The current Trinity Episcopal Church, shown at the top of your screen, was built in 1968. It replaced our original church, which is shown in the photo at the right, featured in "The New Jersey Churchscape".

The authors wrote:  "The church is now a restaurant ["Barts"] but its fate and modest size belies its significance. This is an early English Gothic plan, modeled after St James the Less in Philadelphia, by Richard Upjohn, one of the leading architects in the country in the 1840s and 50s. The steep pitch to the roof, the very clearly delineated chancel, the bellcote, buttresses and low side walls as a means of encompassing the interior aisles were among the elements Upjohn borrowed from St James the Less. Upjohn created a number of plans for small parishes, sometimes charging as little as $100 for a set of plans."

Colonel John Travers, who lived at the mouth of the Cheesequake River in what was then Middletown Point, had Trinity's first building erected at 74 Main Street in 1850. The cornerstone was laid on April 24, 1850, by the Rt. Rev. George W. Doane, Bishop of the Diocese of New Jersey. The Church was incorporated on May 11, 1850, and admitted into union with the Convention of the Diocese at its annual meeting in Newark that month. Bishop Doane consecrated the Church on June 10, 1851.

The Rev. Fernando C. Putnam was appointed missionary and served until 1852. Thereafter, the Parish was served by students from the General Theological Seminary and by a succession of ministers and priests assigned by the archdeacon of the Diocese.

In 1926, through the efforts of Senior Warden Clifford Chapman, Trinity became an assisted parish under the supervision of the Rev. John Schwacke, rector of St. Peter's Freehold. He served Trinity in this capacity until his death in 1942. Trinity was then put under the direction of the rector of St. Mary's Keyport, and remained so until 1953 when it was returned to the oversight of St. Peter's.

In 1958, Trinity Church started its first fund drive to purchase its own rectory and seek full parish status. The first rectory was on Wyckoff Street, but when this proved too small, a building was purchased at 142 Broad Street. At that time, Trinity attained the services of a seminarian, Carroll B. Hall, who was later ordained priest and became the first full-time Rector of Trinity.

With the growth of Matawan and the surrounding area, the church building at 74 Main Street became too small. It was sold and has since become Bart’s restaurant. A four-acre site on Ryers Lane was purchased and ground was broken for a new church building on October 8, 1967. Bishop Banyard dedicated the new building on June 18, 1968. Through the efforts of Senior Warden Robert Taylor, Trinity was able to erect the present rectory on adjoining property in August 1972, just in time to become the residence of a new Trinity Rector, The Rev. George M. Jaeger.

In 1979, Rev. Jaeger was succeeded by The Rev. Charles D. Ridge, who would lead Trinity into the busy decade of the 1980s. First, in 1980, new chairs were purchased for the Church. In 1985, a new organ was purchased through a fund drive which was so successful that a new piano was also acquired. The community was then invited to the organ dedication which featured a concert by renowned organist Carlo Curley.

In 1986, the Diocese of New Jersey celebrated its bicentennial with a celebration at the Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel. Trinity's Rector, Rev. Ridge, ably handled the complex logistics of celebrating the Eucharist with 5,000 people while members of the parish served as ushers and choir members.

At the annual picnic in 1988, the parish joyfully marked the passage of time by burning the church mortgage. Later that year, a new roof was put on the church building. The growth continued within the Church as a beautiful Columbarium was installed in the chapel, which was appropriately, renamed The Chapel of the Resurrection.

The Rev. Ridge departed Trinity in 1990, leaving a gap of just over a year before The Reverend Susan N. Blue was appointed to Trinity. Under Reverend Blue's eight years of guidance, the parish size tripled. Our fundraising, which previously has been done mainly by the ECW, was made an appointed vestry position. Our first new fundraising venture was an Art Auction which raised approximately $6,500, more money than from any other event. We had two more auctions the following two years. This showed us for the first time---yes! We can be daring and be successful. The next 7 years were ones of growth.

However, in order to continue growing, we had to get out of the Matriarch and Patriarch role and into a program church. How do you accomplish this? By making everyone welcome. People feel welcomed when they are invited back. Visiting members became parishioners. How did we do it? Involvement !!! This meant asking loyal dedicated people to stop doing jobs that they had been doing for years and take on new ones. It was difficult. But you know what? It worked!!! Newcomers stayed and became novice members. The loyal guard was still there doing new jobs, teaching us new guys how things are done.

In 1996, the Rev. Susan Blue was called to be Priest and Rector in our nation’s Capitol; however, the ministry and mission of Trinity Church continued uninterrupted. In the Spring of 1999, Trinity Church called the Rev. Denise P. Mantell and Trinity has continued to grow in numbers and expand in its ministry. In the year 2000, as Trinity celebrated its 150th Anniversary, The Rev. Terry Suruda was ordained Deacon. Through her efforts, and the continued dedication of the parish family, the ministry of Trinity continues to expand and diversify.

Throughout the last decade, Trinity grew and it became apparent that, once again the physical size of Trinity Church had to expand in order to accommodate the increasing number of parishioners and activities. Currently, the Vestry and a committee of parishioners are developing the strategy for expansion.

Trinity is now into the decade of the new millennium, contemplating what growth should take place. Trinity looks to the future with guidance from the Holy Spirit for direction that the Parish may continue to be a community of faithful followers of Jesus Christ and a welcome place for all the community.

Today, Trinity Parish is a diverse community of faith; we are racially, ethnically, educationally and economically representative of our surrounding population. Our involvement in and with the community continues to grow and expand as our service and ministry to others increases.

Trinity sees itself as a friendly, welcoming parish, which is proud of its diversity and hospitality.

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