A short history of Trinity Episcopal Church - Whitinsville, MA

Vicars and Rectors:

 

1908 – 1912 Reverend Samuel Hotchkiss, Vicar

1912 – 1913 Reverend Joseph A. Tickner, Vicar

1914 – 1923 Reverend Preston Barr, Vicar

1923 – 1930 Reverend Hiram M. Rogers, Vicar

1930 – 1942 Reverend Alfred DeForest Snively, Vicar

1942 – 1943 Reverend Alfred DeForest Snively, Rector

1944 – 1950 Reverend William F. Armitage, Rector

1951 – 1955 Reverend Harold E. Taylor, Rector

1953 – 1955 Reverend Daniel C. Gauclair, Assistant Rector

1955 – 1960 Reverend F. Lee Richards, Rector

1960 – 1970 Reverend Charles Havens, Junior., Rector

1970 – 1979 Reverend Richard K. Clarke, Rector

1980 – 1990 Reverend Alden Besse, Rector

1991 – 2009 Reverend Charles Sutton

2011 – 2018 Canon Doctor John Derek Stubbs, Rector

2019 – 2022 Reverend George Warren, Interim Rector

2023 - Present Reverend John Elliott Lein, Bridge Priest

 

The Cottage Years – 1908 – 1929

 

Trinity Episcopal Church began life on the evening of March 12th, 1908 with the start of what became a series of self-described “Cottage” prayer meetings in the home of William T. Norton. During this meeting a “Petition of Organization” was signed with sixteen members present. Services were held under the spiritual guidance of the Reverend Samuel Hotchkiss from St. John's in Millville.

 

The second meeting took place five days later in the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Deane of Forest Street, and included the baptism of their infant daughter Elizabeth. Their third meeting took place Easter Day April 19th of 1908 and was the group's first public service held in the hall of Dudley Block, Church Street with forty people celebrating Holy Communion.

 

The presiding Bishop of Western Massachusetts, the Right Reverend Alexander H. Vinton, gave the church its name “Trinity” and visited in June of 1908. The place of worship was changed in 1918 from Dudley Block to Johnson Block on Church Street, in rooms above Baker's Department Store, due to the need for more room and improved facilities.

 

From those humble beginnings grew a large congregation of people who achieved Mission status and then became the Parish of Trinity Church. Early church writings marked the, “...sacrifice, hard work, devotion, and faith of many Christian men and women.” that made the effort successful.

 

The Building Years – 1926 – 1960

 

The church itself was not the group's first building project. A property at the corner of Church Street and Johnson Avenue was purchased as a site for a rectory from the Whitin Machine Works, and ground was broken with labor supplied by members of the congregation. However, it was not until 1926 that the congregation purchased the Julia Whitkin property on Linwood Avenue, relocated and remodeled the house, and made room for the present church building.

 

The former rectory on Johnson Avenue was sold to a W. C. Webster in October of 1928 in order to pay for the project, and ground was broken for the church on Linwood Avenue on June 17th, 1929. The Cornerstone was laid during a ceremony with special services by Bishop Thomas F. Davies of Springfield on September 26th, 1929. The building was completed in February of 1930, with Dedication Services by the Bishop Davies assisted by the Vicar and Vestry.

 

The church cleared its property debt by the end of March in 1942, and Trinity Church was consecrated and admitted into Union with Convention as a Parish in May 1942. The Reverend Alfred DeForest Snively was named the church's first Rector.

 

Changing Homes

 

The next significant change for the property was the result of acquisition of land called the C. W. Lasell property by the Reverend Harold Taylor at the direction of the Diocese in 1953. The property soon became the Episcopal Conference Center, and Taylor spent much time at the Center itself. The Diocese assigned an Assistant to help Taylor, but in 1955 both resigned and the Reverend F. Lee Richards was named Rector.

 

Under Richards' leadership the present Rectory home was obtained and the church property saw years of fundraising effort and work. A Capital Funds drive created the addition of the Parish House, the renovation of the basement of the church, and the addition of two red panels to the Altar.

 

Sunday Schooling

 

The six-room addition of the Church School to the Parish House began in 1958 with five rooms for study and one office for the rector. The Mid-Century design is credited to John A. Herron, Architect, from Worchester and built by William H. Guertin & Sons from Linwood. This is also when a home was purchased and remodeled on Linden Street to serve as the rectory.

 

The Reverend Charles Havens, Junior was elected Rector of Trinity in December of 1960. Havens paid off a debt, the parish built and dedicated its Church School, carpeted the church floor, moved the Altar forward, and weatherproofed the exterior of the church.

 

The 1960's to 2000: Decades of Worship

 

The 1960's and 1970's are marked by lengthy and productive tenures of two Rectors; the Reverend Charles Havens, Junior from 1960 to 1970 and the Reverend Richard K. Clarke from 1970 until the summer of 1979.

 

Between the summer of 1979 and the installation of the Reverend Alden Besse in May of 1980 the rectory on Linden Street was finally sold, and the proceeds were then used to renovate the older rectory next to the church for the new pastor. Reverend Besse also served the parish with distinction until his retirement in January of 1990. In 1991, the Reverend Charles Sutton began his tenure and led the congregation through a period of growth, including a very active education building that saw the addition of two rooms in 1998 to serve fifty students. 1998 also saw some Capital Campaign renovations to the church.

 

Trinity in the 21st Century

 

Times have certainly changed over the decades but the fellowship, history, dedication, and sense of purpose that motivated our first parishioners continues to this day, and Trinity members meet every Sunday for regular worship and music.

 

The Reverend Charles Sutton served Trinity until 2009. In 2011 Father John Stubbs was called to serve the parish, and he served wonderfully until 2018. From 2018 through the end of 2022 we were wonderfully served by our Interim Priest, the Reverend George Warren. In 2023 Father John Elliott Lein has joined us as a Bridge Priest through the end of June. Lein also serves the parish of St. John's in Millville, much as the original Vicar Hotchkiss did back in 1908. We have also been well served by church leadership, which has helped provide lay services in recent years.

 

Recent years have also seen Trinity dramatically improve its Internet infrastructure, which has allowed us to modernize our office and stream our Sunday services to Facebook and elsewhere.

 

We are looking for our next Rector, and if you think that might be YOU, please let us know! We have a lovely property, a beautiful historic home for you and your family, and a welcoming congregation in the beating heart of the small village of Whitinsville!

 

Our voices mix with the sights and sounds of the past while we celebrate God with open hearts and minds. We invite you to add your name to Trinity Church's history. See you on Sunday!