January 10, 2011
By Gillian R. Barr

More than 100 people from throughout the Diocese of San Diego celebrated the resumption of Episcopal worship and ministry at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Ocean Beach with a joyful "Service of Hope and Healing" Jan. 9.

In 2006 the majority of Trinity's then-congregation voted to leave the Episcopal Church. After several years of legal proceedings the California Supreme Court ordered the parish's property returned to the diocese, which it was on December 31.

Bishop James R. Mathes preached and presided at the service, which included the celebration of the Eucharist, renewal of baptismal vows, and prayers and anointing for healing.

Jesus' baptism inaugurated his public ministry on the Galilean coast, and the service on the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord inaugurated a new era in Trinity's 90-year presence in coastal Ocean Beach, focused on global and local outreach and mission.

The service's offering raised more than $2,000 to help rebuild the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti's (http://www.egliseepiscopaledhaiti.org/) Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, also named Holy Trinity, and there were also extensive prayers for Sudan.

In his sermon, Mathes recalled the words Bishop Francis Eric Bloy used when consecrating the present church building in 1952, "The doors of this church stand open always to offer peace and sanctuary to everyone, regardless of creed." Remarking on the new banner outside the church proclaiming "The Episcopal Church Welcomes You," Mathes said, "there is no qualification to the word ‘you.' All are welcome."

Mathes described a vision for the church complex as "Trinity Ministry Center," a mission outpost in the local community and a center for ministry for the diocese.

"This church is a tremendous resource, situated in a community with great need, and our task is to discern how best to put that resource to work meeting that need, through worshiping, teaching, and serving," Mathes said.

The buildings continue to host an ecumenical food bank, regular meals for the homeless and other outreach ministries. Nancy Holland, a parishioner at nearby All Souls Episcopal Church, Point Loma, helped welcome the existing ministries on behalf of the local Episcopal community. "There is a lot of energy about doing local ministry here – people are just coming forward and volunteering. And it's exciting to see a full church and feel the support of the whole diocese," she said.

The complex may eventually house diocesan offices as well.

Sandi May was a member at Trinity, Ocean Beach for many years. She and her husband were married there and their daughter was baptized there, but, she said, in recent years, with the parish's firm stance against the full ministry of women, they no longer felt welcome, and now worship at All Souls.

"Trinity has a long history in this community, more than just the past 20 years, and it was good to acknowledge that and begin to move forward. It felt like I was home again. This week, and today, I could feel the beginning of healing. And it was good to see people worshiping here who would not have been welcome before – there were gay and lesbian people in the congregation this morning, and today was also the first time a woman has ever helped administer communion here," she said.

In his sermon Mathes told the story of a group that organized a rescue society along a dangerous coast to save shipwrecked sailors. Over time their group became so successful that they also built a clubhouse and had many social functions. Eventually they became so focused on these other activities that their lifeboats were abandoned, the lighthouse lamp burned out and sailors again perished on the rocks.

Trinity Ministry Center will be about "the business of healing and hope – the business of being a rescue station for people in peril," he said.

After the congregation received communion, consecrated bread and wine were placed in the empty tabernacle. As he lighted the sanctuary lamp, Mathes proclaimed, "The lighthouse is back in business!"

Episcopal News Service
The Rev. Gillian R. Barr is the Episcopal campus missioner to the University of California, San Diego, and deacon associate at Good Samaritan Episcopal Church in San Diego.