Story by the Rev. Cn. Debra Low-Skinner, Ret.; photos by Cn. Stephanie Martin Taylor and Caren Miles
An estimated 200 people gathered at Trinity+St. Peter’s, San Francisco on Saturday to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the founding of Trinity Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of California. These milestones were celebrated with a special Holy Eucharist with Diocesan Bishop Marc Andrus as homilist and Bishop Coadjutor Austin Rios as celebrant.
The congregation’s choir was in exceptional singing form, accompanied by Robert Gurney on the church’s historic Skinner pipe organ; Gurney has been their music director since 1992. During the recessional, trumpeter William Harvey performed John Stanley’s “Trumpet Voluntary,” providing an extra treat.
Among those who participated either in person or online were Grace Cathedral clergy and congregants, who are also preparing for their 175th-anniversary celebration this December. Many other active and retired clergy from around the diocese joined the in-person gathering, including one of Trinity’s previous rectors, the Rev. Robert Cromey.
Following Bishop Marc’s sermon — his final as our diocesan bishop — Bishops Marc and Austin blessed the historic St. Peter’s marble baptismal font. The font once stood in St. Peter’s Church in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond neighborhood (the church was demolished after it suffered major damage in the 1989 earthquake).
At the end of the service, Bishop Marc handed over his crozier to the Rev. Dr. Mauricio Wilson, President of the Standing Committee, before leaving to join Dr. Sheila at their new home in Staunton, Virginia. Rev. Mauricio will hand the crozier over to Bishop Austin when he is formally installed as our diocesan bishop at Grace Cathedral on Sunday, August 11.
At the reception, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu, representing the City of San Francisco, presented Bishop Marc with a special certificate of recognition. Chiu thanked Bishop Marc for his ministry, his work in the community to promote peace and justice, and especially for playing an instrumental role in the conversion of St. Luke’s Hospital into Sutter Health CPMC Mission Bernal Hospital.
View the photo album | View the recording of the service
