wfn.org | TRINITY CHURCH, WALL STREET, MARKS 300TH ANNIVERSARY

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TITLE:TRINITY CHURCH, WALL STREET, MARKS 
June 26, 1996
Episcopal News Service
James Solheim, Director
(212) 922-5385
ens@ecunet.org

96-1504
TRINITY CHURCH, WALL STREET, MARKS 300TH ANNIVERSARY

BY MARIA DERING
           (ENS) One of the oldest churches in the United States, where George
Washington held his inaugural services and Alexander
Hamilton was buried following his fatal duel with Aaron Burr, kicked off a
yearlong celebration of its 300 years of history in May.
           A festival Eucharist on Ascension Day for parishioners and guests
filled every seat of Trinity Parish, Wall Street's, neo-Gothic
church building, as the congregation also marked the structure's 150th
anniversary. The current building, designed by Richard Upjohn, is
the third Trinity Church to stand on the same site since the parish was
founded in 1697.
           Following the service, Trinity Church's rector, the Rev. Dr. Daniel
Paul Matthews, welcomed worshipers and guests to a
Colonial Faere on the church grounds. Jugglers, musicians and stilt walkers
circulated among food booths and flower vendors to recreate the
atmosphere of New York City at the time of Trinity's founding. Two large tents
protected parishioners--and a number of Wall Street
passersby who joined in the festivities--from a cold, driving rain that failed
to dampen spirits.
           At an afternoon inter-faith service attended by leaders of New York
City's religious, political and financial communities, Mayor
Rudolph Giuliani proclaimed May 16, 1996, as Trinity Church 300th Anniversary
Day. Brendan Gill, former editor of the New Yorker
magazine and contributing editor to the New York Times, spoke on Trinity's
architecture and the role of the church in New York City's
history. Other guests included Richard Grasso, president of the New York Stock
Exchange, Dr. George Rupp, president of Columbia
University, and Rabbi Ronald Sobel of Temple Emmanu-El. 

AN ACTIVE OUTREACH
           Trinity's congregation of 1,000 people, drawn from all of New
York's five boroughs, supports an active outreach to the city,
including a homeless shelter, a 24-hour center for the mentally ill homeless,
a home for the elderly and disabled, and a music program that
brings concerts to residents of long-term care and treatment facilities. Its
activism reflects its history in which Trinity upheld the rights of
slaves in pre-Revolutionary America, established missions and social programs
for immigrants during the 19th century, and set up soup
kitchens and hostels during the Depression.
           The parish is also one of New York's most active, and perhaps
oldest, philanthropic organizations, funding projects from the
South Bronx to South Africa. Its philanthropy is supported by one of the
largest holdings of commercial real estate holdings in the city,
encompassing 27 buildings totaling 6 million square feet of office, retail and
manufacturing space.
           Trinity will offer a wide range of events through May, 1997, to
commemorate its tercentenary. Cantadore Laura Simms will
offer a storytelling group for families in June and September using the
colors, objects and imagery of Trinity Church. The congregation's
own story will be told through ongoing oral history and video projects, and
parishioners will contribute to a time capsule to be buried in the
churchyard in 1997 for 100 years. The Brothers of Taize will lead an Advent
conference at the Trinity Center in West Cornwall on faith
formation and worship. 
           The celebration will conclude following the 28th session of Trinity
Institute with a festive dinner on Ellis Island on May 8, the
actual anniversary of Trinity's founding as New York City's first Anglican
parish. Trinity Institute, an annual conference on issues of
theology and culture, will feature Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey.

--MARIA DERING SERVES IN THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TRINITY CHURCH.