Last weekend, Trinity celebrated its 10th anniversary. Its parishioners, numbering 500 to 700 every Sunday, attend prayer groups and take communion. But they do so while a band plays original works as well as contemporary songs based on traditional hymns.
Now, Trinity is at a crossroads. Mr. Mathes’s bandmate, Ian Cron, 48, is stepping down as lead pastor. At the same time, Mr. Mathes’s outside career is growing — he was the musical director for President Barack Obama’s pre-inaugural celebration. The church hired recruiters to search for a new pastor. Neither of the two leading candidates is a musician.
Trinity’s “season of change,” as Mr. Mathes describes it, is emblematic of the struggle that many religious institutions face as they reach a certain age: how to reach a new generation while remaining relevant to the needs of the congregation. But at churches like Trinity, which identify as Christian but deliberately choose not to connect with any denomination, the transition is especially challenging. These churches were founded by people in rebellion against established institutions. Ten years down the road, they have become the establishment.
For those of you with the print edition, this article is on page A15.