Grace Episcopal Church

The first services of the Protestant Episcopal Church were performed in Trenton on Saturday night March 28, 1885 with the Rev. Israel Harding, Rector of St. Mary’s Parish, Kinston, NC.  Services were again held on Sunday morning and again that night; and at closing a committee of five ladies of the congregation was appointed.  These ladies pledged, with the cooperation of their husbands, to undertake the work of securing a lot and the means to build a church.  On Thursday May 7, 1885, Rev. Harding again visited Trenton and arrangements were made by the ladies, at the home of Mr. Joseph A. Smith, to lay the cornerstone of the Church building.  The name “Grace Church” was adopted, and the cornerstone bearing the inscription “Grace Church-May 1885” was laid with the Rev. Alfred A. Watson, DD, Bishop of the Diocese of East Carolina, performed the ceremonies on the lot south of the hotel of J. P. Brogden in the Town of Trenton.  The stone was lifted into position by Messrs. J. A. Smith and Charles Green.  A Bible and Prayer Book, with other documents, were placed in the cavity of the stone.  Thereafter, work on the Church building was pushed forward vigorously by the Committee of Messrs. J. A. Smith, C.C. Green and E.M. Foscue.  At the visitation Dec. 15 and 16, 1885, the Church was ready for use and was occupied for services, at which baptisms, confirmation, and Holy Communion were celebrated.  The Bishop was accompanied on this visit by Rev. U.W. Shields, Rector of Christ Church, New Bern, NC and Rev. Israel Harding, Rector of St. Mary’s Church, Kinston, NC.  Grace Church, Mission of the Diocese of East Carolina, was dedicated Trinity Sunday, June 12, 1892 by Alfred Auston Watson DD, Bishop of East Carolina.

The architecture of Grace Church has remained the same and the Church has been kept in good repair through the years.  In 1966, a lot was purchased adjacent to the Church on Webber Street and the home of J. B. Pollock was given to the Church by the Pollock Family and moved to the present site to be used as a Parish House and Church School.  Bishop Wright dedicated it on May 14, 1967.

Prior to the dedication of Grace Church in Trenton, it would appear that Episcopal services were held in a Chapel erected in 1740 on Trent River approximately 5 or 6 miles from Trenton.

Grace Church was nominated as a Historic site in 1974 and subsequently placed in the National Register of Historic Places.

grace.htm

12-14-09