Brief History
By the year 1760 the Zion Union Church was formed. It consisted of two congregations, German Reformed, and Lutheran. Each group worshiped on alternate Sundays in the "Kirche Hausse". As new immigrants arrived, the church membership grew, and the two congregations amicably separated in 1862. The Reformed Congregation became the Trinity Reformed Church, Now known as the Trinity United Church of Christ.
The present building was begun during the Civil War and completed in June of 1864. Located on the corners of York and Church Streets, the steeple is the highest in Manchester. The 700 pound bell within the steeple was purchased at a cost of fifty-five cents a pound. It continues to summons people to worship each Sunday.
Our Faith Story
Trinity's story is a faith story as its members continue to look to the Bible to discern God's will in a modern age. The center of our faith is Jesus Christ, the risen Lord, who calls us to discover the way of discipleship in our time. The Holy Spirit gathers us and empowers us for ministry. We practice infant and believer's baptism and open communion. Our common faith is summarized in the statement of faith of the United Church of Christ. We invite you to join us in our faith journey and invite you to help write the next chapter of Trinity's story in the new millennium.
The Larger Church
Trinity is part of the United Church of Christ, which is made up of four separate former denominations: The Reformed Church, the Evangelical Synod of North America, the Congregational Church, and the Christian Church. The Congregational and Christian Churches merged, as did the Evangelical and Reformed Church. These mergers were completed by the mid 1930's. In 1957 the Evangelical and Reformed Churches and the Christian churches merged to form the present day United Church of Christ. . Trinity is in covenant fellowship with 41 other churches of the Catoctin Association and with the nearly 200 congregations of the Central Atlantic Conference which covers an area from New Jersey to Richmond, Virginia and from the Shenandoah Valley to the Chesapeake Bay.
Ministries Supported
Trinity Church has supported a number of ministries over the years, including Hoffman Homes for Youth, NESAP (Northeast Social Action Program) , New Life for Girls, and Homewood Retirement Center. National and World ministries are supported through special offerings such as the NEIGHBORS IN NEED offering and the ONE GREAT HOUR of SHARING.
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