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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
COMPILED BY PAUL T. SAYLER
EVERY MONTH IN THE NEWSLETTER NEW INFORMATION IS PRESENTED:
CURRENTLY FOUNDING FAMILIES OF TRINITY
Trinity
started as a Sunday School in "Anderson Hall" in 1893. The hall was
situated on the second floor of a small frame building over a bar and
located at the corner of Madison Avenue and West 96th. Street. Before
the end of the year, the group had become known as the "West Madison
Mission" of the Franklin Avenue Church. Rev. Cory, a retired minister
who lived in the area, conducted services for the congregation. On
September 16, 1894, Bishop Walden laid the cornerstone for the building
of a church to be located at the Northwest corner of Madison Avenue and
West 99th. Street. The design would follow the Akron plan. Growth and
use by 1904 required extensive renovation and refurnishing. Most of
the expense was met by the ladies of the church baking and selling
bread and rolls and by making potato chips. Upon completion, it was
deemed necessary to re-dedicate the church.
In 1905 a pastoral
change brought Rev. H. C. Martindale to the pulpit. Rev. Martindale
was a veteran of the Civil War. During Rev. Martindale's pastorate,
the congregation grew to the extent that additional space was needed.
This inspired the men and boys of the church to take picks, shovels and
wheelbarrows, jack up the building, excavate and build a basement.
This spirit of we can do it outselves continued with the installation
of wooden floors in 1921, construction of a stage in 1927, removal of
the skylight in 1931, rebuilding the chancel and furniture in 1941,
creation of a study for the pastor and extensive paneling in 1949, and
still this spirit continues with the men's most recent project, the
addition of glass blcok windows in 1997.
The church purchased in
1927, from the Willoughby Methodist Church, a beautiful "romantic"
tracker pipe organ. This was installed in a reconfigured sanctuary by
the men of the church. The men also helped keep the doors open during
the depression by raising the money with weekly fish fries.
Trinity
was caught up in the WWII effor with the pastor Rev. A. R. Anderson
working at The Iron Fireman factory making parts for the Grumman
airplanes. When the war was over, a long standing request was honored
and the pews were rearranged, a post removed from the middle of the
sanctuary and a center aisle created. Again the men of the
congregation completed the work and received much gratitude from the
many brides who could now walk down the center aisle.
In 1956,
Rev. Earl Cunningham was assigned to the congregation and the Mid-West
Parish, an association of neighborhood churches, predecessor of the
West Side Ecumenical Ministries. He also saw that a fire station was
relocated to the adjacent corner. Following the relocation, if the
fire siren sounded during church, the pastor paused wherever he was int
he service so all could pray for those involved. In 1963, Rev. Kenneth
Hoagland, newly graduated from seminary, came to serve the church. One
Sunday morning the service was about to begin when the congregation
realized Rev. Hoagland was not in the building. He was in Selma,
Alabama in jail,having been arrested for marching with Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. Trinity learned great appreciation for women in the
ministry when Rev. Hallie Franciers served as a student pastor. The
congregation has also had the experience of a clergy couple shared with
Wesley Church.
Now the congregation appreciates the stability of
Rev. David Bardou who also teaches in the Strongsville School system.
He has helped the congregation to meet or exceed all apportionments,
maintain an active youth and Sunday School program, keep the church
vital and provide interdenominational leadership in the area.
Trinity United Methodist; 9900 Madison Ave, Cleveland, Ohio, 44102; (216)-961-4445; trinityumc44102@yahoo.com
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Trinity United Methodist