Our Story

In 1898, Rev. David W. Thrornberry was in charge of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Dennison, Ohio, after serving as a chaplain in WW1. In August of that year, he extended his work to New Philadelphia where he held services in an unused YMCA hall for $1.00 per week. At his first service there were four adults and three children. It was then when he said, “This is no experiment. There will be a service here every Sunday evening at 7:00 PM. I will stay with you until a chapel is built and paid for.”

In August of 1902, sod was turned, and in September, the Rt. Rev. William A. Leonard, Bishop of Ohio, attended to lay the cornerstone. Inside the cornerstone was placed a Bible, The Book of Common Prayer, and a newspaper containing information of the assassination of President William McKinley.

The Church was consecrated during the Sunday service on March 19, 1903. The choir wore new vestments made by church women with cloth donated by Sr. Warden, Matthew Smith of Cleveland. Those in attendance included vestry members Dr. George Collins, Mr. William Farmer, Mr. Robert Galbraith, and Mr. Fredrick H. Morgan. Also attending were then Archdeacon Abbot, the Rt. Rev. William A. Leonard, the Rev. David W. Thornberry, New Philadelphia Mayor Samuel Howell Ashbridge and City Council, as well as church members from Dennison and Dover.

A Schantz organ was added in 1926 which is the second oldest in Tuscarawus County. It consists of two manuals and seven ranks of pipes. Looking at the celing, the observer will notice large Celtic crosses which also serve as roof supports.

In 1975, a new office and education wing was added using sandstone from the same quarry in Strasburg. It consists of an office, lounge/meeting room, restrooms, and the four rooms of the “little house” were included in the building to be used for Christian Education.

In 2018, all windows were restored using the original stained glass. The church has a capacity for 200 worshippers for Sunday services. Trinity Episcopal Church is know as the “red door church” by many homeless.

Trinity Episcopal Church is part of the world-wide Anglican Communion and a parish of the Diocese of Ohio headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.