Trinity Episcopal Church is a congregation that is part
of the Episcopal Diocese of Wisconsin.
The volunteer organization that pays attention to the spiritual leadership and the fiduciary leadership of the church is called the Vestry. There are nine elected people who are the Vestry, plus the congregational leader called the Senior Warden, and the Facility leader called the Junior Warden. Each of the Vestry members is on a committee, Worship, Finance, Hospitality, Outreach, The priest of the church is called the Rector, the Rector leads the Vestry. The vestry also includes a treasurer, appointed by the Rector.
The diocese was formed after Jackson Kemper was named the Episcopal Church's first missionary bishop and oversaw the church's mission to the Northwest Territories from 1835 to 1859. He became provisional bishop of Wisconsin from 1847 to 1854 and first bishop of the Diocese of Wisconsin from 1854 to 1870.
In 1875, the Diocese of Fond du Lac was created to serve the northeastern 26 counties of the state. The Diocese of Eau Claire was formed out of the diocese in 1928 for the counties in the northwestern part of Wisconsin. The Diocese of Wisconsin became the Diocese of Milwaukee in 1886.
In 2021, it was announced that the dioceses of Fond du Lac, Eau Claire, and Milwaukee would contemplate entering into an agreement of greater collaboration. In October 2021, it was announced that the three dioceses would actively pursue reuniting as one diocese in Wisconsin. In May 2024, a special joint convention was held in Baraboo, Wisconsin, officiated by the Rt. Rev. Matthew Gunter, where the three dioceses voted to rejoin as one. This decision was confirmed by the 81st General Convention of The Episcopal Church in Louisville, Kentucky on June 28, 2024.
The Diocese is led by a Bishop. The Bishop is the spiritual and fiduciary leader of the diocese, with an executive committee and a finance committee. The Bishop has staff as needed. One of the responsibilities of the Bishop is to support congregations and clergy by visiting each congregation, when the Bishop visits, the congregation will often have those who have been preparing, confirmed. When a diocese is in transition between bishops, the Standing Committee acts as the ecclesiastical authority (the Bishop). At the congregation’s annual meeting, four people are elected as representatives to the Diocesan Convention, which meets yearly.
“We are Focused on Jesus Christ
Centered in prayer and worship
Committed to living the radical love of Jesus and participating in God’s mission of justice, reconciliation, and repair
We seek to be a church in which
All are welcome
All are encouraged
All are challenged
All are transformed by the Holy Spirit”
The Episcopal Church is headquartered in New York, however, many staff people work locally. The Episcopal Church meets in convention every three years. Those who have been elected by their diocese as representatives (both lay and clergy) are deputies and meet in the House of Deputies. The Bishops of the dioceses meet in the House of Bishops. The one who leads the House of Deputies is called the President of the House of Deputies, and that is The Rev. Gay Clark Jennings. The one who leads the House of Bishops is called the Presiding Bishop and that is The Right Reverend Michael Curry .
“Being a Christian is not essentially about joining a church or being a nice person, but about following in the footsteps of Jesus, taking his teachings seriously, letting his Spirit take the lead in our lives, and in so doing helping to change the world from our nightmare into God’s dream.”