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Historical Marker Highlights 100-Year Celebration

Celebrating our past. From left to right: Former Mayor and Mrs. Lee P. Brown, Rev. Vickie Keys, associate pastor, Rev. and Mrs. Joseph Cox, Ms. Juanita Jackson co-chair, Mrs. Alpha Henderson, co-chair and church historian and senior pastor, Rev. Bryan K. Dalco and wife, Michelle.

By Vaniecia Williams, Trinity East UMC

History – and the safeguarding of it – is among America’s greatest treasures. Think about how many times you have visited national, local or regional landmarks and are in awe at the quality of their preservation. There is nothing better than exploring a building’s architectural history and

the remnants it holds, or landmarks that highlight a spot in this country where something occurred.

This fall, as the finale to its year-long 100th Anniversary Celebration, Trinity East UMC became a landmark in the state of Texas, when the Harris County Historical Commission dedicated and unveiled a Historical Marker for the church at its 2418 McGowen Street location in Third Ward

in Houston.

Rooted in Methodism

Trinity East UMC is an offspring of Trinity UMC, the oldest African-American Methodist Church in Houston, whose origin begins from First Methodist Houston Church, organized in 1841 for Caucasian members. The original 68 members of Trinity Methodist Church included 32 African-Americans, both free and slaves. The church at that time was located above a store on Capital Avenue, between Milam and Louisiana streets, in Downtown Houston. Today, a monument to the

origin of the Methodist Church in Houston is erected at 801 Texas Avenue in front of the Houston Chronicle building.

In 1908, Trinity Methodist Church members who migrated to Third Ward found it inconvenient to get downtown. It was then that William Young, together with other parishioners organized a new church on the corner of Dowling and McGowen streets nicknaming it “Little Trinity,” thus, the beginning of Trinity East Methodist Church, which is now Trinity East UMC.

“United” was inserted in the church name after the creation of The United Methodist Church upon the merger of The Evangelical United Brethren Church and The Methodist Church, April 23, 1968.

United in Celebration

The historical marker presentation ceremony included representatives from the state of Texas and the UMC, including keynote speaker, Central South District Superintendent Rev. Lawrence Young. Clergy making an appearance included retired ministers Rev. Dr. Darnell Walker, Rev. DeFarris Gooden and Rev. Dr. Joseph F. Cox, who is also the former South District Superintendent.

Rev. Constance Gold and Rev. Dr. Robert McGee also participated. McGee, who is the senior pastor of Trinity UMC – the Mother Church of Trinity East – read the Historical Marker inscription

during the program upon its unveiling. Trinity East’s senior pastor, Rev. Bryan Keith Dalco served as the spiritual leader throughout the program.

Members present from the Harris County Historical Commission included Mrs. Willie Lee Gay, who presented the Church with its Historical Marker. Also on hand was former City of Houston Mayor Dr. Lee P. Brown and former First Lady Francis Young Brown.

Additionally, the church was packed with its own set of very special people, as its sick and shut-in members decided that on this Sunday they would have their caretakers bring them to church.

The Buffalo Soldiers served as the Color Guard for the event with retired Colonel Cameron Wells, Jr., serving as the Sergeant at Arms. The chairs for this event were Mrs. Alpha Henderson and Mrs. Juanita Jackson.

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