In 1858, the first class of Methodists was organized at a site 3 miles west of present-day Stuhr Museum. A congregation was formed in 1860, and the first appointed Pastor – Thomas B. Lemon – served churches on a circuit extending form Columbus to Fort Kearny. With the arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1866 at Grand Island Station, church services were held in homes, schools, and Hall County Court House (which stood in present-day Pioneer Park). The railroad gave three lots to the church at 2nd and Pine, where City Hall once stood, and a church building was constructed in 1874 at a cost of $2200.
Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church was organized March 5, 1888 by 84 members of First Methodist Episcopal Church. Its church home was built at 6th and Sycamore and was dedicated in August, 1890. Trinity continued to grow, and a new church was built on the corner of 5th and Elm (its current location) at a cost of $90,000. The corner stone was laid on October 23, 1927 and the new church was dedicated June 10, 1928. The two congregations merged in 1933.
Educational and recreational facilities were added in 1950-51 and the present sanctuary and additional education facilities were added in 1956. Renovations to the sanctuary were completed in 1999 and a new entrance and courtyard were completed in 2001. Finally, internal remodeling brought new offices and easier access around the campus, which were completed in 2012.
Ministries at Trinity UMC include:
- Worship (Sat 6pm, Sun 9:30am & 11am)
- Sunday School (Sun 9:30am & 11am)
- Bible Study Groups
- Stephen Ministry
- Local Mission Partnerships and Projects
- Youth Group
- United Methodist Women and United Methodist Men Groups
- Quilting Groups
- Young Moms’ Bible Study and Fellowship Group
- Vacation Bible School
With the growing number of Sudanese people in Grand Island, Trinity offers a Nuba worship service in Arabic and Morrow Language at 12:00 p.m. on Sundays with children’s programming from 1pm to 2pm.
Trinity UMC teaches and worships on the corner of 5th and Elm streets:
511 N. Elm St.
Grand Island, NE 68801
(308) 382-1952