In 1952, Hanover Presbytery, forerunner of the Presbytery of the James, acquired five parcels of land at Wilkinson Road and Upham Drive in the Chamberlayne Farms area of Henrico County. Four years later, 14 area residents met in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Karl Price, aspiring to establish a Presbyterian church. In January 1957 seventy-three signatories petitioned the presbytery to build on that site in the name of Trinity Presbyterian Church.
On March 24, 1957, the Presbytery called the Rev. J. Harris Stephens as Evangelist, or Organizing Minister. On completion of Mr. Stephens’ two year appointment, the Rev. Howard Paul was installed as the first regular minister. In less than four years the original building had become inadequate for the congregation’s needs and it added two more classrooms to the structure.
Pursuant to Mr. Paul’s resignation to enter the missionary field in Colombia, S.A., the Rev. Arthur H. Stevens, Jr. was installed in 1964. Under his leadership membership grew to 248 and consequently every nook and cranny in the building was utilized for church school classes. In 1967 the church instituted a general obligation bond program to provide for construction of a conjoined educational building and provision for major improvements in the existing building and grounds. Final payments on the bond issue were made on schedule in August 1981.
On June 20, 1985 a commission of the Presbytery of the James participated in a Service for Retirement with Honor as Minister for Arthur H. Stevens, Jr. and he was elected Pastor Emeritus by the congregation.
David Whitely was called as Minister in 1985 at a time of changing demography in northern Henrico and during a period of newly formed congregations in the region. Membership had begun to decline and it became a serious concern by 1991 when a newly ordained seminary graduate was called by Trinity to its pulpit. Certain adjustments were made as, for example, eliminating the Diaconate and decreasing the Session to six Elders. Henceforth six officers assumed the burdens and responsibilities of the former 18. Financial exigency was a major concern and, following the young minister’s resignation, providential guidance blessed the congregation with a succession of outstanding Stated Supply Ministers from 1994 to the present. The Reverends Julius Garbett, Leslie West, Charles Brown, Arthur Williams, H. Davis Yeuell and Zolton Phillips have pastured this flock with love and dedication.
The faithful remnant celebrates all the signs of devotion, the steadfast willing hands and the reflected love of Christ which shows forth its commitment to this place of worship. Communicants rejoice in their mission to the immediate community, to the larger community through the local missions program, and beyond via presbytery, synod and general assembly.
Our spirit is with the historian-philosopher: “The past isn’t dead. In fact it is not even past!”
Submitted by E. S. Higgins