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A BRIEF HISTORY OF TRINITY
Greetings and welcome to Trinity Episcopal Church. Trinity is a united Christian community serving all people as Christ commands, through prayer, worship, study and fellowship. Whether you are visiting from out of town, new to the Christian faith, or looking for a church home, you are welcome at Trinity.
FROM THE RECTOR:
On behalf of The Trinity Church Family I want to welcome you to our website and invite you to come and see us in person.
We offer two styles of worship service, a traditional service at 9:00 a.m. that features classic church music and a contemporary service at 11:00 a.m. with modern music and instrumentation.
Whichever service you choose to attend I believe you will find a warm welcome when you arrive. Hope to see you soon.
God Bless,
Fr. Nick
TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH:
A BRIEF HISTORY
In 1923, fourteen Episcopalians petitioned the bishop of the Diocese of Texas to establish a mission in Baytown. Property was donated to the mission by Humble Oil and Refining Company. That same year the first school program was begun with supplies and money sent to the mission from the Church of the Holy Comforter in Cleburne, TX. Services and classes were held at various locations throughout Baytown.
In 1929 the mission built its first building on the donated property. The new building was formally opened on November 9, 1930, and dedicated by Bishop Quinn on February 11, 1931. In 1933 that building was destroyed by fire, and a new building was erected on the same property that year, just in time for Christmas Eve services. In 1936 the mission was elevated to full parish status.
In 1950 and again in 1953 the church was remodeled and enlarged to accommodate a growing membership.
In 2000 a vision committee approved Phase 1, a provision to move the church to a steadily growing part of North Baytown. And on November 5, 2005, Trinity held its first services at its new home at 5010 N. Main.
In 2008’s Phase 2 campaign, Trinity expanded its new building on North Main Street by adding a 5000 sq. ft. Parish Hall and 
Christian Education wing. At the time of this printing, Trinity has begun discussions on Phase 3.
85+ years have seen Trinity Episcopal Church as a great witness to God in the name of Jesus Christ. And Trinity continues to be a bastion of outreach and hope for the Baytown area.
BECOMING A MEMBER:We welcome everyone to come and be part of our church family. The first step for most folks is simply to come to your favorite Sunday service (we recommend that you try them both – each has a very distinctive feel) and worship with us. Engage the life of the church by attending one of our bible studies, fellowship events or any of the many activities that go on around the church on a regular basis. Get to know us, and let us get to know you. And if you like what you find, it is time to think about becoming a “member” of Trinity.
We are a really easy group to be a part of. You may join our congregation by simply letting any of the clergy know you want to join up, and we will gather some information, put your name in the phone book and you are part of our family. Many people like to affiliate with our church in this fashion until they feel comfortable with our tradition, our worship style and our way of doing God’s business.
If you have not been BAPTIZED, we encourage you to entertain this possibility. Baptism has been an “official” entry into the life of Christ and the family of God for over 2000 years. We believe that the sacrament of Holy Baptism not only declares our intent to be one of God’s children, it gives God the opportunity to declare by the power of His Holy Spirit that He is ready and willing to be our Heavenly Father. At any time, you may speak to any of the clergy at Trinity about Baptism. In our tradition, we baptize people of all ages, from new born children to the most senior of citizens. Once you are baptized (or if you have already been baptized) we will record you as a baptized member of Trinity and the Christian Community at large.
Once a year, one of the three bishops of the Diocese of Texas makes a visit to Trinity. One of the things the bishop does during these visits is to conduct a service of CONFIRMATION – which gives our newest members the opportunity to formally join not only our congregation, but the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America and the World Wide Anglican Communion. The Episcopal Church is the American branch of the Church of England – the mother church of the Anglican Communion which is found in virtually every nation of the world. Once you become an Episcopalian, you will discover that you now have a home church close by no matter where your travels might take you.
When you join the Trinity Church family, you will find that it is like being part of any family. There are rights and privileges you have, and a place that you can always call home. And like any family, there are chores that have to be done in order to maintain the house we live in together. In God’s family, those chores are most often found in ministry. We will encourage you to discover just what ministry God has in mind for you – perhaps it will be the use of a talent or gift that you use every day in your work or hobbies; or perhaps God will choose to give you a new skill to use just for His work. Our goal is to try and help you find out just what it is that God has in mind for you, and to make sure you have the training and resources you need to answer His call.
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s body the Church. The bond which God establishes in Baptism is indissoluble (The Episcopal Book of Common Prayer).
Jesus left instructions to His disciples to baptize all peoples, in all corners of the world. Baptism is the first step on the Christian path. The Episcopal Church recognizes one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. Baptism is usually incorporated into the Eucharist. Through Holy Baptism, a person is joined to Christ in His death and His glorious resurrection, and, being washed clean of sin, prepared to journey on the Christian walk as a new person.
In the Episcopal Church, a person may be baptized at any age. Parents of infants and children being baptized also make a commitment to raise their children in the Christian faith.
If you are interested in Holy Baptism, please contact any member of Trinity’s clergy or the church office for more information and baptism scheduling.
Confirmation is a church word for membership. Through Confirmation a person becomes a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, The Episcopal Church, U.S.A., and The Worldwide Anglican Communion.
“In the course of their Christian development, those baptized at an early age are expected…to make a mature public affirmation of their faith and commitment to the responsibilities of their baptism…Those baptized as adults…are also expected to make a public affirmation…” (The Episcopal Book of Common Prayer).
In other words, confirmation is an outward expression of the promises made in the baptismal covenant, a public affirmation of our belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and of God’s Holy Spirit. Confirmation is also a promise to continue in the four tenants of the Christian church: The apostles teaching and fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42).
Confirmation is done annually at Trinity by one of the Bishops of the Diocese of Texas at various times of the church year. Prior to being confirmed, a person to be confirmed is required to attend Confirmation classes conducted by Trinity’s clergy. Please contact the church office for more information.
As a Christian, Jesus has called you to leave the“for
mer” you behind and become a “new” you. He calls you to become a “Human Doing” instead of just a human being. That’s why the term “Christian” is actually a verb: Jesus calls you to the service of your fellow man.
Trinity is blessed to be home to over 35 different ministry opportunities. All members of Trinity are encouraged to become a part of Christ’s ministry to the world. Trinity has a Ministry Booklet that lists available ministry opportunities here at the church. We encourage you to look for other needs and social concerns in the church and the community and to minister to those needs. In other words, members of Trinity are expected to seek and serve Christ in all persons and in all places.
At certain times of our lives, we may be seeking a deeper relationship with God. Being a member of Trinity may mean for you learning about the Christian faith, what it means to be a disciple, studying the Bible, or learning about your spiritual gifts. Wherever you are in your Christian journey, there is a place for you at Trinity!