Trinity United Methodist Church Celebrates 250 Years This Month!
Congregation Continues Its Story with Faith, Fortitude…and Fanfare!
By Melanie Modlin
Alexandria, VA – Some readers will know the classic hymn, “I Love to Tell the Story.” Let me tell the story of my church and the whirlwind year we’ve had — and are having — at Trinity United Methodist Church. For starters:
- Trinity pre-dates the United States of America.
- Alexandria’s first Methodist church has survived and thrived through ups and downs and multiple locations.
- Trinity is excited to honor, celebrate, and commemorate its 250th birthday this month!
Unified by the theme “250 Years of Looking Upward and Pushing Forward!” months of activities will culminate in a special Homecoming Weekend November 15-17. Here’s a reflection on its true meaning from Grace Han, Lead Pastor of Trinity.
“As we celebrate this milestone, we recognize that we didn’t get here by ourselves. One of the best parts of the year was partnering with our community. This spring, we donated $15,000 to Alexandria City Public School Lunch debt forgiveness and ALIVE emergency housing assistance. This fall, we participated in joint worship with Roberts Memorial UMC and Washington Street UMC, our historic siblings. We look forward to continuing to serve in our community!”
We kicked things off on February 8, when Alfonso Lopez, 3rd District Representative in the Virginia House of Delegates, offered a formal resolution commemorating the anniversary. It passed unanimously on the House floor.
Since then, we have marched in the George Washington Parade, set the goal of 250 acts of mission, collected oral histories, and launched a $250,000 fundraising campaign to ensure a bright future for our historic church.
The congregation has been preparing for this anniversary for the past two years. It has been a rewarding “archaeological dig,” you might say, as we prepare to celebrate 250 years. We have shared historical moments throughout the year, telling the stories of Trinity. We learned that our members housed two Methodist pastors from the early colonies who went to Mt. Vernon to petition President George Washington against slavery. One of our early preachers, James Tolleson, presented one of the memorial sermons sponsored by the citizens of Alexandria following President Washington’s death.
The first Methodist Church in Alexandria, Trinity was committed to charity and community service from its beginning. The church has long supported programs for those in need in our backyard and around the globe. In the 18th century, congregants included Black and White persons from all stations of society. Trinity came out strongly against slavery and, more recently, became a member of the Reconciling Ministries Network of the United Methodist Church, honoring and accepting LGBTQ+ people throughout its life and leadership.
The church was located in Old Town for most of its history at Chapel Alley (the present-day Basilica of St. Mary) and South Washington Street (the present-day Hotel Heron). In 1947, at the urging of a small but faith-filled congregation, the church moved brick by brick to its current location, 2911 Cameron Mills Road, in Alexandria’s Beverley Hills neighborhood.
It truly has been an awe-inspiring year celebrating our past 250 years of faith, service, and community. We have honored the stories of the generations who built this legacy and acknowledged when we have fallen short. Rooted in history, yet always reaching forward, we as a congregation look forward to embracing the next 250 years with unwavering faith and love. We will keep The Zebra updated as we go!
Melanie Modlin is an Alexandria resident and a lifelong memory of Trinity United Methodist Church. Full coverage of the anniversary festivities will appear in the December issue of The Zebra.
