Gina Kornfeind
Having relocated to New Jersey from Los Angeles in 2022, Gina and her husband Fred have found a warm and welcoming home at Trinity Church. Gina and her family of four daughters (ages 22-32) were parishioners at the Parish of St. Matthew in Pacific Palisades for over 23 years. She served on the Outreach Ministry, Emmaus small groups, created the Grief Support ministry and taught Godly Play in Sunday School.
Upon attending the 10:30 service at Trinity, Gina immediately felt at home with the clergy’s engaging sermons, the gorgeous and soulful music, the inclusive church community, its dedication to outreach and its commitment to serving both the smaller and larger community. Within the first few months of their move, Trinity folks including Tom and Melissa, Phil, Joe and Chris, Angela and Ed and of course the amazing Sylvia extended warmth, and brought Gina and Fred into the fold with outreach and crafting opportunities. After signing up to work her first Turkey Trot on a welcomed chilly day, Gina knew they were actually “home.”
Professionally, Gina is a practicing Social Worker who worked in Pediatric Palliative Care and Bereavement Support for over 35 years at various Children’s Hospitals. She is now the Outreach and Training Manager at Good Grief, a non-profit supporting grieving families in both Princeton and Morristown areas. She serves as an Advisory Board member for Buzzy’s Bees, a grief support non-profit on the West coast. Gina has always felt called to serve her community and is honored to have the opportunity to find a more intimate and deep connection to and collaboration with the amazing people of Trinity Church.
Cynthia Westbrook
Cynthia found her spiritual home at Trinity in 1990, drawn by its welcoming community, clergy and staff, inspiring music and liturgy of the church seasons, and the sacred spaces of the Michael and Unity chapels. Her involvement at Trinity includes serving as Director of Religious Education and Interim Assistant Director of Music. In these roles, she championed an inclusive environment that encouraged young people to engage, participate, and ask questions. In addition, she initiated and led the EFM (Education for Ministry) program, organized the first youth-led Trinity Shrove Tuesday dinner, and guided a youth mission trip to Harlan, Kentucky. She also worked with clergy to inaugurate daytime Christmas Eve services for children.
A former high school/middle school choral director and church musician, Cynthia currently sings in the adult choir and actively participates in a variety of church-wide events, such as the Turkey Trot, Advent brunch, and Lenten concerts. She would be honored to serve the Trinity community with the leadership of the church. Of particular interest is the continued growth of programs for youth and children and the success of this year’s annual stewardship.
Trinity Church has been Lindsay’s spiritual home since he and his wife, MariCris, moved to the area in 2000. They were married at Trinity; their two children grew from baptism through confirmation here; and they continue to find renewal on Sundays among the Trinity community. Lindsay is committed to helping Trinity Church remain a very special place.
Lindsay recently finished 23 years as an Information Management professional at Bristol Myers Squibb. Today, he is focused on giving back through education – both as an Adjunct Professor of Business Management at Monmouth University and as a volunteer at Urban Promise in Camden, NJ. He also served 9 years as a member of his local school board – fostering student growth and helping the school community navigate leadership changes, fundraising, and a pandemic.
Lindsay would be honored serve and support Trinity Church as a member of the Vestry.
Mark McConnell
I grew up in a church-related family. My mother was the minister of several churches in the German Reformed tradition (later part of the UCC). When I was young, I got a sense of what Vestries do: my mother would invite her Consistory over to our house for meetings, and I listened in.
My father was the organist and choirmaster at the Episcopal church in town. I joined his choir as a boy. At Trinity, I've been in the choir for more than 25 years. Meg is an excellent musician. Just as much, she stands out as a leader of people, and as a teacher of children and adults. I look forward to working with her in ways that will help the church and the choir.
I have great regard for both Paul and Kara. Sometimes when I have had questions in my life, Paul's words have made all the difference; other times, Kara's. They both take the initiative on many things, but it is hard for just two priests to run a church this big. That is one area where the Vestry can help.
Adult Christian education has been important to me. I have joined several of the book groups at Trinity. Allan King's Thursday morning Bible study is central to my week.
It is important for the children, middle schoolers, and high schoolers to learn about the faith. Because of people leaving, Trinity's Christian Education program had some setbacks in the last few years. This year, we have two new leaders, and the program is moving forward. Again, this is an area where the Vestry can help.
At my day job, I am a Senior Lecturer in the Mathematics Department at Princeton University. I teach undergraduate courses, do administrative work, and carry on my research program. I am the academic adviser for the math majors and the math minors.
Lindsay McDowell
Trinity Church has been Lindsay’s spiritual home since he and his wife, MariCris, moved to the area in 2000. They were married at Trinity; their two children grew from baptism through confirmation here; and they continue to find renewal on Sundays among the Trinity community. Lindsay is committed to helping Trinity Church remain a very special place.
Lindsay recently finished 23 years as an Information Management professional at Bristol Myers Squibb. Today, he is focused on giving back through education – both as an Adjunct Professor of Business Management at Monmouth University and as a volunteer at Urban Promise in Camden, NJ. He also served 9 years as a member of his local school board – fostering student growth and helping the school community navigate leadership changes, fundraising, and a pandemic.
Lindsay would be honored serve and support Trinity Church as a member of the Vestry.
