SHELBURNE FALLS — Trinity Church has announced the public launch of its “Building Joy” capital campaign, an effort to raise $250,000 to support projects to enhance worship, expand digital ministry and strengthen the church’s ability to serve neighbors in need.
Church leaders announced at the Sunday, May 31, public campaign kick-off that, to date, $196,075 has come as advance donations from both church and community members.
“What a way to start this new chapter together,” Pastor Benjiman Durfee said. Reflecting on the kick-off brunch, Durfee added, “The absolute highlight of the morning was getting to share the incredible news that, through the immense generosity of early commitments, we have already raised over $196,000 toward our $250,000 goal. To be nearly 80% of the way there at the very start of our public launch is a testament to the deep love, faith and commitment that lives in this congregation. I can’t wait to see how this space continues to transform lives and this community.”
The Building Joy campaign focuses on three key initiatives:
- Strengthening worship: Restoring the historic 1883 Hook & Hastings pipe organ, a centerpiece of Trinity Church’s musical life and a vital instrument for worship, concerts and community events.
- Expanding reach: Upgrading video and livestream technology to ensure that worship, music and programs remain accessible to all, including homebound members and those joining from afar.
- Serving neighbors: Installing a generator to transform the Fellowship Hall and commercial kitchen into an emergency center capable of providing meals and support during power outages and crises.
“These projects reflect who we are and who we aspire to be — a church that worships boldly, serves compassionately and connects widely,” campaign Co-Chair Clare Chapman said. “Building Joy is not just about funding improvements, it’s also about strengthening our shared life and ensuring that Trinity remains a beacon of hope and hospitality for generations to come.”
The campaign invites participation by church members, friends and the broader community to reach the goal by June 15. Donations of all sizes are welcome.
“We believe joy grows when it is shared,” campaign Co-Chair Beth Martin said. “This campaign is an opportunity for everyone who loves Trinity — and everyone who values community — to help build something lasting and life‑giving.”
Organ restoration and technology upgrades
Trinity Church Music Director and church organist Keith Rollinson conducted extensive research to find the right restoration team for the historic pipe organ, with Lubbert Gnodde Organ Builders of South Royalton, Vermont, being chosen to take on the work.
“It is little short of amazing that after 140-plus years, the 1883 Hook & Hastings organ at Trinity Church is still largely functioning,” Rollinson said. “Not that it’s not showing its age, but incredibly, the organ has never undergone any major restoration work.
“However, after serving at least a handful of generations of the faithful, many parts of this fine instrument are in imminent failure mode, or already there,” he continued. “And this is truly an instrument worthy of restoration, as Hook & Hastings were among the very best organ builders of the 19th century.”
Rollinson added that, as part of the restoration process, “the organ will receive a slight expansion in tonal registers, which will allow performance of an even larger portion of the organ literature for which this instrument was not best-suited. Once work starts, it will be about a year and a half before this beloved organ is reassembled and back in action, for what we hope will be a very long time again serving the Trinity community.”
Meanwhile, members of the Capital Campaign Executive Committee and before them, the Feasibility Team, have been researching improvements to the church’s technology and video capabilities. Currently, Sunday services and other events in the sanctuary are videotaped, but with new, updated equipment, programs would be livestreamed.
Emergency preparedness
Parishioner Tom Williams, who serves as Shelburne’s emergency management director, reached out to the church about installing a generator to help, especially with meal preparation should an emergency of that magnitude arise. Trinity Church has, for decades, hosted free community meals on Friday nights, serving dozens each week.
The nearby Cowell Gymnasium is also engaged in the process of installing a generator to potentially accommodate overnight stays during emergencies. Taken together, the two locations can provide greater community resilience in times of difficulty.
“Trinity Church is increasing its community outreach mission by becoming an integral part of what [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] calls ‘Whole Community concept.’ … It engages individuals, families, businesses, nonprofits, faith-based organizations and all levels of government to build resilience and improve disaster readiness, response and recovery through collective action,” Williams explained. “When Trinity’s leadership was approached to open their Fellowship Hall as a warming/cooling center when needed, they quickly agreed to do so. They also agreed to team up with the Cowell overnight shelter whenever needed to provide meals for those who are in the shelter for an extended period of time during an emergency event.”
Launching the Building Joy capital campaign to address these three key initiatives brings Trinity Church to the “very cusp of a beautiful renewal,” Durfee said.
“This moment is about honoring our rich history while boldly looking toward new ways of using our 19th-century building to meet the needs of our neighbors,” Durfee said. “Our plans, like installing a new generator so we can serve as a dependable emergency hub, are a perfect example of this shift. We aren’t pouring energy into these physical walls just for institutional survival or to focus on financial profits. We are doing it for community-wide resilience. We want our space to be a hub of safety, care and connection for everyone in our neighborhood, ensuring that we are ready for whatever the future holds.”
Community members can learn more and make a donation to the Building Joy campaign by visiting trinityshelburnefalls.org, calling the church office at 413‑625‑2341 or sending a check to Trinity Church, 17 Severance St., Shelburne Falls, MA 01370 with “capital campaign” noted on the memo line.
Virginia Ray, a member of Trinity Church, is publicity chair for the Building Joy capital campaign and previously chaired the Feasibility Team.