History of Trinity United Methodist Church
Formerly Reaves Memorial United Brethren Church
In 1920 Rev. M.M. Scalf was appointed by the annual conference to organize a United Brethren Church in Greeneville, Tennessee. The church was organized with 17 charter members. The following were named the first Trustees of the "First Church of the United Brethren in Christ". S.G. Smith, G.W. Rollins, F.C. Wilhoit, A.M. Miller and W.L. Fillers. The first services were conducted at the Lutheran Church located on Depot Street. On May 7th 1920, a building site located on the corner of Summer and Irish Streets was purchased at a cost of $4,500.
Rev. Scalf and other United Brethren ministers held a countrywide rally on October 30, 1921, to support the new congregation. Pledges and cash were received amounting to over $3,000. At the close of the service, everyone gathered for a basket dinner, after which they visited the new church in process of construction. Rev. S.G Smith, a rural minister of the United Brethren Churches of Greene County, spearheaded the fund raising efforts and later became minister of the church.
On June 4, 1923, Dr. A.C. Sidall, Secretary of the Board of Church Erection delivered cthe dedication address for the church erected at a cost of $34,000. The liberal gift of E.F. Reaves in loving memory of his deceased wife, Hanna Reaves, was so deeply appreciated that the name of Reaves Memorial United Brethren was adopted. Land was purchased for a parsonage at 106 Union St., October 3, 1945. A brick structure was completed in 1947, without incurring a debt. In November, 1946, the United Brethren Church merged with the Evangelical Church. It became the Evangelical United Brethren Church.
By the 1950's, the congregation was beginning to over flow the sanctuary, so on February 13, 1955, one and 3/4 acres was purchased on Tusculum Blvd. near "Ye Olde Towne Gate," at the cost of $23,000. The new building was completed and the first service was conducted by Rev. A. Blaine Burgess on October 6, 1957. The congregation voted that the name be changed to First Evangelical United Brethren Church. The building, lot, and furnishing were valued at approximately $200,000. In 1968, a new parsonage was built in Shangri-la Hills on Martingale Drive at a cost of $41,000. In 1972, the vacant lot adjacent to the church was purchased as an investment with projected plans for expanding the parking facilities at the cost of $28,000.
The merging of the Evangelical United Brethren and Methodist denominations in July, 1968, brought about another change. Holston Conference and the congregating decided that the name be changed to Trinity United Methodist Church.
Ground breaking for Trinity's new Educational Building was held on November 10, 1991. The building was completed under the direction of Dr. James A. Daugherty & consecrated on January 3, 1993 with Bishop Clay Lee presiding over the ceremonies. Constriction cost for the building was $750,000, and $80,000. for equipment. The main feature of the new building is the 100 ft. x 57 ft. fellowship hall with adjacent modern, fully equipped kitchen. Meals can serve up to 500 people. The church administrative offices, pastor's office, & other staff offices, two nursery class rooms, small fellowship hall, and six additional classrooms on the second floor balcony serve the youth and children's departments in this new building.
After many years of planning and raising funds, the church built a new elevator and consecrated it in 2018 under the leadership of Rev. Stuart Albee. This elevator makes it much easier for everyone to get around the building between the Sanctuary and the Education Building.
In late 2019 and early 2020, before the COVID-19 Pandemic, under the leadership of Rev. Sarah Varnell, the church raised $120,000 to do needed renovations in the Sanctuary: painting, new carpet, refurbishing pews, a 20 foot build out of the chancel, new sound equipment and screens. The work was completed by Easter 2020, even though the congregation was not meeting in the building at that time due to the pandemic. These updates allowed Trinity to offer worship online.
List of Ministers
M.M. Scalf 1920 - 1926 Darris Doyal 1978 - 1982
S.G. Smith 1926 - 1935 Tom Lynch 1982 - 1986
W.D. Mitchell 1935 - 1936 Jim Daugherty 1987 - 1996
V.C. Adcock 1936 - 1941 Michael Powers 1996 - April 1998
M.F. O'Neal 1941 - 1944 Dwight Kenney April 1998 - June 1998
S.G. Smith 1944 - 1952 Robert Smith 1998 - 2002
A.B. Burgess 1952 - 1957 Mark Clark 2002 - 2007
Don White 1957 - 1962 Buford Hankins 2007 - 2009
Glen Cox 1962 - 1973 David Brannock 2009 - 2012
John Manney 1973 - 1975 Stuart Albee 2012 - 2018
Eugene Lovell 1975 - 1978. Sarah Varnell 2018 - present
