector James B. Lemler became CEEP's second president, guiding its growth to twenty-five endowed parishes. In 1995, Father Lemler called Dr. Michael Messina to be Director of Music, beginning a long tenure that has shaped the parish's reputation for choral and organ music.
In July 2016, Trinity called its twelfth rector, the Reverend Julia E. Whitworth, its first female rector. A more recent chapter brought the Reverend Dr. Bradley Pace to the parish as rector and the Reverend Adam Pierce as senior associate rector.
Worship on Sundays at Trinity
Trinity's Sunday pattern offers three services across the morning, with formation for all ages woven between them.
The day begins at 8:00 AM with a spoken Holy Eucharist, Rite II, in the church. The service uses the modern-language Rite II eucharistic liturgy and includes a sermon, with no singing. It is recommended for anyone who prefers a smaller, quieter service.
From June through September, a brief and informal outdoor service, Eucharist in the Garden, takes place at 9:00 AM in the Lemler Garden. Formation classes pause for the summer, and the choir takes its break, so the parish gathers in the garden for a relaxed celebration with simple music.
The main Sunday service is the 10:30 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite II, in the church and online. The parish describes this service as formal yet festive - a liturgy of sacrament, preaching, and music for choir and congregation. Vestments and altar adornments change with the seasons of the liturgical year. Communion is open to all who seek Christ. Children serve as acolytes and choristers, and adults serve as lectors, chalice bearers, ushers, and lay Eucharistic ministers. The service is livestreamed on YouTube, with broadcasts typically beginning about five minutes before the scheduled start. Recent services remain available in an archive on Vimeo.
After each service, cookies, coffee, and other refreshments are offered in the Fortune Room year-round, with lemonade in the warmer months. The nursery is open from 8:45 AM until the close of the late morning service. During the 10:30 AM service, children preschool through Grade 4 are invited into the Holy Innocents Chapel for a children's liturgy of the word with the Reverend Rebecca Kirkpatrick, returning to the nave at the passing of the peace for communion.
Midweek Eucharist and the Rhythm of Prayer
On Wednesdays at 5:30 PM, the parish offers a short, spoken Midweek Eucharist in the church. The service follows the Episcopal calendar of daily commemorations and feasts and is recommended for anyone who prefers a smaller service without singing. Occasionally, a time of meditation with contemplative prayer is offered online on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM, led by Trinity parishioners.
For those in crisis, the pastoral phone line - 317-922-1477 - reaches the priest on call at any hour. The church's prayer list is published in the Sunday bulletin, and names remain on it for two weeks unless renewed.
Music: Choir, Choristers, and a Long-Tenured Director
Music is central to Trinity's identity. The Trinity Choir rehearses weekly on Wednesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 PM in the church and sings at the 10:30 AM service and for special occasions such as Choral Evensong, diocesan events, and concerts. The choir's 2026-27 schedule also includes a summer choir pilgrimage.
The Trinity Choristers welcome children age eight and older, with rehearsals on Tuesdays from 5:00 to 6:30 PM and singing in the church three Sundays each month. The choristers also sing for services of Evensong, holiday worship, and concerts. There is no requirement to be a member of Trinity and no cost to join.
Dr. Michael Messina, who was called to Trinity in 1995, leads both programs as Director of Music. Clare Hopp serves as Assistant Organist. The parish's musical life also includes services of Choral Evensong, organ recitals, and guest performances, which take place throughout the program year. Trinity's Acolytes - more than fifty children and youth in grades 4 through 12 - lead processions, light candles, and carry the cross, Gospel book, torches, and banners during worship.
Children, Youth, and the Journey to Adulthood
Trinity's formation programs for children and youth follow a four-year arc known as Journey to Adulthood, with two-year segments called Rite-13 and J2A. Nursery care is provided for infants through age three on Sundays from 9:00 AM until noon and for selected special services throughout the year. Sunday School for preschool through Grade 4 meets at 9:00 AM, followed by PRISM for Grades 5 through 7, Rite-13 for Grades 8 and 9, and Journey to Adulthood (J2A) for Grades 10 and 11. Formation classes pause for the summer.
Rite-13 works to establish cross-gender friendships, anchors the church as a safe place for teens, and builds shared memories. J2A celebrates the transition to adulthood, trains young people in the skills of adulthood, explores the mystery of the Christian heritage, and establishes the strength of community and liturgy. The program culminates in a spiritual pilgrimage. Past groups have traveled to Scotland, Alaska, Italy, the Dominican Republic, Canada, South Dakota, Calgary/Banff, and Rome and Assisi. The teens help pay for travel through volunteer activities and fundraisers.
The Reverend Rebecca Kirkpatrick serves as Associate Rector for Children and Families, and Missy Roetter serves as Youth and Parish Life Coordinator. Parents gather for a Parents in Conversation group on Sunday mornings during formation, with structured discussions on chosen topics; the group does not meet during summer.
Adult Faith Formation and the Reading of Books Together
Adults at Trinity have a wide menu of formation opportunities. A Sunday Adult Forum gathers in the Fortune Room before the late service for guest speakers, panel discussions, and parishioner presentations. Seasonal offerings during Advent, Epiphanytide, and Lent bring shared experiences of prayer, study, and spiritual formation.
Bible and book study groups include an online Monday Bible Study with the Reverend Mary Mail, meeting on Zoom from 10:00 to 11:00 AM; a Lectionary Bible Study in the Parish House Library on Sundays from 9:00 to 9:45 AM; and Education for Ministry (EfM), a four-year program from the School of Theology of the University of the South, meeting Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 PM in the Crist Room.
Common-interest and support groups add another layer. The Women's Reading Group meets on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 PM in the Fortune Room. The Trinity Men's Breakfast Club gathers on the first and third Wednesdays at 9:00 AM at the Lincoln Square Pancake House on Meridian Street. The Trinity Caregivers' Support Group meets online on the third Thursday of each month at 3:30 PM. Shepherds Groups meet monthly for dinner outings at local restaurants. Senior Luncheons, held once each spring and fall, bring together longtime and elderly members of the parish.
Sunday Dinner and the Wider Outreach Family
The Sunday Dinner ministry is one of Trinity's most visible commitments. Founded in 2007 by the Reverend Karen L. King and parishioner Diana Creasser, the ministry provides a hot meal to at least one hundred neighbors every Sunday of the year, no matter the weather. Second Helpings, Inc. - a core partner since the beginning - inspects Trinity's kitchen for safety and supplies the weekly entrée and other food items.
Trinity's broader work against food insecurity includes long-standing advocacy with Bread for the World, a collective Christian voice urging U.S. decision makers to end hunger. The parish also works with Faith in Indiana, a multiracial, nonpartisan coalition of faith communities, and the Greater Indianapolis Multifaith Alliance, which gathers faith leaders from diverse traditions to collaborate on civic projects for the common good.
The Outreach Center, Trinity Haven, and the Incubator Spirit
Trinity has long been described as an incubator for nonprofits addressing critical social needs. The Trinity Outreach Center provides below-market rental space to several not-for-profit partners on and near the church's campus:
- Mid-North Food Pantry, co-founded by Trinity with other neighborhood churches, enhances the health of mid-north neighborhoods by providing supplemental food and basic necessities to neighbors in need.
- Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic, a faith-based nonprofit housed in the Outreach Center, promotes justice through legal representation and legal education for low-income neighbors.
- St. Nicholas Early Learning, a high-quality, affordable, and inclusive program for infants, toddlers, and three-year-olds, was conceptualized and initiated by Trinity parishioners led by Jane Stephenson, became an independent corporate entity in January 2016, and remains housed in the Outreach Center.
- Trinity Haven, incubated at Trinity in 2017 and given a match grant and significant loan from the parish's Endowment Trustees and Vestry in 2018, became an independent 501(c)(3) in November 2018. It is the first new Cooperation Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis in two decades and operates Indiana's first residential facility and Host Homes Program focused on LGBTQ youth and young adults at risk for homelessness, with a long-term Transitional Living Program and a short-term Host Homes Program.
Trinity also sustains a refugee ministry through Exodus Refugee Indianapolis, companions two immigrant families through their transition to the city, and partners with Horizons at St. Richard's, a five-week summer enrichment program serving low-income public school students that began in 1996 and now serves 150 students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. In 2008, the parish partnered with Project Home Indy, which provides safe housing and other services for teen mothers and their children on the campus.
Trinity was also among the first churches in the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis to bless same-sex unions and, ultimately, same-sex weddings.
Pastoral Care, Prayer, and the Calling of the Clergy
Pastoral care is central to the parish's identity. Clergy are available to visit the hospital, offer counseling, and provide ministries of shared presence, listening, and support. A Card Ministry sends handwritten birthday and encouragement notes to those on the prayer list. A member of the clergy visits two local nursing homes once each month to administer Holy Eucharist to Trinity parishioners who live there. Lay Eucharistic Visitors take consecrated bread and wine to members of the congregation who cannot be present at Sunday celebrations.
The Social Justice and Racial Reconciliation Working Group, formed in 2016-2017 with the goal of becoming an anti-racist church, coordinates open dialogue about issues of justice and race for the parish and its neighbors.
Becoming a Member: Baptism, Confirmation, Reception
Trinity welcomes all who come through its doors and invites those who wish to formalize their connection to begin with enrollment of baptism. Baptism is incorporated into regular worship services on specified Sundays throughout the year - on the first Sunday after the Epiphany in January, at the Great Vigil of Easter, on the Day of Pentecost, on All Saints' Sunday in November, and on select Sundays in summer and early fall. Preparation classes for children can be arranged through the clergy.
Those who have already been baptized and wish to join Trinity complete a registration form, a practice sometimes called a transfer of letter. Those who have not been baptized meet with one of the clergy to prepare for baptism. Persons age sixteen or older who were baptized at an earlier age may make a public affirmation through Confirmation. Persons baptized and confirmed in another denomination may be received into the Episcopal Church, and those with prior Episcopal experience may renew their baptismal vows.
Weddings, Funerals, and the Columbarium
The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage is offered at Trinity as a service of Christian worship following the service outlined in the Book of Common Prayer. At least one of the parties must be a baptized Christian. Couples who are parishioners or whose families are members of the parish are warmly welcomed, and those who are not yet parishioners are expected to attend Sunday services and become acquainted with the parish before inquiring about the church as a wedding location.
The parish also accompanies members through times of sorrow and loss. Funerals at Trinity can be small and intimate or large and formal, often include Holy Eucharist, and frequently include music. The church offers space for family and friends to gather before and after services.
Trinity continues the early Christian tradition of caring for the burial of its members by maintaining a columbarium, an arrangement of permanent niches for the interment of cremated remains, with a limited number of niches available.
Visiting Trinity: Parking, What to Wear, What to Expect
Free parking is available in the paved, fenced lot just north of the church, across 33rd Street at the corner of 33rd and Meridian. Visitors can enter the church under the narrow archway that faces the parking lot, through the wooden doors closest to Meridian Street, or enter through the larger archway at the gate to access the Lemler Garden, Holy Innocents Chapel, Fortune Room, Crist Room, and accessible restrooms.
Wheelchair-accessible entrances to the church are located on both the north and south sides of the tower. The school entrance is on 33rd Street. The church office, located in a Tudor-style building directly south of the church, is reached by a ramp from the south parking lot.
Parishioners regularly describe Trinity as welcoming and inclusive across faith background, race, sexual orientation, political views, and economic status. The sanctuary carries the same sense of Tudor-era England that the architecture suggests from the street. Clergy, choir, and youth acolytes wear robes and vestments; most people in the pews are comfortable in business-casual dress. Visitors are given an easy-to-follow bulletin so they always know where they are in the service and are welcome to participate as much or as little as they wish - or simply to sit quietly and observe. Communion is open to all who seek Christ.
A welcome card is available during services, and a welcome desk sits just outside the Fortune Room. Newcomers who fill out a card may be invited to coffee by a member of the clergy to share more about the parish.
Leadership and the Diocesan Family
The Reverend Dr. Bradley Pace serves as Rector. The Reverend Adam Pierce serves as Senior Associate Rector. The Reverend Rebecca Kirkpatrick serves as Associate Rector for Children and Families. Dr. Michael Messina has served as Director of Music since 1995, with Clare Hopp as Assistant Organist and Missy Roetter as Youth and Parish Life Coordinator. The Right Reverend Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis, is the diocesan bishop. A volunteer Vestry, the parish's lay governing council, is elected at the January annual meeting and works closely with the rector on mission, operations, finances, and property.
Giving and the Trinity Legacy Fund
Members of Trinity support the parish's ministry through annual pledges, which allow the Vestry to build a budget for the coming year. Additional gifts can be placed in the Sunday offering basket, mailed to the church office, set up through automatic bill paying, sent by texting the word trinityindy to 73256, or given online. Directed giving supports special furnishings and particular ministries, and gifts may be dedicated in memory or in honor of loved ones. Planned giving through the Trinity Legacy Fund is supported by clergy who can direct members to financial advisors with expertise in a wide range of giving options.
In January 2019, the Endowment Trustees introduced a Faith- and Goals-Based Approach to Investment, aligning the parish's investment strategy with Episcopal values and contemporary innovations in fund management. At the close of one hundred years of ministry at 33rd and Meridian, Trinity remains, in the words of its history, still growing, still seeking the will of God and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in all it is called to do and to be in the century ahead.