Editor’s note: This message was originally shared publicly by the rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Natchitoches. We are sharing it with readers as it highlights ongoing community work and outreach efforts taking place locally.
I am reaching out to all my family and friends who may be willing to support a charitable organization that is trying to make a difference in their community—whether you live in Natchitoches or New York or New Zealand—if you’re someone who still believes the world can be better – more importantly, if you want to help keep a house of God available to everyone, I want to invite you into something practical and powerful.
For those of you who don’t know, I run Trinity Episcopal Church in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Becoming a priest has been a gift I cannot explain in a Facebook post, but at the same time, it is an incredibly difficult time to be one, far harder than I ever imagined.
Trinity is striving to be a house of God that lives into Jesus’ life and example.
- We are a place were people in recovery can meet safely and with dignity.
- Trinity hosted a Pride Mass this year – the first Natchitoches has ever seen – with a goal of making sure all our LGBTQ+ neighbors – especially our local college students and the high school students of our local arts and sciences boarding school – can feel safe, treated with respect and dignity and, most importantly, know that they are beloved by God exactly as they are.
- We are also a place that hosted a Red Mass to honor the justice workers of our community – our judges, lawyers, police, firefighters, and first responders – we want them to know that the ministry they do is overwhelmingly important to all of us, and to God.
- We have a food pantry to support our community members in need.
- We serve on the board of a local non-profit mental health resource organization (Mind Over Matters) because we are strongly committed to advocating for mental health and mental health awareness.
There’s a million other little things that make Trinity special. Bottom line, we are a little church, in a little town, trying very hard to follow Christ’s example, to stand with those on the margins, to care for anyone and everyone we can, and to be a house of worship that is a safe haven for everyone – no exceptions.
It’s a hard place to be sometimes, but it is deeply important and I need your help – we need your help. If you have it in you ability to support our efforts, we would greatly appreciate it. You can set up a recurring pledge to our church, or you can make a one-time payment. Any amount would be helpful.
This is an institution that deserves your support. Things in our world are incredibly hard at the moment, I promise with all that I am that we are trying to be more – we are trying our very best to live into Christ’s countercultural example.
If you can support us, please visit http://www.trinitynatchla.org and select the “Online Giving Form” tab.
If you have any questions, feel free to call our church office at 318-352-3113 or contact me directly at 443-734-4243. Thank you for whatever help you can give, we appreciate your support in keeping us going in our ministries and place in this community.
With love,
Kris+
Kristen E Paul, Rector at Trinity Episcopal Church in Natchitoches, Louisiana
