CONTRIBUTED BY SARA INGRAM
OPELIKA —
Trinity Presbyterian Church will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. Pastors Dr. Chris Duncan, Bruce Bowers and Jared Collins invite all members, former members and friends to join in celebrating this significant milestone and rejoice in the faithfulness of God.
Events on Oct. 29 begin at 9:40 a.m. with bagpipes on the lawn, followed by morning worship in the sanctuary at 10 a.m.
Dr. Mantle Nance, of Ballantyne Presbyterian Church in Charolette, North Carolina, will speak that morning. He will speak from II Corinthians 13:14, on “Southern Presbyterianism and the Triune God of Grace.”
Trinity Presbyterian Church was formed in 1973 when a group of men and women were compelled by an unwavering commitment to the Bible as God’s Word and the only infallible rule of faith and practice, to join with the newly formed Presbyterian Church in America. Trinity’s beginnings were humble to say the least. These “pioneers” moved into a location that had once served as a teenage dance hall, Club Shallamar, on India Road. They made many renovations and soon, the former life of that building bore no resem-blance to its new mission. The property where the building stood was part of a 26 acre campus, that, in 1978, became home to Trinity Christian School, the new church’s main ministry.
What began as a tiny congregation has been blessed by God to grow over the 50 years it has existed. There have been some difficulties along the way. Growth seldom comes without a growing-pain.
On Saturday, July 13, 2013, unbeknownst to anyone, lightning struck the building. Unfortunately the fire had a good head start before firemen were on the scene. The building was a total loss. So many treasures that meant a great deal to the pastors and congregation, including the pastors’ libraries, the organ and piano, choir music, a framed hand-crocheted depiction of The Last Supper, a plaque with children’s names engraved were lost. The plaque was recreated, but the rest was gone. Many members of the congregation stood down the hill on India Road and sang “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” as they watched and prayed for the firemen as they battled the blaze. Seeing the smoke billowing from the hill, and knowing the church was burning was heartbreaking. Many thanks are due to the first responders that evening as they brought the fire in the church building under control and kept it from spreading into the school. God was gracious, and school was only a week late beginning and had no damage at all.
As a family, Trinity did what families do in a crisis. The very next morning the church met at the old Mr. J’s. The room was packed, and the service a bit emotional, but even then, there was the knowledge that God would somehow rebuild, and rebuild, He did.
For many months, the church met at the Brown Cultural Center. Even though it was a temporary situation, faithful members continued to attend, and new members were added. Some renovations were made on that building to accommodate Sunday School, and various other activities. Trinity said that it was thankful for the Cultural Center for its hospitality during that time. While services were held at the Cultural Center, many members were meeting to decide on plans for a new building to be built. The new plans were approved by the congregation, and the ground-breaking was held in September 2014. About a year later, the church was finished, and the congregation moved in. Trinity now occupies a beautiful new Gothic-inspired sanctuary, families continue to come and the church continues to grow.
Trinity Presbyterian Church is located at 1010 India Road, Opelika.
Come on Oct. 29, and join the celebration.
