History of Trinity Tyrone
The following description is taken from Ralph T. Wolfgang's [Canon] History of Tyrone.
Sometime in the year 1885, a little group of Episcopalians met at the home Henry Sholly to consider the formation of an Episcopal Church in Tyrone. After the Civil War, a mission known as St. Phillip's, had been undertaken sponsored by St. John's Church at Huntingdon. By 1885, this mission was a memory and the little group which met at Sholly's had to make a fresh start. They secured the services of a missionary priest named Kelly, who agreed to hold services every two months.
In the mean time, services held by lay readers were conducted from week to week in the Odd Fellows Hall. The first celebration of Holy Communion was held in connection with the first Confirmation, which was held in the English Lutheran Church, by Bishop Rulison sometime in the year 1886-87.
In the early '90's, the congregation felt able to undertake the building of a permanent church. A lot was purchased on Washington Avenue above Ninth Street and the corner stone was laid early in 1894 with Masonic ceremony. The church was for worship on November 11, 1894.
Trinity Episcopal Church (then Trinity Mission) is one of the most beautiful churches in town. Built along Gothic lines and finished in natural wood, one feels a sense of the spiritual presence on entering the church. The congregation was fortunate that in the early day in that many of the officials sent here by the Pennsylvania Railroad were good Episcopalians. They not only gave generous support, but they were able to secure at a reduced figure, materials for building and maintenance.
By 1900, the church was free of debt and was ready for consecration. Bishop Talbot performed this rite on January 3. By 1906, the mission felt strong enough to support itself without the financial aid which the Diocese had been giving. Accordingly, the asked the convention of 1906 to admit them as a parish, this was done, and Trinity took its place among the self-supporting parishes of the Diocese of Harrisburg.
The building opened in 1894, has remained substantially the same. A pipe organ was installed about 1905; the Wilson Memorial Parish House built in 1920; an altar made of white marble in memory of Frank K. Troutwine was placed in 1930. The church suffered greatly in the flood of '36, and a result complete renovation took place both in church and parish house.
During its first twenty years, the church was not strong. Ministers came and went in rapid succession. The salary being low, ministers were eager to find fields where they might find it easier to make a living. Indeed, it was not till 1917, that a priest came who identified himself with the life of the community. This was the Reverend Frank T. Cady. Through the force of his personality, he revitalized the church , through his activities in Scouting and his participation in every progressive community enterprise, built good will for the church and broke down some of the prejudice held against Episcopalians. When he left to go to Point Pleasant, West Virginia, in 1929, it was with deep regret that both the town and congregation bade him Godspeed.
He was succeeded by Rev. Clifford L. Stanley, a very able preacher who is now a Professor of Theology in the Virginia Divinity School. He was followed by the Rev. William T. Sherwood, who through eight years continued the work by Mr. Cady.
The church suffered greatly as a result of the depression, and in order to make the salary attractive enough to keep Mr. Sherwood, an arrangement was made to combine Trinity and St. John's, Huntingdon. The devotion of its lay leaders, particularly the late Preston S. Moulton, then Headmaster of the Birmingham School for Girls. Since 1941, the Church has been on its own again and has been served by Rev. Willis R. Doyle, and Rev. Walter E. Edwards.
***Recent History***
While Trinity parish was a pioneer in racial integration, it was slow to expand the rule of women in the church. It was 1970 before the vestry was equally divided between men and women. In 1979, Trinity parish adopted the new Prayer Book of the Episcopal Church and began having Eucharist as the primary worship service of the church.
In the last thirty plus years, parish life has changed somewhat. Because of declining numbers and financial resources, Trinity parish was "yoked" with Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Hollidaysburg for a time. This provided a clergy presence for both parishes while sharing expenses. This collaboration was ended in 2010 and currently the parish utilizes "supply clergy" for Eucharist and a deacon-in-residence to provide clergy presence and leadership in the parish.
In 2010, a new roof was installed which altered the outside appearance of the church somewhat (the steeple and dormers had to be removed), and the bell was restored and now greets parishioners entering the Washington Avenue vestibule. In 2012, a new heating system replaced the steam boiler previously used. Planned physical plant improvements include the addition of an accessible restroom in the parish hall and better accessibility to the Sanctuary and parish hall. Trinity Church maintains its Estey Pipe Organ(opus No. 3234), originally installed in 1956.
Trinity parish currently counts about 45 families (98 communicants) as active communicants. The parish is a family sized church that is involved in over 24 local, national and international ministries. The Eucharist remains central to Sunday worship with our baptismal covenant and mission statement summing up our aim to be Christ centered/ People Focused.
Bell Restoration Project
In 2011, the Church's roof was replaced. During the project, the bell tower was removed. The Church bell had not been rung in decades and was in very bad condition. As explained in the Wolfgang History of the Church, early members of Trinity had been executives of the Pennsylvania Railroad who provided railroad materials for the building of the church. The church bell was actually taken from a railroad locomotive. Recognizing the significance of the bell to the history of the church, parish member Jack Miller led a group to restore the bell to its original glory. The bell now sits in the vesitbule of the church. It is once again rung to signal the start of worship services for the church.
