Trinity Staff

Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Applegate

stephen@trinitytoledo.org
Interim Rector

Stephen has been serving Trinity as Interim Rector since October 2023 while Trinity is in transition to new clergy leadership. Ordained in 1980, he is a trained intentional interim with experience in many different kinds of parishes. Stephen is passionate about congregational life and finds joy in helping churches prepare to welcome their next rector. In his work, he is aided by his pastoral associate, Bernie, an 11-year-old black Labrador retriever. He and his wife, Terry, make their home in Granville, a small college town not far from Columbus, Ohio.

Rev. Meribah Mansfield

meribah@trinitytoledo.org
Deacon

Meribah has been serving Trinity as Deacon since December 2021. Meribah enjoyed a 38-year career as a public librarian before being ordained as deacon in 2012 in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, where she is still canonically resident. She served as deacon (which is a volunteer position) in several Episcopal churches in the Columbus, Ohio area before moving to Toledo with her husband, Bruce, in 2021 to live near family. Meribah is passionate about social justice and has worked extensively on diocesan, parish and local community levels on issues such as dismantling racism, climate change/creation care and preventing gun violence.

Heather Meyer

heather@trinitytoledo.org
Director of Operations

Heather has been on staff at Trinity since January 2018. She brings 30 years of office management experience to assist in the day-to-day operations of Trinity as well as decades of leadership roles in her family’s home church. When she’s not taking care of business and facilities at Trinity, she can often be found with a camera in hand, fostering kittens, or enjoying all that Toledo has to offer. Heather, her husband Larry, and their daughter Ella live in the lovely Old Orchard neighborhood.

George Benson

george@trinitytoledo.org
Director of
Community Engagement

George has been on staff at Trinity since December 2022. In his role, he has reinvigorated our community engagement through the Toledo Streets Lunch Program, hosting the Food for Thought Food pantry, collaborating with the City of Toledo needle exchange program, and is leading the effort to reinstate the Trinity Breakfast program. He is also Co-Director for the College of Congregational Development for the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio. Forever he is thankful for his wife, Jette, toddler Evan, and his cats. His first book was released in December of 2021, titled We Don’t Trust Your Theology: Reconstructing Your Faith from Rubble by Resource Publications.

Chelsie Cree

chelsie@trinitytoledo.org
Director of
Music & the Arts

Chelsie has been serving Trinity as The Director of Music and the Arts since March 2021. Having graduated with her master’s in music performance from the University of Toledo in 2017, she found her way to Trinity as a Jobst Choral Scholar in 2018 and never looked back. She is passionate about creating intentional music ministry at Trinity; good music inspires hope, and creating music is one of our greatest tools for building community. If it’s not clear, she loves Trinity’s wonderful choir. Chelsie proudly lives in Toledo with her wife, Kelly, and their small urban family farm; complete with puppies, kitties, and chickens.

Grace Mauk

grace@trinitytoledo.org
Assistant Director of
Music & the Arts

Grace Mauk has been playing piano at Trinity since 2022. She is a classically trained pianist with a great love for accompanying and collaborating with other musicians. She is a full-time musician, playing with wedding bands, bar bands, The Toledo Symphony, and has her own original project. Her first love was The Beatles, and her second love is her golden retriever puppy, Maggie.

Trinity Vestry

The Vestry is the governing body of the church and consists of nine parishioners who serve staggered three-year terms. A Senior and a Junior Warden, who are elected annually by their colleagues, head the Vestry, and with the Rector, participate in leading monthly Vestry meetings, which are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Vestry meetings are open to parishioners.
At each meeting, the Vestry prays, conducts the business of the parish, and shares fellowship with one another. Each member serves as a liaison to one of the standing committees of the church and, through these connections, determines what resources are needed to support the activities God is calling our community to do.

Through thoughtful stewardship and prayerful commitment, Vestry members support the health and vitality of Trinity and share our commitment to building God’s Beloved Community.