OUR PURPOSE
Trinity Church's vision is to be a flourishing community of individuals and families in the northern NYC suburbs that loves and follows Jesus, and transforms our world through the power of the Gospel.
OUR STAFF
We would like to introduce you to our staff! Here is information on our team, their experience, and ways they serve our community at Trinity Church.
The Reverend Dr. Craig R. Higgins
Dr. Higgins is the founding and senior pastor of Trinity Church, having moved here in 1994 to work with the six couples that began the congregation. He is a graduate of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, (1983, B.A. in philosophy), Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia (1989, Master of Divinity, a three-year course of study in theology and pastoral care), and of Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry near Pittsburgh (2005, Doctor of Ministry). He has served as Moderator and Stated Clerk of the Metropolitan New York Presbytery and as a member of its Leadership Development Team; he has also served on the boards of both Chesterton House at Cornell University and the World Reformed Fellowship. He serves on the Leadership Council of The Initiative, an intentional community working toward Christian unity. He is a member of the T.F. Torrance Theological Fellowship and the American Scientific Affiliation. Craig grew up in the mountains of northeast Georgia, near Cornelia, and has been a fan of the Braves since the team moved to Atlanta when he was five years old. He and his wife, Ann, have three adult children, two sons-in-law, and one grandson. Craig & Ann live in Rye.
The Reverend Mark Swanson
Rev. Swanson serves as Trinity Church’s Executive Pastor. He is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM in 1999) where he also planted a church in downtown Dallas as an outreach to spiritually disaffected youth. He then served as an elder at The Village Church in New York City (PCA), while simultaneously working as the Director of Community Ministries as a pastor to the poor and marginalised at All Angels’ Church (ECUSA) for nearly ten years. Before moving to Westchester, he served for ten years at Grace Vancouver Church (PCA) in Canada as the co-pastor and Executive Pastor. Mark grew up in central New Jersey and is also a dual citizen of the United States and Canada.
The Reverend Dr. Steven R. Magneson
Rev. Magneson serves Trinity Church as the Associate Pastor, while also supporting the new church property as a Facilities Engineer. His family have been members of Trinity Church since 1999, when Steve first worked as a licensed mechanical engineering consultant in the NYC Metro Area. He was eventually called into full-time ministry at Trinity Church In 2008. Steve served for many years as an elder, worship leader, student ministries director, small group leader, and various other roles. He is a graduate of the University of California in Davis (B.S. in Mechanical Engineering), Western Theological Seminary (M.Div., D. Min), and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of NY. Steve and his wife, Amy have three children and live in White Plains.
Lidy Finlayson
Lidia is originally from Pachuca, Mexico, with a Mexican father and Peruvian mother. Since she was 12 years old, she has had a great passion for serving in ministerial areas of the Church like organizing camps, mission trips and community service projects. Her parents planted a church in a small town in Mexico 25 years ago, she served in Children’s ministry, Worship team and Youth ministry. She was the Director of Communications at Tecnologico de Monterrey Campus Hidalgo, a prestigious university in Mexico where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. She has collaborated for more than 10 years with the IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students). She has received leadership training from the United Nations, University for Peace in Costa Rica. She was an English teacher in private schools in Mexico in preschool, elementary and middle school since 2013.
Alethea Wilhelm
Alethea has her BM in Vocal Performance and Bible minor from Nyack College as well as an MA in Vocal Performance from Montclair State University. Alethea was a member of the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus (2014-2015), performed in the 2014 Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC and was in The Princeton Music Festival’s production of Fidelio (2017). Alethea has directed various church music programs including concert series, singing workshops, Sunday Worship bands, choirs, etc., for a variety of denominations. Alethea and her husband, Jordan, also perform their original music in an indie-folk duo called Truth & I. They have released a full length album, Floorboards (2013) an EP, A Midwestern Christmas (2015), a single, “Passing the Time” (2019) and an EP, This is Living (2020). You can learn more about Truth & I at truthandi.com
Jordan Wilhelm
Jordan has his BM in Vocal Performance and Bible minor from Nyack College and an MA in Vocal Performance from Montclair State University. Jordan was a member of the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus (2014-2015) and performed in the 2014 Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC. Jordan also has a background in AV, working for companies in the tri-state area as well as Charleston, SC for high profile events and productions. He was trained in carpentry and general contracting while working for his father’s family business in Cleveland, OH.
Jordan and his wife, Alethea Wilhelm, also perform their original music in an indie-folk duo called Truth & I. They have released a full length album, Floorboards (2013) an EP, A Midwestern Christmas (2015), a single, “Passing the Time” (2019) and an EP, This is Living (2020). You can learn more about Truth & I at truthandi.com.
Jordan does audio engineering and production for their music. He’s also written, performed in, produced and co-directed for other creative productions, including the beloved Youtube channel, Sock Puppet Musical, in his spare time.
Lisa Fick
Lisa serves Trinity Church as the business manager. She is a graduate of SUNY Oneonta with a B.S. (Management Dietetics) but continued her studies in Information Technology. She worked at IBM for over 22 years both as an IBMer and as a contractor in administration, technology and marketing while providing IT support to both IBM and its customers. When it comes to supporting a small business office, all of it comes in handy! Lisa is a native of New York and enjoys capturing the seasonal beauty of this Hudson Valley area on camera. She has been a member for many years and serves on Trinity’s diaconate.
Dr. Tammy Lum
Tammy Lum, pianist, is a critically acclaimed and versatile concert and recording musician, numerous competition winner, piano pedagogue and inspirational clinician in both Classical and Sacred performance. She recently celebrated over three decades of academic teaching at Alliance University/Nyack College, NY. Her more important performances have been at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Recital Hall, Salle Cortot and The American Cathedral in Paris, as well as the stages of Hong Kong and China. She has also led multiple US student concert tours and cultural exchanges in Asia. As a native of Hong Kong, Dr. Lum came to the US for her higher education and received her BM and MM at Eastman School of Music, participated in the Professional Studies Program at The Juilliard School, and DMA at Manhattan School of Music. Dr. Lum and her husband, Leo Li, are members of Trinity Presbyterian Church. Songs Tammy Lum recorded for Trinity Church can be found on her YouTube channel
What we believe?
At Trinity Church, we believe it’s all about Jesus—all about the good news of God’s redemption of the world through the life, death, and resurrection of his Son. We are a community of people who are driven by this good news, this gospel.
Theological Commitments
REFORMED
EVANGELICAL
HISTORIC
CORE VALUES
The Power of
the Gospel
The Priority of
the Church
The Place Where
God Has Called Us
OUR HISTORY
1989
Trinity Church’s mother church, Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, is launched under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Tim Keller.
1993
Six Redeemer home fellowship group families are challenged to plant a church in Westchester County. Tim Keller tells them “Apart from raising your families, this may be the most important thing you do in your entire life.”
1994
Pastor Craig Higgins and his wife Ann join the core families to found Trinity Presbyterian Church in Rye, NY. Trinity Church begins Sunday afternoon worship services at the Rye Methodist Church.
1995
Trinity Church moves to Sunday Morning worship services in the gymnasium at the School of the Holy Child in Rye, NY.
1997
Trinity Presbyterian Church becomes a self-governing religious organization recognized by the State of New York.
1998
Trinity calls its first associate pastor and first student ministries coordinator.
1999
Trinity attains 3 acres of property in Purchase, NY.
2001
First church office space rented in Rye.
2007
Offices are relocated to 15 Elm Place in downtown Rye.
2011
Trinity attains the adjacent 3.5 acres on Anderson Hill Rd.
2018
Trinity offices are relocated to church property at 526 Anderson Hill Rd.
2019
Trinity receives final approval to build a new worship facility on their church property.
2020
We had nearly a full year of virtual meetings. As soon as restrictions relaxed, we started gathering little by little in the Women’s Club in White Plains, our temporary worship space. The decision was made during the Pandemic that we weren’t able to break ground and move forward on building our church. We turned to God asking for a new direction and he provided us with more than we could ever have dreamed or asked for.
2022
We began worshipping at the new church in June, and dedicated our new building on October 2nd.