History of Holy Trinity

As Melbourne's first church of any denomination, Holy Trinity has a long and proud history. In the 1880's, the first families to settle in Melbourne were mostly of English background and members of the Episcopal Church. Early church services were held in a store.

The Rt. Rev. John Freeman Young, the second bishop of Florida, visited the fledgling congregation occasionally.  A parishioner from Connecticut presented property and cash for a church building in South Melbourne. The famous theologian, The Rev. William P. DuBose, officiated at the first service in the building in 1886.

In 1898, the building was moved by barge to a more central location on Highway US1. Holy Trinity was declared a parish in 1949.

In 1953, when The Rev. Alexander Boyer envisioned tremendous growth in the area with the start of the space program, the present site on Strawbridge Avenue was purchased. This allowed the addition of the sanctuary, seven classrooms, a living room, two offices, and a kitchen. The classrooms were used for Christian Education on Sundays, and by an overcrowded school system during the week. In 1958, five classrooms were added and Holy Trinity Parish Day School opened.

in 1961 the Episcopal Church Women funded the move of the original chapel structure to the Strawbridge Avenue site. The building is now our chapel and is an Honorary Historic Landmark of Brevard County.  Father Boyer retired after 25 years as rector in 1979.

In 1980, The Rev. William G. Lewis, then Archdeacon of The Diocese of Pittsburgh, was called to lead the parish. He oversaw the addition of new offices, a second living room, a library and the purchase of a nearby house which became The Episcopal Counseling Center. The Parish Day School grew to over 400 students during this time.

In 1998, The Rev. Dr. Dabney T. Smith was called to be Rector. While honoring the past and anticipating the future, the congregation, under his leadership, has experienced renewed vitality and growth. Lewis Hall was acquired in 1999, and in the fall of 2001 a capital campaign was initiated and successfully completed. It will, in the long term, provide funding to expand all Church facilities. The first step in that direction, the remodeling of Lewis Hall, was planned to begin in the fall or winter of 2002.

In 2006, The Rev. Pamela Easterday and Rev. Stephen Easterday were called as Co-Rectors to Holy Trinity. The church expanded with the addition of Pearson Hall which houses space for Children’s Ministry and a choir room, and the purchase of additional property attached to the existing campus to rehome and expand the Holy Trinity Thrift Shop. Through a capital campaign that was completed in 2020, the Historic Chapel was fully restored, a new bell tower was erected, the kitchen was fully renovated, and the church worked to beautify the grounds surrounding the new property.