Jon Stratton
Priest. Pastor. Preacher
Trinity Episcopal Church St. Louis
Jon is honored to serve as Rector (Pastor) of Trinity Episcopal Church in St. Louis.
Trinity is an Episcopal Church founded in 1855, and as you can, the parish has been seen a lot over its 150 years. Trinity has worshiped in at least four different locations during its history but now resides at the intersection of Euclid and Washington in St. Louis' Central West End Neighborhood and seeks to not simply inhabit space but help create a more beloved community both inside and outside the church walls.
Trinity is an Anglo-Catholic parish, which means its worship style is rooted in the ancient traditions of the Church. On Sundays mornings, worshipers chant, burn incense, and bow to the Holy Mystery that is known to us in Jesus Christ and the breaking of the bread. Sometimes Trinity is called "high church," but that doesn't mean its stuffy, exclusive, or elite. All are invited to worship, and all find a seat at God's table.
Trinity is a community of imperfect people seeking to follow Jesus and make God's love real in the world. Parishioners come from a diversity of backgrounds and life experiences, but they are united by the same Holy Spirit who lives within our hearts and within our neighbors.
Trinity is a neighborhood parish rooted in its geographical context. Trinity consider everyone who lives within the neighborhoods connected to Trinity as Trinity parishioners, even if they never go to church. This means that Trinity is committed to the spiritual, physical, and social well-being of the neighborhood and are intentional about building relationships with the people and institutions located near by.
Trinity is committed to the radical Gospel of Jesus Christ. This commitment compels Trinitarians into the world to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. Some of the ways Trinity does that is by creating spaces of inclusion, advocating for marriage equality, standing in solidarity with workers demanding a fair wage, and doing our best to dismantle white supremacy in all its sundry forms.
Trinity Episcopal St. Louis is listed in the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior. The church is recognized as the first Missouri site for notable LGBTQIA+ history. It is the first Episcopal church in the country to be so honored. Trinity Church is recognized in particular for the years 1969 to 1993, which include its early support of gay rights, its embrace of LGBTQIA+ parishioners and community members, and its compassionate response to the first local AIDS patients in the 1980s.