Light on the Faith Journey: My First Easter at Trinity

by Gretchen J.

In August of 2008, I set foot in Trinity for the first time as a guest of my roommate Heather. I had just returned to New York after spending two years in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and I regretted having to leave the small, liberal, welcoming (Catholic) church I loved in Boston. Though I immediately felt a connection to Trinity, I was dead set on finding a Catholic community to be my spiritual home in the big city. So I set out on a “church shopping” expedition. Oh boy did I shop! I went to small churches and big churches, churches close to home and churches far. I found parishes with mostly older congregants and parishes with vibrant young adult groups. I sampled churches that were recommended to me and churches I stumbled across. But not one felt just right.

In between all this searching, I would attend service at Trinity with Heather. Each time, something struck a chord with me; Pastor Heidi’s sermon would soothe some trouble I was experiencing, or the music would bring tears to my eyes, or someone in the congregation would remember my name (most likely all three would happen on the same Sunday!). Each time, I found the combination of qualities I so desperately wished a Catholic church could have: female priest (check), a focus on the social gospel (check), inclusiveness (check), a warm and friendly congregation (double check!).

Anyone raised in the Catholic Church knows that it is an incredibly frustrating and challenging church to be part of—in one breath I can defend and condemn it as only a person born into it can. But for me, letting go of my Catholic identity was (and is) an equally challenging thing to do. Over time, however, I got tired of wishing I would find a church like Trinity; if Trinity already existed, why not just become a member? So I dropped all of my Lutheran vs. Catholic questioning and decided to take the plunge.

Finding and joining Trinity has been a beautiful detour on the journey of my faith life. Of course I still pray and hold out hope that the Catholic Church will someday accept everyone in the way that Trinity Lutheran does. For now, I feel blessed to have found this oasis on W. 100^th Street and I look forward to sharing a joyful first Easter season with my new faith community.