OUR HISTORY
In the fall of 1947 a small Army Chapel was moved from Camp Claibourne to Baton Rouge where it was erected on a vacant lot on the corners of Stanford and Morning Glory Avenue. This location was to be the home of the new Mission which was jointly sponsored by the Diocese of Louisiana and the Mother Parish, St. James.
On November 9, 1947 the first services were held in the Chapel on the opening day. Ninety children were enrolled in the Church School and at the first celebration of Holy Communion over seventy people were present. For a time services were held by laymen. On January 1, 1948 the Trinity Episcopal Mission was entered in the Convention of the Diocese of Lousiana as an organized mission. The Rev. Stratton Lawrence who had been serving as Assistant Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in New Orleans was appointed by the Rt. Rv. John Long Jackson, Bishop of the Diocese, to head the new work.
In 1957 the Parish had grown so rapidly that a new Church was needed. The Church was dedicated on October 27, 1957. It was designed by Bodman, Murrell and Smith.
In 1959, our organ was built by the Casavant-Frères company of Quebec in the memory of Wilford Malvern Eberhart. It was one of the largest organs in Baton Rouge at the time and remains among the finest instruments in the city.
In 1965, the Reverend David Coughlin became the second Rector of Trinity. He remained rector for 20 years, retiring in April of 1985. Under his leadership, the parish and day school continued to grow and build. As adjoining property became available, the parish purchased it. The present office building, school building, and activities building were constructed during his tenure
In 1986, the Reverend Paul E. Cosby was named third Rector of Trinity and served until 1988.
In 1989, the Reverend Robert W. Trent, Jr. was named fourth Rector of Trinity and served until May, 1992.
Upon Fr. Trent's departure, the associate Rector, Ralph F. Howe, Jr., was named the fifth rector of Trinity, serving until 2004. Under Fr. Howe’s leadership, the school grew and added a new classroom wing, as well as a library and music room. Additional property adjacent to the school and church were acquired, allowing the school space for a new playground, and the church additional space for a nursery and youth meeting center.
In May of 2005, the Reverend Ken Ritter was named sixth Rector of Trinity Church, and served until February, 2011. Fr. Ritter's vision for Trinity provided substantial growth for the parish - with a special emphasis on programs and outreach.
In January of 2012, the Reverend R. Kevin Kelly was named seventh Rector of Trinity Church. He served until August 2013.
In December of 2014, the Reverend Sharon A. Alexander began serving as Trinity's eighth Rector. Under her leadership, Trinity focused on reaching out and serving the community as the living representation of the body of Christ and expanding our Day School Program. She served until November of 2019.
Trinity Parish called our new Rector, the Reverend Peter Wong, in January of 2021. The focus of his ministry will revolve around the ways in which the church serves one another and the world around them as members of the Incarnate Word. He is passionate about small group studies, engaging the living Word of the scriptures and building relationships through which ALL the people of God experience the love of Christ.
