Trinity History
In the Spring of 1913, a group of folks in the Rebel Hill, Gulph Mills and Balligomingo Road area expressed an interest in building a new Episcopal Church in Gulph Mills, a small village about fifteen miles from Philadelphia and about seven miles from Valley Forge. Even though there were four or five other Episcopal Churches within 5 to 6 miles, the lack of transportation made it difficult for people in the Gulph Mills area to get around.

On Trinity Sunday, 2003, Trinity Church Gulph Mills celebrated its 90th birthday. Compared to many Episcopal parishes in the Diocese of Pennsylvania, this makes Trinity a relative youngster.

The Early Years
On Trinity Sunday, June 1, 1913, the first service was held in the parlor of the home of Mr. and Mrs. P. R. Varian. Seventy men, women and children attended this first service sitting on one hundred year-old benches that came from an old school house. The cross of two cedar posts had been fashioned by Mr. Varian and his future son-in-law. He and the Varians were Quakers; the future ecumenical orientation of Trinity Church began at that first service.

The Rt. Rev. Tom Garland, Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, supported the people's interest, told them to raise $5,000, and promised that the Diocese of Pennsylvania would match this amount. The people responded before the year was up and construction started in the fall of 1913. The original land was donated by the Varian Family. The cornerstone was laid in June 1914. The first service in the unfinished building was held on Trinity Sunday in 1916 (that's how the church name was adopted - Trinity Church, Gulph Mills). Trinity Mission was completed in 1917.

As no church is able to function very long without financial resource, the first parishioners undertook what have become permanent Trinity traditions - bazaars and sales, Parish dinners and volunteer participation in building and maintenance (a forerunner of the present St. Joseph's Guild). The men formed groups and with their picks and shovels worked evenings and Saturdays.

Transportation in those days was limited to horse and wagon or "shank's mare". Roads, too, were only dirt paths for the most part. Only one or two local residents owned automobiles, but they were a novelty for everyone else. Membership, thereby, was limited to those people living close enough to the church to travel to it by means of the then available technology and infrastructure.

Trinity Mission struggled for 40 years and during these years, only twice had a resident minister. Most of the time the church was served by Lay Readers and Ministers from neighboring churches.

Trinity grows rapidly
In 1950, the Schuylkill Expressway was announced and General Electric decided to build the new huge complex in King of Prussia on the hill. Other light industry came in and suddenly realtors couldn't build houses fast enough. Trinity boomed!! By 1956 it was evident Trinity Church needed a full time rector. On May 19, 1957 The Rev. Herbert H. Beardsley was appointed Rector of Trinity Church.

About that same time it was evident we needed more space to grow and a new church was planned. Bishop Armstrong offered money from the Diocese - up to $80,000 - this was to be repaid as the church grew. The congregation also borrowed $25,000 from Philadelphia National Bank and finished the building with a lot of contributions of their own.

The building fund received a $5,000 anonymous gift from parishioner, 2 truckloads of free cement from Portland Cement Company of Conshohocken, $2,000 gift for an organ, gifts of tile and its free installation, electrical equipment, etc. Bonds in the amounts of $100, $200, $500, and $1,000 were sold which raised over $20,000. Many were never redeemed and the money was given to the church. The total cost of the building, completed in 1958 was in excess of $150,000. The congregation continued to grow quickly. The Baby Boom was on and there were a lot of young couples who supplied a large crop.

Nursery school founded in 1956
Trinity Nursery and Kindergarten (TNK) was established in 1956 by Mrs. Penny Porter, a parishioner of Trinity Church, Gulph Mills. Seven students were registered in the fall of 1956. They met in Lower Varian Hall, the lower level of the original 1917 church. Mrs. Porter's insight, devotion, and direction can never be denied and TNK blossomed unbelievably.

TNK was founded on the basis that it would be open to all children regardless of race or creed. Its purpose, then and now, is to allow each child to grow physically, mentally, emotionally and socially under the guidance of experienced and loving teachers.

A few years later, TNK was the largest nursery school in Pennsylvania - 354 children, 23 teachers and 7 buses bringing children in from Paoli, Norristown, Radnor, Merion, etc. A few years after that the buses were sold because liability insurance cost made such service impracticable.
Because of the rapid growth of the school, a Christian Education building was financed and constructed in 1965.

Ecumenism—Temple Brith Achim
In a major act of ecumenism, Trinity opened its doors in 1982 to Temple Brith Achim while that congregation was constructing its permanent synagogue. We were all invited to the last service that congregation held at Trinity before they moved to the new building; those of us who attended will not forget that Friday evening.

Hosting the Dang family
Without a doubt, the most intensive outreach activity was the decision to host and support the Dang family, Vietnamese refugees. On September 19, 1979, an ad hoc committee formed by the Reverend David Hyatt and headed by Mrs. Janet Newham met to frame a strategy for undertaking the resettlement of a refugee family. In addition to many individual contributions of time and money the parish was able to meet the most pressing need - housing, since the house at 205 Crestway became vacant at about this time.

Seven persons became the guests of Trinity Church on January 20,1980; Mrs. Thee Phan Thi; Mr. Dang Van Truc (her son); his wife, Anh; his son, Binh; Mrs. Thee's daughters, Dang Kim Ngoc, Dang Kim Diep; and Dan Kim Huong. At 205 Crestway, a hot meal was ready, beds had been made, towels were in place in the bathroom, and LOVE pervaded the entire gathering.

The family moved to Norristown in 1983, able to function entirely on its own. Marriages, births, and unfortunately, a death, have occurred since that time. Truc and Anh became United States citizens on May 1, 1986. For all of this, Trinity folk should be proud. A family was given a fresh start in life. It happened because of the love and trust shown by the people of Trinity who carried into practice the dictum "to love one's neighbor as one's self."

Main Line Nursing Home
On the third Sunday of each month since May 1983, at 2:00 p.m. about twelve volunteers from the parish including the Rector, and Minister of Music, visit the Main Line Nursing Home in Paoli. They gather in one of the large social rooms in the home to celebrate the Holy Eucharist with any of the residents who wish to attend the service, about twenty-five to forty-five on any given Sunday. Some have poor eyesight, many are hard-of-hearing, and most are unable to get around without wheelchairs or the help of another person. Yet all of them are happy to visit, however briefly, with folks from Trinity and are grateful for the opportunity to participate in a worship service and receive communion.

The Church is now located in a "maturing edge city". Growth in the five mile radius area from where the Parish draws most of its communicants is slowing considerably as there is little land left to cover with houses or black top. Membership in February 1999 was 150 family units accounting for 411 individuals. Many members live within the five miles of the church but a growing number now come from the newer developing area adjacent to King of Prussia.

The Rev. Mark W. Preece, was installed as Rector, January 24, 2004, after a two year interim period, shepherded by the Rev. H. Barry Evans, Interim Rector, through the process of calling a full time rector. The staff includes Susan Damiano, Coordinator of Children's and Youth Ministry, Connie Winoski, Minister of Music, Linda DiMaio, Administrative Assistant to the Rector and Maria Jimenez, Accounts Administrator. Marion Sedlacek-Deegan was Director of Trinity Nursery and Kindergarten for many years and at her retirement Diane Reilly became her successor.

The number of families in the parish has remained relatively stable, but there has been a very large increase in the proportion of young families with small children. The calling of a Director of Children's and Youth Ministries in 1996 was one step forward in the expansion of children's programs. The Journey to Adulthood Rite 13 program began in 1997. (There are about 30 churches in this diocese participating in this program.)

EFM (Education for Ministry), a four-year program, began in fall 1996. Participants came from Trinity and a number of neighboring parishes.

All members are invited and encouraged to participate in the music program. The 1982 Hymnal, Lift Every Voice and Sing (LEVAS) and Wonder, Love and Praise (WLP) are in regular use. The dynamic music ministry at Trinity also draws on the musical gifts of non-choir members. In addition to the Adult Choir, a Bell Choir and various other music activities also enhance our worship.

The “Epiphany Extravaganza” in 1998 included many liturgical "experiments," such as the ringing of the church bells at the consecration, use of the New Zealand Prayer Book many of which continue to shape our liturgy. Some examples include: supplemental liturgies and an expanded role of lay people (both adults and children) in worship.

Outreach
One of the most significant elements in Parish life has been the growth and development of outreach activity. No one organization or small group has a monopoly on this activity; it involves almost every member of the congregation. Trinity has a partner congregation relationship with St. Gabriel's church in the inner city. Trinity has an active, ongoing involvement as a support congregation in the Interfaith Hospitality Network supporting local homeless families.

In 1963 the Parish total budget was $35,000 with only 2% of this ($700) designated "for others". By 1986 the budget had grown to $147,000 with 8.5% designated for outside agencies. This amount included not only the expected Diocesan contributions but gifts to others who met various human needs as well. Of our fundraisers in 2001, $7,000 was raised for Habitat for Humanity. Church operating expenditures for 2001 of $272,064 included outreach and diocesan assessments of $28,170 (10.7%).

The larger church
Our rectors and lay leaders added to the life of the Parish.  The most notable change has been the evolution of Trinity from a small rural mission to an important presence in the Diocese of Pennsylvania and even beyond. Many members of the Parish have served or currently serve on Diocesan committees. One of our former rectors, the Rev. Wilifred Allen-Faiella was both a deputy to the National Convention from the Diocese and a member of the National Church Program Standing Committee, and Budget Committee. Trinity's most recent former rector, the Very Rev. Mark Preece, was elected Dean of the Valley Forge Deanery.  We wish him and his family all the best as they relocate to Vermont.

Conclusion
Let us hope we will be constantly developing the meaning of our vision to seek what God would have us do and respond faithfully as we approach our one hundredth anniversary and search for a new Rector under the spiritual guidance of the Rev. Robert M. Miller, Interim Rector.

-Thanks to Russ McLaughlin for Trinity History