Our Team

The Rectors and Music Search Committee Members are thrilled to announce the hiring of our new Music Director, Dr. Donald R. Meineke. Dr. Meineke (who prefers Donald) will be joining us on September 1st, 2021, moving to Philadelphia from New York City this summer. He has been a church musician since he was 9 years old, accepting the call to serve in his childhood parish when his organist retired! He has built programs all over the county, in Texas, Massachusetts, and most recently in New York. Donald is an incredibly gifted organist, accomplished musician, and a deeply spiritual person, as you can see from his note to you below. We look forward to welcoming him into our community and introducing him to you soon.

The Revs. Rachel & John Gardner, Members of the Search Committee: Tim Farrell, Sarona Farrell, Steve Framil, Gordon Henderson, Greg Maughan, Madelyn Mignatti, Aimee Pilgermeyer.

Below we share a note he wrote to you upon accepting this call:

Dear people of the Church of the Holy Trinity: grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

What a joy it is for me to greet you as your newly appointed Director of Music and to know that I will soon be joining you as a partner in your vital ministry on the northwest corner of Rittenhouse Square. It is an honor to be called to a place such as Holy Trinity with its venerable history of profound preaching, exquisite musical offerings, and unwavering commitment to social justice. I eagerly await the day to meet you all in person and begin this shared next chapter of mission and ministry in the heart of the city for the sake of the world.

From the first conversation with the Rectors and the Search Committee, it was clear we shared a mutual passion and understanding of who and what the Holy Spirit was calling us to be as the church in the 21st century. I have been amazed by the faithfulness, wisdom, and commitment of all involved in this process and am grateful for the many rich conversations we have shared together. While the journey ahead will require hard work, patience, dedication, and each of us doing our own part, I come to you with the sure confidence that the future of Holy Trinity is unquestionably bright.

The writer of Ephesians tells us to “address one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs." Now, more than ever, do we have reason to “lift up our hearts” and “with angels and archangels, forever sing to the glory of God’s name” as we rejoin our voices together in liturgy and song. And there is so much to sing about at Holy Trinity: open doors, the completion of an incredible new organ, visioning and planning for the future, people of all ages soon affirming their baptismal promises, and much more. It is such an exciting and hope-filled time to be part of Holy Trinity.

I thank the Rectors, Vestry, and Search Committee for this opportunity to serve as your Director of Music and I look forward to working with each of you — youth, adults, musical, non-musical, life-long Episcopalians or those still searching — as we heed Christ’s call to follow the way of the cross while “singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord our God.”

Yours in Christ,

Donald Meineke