Trinity Episcopal Church On the Green

A relationship with God is deeply personal and has nothing to do with how ‘cool’ a church is decorated… (how EVER to people tolerate going to ‘church’ in third world countries! UGH!)
…or how AMAZING a singer is (Dove Award singers only please!!!)…
if you’re not there for the RIGHT reasons and allow your spirit to be fed with SOMETHING from visiting with other believers… then you’re there to judge and people bash.
It’s not about the bricks and mortar.
It’s not even about the PEOPLE!
It’s the walk and relationship.
That simple.
And.
Anyone or any negative review of a CHURCH with anything less than «they assaulted me» or «the pastor punched me in the face» is kindaaa a little missing the point that that PERSONAL pursuit of worshiping God is… personal.
If it’s not for you, and you’re looking for something different… then you gently acknowledge that you need something different the next week.
Geesh.
And Christians are supposed to be the judgemental ones.

I don’t know if this was written by a member of the congregation, but today, in response to my negative review, I received the following message through the contact form on one of my websites. The person did not include a name, reply email, or other contact.
The email I received was:
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You think you can sing better? I dare you. I double dog dare you to listen to the music embedded on this website and tell me again that these guys can’t sing. This choir is invited to sing around the world. Your very cavalier attitude to Epi
scopal churches in general, and Trinity in particular, makes me believe you trash churches as routine, as part of your schtick. I down vote all of your reviews, and anyone you rate low, I will assume to be the opposite.
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One clarification, I was pointing out that the congregation could not sing well, not the choir. I think this is an important distinction. I am impressed by this church’s choir from the link attached; however, they were not performing at the week I visited the church, and the people in the congregation there really could not sing well. It’s important to me to find a church where at least some substantial proportion of the congregation sings in harmony and with some level of passion or enthusiasm – I don’t really care whether they’re in tune or. have good tone. I just want some energy and harmony.
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I also think that this person was jumping to conclusions that I «trash churches as routine». I have had a more positive experience at other churches. Here are a few of them that I’ve written about on Unilocal:
I had a bad experience when visiting this church. I do think I was unduly harsh and judgmental in my review, and have adjusted my review to adopt a more neutral tone that is simply descriptive of the experience I had there. However, my experience at the church was real and was not particularly positive, and I think it’s not appropriate or constructive to dismiss me as a human being just because I did not find the church to be meaningful, relevant, or welcoming. That was my experience, and I felt it was a worthwhile thing to write about it.

Amazing, church, welcoming, warm, very active in the community. There is a place for everyone at Trinity. Whatever your gig, there will be a place for you to bring your talents. From the youth group, to the 20’s-30’s single group, to the house churches, to the theater group. A great singer? There are the professional Men and Girls, Men and Boy’s choirs. A good singer? The Trinity singers are for you. Like gospel music? The Spirit singers will lift your soul. There is the shawl ministry, who make shawls for those in pain. There are the missionary trips to help out places like New Orleans and small towns in Appalachia get back on their feet. The altar guild makes the place shine. The ushers make everyone feel welcome. The Holiday Bazaar committee lets everyone bring their talents to pay. The church has windows made by Tiffany, yes, that Tiffany, and the Bazaar raises the money to have the windows restored for the next 100 years.
Trinity church was so welcoming to me I changed my religion to join, although that isn’t necessary.
Our newest mission is to host, with IRIS, relocating a family from Iraq.
If the first reviewer was honest, his review reads like he went into the service with a huge chip on his shoulder waiting for someone to knock it off, and was disappointed when no one rose to the bait.

Alex,
I assume you go to Yale.
With all due respect I was a member of Christ Church, that which you praised, and am now a member of Trinity Church, that which you were super critical of. Let me say, that of the many Episcopal Churches I visited after leaving the aforementioned congregation, Trinity was the friendliest, most open, and most accepting. Let me also remind you that being High Church does not give you the right to insult others who aren’t. Frankly, friends of mine at a VERY prominent Anglo-​Catholic parish in Philadelphia look with sadness at what has insured at Christ Church over the past 5 years.
It’s not easy to leave a High Church parish for broad church institution, but the clergy, congregation, and musicians at Trinity made me feel at home, comfortable, accepted, and were/​are respectful of my Anglo-​Catholic ideations. When I retune to Christ Church I cant even get a hello from the priest and half the parishioners don’t talk to me, although I was a member, very active (sub deacon, Master of ceremonies, etc.) for ten years! If you want a church that is welcoming of Yale and employs dry, academic preaching then Christ Church is for you. If you are looking for a welcoming, very active congregation with kind people, preaching to the masses, and great music, then I suggest Trinity.

This church has everything for everyone. Their first service is «old-​school» and if you were raised in that tradition, it will be a good match. The second service is a bit more modern. The last service is much less formal. I’ve been to all three. The first and third weren’t for me but the second was a great match. This may seem irrelevant but it really does matter. I got much more out of the 2^nd service than I did the other two because I wasn’t focusing on extraneous factors.