Lucy Bell

“Since that day. . .”

I was raised in a mixed-denomination household, with a Protestant parent and an ex–Southern Catholic. In my early adult years, painful experiences led me to leave the Church altogether. After coming out and beginning a long journey of healing, I found myself returning to church at the end of college in 2019—slowly, hesitantly, and with curiosity.

In late summer of 2024, after an unexpected encounter with a few friends from church, I thought, maybe this is the church I’ve been looking for. Since that day, I’ve been attending Trinity. Without even knowing it, Trinity has held me through tears of both joy and grief, captivated me, and led me into a deeper, healing relationship with God. I continue to be surprised by my experiences here: learning the rites and rituals of the Episcopal Church, hearing myself sing as if my grandmother were listening, and sharing bread—or coffee—with people I might never have met otherwise.

In June 2025, I graduated from UC Santa Barbara with my MFA in Fine Art. For the 2025-2026 school year I am the College of Creative Studies Art Teaching Fellow and also work as a Teaching Artist at Slingshot Art Studio.

I am humbled to serve on the vestry.

Jean Davis

“I walked into sacred space.”

I began my journey with Trinity lighting candles in the sanctuary. It was early 2003, and the drumbeat to go to war against Iraq and harsh and intolerant rhetoric attributed to Christianity were dominating the news. I needed to get away from all the noise. The front doors were open, and I walked into sacred space, and into peace. Trinity’s motto at the time was “open doors, open minds, open hearts.” The open doors brought me in; I experienced the open minds when I started to attend the book study discussions; and it was the open hearts that made me feel most welcome. That openness continues to this day: “wherever you are in your journey of faith, you are welcome to join us at God’s table” . . . So here I am, 20 years after first walking in, being asked to be on the vestry again. I am humbled and honored. I want to serve Trinity. Thank you for giving me another opportunity.

Sarah McCarter
Clerk

“I love being able to see all the joyful Trinity faces.”

I began attending Trinity in 2013, shortly after retirement from the Santa Barbara City Fire Department. My retirement bucket list included finding a choir I could join, without having to audition. I was graciously welcomed by Grey Brothers, the minister of music at the time, and I joined the choir in spring of 2014. Not only is it a blessing to be able to sing such wonderful music, I love being able to see all the joyful Trinity faces from my seat in the chancel. During my years at Trinity, I have served on the choir guild, leading the altar guild, I volunteer in the atrium, and I’m a member of the audio guild. My husband Daniel and I have two adult children, Aidan, and Julia. I’m a volunteer for VNA hospice along with my therapy dog, Luna. At peace when doing anything outside, I enjoy swimming, jogging, biking, and hiking. I consider it an honor to serve on the vestry, knowing I have much to learn yet looking forward to the challenge.

Fred Williams

“What would I say if Jesus asked me?”

My career has largely been my thirty years in the Air Force, from which I retired as a colonel. I’ve spent ten years in civil service, and I currently live at Maravilla. As for my spiritual life, I’ve been an Episcopalian since 1967. I’ve been on six vestries, serving as both senior and junior warden. I was also on two search committees, and at various other times was a Sunday school director, choir member, usher, senior youth counselor and—last but not least—acolyte director to 54 acolytes! During my time at Trinity my volunteer work has been on the Finance Committee, where I help with the yearly audit. When Bill Ferguson asked if I would like to be on the vestry, I first said “no.” But then I thought about it for a couple of minutes, asking myself what I would say if Jesus asked me. So of course, I then said a heartfelt YES.

Michael Neal Arnold
Junior Warden

“I am passionate about Anglicanism.”

Years ago, I made the flippant comment that I was ambivalent about Christianity but passionate about Anglicanism. I have come to realize that the comment is simply true. I was raised in the Episcopal Church in a family that have been Episcopalians for generations.

I transferred my membership to Trinity about thirty years ago. Since that time, I have participated in services as a lay Eucharistic minister, acolyte, and reader. I take Communion to a convalescent hospital most Sundays. I have been a volunteer at Transition House and was, for a time, Trinity’s coordinator. I have been on the Building Committee, Investment Committee, Executive Committee, and various other regular and ad hoc committees. I assist with leadership of the Base Community and YOLO Zoom groups. I have served on the Parish Council and Vestry a number of times. I cochaired the Search Committee that resulted in the invitation (“call”) to Elizabeth to serve as our rector.

As a member of the vestry, my interests will include protecting and enhancing Trinity’s commitment to progressive Christianity, producing beautiful and dignified liturgies, growing Trinity’s profile in the larger community, and ensuring that we use our resources in the manner that most effectively supports and furthers our values and goals.

Jay Casbon

“I value the inclusive commitment of our church, where all are welcome.”

I moved with my partner, Caryl, to Santa Barbara in 2019, after I retired from Oregon State University in 2016. My university career included various positions such as a professor of Art History, as well as administrative roles as Dean and Provost. Before my time at OSU, I was a professor and Dean of the Graduate School at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon.

The week after we moved to Santa Barbara, we attended Trinity and have been attending ever since. I am in the Trinity Men’s group, serve as a Greeter for Sunday Service, and work with our Prayer Ministry. I have been impressed with Trinity’s commitment to serve our greater community with all the various outreach efforts the church sustains every year. I also value the inclusive commitment of our church where all are welcome. I am very pleased to witness the growth of our parish and, especially, the growing number of families who are claiming Trinity Episcopal as a church home.

I look forward to serving on the vestry as Trinity embraces future opportunities to continue to provide our parish with a progressive message of Christ’s teachings through service, personal redemption, and a loving presence for our community.

I know a church requires resources, leadership, and often, tough choices as the parish faces the ever-changing needs of our community.

Michelle Petty

“A friend recommended Trinity and I’m forever grateful.” 

I have been an active parishioner since 2021, when my son Finnegan and I first moved to Santa Barbara and had such a hard time finding a church for me, a newly divorced, bisexual ex-evangelical. A college friend recommended Trinity, for which I am forever grateful. I joined the choir almost immediately, and that service helped me build a new family and start to feel safe enough to work through my doubts.

Through the choir, I met Carolyn Roberts, who thought of me as a co-lead when she decided it was high time for Trinity to have a women's group, too (instead of just a men's group). Women at the Well has been one of the highlights of my recent times at Trinity, in addition to the unofficial but fabulous queer folks and allies group spanning Gen X to Gen Z.

I have been a teacher since 2012, spending 2 years as a middle and high school teacher, 5 years earning a PhD and teaching college classes along the way, and have spent the last 4 years as a university writing professor. For fun I read books about all sorts of things, I do fiber crafts (embroidery and macrame), and when the mood strikes, I sing nostalgic acapella worship songs. I'm also writing a book about mermaids and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. My son is the light of my life; we're both extroverted huggers, so don't feel shy if you see us on a Sunday morning.

Alexander Thomas

“I was motivated to give back more to the church .”

I first came to Trinity in the late 1980's to sing in the choir. When that ended, I became an acolyte for several years before taking a break from the church. I decided to come back to Trinity in 2019. After a time, I decided I wanted to be more involved in this wonderful church. I started as an usher and then added reading. I had been through Episcopal 101 and became an official baptized member of the church in 2020. Still, I was motivated to give back more to the church.

I started volunteering with the monthly “Dinner in the Park” feeding our unhoused neighbors. That led to my becoming co-chair of the Hospitality council. It has been my privilege to serve as the cochair for 3 years. As my tenure in Hospitality was coming to an end, I just knew that I wanted to continue to give back in some manner. I was approached by current vestry members about transitioning into this important ministry. And I was delighted to be accepted into this important role.

It is my prayer that as my membership on the vestry proceeds, I can bring my talents and gifts to the projects that will arise.

Brian Bargiel
Senior Warden

“Giving back to what has sustained me.”

My family and I have been members of Trinity for 13 years. We first came at the invitation of a friend during a time of transition and immediately felt at home in the warmth, openness, and spirit of inclusion that define our community. I have sung in the Trinity Choir since that very first Sunday and have also served on the Justice and Outreach Committee and the Parish Portfolio Committee. In recent years I have led the charge to create and expand Trinity’s streaming ministry to welcome parishioners who cannot attend in-person as well as audiences from beyond our walls.

Professionally, I’m an entrepreneur who has spent the past two decades helping other entrepreneurs grow their businesses. I love cycling in all its forms, and my twenty-plus years in recovery shape my daily spiritual practices. I'm passionate about the spiritual experiences found in recovery and about strengthening Santa Barbara’s interfaith community.

When I was asked by the nominating committee to consider serving on the vestry, I said yes because giving back to what has sustained me feels essential to my faith. I bring a collaborative, consensus-building style to my service, and I’m known for running efficient, on-time meetings.

As Trinity continues to grow, I hope to help share our message of open heartedness and inclusion more widely so that our community can share our model of the generous love Jesus lived and taught.

Claude Garciacelay

“When I stepped through the doors. . .”

When I stepped through the doors at Trinity 28 years ago, I found a welcoming, loving, and inclusive community that met me exactly where I was in my spiritual journey. That welcome was an open invitation to grow my faith in a nurturing, supportive, progressive Christian community where my spirit and heart continue to feel totally at home.

Trinity church continues to shine a beacon of light and God's grace in a troubled world, embracing diversity and inclusion, and living into a welcome that invites all, wherever you are in your journey of faith, to God's table.

I have served and supported our Trinity community in various ministries, including being an acolyte and lay eucharist minister, and participating in the flower guild. I previously served as Worship Council Chair coordinating those ministries and others. Because I love to cook and be in the kitchen, I’ve made meals for Transition House, for the Warming Center, for Dinner in the Park (now Supper Club), and for many other celebrations, brunch and supper events at Trinity. I've also helped coordinate and lead a portion of the capital campaign for parish and rectory improvements, as well as other financial initiatives at Trinity.

I served on the vestry previously and can say that one thing I learned is to trust in the Holy Spirit to move through us, so that the deliberations of this leadership body are grounded in faith and God's love for this community, and the prayers of the faithful.

Carol Ann Manzi

“I jumped in with both feet.”

Trinity is a place I have gravitated toward since moving to Santa Barbara about eighteen years ago. I have come and gone from both Santa Barbara and Trinity but have always come back.

I jumped in with both feet, so to speak, about five years ago. Now, I am a pledging member, a lay-eucharistic minister, a reader, and love to cook and serve for our homeless ministries.

I have recently completed a year-long process with a congregational discernment committee at Trinity, one of the initial steps toward becoming a deacon, a ministry that has called to my heart. While the journey to ordained ministry is a long one, for sure, I know I will be wrapped in Trinity’s support all along the way.

I am currently a chaplain at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, a ministry I began to train for eight years ago. I am also an Instructor for Santa Barbara City College in their Vitality Program, where I bring music classes and joy to the frail elderly population. I am an inspirational speaker for cancer causes and am a retired opera singer, with a masters in music from Yale. 

What I love most about Trinity is its inclusiveness. I have felt welcomed and cared for by this caring and diverse church.  I am grateful to call Trinity "home".

Ellen O’Connell Whittet

“I find Trinity to be a place of connection and peace.”

Trinity has been my spiritual home since 2016, when I was married here, but has been important to my family for generations—my grandparents were parishioners, and my mother spent her high school years in these very pews. It has become a sanctuary since my children were baptized here and welcomed into the fold, a place of connection and peace, of deep and abiding validation that “wherever you are in your journey of faith, you are welcome and invited to God’s table.”

As a mother of two small children, I find weekly comfort in the peace of sitting alone in the pews, and of listening to the music that makes my heart swell and the sermons that challenge me to live a life of service and connection.

I teach in the Writing Program at UC Santa Barbara, and make sense of my world and roles through my own writing. I am honored to serve on the vestry, and to give something back to a place that keeps me afloat.

Clare Carey-Pisani
Youth Member

“This church is a second home.”

I have grown up at Trinity and have been a member since before I was born. This church is a place that I call my second home, and I am forever grateful to everyone who has been a part of my spiritual journey here. I’ve made forever friends here and I hope to never leave.

I am 15 years old and a sophomore at Dos Pueblos High School. I am a member of the Mock Trial Team and I really enjoy it.  I spend the small amount of my spare time cooking, reading, and watching every sport possible.

In my role on the vestry, I hope to make sure that all the youth in the church have their ideas shared and that Trinity be welcoming to every child and teen, wherever they are in their spirituality.