TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
In the summer of 1956, the Presbyterian family of Mr. and Mrs. Sam B. Leslie and 5 of their 6 children moved into the Free Home Community. There was only one other Presbyterian family in the community, Mr. And Mrs. Darrel J. Brock and their two children. The two families met when the younger Leslie children enrolled in Free Home Elementary School where Mr. Brock was the principal and Eloise Brock was a teacher. These two families saw the need for another church. Existing churches in the area offered services only once or twice a month.
Rev. Robert C. Pooley, Jr., Executive Secretary of the Cherokee Presbytery arranged a meeting of the families interested in establishing a Presbyterian church in the Free Home Community. As a result, Trinity Presbyterian Church was begun as a chapel on the first Sunday of April 1957. The first service was held at the Free Home School Gym with some 35 members in the congregation. It was the first rural church to be begun in the Presbyterian U.S.A. General Assembly in 25 years. In the spring of 1958, officers were nominated and a petition was presented to Cherokee Presbytery requesting organization into a church of the Trinity congregation. Mr. And Mrs. Fletcher Norton donated approximately 5 acres of land for a church building in the northeast corner of the Free Home community. The Presbytery agreed to purchase a Quonset Hut from Parris Island, South Carolina, to be used as a temporary sanctuary. The first pastor was Rev. Sam Nettles, a seminary student. On November 2, 1958, the congregation was organized into Trinity Presbyterian Church.
In 1964 the need for a new building was evident. Plans were drawn by one of our elders, Mr. Floyd Harrell, and on the 8th anniversary of its organization, November 6, 1966, the Trinity congregation dedicated a new building. Pastors who have served Trinity include: Rev. Sam R. Nettles; April 1957- September 1961, Rev. S. Frank Sapp; May 1962-July 1968, Rev. Jon K. Crow; August 1968-May 1969 and (interim supply) October 1970-May 1975, John Holmes (Student); Summer 1969, Rev. George Evans; September 1969-Septembr 1970, Dr. James E. Carr; July 1975-Dec 1976, Rev. Tom Flanagan; 1977- 1982, Rev. Robert Pooley (Interim Supply), Rev. Roger Spencer; January 1994 to 2006, Parish Pastor Eleana Garrett.; April 2004 to 2006, and Rev. Dr. Stuart Leyden; 2006-2007; Rev. O. Greg Moore, May-2008-Dec 2012; Rev. Tino Ballesteros Jan-2013-July 2013. A new sanctuary was completed and dedicated on Nov. 5, 2000.The loan for this was paid in full and the mortgage burned in 2004 allowing the Church to be debt-free,again.
After the new sanctuary had been completed and the fellowship hall remodeled and expanded and the church memorial wall constructed, some members began to ask “now what can we do for the broader community”? The “Little Church with a big Heart” recognized that the eastern part of Cherokee County had and continued to be under-served and especially regarding a multipurpose community center for families to enjoy and come together. Consequently some members started talking in the early 2000’s about making this our next big outreach project and one placed in her Will significant starter level funding for such a project and unfortunately this funding came available in 2005 with her death. This jump started the serious discussions on what did the community need/want and what would help Cherokee County youth sports in our area
In 2011, a new Outreach program was begun. On Nov. 6, 2011, The Mrs. Chris C. Hite Community Center was dedicated. It is a separate building for community activities and recreation. It houses a gymnasium, a stage and small kitchenette and is available for rent for receptions, reunions, birthday parties, banquets, etc. It is used by the Scouts in the community and for basketball practice and games through the Recreation department. At the same time, an Education wing was added to the Fellowship Hall which houses classrooms and the Hollee Hite Dyson Memorial Library. The debt for these two additions was paid and the mortgage burned (shredded) in May 2014 at the annual Kirking of the Tartan, a celebration of Presbyterian Scottish history held at Trinity each year. Rev. R. Don Esa has been our pastor since August 1, 2013 and continues to lead our congregation.
Trinity is located in the Free Home community of Cherokee County, Georgia on Trinity Church Road between Hwy. 372 and Arbor Hill Road. Sunday school, morning worship, Bible study, Presbyterian Women, a Mission ministry, and beautiful music are provided with services every Sunday.
Trinity, a “small church with a big heart”, was a family initiated Church and has always been a family oriented one, where those who visit as well as all who attend feel that they are “part of Christ’s loving Church family.”
