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VERO BEACH, FLORIDA: Trinity Episcopal Church makes changes

VERO BEACH, FLORIDA: Trinity Episcopal Church makes changes

By L.L. Angell
Vero Beach Newsweekly
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2013/jul/31/were-not-the-frozen-chosen-trinity-episcopal/
July 31, 2013

When Father Chris Rodriguez brought his family here from New Jersey last September becoming Trinity Episcopal Church's new rector, he discovered a congregation that was hurting and needed help.

A little over two years ago, a doctrinal split within the congregation prompted approximately three-fourths of its members to leave. Most followed the former Reverend Loren Coyle, the church's rector at the time, creating the breakaway, Christ Church at K-Mart Plaza. Soon after, Coyle left the ministry.

"When I came, Trinity hadn't had any leadership in a long time," says Rodriguez. "My job is to steer the ship. People have been receptive, maybe struggling a little, but they're learning to trust me. I invite them to vent and remind them this is a fresh start."

It's not the first time Rodriguez has rebuilt a crumbling church. At his previous church in Red Bank, N.J. (also called Trinity Episcopal) Rodriguez nearly doubled the attendance and the average age of members dropped from 65 to 37.

That's what he and his wife, Kathy, director of parish life, want to do here. In fact, it's happening already. Attendance is consistently up 25 percent or more on Sundays. More young families are joining and many who left are returning.

Rodriguez calls them the leavers and the stayers.

"Whenever people return, I've asked the "leavers" if the "stayers" have welcomed them back," he says. "Everyone tells me they've been treated charitably."

Rodriguez has a three-fold plan: traditional worship, Biblical preaching and family focus. As part of that, he's reaching out to the community.

While a substantial number of the church's members live on the barrier island, the Rodriguezes bought a house on the mainland.

"We're making a deliberate effort to be both an island and mainland church. Our parishioners want to broaden our demographics. We're not 'the frozen chosen.' Anybody who wants to meet the Lord can come here," says Rodriguez.

A lot has changed in just 10 months. Trinity is launching its first Vacation Bible School in eight years and participation isn't restricted to Episcopalians.

"Anyone in the community is welcome to join us," says Kathy Rodriguez. "The curriculum is based around 'Surfing for Our Savior: Catching a Wave for Christ.'"

The program spans five days, Aug. 5-9, from 9 a.m. to noon and is open to children five and up.

Continuing the focus on youth, Trinity has just hired Deacon Jason Murbarger, who will also serve as chaplain at Saint Edward's School.

There's a centuries-old relationship between Episcopal churches and schools originating with the Anglican Church in the United Kingdom. Saint Edward's School was founded in 1965, keeping with the Episcopal School Tradition.

"As a result of a mutually beneficial and cooperative effort between Trinity Episcopal Church and Saint Edward's School, we are delighted to have Deacon Jason Murbarger join us as our Chaplain and greatly look forward to having his presence on our campus," says Bruce Wachter, associate head of school.

Murbarger will be involved in every grade, conducting chapel services four times a week, and teaching a ninth-grade ethics class and an eighth -grade character education class.

As a newly ordained deacon, Murbarger was invited to preach at the school's Baccalaureate.

"I got a very positive response," he says. "I think families and faculty are both excited and so am I. They seem like great people. I'm looking forward to working there."

"I know that he will be a fine addition not only to Saint Edward's and Trinity but to the greater Vero Beach community as well," says Wachter.

A big man with a warm smile, Murbarger has a surprising amount in common with Rodriguez. Both men are 43 and fathers who left successful business careers for the seminary.

Holding a master's degree in organizational psychology from North Carolina State University, Rodriguez worked as a systems engineer with a health-care company and calls himself a "left-brain skeptic."

"That work was good preparation for what I'm doing now," he says, "but I've known since the fifth-grade I was called to be a priest."

Raised Catholic, Rodriguez rarely went to church but attended Catholic School where he grew up in Westchester, Pa.

"I was no choirboy but I remember the priest giving the blessing at the end of Eucharist and I made the sign of the cross back to him. Everyone laughed but I felt so connected and I knew," Rodriguez says.

Still he wanted to ask questions and debate ideas.

"In the Roman church they tell you what to think. That's what I like about the Anglican church. It allows you to exercise your intellect and ask questions," he says.

The Rodriguezes have three daughters, Aimee, 14, Catherine, 12, and Grace, 7, who attend Saint Edward's School.

Murbarger left a self-directed career in commercial real estate in Charleston, S.C. to answer God's call. Although a lifelong Episcopalian, vestry member and Sunday school teacher, Murbarger never expected this.

"It was a true Damascus road event loud and clear," he says referring to Paul's conversion experience en route to Damascus.

This May, Murbarger completed three years of study at Nashotah House, a seminary near Milwaukee.

"God willing, six months from now I'll be eligible for ordination into the priesthood," he says.

Calling these life events a great blessing, Murbarger welcomes the opportunity to renew and solidify the relationship between Trinity and Saint Edward's.

Married and the father of two boys, he marvels at how easy the move to Vero Beach has been.

"Jarrod is 18 and starting his freshman year at Clemson College in South Carolina. Jordan is a rising 10th-grader at Vero Beach High School. He's already taken surfing lessons and is working as a busboy at the Citrus Grill. He loves it," says Murbarger with a smile.

The last piece of Trinity news involves youth and music. Starting September 2013, the church will offer a unique vocal training program for aspiring singers grades six through 12.

The Royal School of Church Music, RSCM, is an international charity committed to high quality choral music. Its program, Voice for Life, provides musical education and summer courses to aspiring choristers.

Jason Horbratschk, organist and choirmaster at Trinity since August 2010, has just returned from Charlotte, Va., and an intensive course with world renowned choral directors.

END

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