01
Apr '25
A Little History About Trinity’s The Victor
01
Apr '25

Curry, my late husband and I, Suzanne Harston, came to Kerrville in 2008 after living for 3 years in an RV and traveling the USA and Canada. Our Southern California church did a version of The Victor every Palm Sunday. I wrote, directed, and usually played Mary Mom (I was about 40-60 back then). I have a Bachelor’s degree in Directing from UC Fullerton. I found God’s calling for me to be in theatre; I believe it is one of God’s ways for us to spread the word of Jesus & salvation.

Suzanne Harston in Costume
Larry Danks, the Music Minister and I started planning. Wayne Comer, a master carpenter, began working on plans to build a stage extension that would allow for us to have a weight-bearing cross.
We used David Clydesdale’s original script for The Victor, all his songs and narration as written. Pastor John played Benjamin, a Jew of Israel who spoke to the audience. We had wonderful costumes for the choir and actors, the costumes for the priests were acceptable, but not great. Our soldiers had plastic armor! BUT our production was a huge success!!! So we planned to do it again in 2015. Some generous person donated money for our soldiers to have real armor. I think those metal soldier costumes were about $600 each. I remember that Larry and I looked for them on the internet, chose what we wanted and when they came we tried them on ourselves like little kids!!!
Using a musical written by David Clydesdale the first version of “The Victor” was presented in 2014. Since that first, humble but powerful presentation it has grown into what we know today, a wonderful gift to the community of Kerrville from Trinity Baptist Church. It now includes over 100 singers and cast members, a musical director, a drama director, a stage director, several assistants, several people behind the scenes running the sound, lighting, and technical aspects, and many others supporting this project through prayer. It also happens to be one of the very few things we get to through the worship ministry that includes every generation and age group represented here in our church.
I remember the feeling I had when I saw those soldiers come to arrest Jesus in the first rehearsal with the new metal armor….WOW!! How intimidating they appeared!! I was overwhelmed !!!! I still am every time I see them coming down the aisle to the garden arrest!!!

Pastor John Wheat – 2014
Through the years, the script changes somewhat as do the songs, and story tellers. We added the hand signing in about 2016. At times, it has been 2 or 3 disciples, then 2 priests, now it is the Centurion. In 2025, we added a new character-Isaiah! The basic story, of course, remains the same.
One fun fact about The Victor is how Jesus gets into and out of the tomb! Originally, our tomb had no “escape hatch”, so once Jesus was in the tomb, he couldn’t come out except through the front. Sooooo, an alive Jesus was dropped carefully behind the priest’s stage, and a dummy Jesus was picked up, taken to the tomb, and placed inside. The live Jesus wiggled down the stairs behind a black curtain to backstage where he was cleaned up and redressed for his resurrected appearance! This was standard procedure for the first few years. Until one day, Larry had a brilliant idea to cut a hole in the stage floor under the tomb and provide what we named the “escape hatch”. So, Jesus is really in the tomb for a few seconds then escapes to backstage, where he gets cleaned up for his reappearance!
The Victor is such a powerful outreach to the unchurched. Plus, it is a wonderful way to make close bonds with people in our church.
Charlie, our Music Minister since 2023 is our producer. He also leads The Victor choir. The choir, besides providing wonderful songs, also become the people of Jerusalem. Sometimes loving and sometimes hating Jesus. We are so fortunate to have such a fabulous cast of talented people and singers.
There are a lot of people the audience never sees….Stephanie Clarke, assistant producer though she sings in The Victor choir, she also coordinates all of the people involved with the production, set design, loads the words on the screen, and takes care of whatever else comes up. Riley Gordon, who coordinates the people who run lights, sound, & cameras, he also helps with set design and deals with all of the tech gremlins that inevitably rear their ugly heads each year. Joe Rief was head of the broadcast ministry for many years- ensuring we look and sound good online when we livestream. After he stepped down, Jeff Stone took over along with Tom Gancarz. Misty Gordon ensures the audio is balanced for our live stream. Just a few behind the scene folks that many don’t even know are there, but are just as important as the ones front and center stage!
The stage manager, without whom there would be nothing but a huge train wreck instead of a wonderful performance, controls all backstage activities; including getting actors to their specified entrances, getting blood on and off of Jesus, and controls all props, helps the actors get their mics on, and more!
Originally, I was the stage manager (in costume) so I could change the priest’s stage into the Last Supper, and then back to the Priest’s stage again, but then wonderful Kellee Parish took the job which allowed me to fully develop the cast of Jerusalem people, and eventually sing with the choir. Then, in 2023, Debbie Dossey took the task! She is brilliant at making it a smooth-running performance and helps coordinate some pre-production tasks as well, including taking care of all the palm leaves you see!
Wayne Comer is still leading a team in the installation of our stage extension that allows us to have a crucifixion scene and the tomb. Sue Stewart, then, Carry Overby, and now Kay Barry provided about 100 actors and singers with wonderful authentic costumes. Lew King, a professional song writer wrote, “The Basin and The Towel” which we added to The Victor some years ago. Rob Ward and Roslyn Houghton add directing touches that make our production truly outstanding. Trinity is so blessed to have these gifted people. Rob, Lew, and Roslyn are all part of the Hill Country professional theater community.
I came to know the Lord through a movie and I feel God has truly blessed me with a church home that believes in theater arts as an outreach for the lost.
Every year we have new people in the Victor, singing, acting, signing, and running tech. If you have ever wanted to be a part of The Victor team, let me or Charlie know. We would love to have you! But, the main thing now is to invite people to experience Trinity’s “The Victor”. Carry the little cards and give them out to everybody. “The Victor” is Trinity’s gift to the Texas Hill Country.
Suzanne Harston
Victor Director
Victor Director
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01
Apr '25
TBC on Mission in Kenya
01
Apr '25

by Frank Stevens
Mission trips can change the lives of the people you meet and unexpectedly, your life.
God has called Judy and I to serve the Kenyan people.
Our team usually works with two different ministries in Kenya. Principally, we work with International Treasure House Ministries (ITHM). Their focus is to rescue orphan and destitute kids (usually teenage mothers and their babies). They house, educate, equip, and spiritually train them so they will be able to break out of the cycle of poverty. They learn the good news of Jesus and we have witnessed many salvations and baptisms. Our role is to love the kids, training them on things like table etiquette, first aid, healthy relationships, online safety/cyber security, communication skills and goal setting, we also build and repair things. We teach classes for eighth graders at a local school. The classrooms usually have 80 extremely well-behaved kids in very cramped conditions. Not only do we share the gospel of Jesus Christ we also teach subjects like the Holy Spirit and the power of prayer. The kids know we have come a long distance and are very appreciative of that fact. They are free with their love and want to know about Jesus.
We also work with Heshima Children’s Center. Heshima in Swahili means dignity. Their mission is to provide dignity for children with disabilities or special needs. Most kids like this are shunned by society and so are their mothers. Heshima provides special education, therapy, medical services, housing, skills training for the moms in sewing or jewelry making. They also provide drinking water for the community from their deep well. Our role is to buy food staples for 12 to 15 impoverished families in the immediate area. We deliver the food and pray with the families for their needs.
Trinity helps support these mission trips in several ways. The Trinity Stitchers have made dresses for the girls at ITHM and Heshima. The Bridge Class members have donated love offerings for ITHM.
Once you become involved in Missions work you become passionate about it and feel very blessed by God.
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01
Apr '25
Women’s Ministry
01
Apr '25

by Melinda Cox
The Women’s Ministry started 2025 with a three-day Women’s Conference hosted in the Trinity Family Life Center. What a wonderful conference it was! Our guest speaker was Dr. Katie Fruge’ with Texas Baptists. The ladies enjoyed not only a wonderful speaker but great Christian music, delicious food and Christian comradery throughout the weekend.
On April 26, ladies will have a wonderful opportunity to paint a cross on a canvas. Our visiting artist will be Elaine Capers, president of the Kerr Arts and Cultural Center. On June 7 there will be another opportunity to exercise your artistic talent by making a journal. Trish Wilson from Trinity will be the instructor for this course.
This Spring, Women’s Ministry will take up a diaper collection for the Pregnancy Resource Center. On November 8, plan on taking the church bus with us to Market Day in Boerne and having lunch (Dutch treat) at Peggy’s on the Green. Peggy’s on the Green will not disappoint! The lovely restaurant was built during the 19th century and has a beautiful wraparound porch. The atmosphere is casual, but not the experience. Farms in the surrounding locales of the Hill Country provide much of the food. Most Women’s Ministry events allow registration online; due to the size of our private room you must sign up in advance. Also, the quaint shops in Boerne are a delight for a wonderful shopping experience.
Women’s Ministry is a great place to “plug in” all year long at Trinity. Stay tuned for the information shared in Bible Study rooms, announcement guide, and the media presentations on Wednesday nights as well as Sunday mornings. We look forward to fellowshipping with you.
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01
Apr '25
Horizon Youth Camp 2025
01
Apr '25

by Lauren Tripp
The countdown to Horizon Youth Camp is on! From July 7-11, our students who have completed 6th-12th grade will have the opportunity to step away from their everyday lives and dive deeper into their faith. Here’s a glimpse of what students can expect:
Growing Your Relationship with God—The most exciting aspect of camp is the opportunity to grow closer to God away from the distractions of everyday life. Collective worship will include large group sessions, coming together to praise God with music, prayer and powerful messages. We’ll meet in small groups for Bible study, allowing more intimate times to dig into Scripture and learn from peers and leaders.
Fun and Recreation—Whether you love sports, team games, or just hanging out, camp has something for everyone. There will be intramural recreation activities to get your competitive spirit going, as well as free time to relax, unwind and just enjoy the beautiful setting of Lake Brownwood Christian Retreat, our new venue.
Fellowship with Others—Students have the chance to strengthen their relationships with students in our youth ministry from different schools, backgrounds and life experiences–coming together to build lasting friendships. Camp also brings together students from other churches, giving students the chance to fellowship with kids from different places and
create lasting connections and relationships.
As we prepare for camp, please pray that students’ hearts will be open to God’s work in their lives. Pray that leaders will have wisdom and energy to guide students spiritually. Pray that Horizon Youth Camp will be a place where students encounter God in a powerful way, and that we leave camp with a renewed sense of purpose and a stronger connection to our Creator.
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01
Apr '25
Kid’s Camp 2025
01
Apr '25

by Selena Cooley
Kids’ Camp is something many of our kids love because it combines fun, learning and community in a unique way. I love the safe and nurturing environment. Knowing we are in an environment where values are important and personal growth is encouraged, we often experience a deeper connection with our faith at camp. Through Bible lessons, worship and prayer, we learn more about God and how to live out our beliefs in a supportive environment. Kids’ Camp is the beginning of our journey to find or enhance our faith. Camp is a beloved tradition that brings back great memories year after year.
Kids’ Camp offers a variety of fun activities like arts and crafts, swimming, games, and hikes. These activities are exciting and allows kids to build confidence and teamwork skills. Kids’ camp lets all of us escape the distractions of our everyday routines and allows us to focus on building on our faith, friendships and personal growth. Whether it’s learning a new skill, overcoming challenges or stepping out of our comfort zone, camps help kids build self-confidence. In short, kids’ camp offers a blend of fun, friendship, faith and personnel development, making it a special experience that many people treasure.
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01
Apr '25
Texans on Mission
01
Apr '25

by Don Nelson
Texans on Mission is headquartered in Dallas and mobilizes Christian volunteers to impact the world by sharing God’s love and training the next generation, We do this by sending out an unending stream of volunteers to deliver help, hope and healing in the name of Christ to hurting people in Texas, across the United States and around the world.
There are many facets of TXM, including disaster relief, water impact, builders, discipleship as well as Royal Ambassadors.
Most of our local involvement is with disaster relief to provide practical help during tragedies by serving hot, nutritious meals and providing access to shower and laundry services as well as our local chainsaw team that removes debris as well as fallen and damaged trees.
Other teams clean out and repair homes damaged by floods and fire. We have chaplains that work with the teams to pray with and encourage survivors, offering hope for better days after the storms.
Some of our local volunteers have traveled as far as Israel this past year to be trained in kosher cooking as well as being deployed over seven times following strong winds, tornados and hurricanes within Texas and Oklahoma.
Our chainsaw team is made up of volunteers from not only Trinity, but from Comfort, Pipe Creek, and Camp Wood. We work side-by-side with other teams following disasters to show the love of Christ.
Trinity Baptist Church and Hill Country Baptist Association has helped our organization not only financially, but also through prayer and manpower. We also perform some local work to assist churches and great needs. There is always room for more volunteers. If you would like more information on how to get involved, visit the TXM.org website.
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01
Apr '25
For the Journey – April 2025
01
Apr '25

Thank you, Trinity Baptist Church. You sure know how to throw a celebration. Dennis Swanberg, the Minister of Encouragement, blessed us with a fun-filled evening and had everyone laughing. I greatly appreciate the Swan’s message for our church to remain faithful to God’s generous calling. We are truly blessed to bless.
There are so many people who gave great sacrifice and time to help us celebrate in such a grand way. We owe thanks to Kaleb Kurz and his cook team (many of his family members); Marci Newby and her kitchen staff; Sue Owens and her decorations team (Trish Wilson, Paula Locke, Sharon Grimes, Donna Hinton); Don Nelson, Bobby Ayala and our set up team; Brian Bowers and our Deacon servers (along with others who helped, Sharron Hawk); Wes Henson and our student ministry for helping with drinks; our Family ministry team of JD Templeton and Kellee Parish for assisting in the inconvenience of our Bible Study classes missing tables or having more than usual; and Clint Brown who went above and beyond. We did not miss worshiping, as we always do, thanks to Charlie Barganier. I am certain I am missing some who helped in great ways. Please know we are very thankful. Happy 75th Anniversary Trinity Baptist Church. May God be as gracious to us for the next 75 years and beyond, should Jesus tarry.
We have begun receiving our anniversary gift and will add to it anything given between now and May 25th. This is not a shifting of our tithes and offerings but a combined generous, willing and sacrificial gift. It was great to see such an outpouring of our church on our first Sunday of bringing in this gift. To God be the glory!
Trinity selected seven new deacons: Chuck Coulter, Jordan Marcum, Tabor McMillan, Philip Meadow, Vern Stahl, Jay Stimson and James Tripp. Thanks again to our New Deacon Selection Task Force and their godly leadership over the last year and a half to bring us to this point. Thank you, David Sprouse, Diane Donaldson, Pennie Olivo, Dan Petty and Vern Stahl.
We now set our focus on Resurrection Sunday and the gift to our community we call “The Victor”. I hope you will allow the Holy Spirit to use you in inviting our community to come and experience the Resurrection story. We will be observing the LORD’s Supper at Midweek on Wednesday of Holy Week. No greater event has ever or will ever occur in history than the reality of God’s love through Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. I look forward to our continued transformation as we journey together.
In Christ,
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30
Mar '25
The History of the Victor
30
Mar '25

Spring is upon us, which means it is Victor season at Trinity. This will be my second year directing The Victor and I am very much looking forward to it. The Victor, in case you are not familiar with it, is a musical drama presented annually on Palm Sunday weekend by the worship ministry at Trinity.
It is a powerful and meaningful illustration of the sacrifice Jesus Christ made in order to bring hope to the world through Him, our Savior, God’s Son.
Pastor John Wheat had a desire to do something special around Easter and approached Larry Danks, the minister of worship at the time. They invited a newcomer to Kerrville and to Trinity, Suzanne Harston, to join them in this endeavor. Suzanne has a degree in directing, a passion for Christ, and a servant heart. She has been a part of this project since the beginning; read her article at tbck.org where she tells the story of how it all got started.
It is a truly special event. I want to personally invite you to come experience The Victor with us this year, especially if you have never seen it. If you have been before, please invite someone new to come and experience it with you. We humbly present this as a gift to our community.
Thank you for the privilege of being part of what God is doing at Trinity Baptist Church!
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01
Mar '25
For the Journey – March 2025
01
Mar '25

God is at work in Trinity Baptist Church. There are good things going on and God is responsible for all of them. Several things will be added to our history this month. I hope you have marked March 23 as a special day on your calendars. On that day we will vote as a church on the approval of seven church members who have been nominated and recommended by our Deacon Selection Task Force. I hope you will take the time to read about those whom you may not know. There will be an information sheet with the names of each nominated, with a brief bio and picture, in our announcement guide and in the office.
I want to express thanks to our New Deacon Selection Task Force as they have been working for over a year to bring us to this place. They have done an outstanding job with the assignment given to them by our church. Thanks goes to David Sprouse for serving as chair of this task force and also to Diane Donaldson, Pennie Olivo, Dan Petty and Vern Stahl for their faithful research and commitment to the LORD and Trinity Baptist Church. Church members nominated are: Chuck Coulter (9:45), Jordan Marcum (9:45), Tabor McMillan (9:45), Philip Meadow (11:00), Vern Stahl (9:45), Jay Stimson (8:30), and James Tripp (9:45). The service they attend is listed in parenthesis.
Also, on March 23, we will be celebrating Trinity’s 75th Anniversary. We will have a special time on Sunday afternoon with a Banquet and special time with the “Minister of Encouragement,” Dennis Swanberg. The doors will open to the Family Life Center at 4:15 with Dinner beginning at 4:30 and our celebration in the Worship Center at 6:00 pm. Tickets are free but necessary to be certain we have the right amount of food. This will be a great time for Trinity to sit together and both celebrate and worship through God’s faithfulness and continued assignment together.
We will also use our anniversary to consider a corporate anniversary gift to Trinity Baptist Church. You should have already received a letter from me regarding our plans. God blessed us with timing and faithful sacrifice during COVID to give us space for future ministry. That space is being used in a great way to encourage as well as grow new disciples at Trinity. We will announce more of our intentions on March 23 and begin to receive our financial blessings from March 30 through May 25. To God be the glory, we are truly Blessed to Bless.
We will also recognize Wes Henson for his 6th anniversary as our Student Minister this month. We are grateful for Wes and Mica, Anna and Charis and all they bring to our staff and church. Thank you, Wes, for six years of anointed leadership and ministry.
These are exciting days at Trinity Baptist Church and I am so fortunate and blessed to be present, as you are, for God’s opportunities in our Faith Family, community and world.
In Christ,
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