History of Trinity Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

Griffin, GA

1906 - Present

by Lillian Bell Goodrum

Our church had its beginning as a small white wooden building located on the corner of Third and Solomon Streets which is still its present location. The total membership of the small church, which was called The Little Moody Grass Church, was approximately two dozen members. The official name of The Little Moody Grass Church was Bray’s Temple .

Bray’s Temple was demolished and a new structure was built in 1906. The new structure was named Trinity Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, built under the leadership of Pastor Pennigrass . The building was planned by B. R. Bray and built by Dick Reid . The building committee included J. W. Chunn , W. Smith , H. N. Jones , S. Haywood , J. Milner , E. Ogletree , J. Sed , and J. Evers . The presiding elder was R. A. Carter and district director was Bishop Lucious Henry Holsey . On January 2, 1911 the members borrowed $1,200 to renovate the church. The notes were due on the first of the year, from January 1, 1912 to January 1, 1914 which the next consecutive 3 years were all paid on time for the sum of $400 each time.

In 1998 Trinity CME Life Fellowship Center was erected under the leadership of Pastor Trent Carr . The Building Committee was: Rev. C. C. Hunter, Chair; Bro. Johnny Goodrum, Steward Chair; Mrs. Erma Roberts, Trustee; Col. Curtis Jones, Mrs. Annette Touchstone, Bro. Rufus Lawrence, and Bro. James Matthews. The leadership was Presiding Elder E. P. Pettigrew and Presiding Prelate, Bishop Othal Hawthorne Lakey.

Since the church has been erected, there have been a number of great leaders. It would be a great task to name all these members so we will only name a few who pastored Trinity during its’ life time were: Rev. Woodard, Rev. M.B. Brown, Rev. W.M. Blackshear, Rev. J.P. Plumber, Rev. Henry, Rev. McKenzy, Rev. C.C. Hunter, Rev. Thomas, Rev. Curtis Jones, Rev. O.T. Taylor, Rev. Norman, Rev. C. Hester, Rev. J. Adams, Rev. Chris Johnson, Rev. Fred Johnson, Rev. Robert McLaughlin, Rev. Gloria Blue, Rev. Trent Carr, Rev. Michael Perkins, and Pastor since 2001, Rev. Horace Ace Head.

Our church is not judged by its size but by its spirit. It is not gauged by its wealth but by its willingness to fulfill God’s will. In that sense we would claim to be a great church. Our church is what it is today because of those who went before us. Indeed, we all are what we are because of our fore-bearer in faith whose blood marked trail begins at Calvary and continues even until now.