Last week was a milestone. First, the backstory. As many of you know, our Trinity House Community ministry has run and operated Trinity House Cafe + Market since 2014. Last fall, about 114 monthly rent payments later (but who’s counting!), our landlord offered us the chance to purchase the building.  

Together, we took the question to prayer. Dozens of conversations and weeks later, we arrived together at an understanding that we would be at peace with any of three scenarios, and we asked the Lord to make his choice clear to us and our ministry’s board:

1) Running a capital campaign to attempt to purchase the building;
2) Allowing the cafe ministry to sunset after a 10-year run, or
3) Attempting to lease for a few more years, before presumably getting priced out as rates soar in our quaint town one hour west of Washington, DC.  

“Which way is your heart tugging?” a friend asked when we laid out these three paths last fall. Our answer: Go for the purchase. Continue to give God the glory at the corner of Church & Market Streets, and provide a home base for the growing ministry, now active in 14 states where Trinity House Community Groups are serving families.

Which brings us to last week. Papal biographer George Weigel is not only Ever’s former boss. He is one of the founders of the Tertio Millennio Seminar on the Free Society, held annually in Krakow, Poland, where we met and fell in love in 2000. He was also a founding board member of Trinity House Community.

As we brainstormed about a possible fundraiser event to help with the Church & Market Capital Campaign, it seemed only fitting to invite the man whose own steps of faith arguably opened the door to our marriage, family, and the Trinity House ministry. Once again we asked for help. The answer was “yes.” 

And then last Thursday, over 140 guests streamed through the doors of our parish hall. George Weigel gave an inspiring call to live as missionary disciples, including in our own homes and families and at places in the public square like Trinity House Cafe + Market. As we looked out on the crowd, it was such an occasion for gratitude to see so many who have supported the ministry over the years.

And once again, we asked them for help. Already, dozens have stepped forward to say “yes” with a capital campaign gift. As our landlord’s June 30th purchase offer deadline approaches, we are now over 90% of the way to being able to make a sizeable down payment.

That’s a glimpse of what happened last week, and we’re excited to be able to share videos of: 

• Mike Ortner’s introduction to the evening. Mike and his wife Liz co-hosted the evening, and Mike is the co-author of The Catholic School Playbook, newly released by Word on Fire Publishing.   
• George Weigel’s 1) “Your Life as Mission” keynote, 2) Inspiring “The Recovery of Lent“ reflection, and 3) “Trinity House: A Ministry Making Pope St. John Paul II Very Happy” remarks (transcript here).
• Deacon Mark Voorheis’ “The Mission Territory of Your Kitchen Table” recounting the ministry’s impact on his life and his family, and his invitation to partner with the capital campaign. 

On this Feast of the Annunciation, as together we reflect upon Mary’s “yes,” her fiat, we are filled with gratitude for the mysterious way that God’s plan for our lives unfolds. This is how the wonder of faith transforms every one of us, no matter what He is calling us to: one “yes,” one “Be it done to me according to your word” at a time.