Trinity Episcopal Church
Long Green, Maryland
* About Us * Christian Education * Day School * History * Liturgy, Mission, & Music *
* Mission * Outreach * Parish Life*
Welcome, and thank you for your interest! Trinity Church
began over one hundred and eighty five years ago as a small
"chapel of ease" for
local farmers and residents of Long Green Valley in Baltimore County,
Maryland. Our current membership is approximately 140 families, drawn largely
from within seven miles of the church. Most have been members for twelve to
twenty years and are active participants in the wide variety of ministries and
activities offered at Trinity.
Our strengths include our worship services, music ministry, ability to welcome
visitors, fellowship, and outreach. We care deeply about one another and believe
that people find a safe haven at Trinity.
Our congregation has a long history of working very well with our Vestries and
previous rectors.
We draw strength from our rich history and traditions, and we look to the future
with confidence. We offer our Parish Profile with the hope and prayer that it
reflects our true spirit and intentions.
Christian Education
Trinity Church offers Sunday School during the 10:00 a.m.
worship service.
Bible stories are presented to the children and through various
crafts and activities they learn of God's lessons and plans for us. The children
begin in the parish hall and later join the adults in the church just prior to
the Eucharist. On the first Sunday of the month the children join their parents
for the entire service and are invited to participate in the Liturgy. Sunday
School is open to children ages 4 - 12.
Adult Christian Education is a developing program offering evening discussions
and group study. The goal of this program is to open and challenge our minds to
nurture a greater understanding of our faith.
Trinity Church Day School, established in 1952, is an
extension of the educational, pastoral, and missionary ministries of Trinity
Episcopal Church. The School is open to all children regardless of race, creed,
or national origin. Our focus is to help children discover, develop, and grow in
all ways, including their relationship to God and His world.
The school has a staff of 21, an average enrollment of 110, and serves children
two years of age through kindergarten. Trinity Church Day School holds a
certificate of approval from the Maryland State Department of Education and
belongs to the Mid-Atlantic and National Episcopal Schools Associations. It also
offers before and after school care, licensed by the Maryland Child Care
Administration. The Day School is self-supporting and contributes to the
church's annual budget. We are currently considering a physical expansion of the
school.
The charming white-stucco, Norman-style church along Manor Road-seemingly timeless and unchanging- actually has a long and interesting history and a rich tradition befitting an institution rapidly approaching its bicentennial.
Under the leadership of Edward Peerce and John Yellott, the
church at Long Green was originally established as a "chapel of ease" for the
benefit of the inhabitants of the valleys-Long Green and Dulaney-who previously
had to attend church at St. John's in Joppa or St. James in Monkton.
In those
days they would have been long and difficult journeys. Peerce donated an acre of
land on Bull Ridge, and a committee proceeded to raise, in two subscriptions, a
grand total of $1,745.37. Work on the building began in 1819, and was completed
by the following year when the church was formally consecrated by Bishop James
Kemp of the Diocese of Maryland, on October 12, 1820.
For nearly a half-century Trinity was linked to St. James, sharing a rector and
being otherwise subordinate to the Monkton church which antedated it by some
seventy years. Though Trinity petitioned for full autonomy in 1860, it was not
recognized as an independent church until 1862, and only severed its last links
with St. James in 1866.
For many years thereafter the church remained virtually unchanged - a simple,
square, single-story building - but in 1889, the first of the great renovations
occurred. It was at that time that the exterior of the church was covered in
stucco and the interior was rearranged and refurbished. The orientation was
drastically altered, with the entrance being shifted to
the north, and the altar
being placed on the south wall. The older entrances were closed off, and the
slave gallery was removed. The magnificent stained glass window of the
Transfiguration, imported from Germany and brought up Manor Road by horse and
wagon, was placed above the altar where it remains the focal point of the
church. A decade or so later, a two and a half-story tower (the Yellot tower)
with double doors was added, and in it was hung the fine Gloria in Excelsis
bell. In 1934, the old chancel furniture was removed, a new marble altar
installed, and electric lights replaced the oil lamps. Three years later, thanks
to the generosity of a parishioner, the handsome lancet windows on either facade
of the narthex and the nave were installed. Finally, in 1969, the last vestiges
of the Gothic influence were removed, and the interior of the church was left in
much the form that we are familiar with today.
An integral part of the church history is the cemetery, which
reflects the diverse face of its community. The oldest burial is dated 1826, so
obviously many of those who rest here were born in the latter half of the 18th
century. 
Edward Peerce, the donor of the original parcel of land, is here along
with the Yellots, Colemans, Marshes, and Lakes - all the founding fathers of the
church whose names still resonate in our memory today. A youthful Confederate
colonel, a descendant of that Edward Peerce, is buried here along with veterans
of all the wars of the Republic of the past century and a half. A former member
of the Colts football team; a beneficent owner of a local estate, Eagles Nest;
the generous donor of much of the interior of the church - all these and more
are here in what a former rector, Fr. Kagey, called "a perfect spot - none more
beautifully kept than Trinity cemetery. May they rest in peace, and may light
perpetual shine upon them."
Sundays begin at 8:00 a.m. with a said service for the early
risers. Our main service starts at 10:00 a.m., with music playing an essential
part. The Sunday School children join this service just before the Great
Thanksgiving, as we share God's peace. Holy Eucharist, Rite II is normally used
at both services. Most parishioners attend the 10:00 a.m. service, and join in
fellowship in the parish hall afterwards.
During Lent, additional mid-week services are held. Our special Christmas Eve
services include a family service with a children's pageant, and a late evening
service followed by a reception in the parish hall.
During this Advent, we celebrated a traditional service of lessons and carols
for the first time in many years.
Many parishioners participate in the services as lay readers, chalicists,
intercessors, acolytes and ushers, and our dedicated Altar Guild members care
for the altar, vestments, vessels, and altar linens of the parish for all of our
services. Greeters welcome members and visitors before and after the services.
Our choir is a dynamic and indispensable part of our services at Trinity. We are
fortunate to have a talented choir master who is also a very accomplished and
gifted organist. Under his direction, for the last 5 years our ten member
all-volunteer choir rehearses weekly and participates in the leadership of the
liturgy mid-September through Trinity Sunday.
An Ahlborn-Galanti organ was installed in the church in
September 2004 as a memorial to a longtime member and in celebration of
Trinity's 185th anniversary by individual contributions.
In the past, we also enjoyed having a children's choir, and hope that as
membership increases, this will be possible once again.
To unite ourselves in Christ's way by ministering to the
spiritual and human needs of all people. In support of this statement, we set
forth the following goals:
(1) To create a church climate that fosters acceptance of all people.
(2) To provide for children and youth, Christian education, and other
opportunities for fellowship and community service.
(3) To provide worship services that nurture, uplift, and strengthen us to carry
out our daily lives.
(4) To minister to those in need or any kind of trouble.
(5) To improve communications and the open exchange of information.
Outreach
Outreach is especially important to the people of Trinity
Church, and one of our high ranking goals is to strengthen and expand our
ability to help those in need. Currently, there are two primary recipients of
Trinity's time, talent and treasure.
Paul's Place, in Baltimore City, is a community outreach center serving the poor
and
homeless. Their programs include meals, food and clothing banks, medical
assessments, and educational initiatives. Our parishioners regularly prepare and
serve hot meals at the center. Our members also contribute clothing, food, baby
items, and financial aid year-round. At Thanksgiving our members donate food,
prepare and help serve meals, and donate prizes for games. At Christmas we
provide gifts, help clients shop, and wrap presents for their families and
friends.
Compassion International is our global outreach effort. This organization helps
assure basic necessities and religious education for 700,000 poor children all
over the world. Compassion's economic development projects help the families of
these children rise out of poverty. Our dedicated Compassion representative has
helped our Sunday school children, our Men's Breakfast Group members, and many
of our members to sponsor twenty five children in twelve countries. In addition
to providing financial aid, our members correspond with their sponsored children
and some have been to visit with them in their home countries. We are blessed to
be connected to the needs of our global village through this project.
Other outreach efforts include seasonal donations of food, toys, and clothing to
agency-identified families in need.
Parish Life
An active parish life thrives at Trinity. We traditionally
have two large fundraising events each year. In late spring we hold our Country
Fair and Auction, and winters brighten with our Christmas in the Country Bazaar
and Tea Room. Smaller
annual fundraisers include summer flea markets and a Fall
Spaghetti Dinner that is jointly hosted by the Day School and Church. These
events are as much for fellowship as they are for fundraising.
Other fellowship opportunities include Sunday morning Coffee
Hour after the 10:00 a.m. service, the monthly Men's Breakfast Group, Tuesday at
Trinity, Lenten Dinners, our Annual Road Rally, and gatherings at nearby Boordy
Vineyards.
Tuesday at Trinity, is a dedicated women's group who meet weekly for lunch,
fellowship, and to craft items for fundraising sales and sew quilts for the less
fortunate and homeless in our community. TAT has been in existence for over 60
years,
An extremely strong and essential part of our parish life is our pastoral care
ministry, having at its heart concerned and compassionate parishioners reaching
out to others in times of sorrow, need, and celebration.