This is us!

“This is us” features a rotating group of regular Trinity parishioners who want to tell you what this church means to them. 
We will regularly introduce new profiles.
Our goal is to help you see that we are a diverse, committed, and involved community. Please join us!

Toni Green

I’m Toni Green, Fred Green’s wife. Most of you don’t know me because until recently I was working in Cambridge MA and attended Trinity now and then; and when I did attend I went to the 8am service.
I am now retired and spending considerably more time in Newport, except Covid came so we were quarantined like everyone else.
We’re back to Covid church services and so 10am is my mass time. Hope to meet more of you now that we are worshiping together.

Bastian Schweibenz

Hi, my name is Bastian Schweibenz.  I am six-years old.  I attend Trinity along with my Mom and Dad and my Grandmother.  My Mom is the current Senior Warden at Trinity. 

 I have attended Trinity since I was a small baby and even was baptized at the church in 2014.  I also attend St. Michaels Country Day School here in Newport and I love it. 

My favorite things about Trinity Church are the Pumpkin Patch, Easter Egg hunt, Sunday Stories, and running around the churchyard after services with my Trinity friends.

 I have two dogs – Maggie the Great Dane and Nina the German Shephard – and they are beautiful and awesome!

 I look forward to completing my training to become an usher at some point in the future.

Andrea Restrepo

I moved to Newport in 2014 from the San Francisco Bay Area where I had lived and raised my family for 24 years. I am a native of Los Angeles and enjoyed a childhood growing up in Honolulu sneaking a stop in Dallas for college.  I live less than a block away from Trinity Church where I can hear the bell chime every hour of every day reminding me of life’s journey. My daughter visits often but resides in Los Angeles and my son is a first responder living in Newport.

What inspires me are the nameless Founders of our country who fought for the creation of a new nation and for religious freedom.  Many of those brave people worshiped at Trinity Church.  I am grateful for the opportunity to pray with an uplifting, welcoming and spiritual community that continues to weave its history.

Norris and Terry Commodore

Terry and Norris joined Trinity two years ago, after making our last move – to beautiful Newport – having lived in Connecticut, Dubliln, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Norris is retired from IBM, and Terry is retired from a career in paper manufacturing. We had been college sweethearts, now married for 46 years. We have two grown children and one perfect granddaughter. We spent a few months church-shopping after arriving in Newport, and we were immediately taken by the warm welcome and sense of being family at Trinity. Norris is now a member of the Vestry and an usher. Terry is a worship assistant, a member of the Alter Guild, and one of Trinity’s tour guides. Both of us are active in providing Trinity’s Community meals.

Frankie Hutton

When I came to Newport 20 years ago, Trinity was a must see because of its historical tradition. I did go to all the other Episcopal churches, but Trinity was the most welcoming. Every week I made a new friend. Despite being from all over the country, people with shared traditions and values seemed like a large family. A number of these people became role models for me. The clergy here, especially Nigel Andrews and Alan Neale, have been the most inspiring I have ever known.

I have attended Adult Sunday School whenever possible and helped in children’s Sunday School. I have participated in guiding, gardening, hosting coffee hour, crafts, and women’s groups. I could watch a very good service online from the Washington National Cathedral, but I would miss the fellowship here. For all these reasons I think I have grown in Christ here. I am grateful for Trinity as a spiritual home because I do not think I could survive in a contemporary secular world.

One final thought: when I sit here and think of the people who have sat and prayed here before me (esp George Washington, Oliver Hazard Perry and Benjamin Waterhouse) and what they were able to go out and do, it is overpowering.

Fred Green

Hi, I’m Fred Green. My wife Toni is a native of Newport, and when I retired, she wanted to move back to Newport. We moved here in 2005. I worked first in Providence and later in Boston. We split our time between Newport and Providence and later between Newport and Boston.

I am a lifelong Episcopalian and have always been very active in the church. We attended several churches but did not become members. Four years ago I started to spend six to seven months in Newport, and we decided it was time to make a commitment to a church. We chose Trinity because we felt comfortable with the clergy and the people. I was impressed with the community meal, the Pumpkin Patch and many other activities.

I am currently a member of the Vestry and the church Treasurer.

THIS IS ALL OF US

That’s right, we’ve had to go virtual as parishioners, as a community, and as safety-concious citizens.  But This is Us right now under coronavirus social distancing.  And it’s working….we are virtual, but we are in touch, in faith, and in community with each other via computer rather than in person.  The reason this is working for us is that we have been a tightly knit community of faith before social distancing, and we’ve found a way to be a community still virtually.  Till the health emergency is over, THIS IS US!

Phillip Wilson

I came to Newport 10 1/2 years ago and began attending Trinity shortly afterward. It was a time quite like today with our church in transition, but with the leadership of Fathers Dobbins and Koumrian it seemed that the community had great strength. That meant a lot to me, much as with Father Alan and Bishop Jim today. Friends here and the parish as a whole have a wonderful staying power.  Additionally, with an amateur’s interest in architecture and experience in historic restoration, our church building and the campus are important to me. I have had the honor to serve on our Vestry and briefly as Assistant Treasurer. I also headed a parish fact-finding group in the early phase of our Capital Campaign. I currently one of the Head Ushers and am active with TLC.

Kim Ficaro

I am a native Rhode Islander who lives in an area that is steeped in history and a rich, beautiful coastline.  I have always been drawn to the ocean, so living in Newport was a natural choice.  John and I married in 2017, creating a wonderful new family.  We have three beautiful sons: Tyler, James, and Marc. The search was on for a new home and place to worship.  We had always admired this historic and majestic church on the hill in Queen Anne’s Square.   It was the architecture that intrigued me initially; however, it was the immediate, welcoming and inclusive spirit I encountered that was so appealing to me.  I have made many new friends at Trinity, and I feel blessed to worship at a church as beautiful inside as it is outside.

Tut Tuttle

Hi!  I’m Tut Tuttle.  I show up every year at Trinity’s Annual Meeting in a downeast story told as part of Jeff Gordon’s Investment Report.  It seems that I’ve taken on a Trinity Church persona of my own, and everyone looks forward to my annual shenanigans.   Come to the 2020 Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 26th to find out about my latest adventures.

Chrissy Pimentel

As a lifelong Trinitarian, I am proud to be part of this caring church family.  I’ve served on the Vestry and have been an active participant in many of our parish committees and activities, most recently co-chairing the Silver Tea, serving on the Altar Guild, and being a member of the Discernment Team, searching for a new rector.  I am happy to be called an “8 o’clocker”, that faithful group that warms up the pews first on Sunday mornings!  My love for this church runs deep and through the years, I have seen Trinity go through many challenges and changes.  In the end, the one thing that remains constant is not only our commitment to God and to this place we call home, but to each other.

Camilla Bradley and Boe (3½)

When I first lived in Newport, I had no family here except Husha Auchincloss, my godfather. He was my bridge to Trinity when I was a single mother living here. Husha died the day of my wedding to my husband Joe. At my wedding, my older son, Jack, walked me down the aisle of Trinity holding Husha’s cane…that way he was indeed part of my wedding on the day of his death. So I was married at Trinity and both my sons were baptized here. It is our church.

John Ficaro

The meaning of church has changed for me over the years. From when I was young, attending Catholic mass until recently, becoming an Episcopalian over a year ago. I find that as I have aged, going to church allows me to enter the week feeling renewed and often leaves me thinking about things in my life I could improve on…it prompts me to actively seek God through the week. Trinity has opened its arms to my wife, Kim, and me and has welcomed us into its family.

Larry Glenn

Trinity is beautiful Church! In addition to being beautiful, the parish does a lot of good things like providing community meals. Helping with this creates a deep sense of satisfaction and a lot of fellowship with others in the Parish.

Rob Walker

When I first came to Newport thirty years ago I was immediately drawn to Trinity Church because of its architectural beauty and significance along with its long important history.

I was further attracted by the bright, serene space and strong musical tradition. Since then, despite some rocky and uncertain years, my love has deepened through active participation as an usher, soup kitchen volunteer, choir member, and lay reader. Most of all, my affection stems from many caring parishioners and great shepherds such as Nigel Andrews, Paul Koumrian, and Alan Neale who have inspired and guided me.

Madeline (age 10) and Campbell (age 13) Carr

According to the children’s mother, D’Arcy Carr, “Trinity is a happy place and a spiritual home for our family.  When the kids were little, I would let them bring books and they would sit on the floor of the box pews.  Sunday mornings were my time for pause and reflection and I loved that Trinity made it so easy to bring little kids to church.   Now that they are older, they participate fully in parish life, and I hope that gives them a foundation and a framework to help them navigate the highs and lows and inevitable challenges on their journey to adulthood.  Of course, if you asked them their favorite part of Trinity, they would probably list: coffee hour, box pews, Sunday stories, listening to the choir, communion, helping out at pumpkin patch, and serving community meal.”

Heather de Pinho

My husband, Michael, and I moved to Newport nearly 21 years ago and opened up the Samuel Durfee House Bed and Breakfast.  We visited Trinity Church the winter of 2018 when we were looking for a church home.  The priests and parishioners were so welcoming that we never looked elsewhere!  Two years later, we welcomed our son, Jaxson, who was baptized in this beautiful and historic church. I came from the Methodist Church and went through the adult confirmation classes and was formally received into the Episcopal Church after my son was born.  I felt a true connection to the spiritual life at Trinity.  My husband and I have both served on the Vestry and been involved in many different committees. There are many things that I love about Trinity Church but what I love most is the sense of community.  Trinity is made up of a diverse group of people and everyone is so kind, friendly and helpful to each other.  I love being part of such a wonderful community!

Debby Lengyel

We Lengyel’s came to Trinity 28 years ago for the Baptism of our oldest child Erik and found a warm and welcoming community. My daughter Kait calls Trinity her other family and when she comes home is excited to come to services to see her extended family. I have been involved in everything from reading to running the Sunday School and have been on the Vestry twice. I have loved volunteering at the Founders Day Fair, Silver Tea, Pumpkin Patch, and Strawberry Festival.  I like to seek out unfamiliar faces on Sundays to personally welcome them to Trinity Church.  I love when someone comes back to me later and says thank you, we stayed and we love it here. I love it here.  I am a home care nurse and Patrick is a chef at Roger Williams University and our 2 children were brought up here. I continually am fed in many different ways at Trinity Church. At this time I am working with the design committee for the new building and am excited to be involved with Trinity’s next chapter.