| 1863 |
First Episcopal services are held in Irving Hall in Milford on May 17,
conducted by Rev. Reese F. Alsop of St. John's, Framingham. Occasional
services held throughout the year by
Rev. W.A. Hawkins, missionary at large. In December,
Rev. Henry Adams of the Church Missionary Society of Massachusetts begins to hold regular
Sunday services in Milford.
|
| 1864 |
Trinity Parish organized on March 13, and incorporated on April 11. Diocesan report says that
100 to 200 people attend regularly.
|
| 1865 |
Trinity admitted to the Diocese of Massachusetts.
Twenty people sign the Parish Constitution.
The first Wardens of Trinity Parish are Charles Dove, a boot-packer who was a native of
England, and George Parker, a lawyer who went on to represent Milford in the Legislature.
|
| 1867 |
Present Church building built. First services held on
November 29.
|
| 1871 |
Church consecrated on March 21 by the Bishop of Massachusetts,
Right Rev. Manton Eastburn. Rev. Reginald Howe is Rector of Trinity.
|
| 1877 |
Hook and Hastings organ is dedicated. Completely
restored in 1924 and again in the 1980s, the organ is still in use today.
|
| About 1880 |
Bell tower added to Church.
|
| Before 1895 |
Trinity surrenders its stipend
from the Board of Missions, and became a self-supporting parish.
|
| 1902 |
In May, the Diocese of Massachusetts splits. Trinity becomes the most easterly parish in
the new Diocese of Western Massachusetts, based in Springfield.
|
| 1903 |
Trinity purchases
the double house next to the Church, and remodels it to make it the Parish House and Rectory.
Church is closed in July for repairs and renovations, including the addition of a vestibule.
Larger versions of these pictures are in the
photo album.
|
| 1903-1906 |
Rev. Walton S. Danker is Rector of Trinity. He goes on to serve
at St. Johns, Worcester, then with the 104th Regiment, 26th Infantry Division
during World War I.
|
| 1914 |
Debt on Parish House cancelled. Lights installed in nave.
On June 16, seven Armenian immigrants lose their lives in a fire on High and Cherry Streets in
Milford. A memorial service is held at Trinity on June 21.
|
| 1917-1918 |
Forty-four men of Trinity serve in World War I. Nelson Maynard gives his life for his country.
In April, 1918,
Rev. Walton Danker
receives the Croix de Guerre from the Government of France. He is killed in action on June 18,
the first American Chaplain to lose his life in battle during the War.
|
| 1928 |
Memorial service held for Rev. Danker, and the Altar Crucifix is given in his memory.
|
| 1930-35 |
Rev. H. Murray Elliott is Rector. Many Armenian families move to Milford, forming a large part
of the parish community. Parish struggles with finances during the Depression.
|
| 1940 |
Rose window behind the altar given in memory of George W. Bent by his widow. You can
click here for a larger
picture of the window.
|
| 1941-1945 |
Ninety men and women of Trinity serve in the Armed Forces during World War II. Three members,
William Griffith, Vartan Panagian and Francis Wallace, make the supreme sacrifice.
|
| Early 1950s |
William Wrenn and Magar Bedrosian are presented for ordination from the parish.
|
| 1953 |
Miss Marjorie Fettig is one of six American members of the Girls Friendly Society
invited to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II by the British GFS.
|
| 1961-62 |
Old Parish House next to the Church is torn down, and the Lane Memorial Parish House, connected
to the Church, is built. The bequest of George W. Lane, along with the contributions of others,
funded the project. Mr. Lane was confirmed in Trinity Church in 1885, and served as Parish Clerk
in the 1890s.
|
| 1964 |
Centennial of Trinity Parish.
Anniversary service of Evening Prayer
held on May 24. As far
as possible, the service used
the same psalms, lessons and hymns as were used in the dedication of the Church in 1871.
The year-long celebration concluded on All Saints, November 1, when Confirmation was
celebrated by Bishop Robert M. Hatch, followed by an anniversary dinner in the evening.
|
| 1972 |
Covenant signed between
Trinity and St. Mary's Roman Catholic
church. The Milford Covenant is now the oldest active Anglican-Roman Catholic covenant
in the world.
|
| About 1975 |
Hip roof built over the flat roof of the Parish Hall, to solve leakage problems and
to improve the appearance of the church.
|
| About 1978 |
Altar moved away from wall under rose window to current position.
|
| 1989 |
125th Anniversary celebration. The Rite of Holy Communion from the 1789 Prayer Book,
which was in use when the parish was founded, is used for one Sunday.
|
| 1992 |
Twentieth Anniversary of the Trinity-St Mary's Covenant. In celebration, an Evensong is
held at Trinity, attended by parishioners and clergy of both parishes and dioceses, including
the Most Rev. Bernard Flanagan, retired Roman Catholic Bishop of Worcester, who was bishop
when the covenant was formed.
|
| 1993 |
Annual Meeting approves a resolution to add two youth representatives, with full voting
rights, to the vestry. At the same time, a resolution was presented to amend the Constitution and
Canons of the Diocese of Western Massachusetts, to allow each parish to add a youth delegate
and alternate to their Convention delegation. The resolution passed Convention two years
in a row, and is now in effect.
|
| 1994 |
Working through the
Episcopal Migration Ministries, Trinity and St Mary's sponsor two families
of Bosnian refugees, and help them settle in Milford. The effort required a great deal
of coordination and cooperation between the parishes, and was perhaps the most notable
achievement of the Covenant. The families -- two brothers, their wives and children --
are self-supporting members of the Milford community.
|
| 1997 |
Lay Eucharistic Visitors are commissioned by the Parish to bring Holy Communion to the
homebound after Sunday services.
|
| 2000 |
The website is put in place, taking Trinity online.
|
| 2003 |
Trinity replaces the altar with one that is designed to be free-standing.
|
| 2005 |
After a two-year fundraising campaign, air conditioning is installed in the
sanctuary.
Janice Ford, formerly Trinity's parish nurse, begins her study for ordination.
The 2005 Parish Profile is
available here.
|
