About Us
Purpose in God's Mission
As beloved children of God, gathered in community, we are called to LOVE God and our neighbor, to SERVE God and the greater world, and to GIVE from the abundant resources with which we have been blessed.
Called to LOVE we will…
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Be a beacon of God’s love in the world
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Include all who come seeking God, no matter where they are on their life’s journey
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Welcome and embrace diversity
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Called to SERVE we will…
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Provide a foundation of faith for our children
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Provide a place of respite for our elders
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Reach out to the poor and needy in the world
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Called to GIVE we will…
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Remember that from those to whom much is given, much is required
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Be responsible stewards of all God has created and entrusted to us
" For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Matthew 18:20
Our History
The first meeting of the Protestant Episcopal Society of Seymour Connecticut was held on February 20, 1797, at the home of Dr. Sanford. The purpose of the meeting was to establish a new parish. On March 23, 1797, land for the church was purchased from Leverret Prichard for $60. By early spring the cornerstone had been laid by the Reverend Edward Blakeslee, assistant to Dr. Richard Mansfield. Before winter, the building had been enclosed, but lack of funding caused a delay in completion of the interior. The wait lasted until 1816, when the church was finally completed. Consecration of the church, initially named Union Church, took place on September 2, 1817.
The colonial style building was equipped with slab benches and the only heat was provided by foot warmers. In 1859, a stove was given to the church by Deacon Isaac Kinney. At the same time, the benches were replaced by pews, each rented by a family. A Jardine organ was installed in 1831. The first rector was Dr. Richard Mansfield, who traveled by horseback between St. James Church in Derby and Union Church each Sunday.
The Sunday school was started in 1827, with classes held in the balcony of the nave. Also, in 1827 a bell was installed in the steeple. On Easter Sunday, 1853, the name of the church was changed to Trinity. Over the years many improvements were made. Seating capacity was doubled, and the interior was refurbished. The first altar was installed in 1867. A stained glass window, still in place today, was given by the Honorable Carlos French in 1891, in memory of his daughter Carlotta French.
