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History & Mission
Looking Back to Our
Beginnings
First and Last Visits
Recounted
Litany of Rectors
A New Era Begins
Moving Forward into the Future
Invitation to join us
Trinity’s 100 Year Anniversary Faith Story in Song
Looking
Back . . .
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Trinity's beginnings can be traced to Arlington Chapel, a chapel
for slaves erected on the Arlington estate in the early 1800's
by George Washington Parke Custis, adopted
son of our first president. An old map establishes that the chapel was
near the southwest corner of what is now Arlington National Cemetery, a
mile from Trinity's present location. Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS)
furnished supply persons to the Chapel. Each Sunday afternoon for many
years a student from the Seminary would make the eight-mile ride on
horseback to preach at the Chapel. |
The Chapel burned during the Civil War and the southern
part of Arlington County was without an Episcopal Church for about a
decade. After the war, services were conducted by seminarians in a
barracks once occupied by federal troops, a few hundred yards east of
Trinity's present location. In 1877 land was donated for a new chapel on
the north side of Columbia Pike. A small frame structure was built and
Seminary students conducted services for approximately twenty years.
In 1902, the present property at the corner of Columbia
Pike and South Wayne Street was acquired, and the frame chapel was moved
to this location the following year. It was not until 1936 that
Trinity grew to the self-sufficiency of a full-time minister. For a
generation, VTS faculty and seminarians continued to serve it, assisted
by military chaplains from nearby Fort Myer and by rectors of other
Episcopal parishes.
Trinity became an organized mission church of the Diocesan Council in
May 1938. Arlington's explosive growth during and after World War II had
a profound impact on Trinity, leading to its being granted the status of
a self-sustaining parish church by the Diocesan Council on May 22, 1947.
The first rector was the Reverend Ernest H. Williams, a 1938 graduate of
the Virginia Theological Seminary.
A new building in the Georgian style,
designed by parishioner William Max Haussmann, Sr. was constructed. This is the building in which the
congregation worships today. The Right Reverend Robert F. Gibson, then
Bishop Coadjutor of Virginia, dedicated the church on May 12, 1957.
In November 2004, Trinity celebrated 100 years at its
current Columbia Pike
location.
First
& Last Visits Recounted
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Mr. Henry
Biddle |
It was a
bright, sunny Sunday in 1931, reports long time Trinity parishioner
Henry Biddle. My mother decided to take me to Trinity. This was
strange because my father usually took my sister and me to Sunday School
at St. George’s. Mom and I walked a half mile to Trinity. As we
approached the church it seemed to me to be like a solemn cement covered
barn with a strangely bent cross on the roof. The interior was scary
with its dark wood paneling. Soon the service started led by a man all
dressed in black. I was terrified and began kicking the pew and yelling
bloody murder. My mother grabbed my arm and dragged me out of church.
I was happy my first visit to Trinity was over (says Henry Biddle, now
some 72 years later!)
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The Rev. Kim Coleman and
Peggy Varney |
Upon her
imminent relocation to North Carolina in 2003, parishioner Peggy Varney
writes: Thank you for letting me be me—as a member of Trinity for 35
years—you’ve let me give (or share) however minimal—the gifts of talent
that I’ve been blessed with—nothing earth-shaking or death threatening
or of any monetary value. I’m grateful for who I am, where I am, what I
am and the spiritual help I could always rely on—thanks. Wherever I go,
the body goes—but the spirit and love will linger at Trinity Episcopal
Church, Arlington, VA. God Bless.
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Litany of Rectors
The Rev. Ernest
H. Williams
1945-1949
The Rev. Gary K.
Price
November 1949-1975
The Rev. Gerald A.
Riley
1976-1984
The Rev. Porter
Brooks (Interim)
1985-mid 1986
The Rev.
Nicholas Lubelfeld
1986-1992
The Rev. John F.
Rice
1995-2000
The Rev. Richard
Banks (Interim)
2001-2002
The Rev. Kim L.
Coleman
November 2002 to present
A New Era Begins
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The Rev. Kim L. Coleman, the first female woman of color
to be installed as Rector of a parish in the Diocese of Virginia,
celebrated her institution as Trinity’s sixth rector on Monday, January
20, 2003. It was an event not to be forgotten. As Mother Kim explains,
“The church was packed. Everyone was excited. The congregation had
worked extremely hard to prepare for the festivities and it showed. The
people who gathered together for the service could not stop talking
about how welcomed they felt and what a wonderful time they were having. We processed into worship to the exuberant singing of
Alleluia, Sing to Jesus. Everything was going exceptionally
well when the unexpected occurred. Bishop Peter James Lee and I stood at the
top of the chancel stairs as the congregation awaited the announcement
of the Peace. The Bishop had everyone’s rapt attention . . . except for
one man. |
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With steady, catlike
movements, a member of our Ethiopian congregation was
advancing step by step towards the chancel stairs. In his hands was a
camera, a flash camera. And he was clicking away, flash, after flash,
after flash. Neither the congregation nor the ushers seemed to notice.
But I was petrified. I refused to look at the Bishop. I kept smiling
and decided simply to pretend the picture taking was not happening.
Afterwards, the gentleman in question rushed up to me to explain, “Kim,
I could not understand. I kept wondering what was wrong with everybody.
No one was taking pictures. It was a perfect moment. So I decided I’m
going to get this picture for Kim.” I may be the only rector in the
Diocese of Virginia with pictures of their Bishop during an installation
service. I have not stopped laughing. Thanks be to God!”
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Moving
Forward into the future . . .
We at Trinity Church are a deeply
caring community whose love for Christ compels us to be active agents in
transforming our community by meeting the needs of others. We welcome
all people. Without judgment or reservation, we reach out to the
isolated and the lonely. We befriend the stranger. We clothe the naked.
We feed the hungry. We nurture children and their families. And we help
people of every race, gender, orientation and color find connection with
God and others.
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In Summer 2003, Trinity’s Vestry and
elected leadership engaged the question, “What does God want from this
community of faith?” We have heard a call from God to strengthen and
create community in Christ’s name in the Columbia Pike area and beyond.
In so doing, we commit to becoming:
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A thriving, radiating center of Christian worship and
camaraderie where all, especially in the Columbia Pike area, will come
to experience vibrant, meaningful and joyous relationship with God
through Jesus Christ.
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The place to go to hear the Good News of the Gospel boldly
proclaimed in thought-provoking sermons that are biblically-based,
relevant and applicable to contemporary life.
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A magnet drawing in all who seek to satisfy their
spiritual needs and identity in the company of committed followers of
Christ, discerners of the Holy Spirit and fruitful servants of God.
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An enthusiastic seat of theological education and
learning. At Trinity we will provide all ages limitless opportunity to
participate in lively God talk, to ask and discuss every type and genre
of faith question imaginable, to experience a wide variety of enriching
spiritual disciplines and to engage an exciting journey of spiritual
growth and fellowship.
We
invite all to join us in
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Finding a
place to grow with others in knowledge, commitment and authentic faith
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Overcoming isolation, loneliness and alienation in our community.
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Freeing
the disenfranchised in the Columbia Pike Area from cultural, economic
and racial barriers.
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Empowering all Columbia Pike residents with the life skills necessary to
participate actively in community decision-making processes.
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Bringing
about the fair, just and inclusive revitalization of Columbia Pike.
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Marshalling the energy and resources of Trinity members and community
residents to address the needs of the new, diverse populations
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Celebrating the love of God through our service to God, our community
and one another!
Singing Our 100 Year Anniversary Faith Story
Melody: "I've Been Workin' on the Railroad"
We are members here at
Trinity
along Columbia Pike
For the past one hundred years
it's the church that people like.
Started in a little chapel,
by men from VTS.
We are very proud to say
we think it is the best!
More and more the people came;
some big ones and some small.
Very soon we needed room
to serve them one and all.
So we built a bigger church,
and what you see today,
Is the perfect place to be,
and perfect place to pray.
Thank you Jesus, thank you
Jesus
for giving us your grace.
A hundred years of people praying
in this your special place.
Guide us and watch over us
in this our Christian home.
Help us keep the faith and love you,
in all the years to come!
Lyrics by Morton Langstaff Trinity Parishioner since 1957
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