Visitors' Guide

Here is some basic information to ease your first visit to Trinity:

Worship Services: You may choose among 5 weekend services, each with a different style. All include some ancient ways of praying, to help give a sense of enduring truths. Saturday at 5:10 is the most casual service, with a mix of music, including contemporary and chant. Sundays: 7:30 is traditional hymns with Elizabethan language, which is quite poetic. 9:00 is contemporary with our Celebration Choir, piano and guitar. 11:15 includes the formal Cathedral Choir and organ. 12:45 is a simple, spoken service with no music.

If you have children: Nursery care for children through three years of age is available during all of our weekend services. During the 9:00 and 11:15 services, young children may follow an escort to “children’s chapel,” which happens while the sermon is being given. The children return to receive communion with their parents. Parents are welcome to attend Children’s Chapel with their children. Sunday school classes for all ages take place at 10:15, between the 9:00 and 11:00 services.

Where to park: On Saturday nights there is usually ample parking on the street. If you park in the garage on 27th and N St. after 5pm, you can receive a voucher at the service that will allow you to leave the garage for free. On Sunday mornings, there is an attendant at the 27th and N St. garage entrance who will let you in and out of the garage for free.

What to expect: When you arrive, an usher will give you a service program and an announcement sheet. The service program will have everything you need to fully participate in the service. The announcement sheet features upcoming classes and events. Sit wherever you like in the cathedral. The service begins with a greeting from a clergyperson and the opening hymn. The first half of the service consists of readings, prayers and the sermon. The second half of the service consists of Holy Communion. Everybody is welcome to receive communion. If you don’t want communion, you are welcome to come forward for a blessing or you can simply remain in your seat.

The Newcomer Gift: During announcements (half way through the service), the ushers will hand out gifts to all visitors. There is also a visitor card that we invite you to fill out. The card gives us a record of your visit and also allows us to respond to your interests. You will not be permanently added to our mailing list nor will you be inundated with mail from us.

The Newcomer Class: There is a six-session newcomer class that meets at 10:15 on Sunday mornings. You can attend any of the sessions you would like; you do not have to start with the first one and go through all six. Newcomer Class schedule (PDF).

The Offering: During the service we “pass the plate” so people can present their offering to be blessed prior to celebrating communion. While generosity is an important spiritual practice for members of Trinity Cathedral, it might feel awkward for visitors. So please, if you are visiting us, feel free to be our guest and simply pass the plate on to the person next to you.

Getting Involved: You are welcome to come and worship without fearing that anyone expects you to get involved in groups and activities. For those who are looking for ways to be engaged, Trinity Cathedral is a profoundly active community. From arranging the flowers and baking the bread for services to visiting folks who are sick, to teaching and attending classes to feeding the homeless, if there is something you are interested in doing, there is probably a group that is doing it. Any of the clergy would be happy to help you find your niche. The newcomers class and the webpage are other good ways to learn about opportunities for involvement.