Our History
Our Foundation
Members of the Trinity UMC Committee on Preservation of Church History met in the Yates Heritage Center at 2:07 PM on June 21, 2023. The meeting was called to order by Chair Rhonda Work. The meeting began with a prayer offered by Dawn Adams.
Gracious Lord,
Thanks so much for this day. Lord, we give thanks for this fellowship where we ask you to comfort and guide us in your work, Lord, as we share the history of the Church, and as we share all of the discipleship and all of the love that has impacted this community as always in years past and in years forward. We ask your blessings over the work we do today and throughout our 200th year celebration. Take care of our health and our strength and resilience through it all, in Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen
Our History
Trinity has a long and distinguished heritage of faithful ministry in downtown Tallahassee, Florida. What began as a missionary outpost to the new town of Tallahassee in 1824 is now a vibrant congregation that worships together, shares life in faith, and serves our community and beyond.
Circuit-riding Methodist missionaries rode on horseback from South Carolina through the swamps and backwoods of Georgia to arrive in the Big Bend area of the Territory of Florida soon after the first settlers came in the early 1820s. The circuit riders had been sent by the South Carolina Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church’s Board of Missions to meet the spiritual needs of the wagonloads of men, women, and children who came to the Tallahassee settlement, seeking a land of new opportunities. In 1824, the mission became Trinity United Methodist Church. The congregation first met in a small wooden building on what is now the corner of West Park Avenue and Bronough Street, and in 1840, built a larger sanctuary on the present location of Park Avenue and Duval Street.
Built in 1840, this white stucco building replaced the plain wooden structure of 1825.
In 1893, a red brick semi-gothic sanctuary replaced the original sanctuary in which the Methodists had worshiped since 1840. It served the congregation until 1962 and was replaced by the current church complex in 1964. Trinity’s present place of worship, the third on the corner of Park Avenue and Duval Street, was completed in May 1964. The church includes a sanctuary, chapel, fellowship hall, classrooms, parlor, library, and offices. Its magnificent steeple holds high the cross and beckons all to come worship and serve God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Historical Society
The Historical Society is responsible for showing and telling the history of Trinity through the publication of its quarterly newsletter Crossroads, displays of documents and artifacts, and sponsorship of presentations and meetings.
The Historical Society is open to anyone who is interested in or wishes to be involved with church history.
Committee for the Preservation of Church History
The CPCH is a ministry of the Church Council with members appointed by the Council and with other individuals who serve as associate members. The CPCH is responsible for researching and preserving the many documents, journals, reports, photographs, recordings, and other material relevant to our church history.
