The Sweetest Church in Alabama

The history of Trinity Church begins on November 28, 1895, when the cornerstone of an Episcopal chapel was laid in Nottingham, a community about eight miles southwest of Talladega.  The Rev. W. L. Mellichampe, at that time rector of St. Peter’s , Talladega, noted that there was a mining boom and real estate development going on in Nottingham; a bank and a large hotel had even been built.  Thus a parochial mission was established for the Nottingham and Alpine communities.  The Rev. Thomas A. Cook, first rector of St. Peter’s in the 1850’s and retired at this time, officiated at the laying of the cornerstone.  Many members of the present congregation are descendants of the Rev. Mr. Cook.  He lived just below the Plantersville (Talladega county) community and is buried in the Alpine Cemetery.

In the years 1895 to 1917, with a few exceptions, the clergy from St. Peter’s served Trinity Church.  During a few short intervals, leadership was provided by faithful lay readers in the absence of ordained clergy.

In the early days of the church, it was tradition for the Cook families to sit on the epistle side of the church and the Killloughs on the Gospel side.  This still holds true for some of our older descendants. 

The Rev. Mr. Mellichampe served at the Nottingham church until 1898 when The J. Coleman Horton arrived.  He was followed in 1901 by the Rev. Edwin G. Hunter who served until 1915.  The Rev. Charles K. Weller served from 1916 until 1921.

The speculative endeavors in Nottingham gradually subsided and the people began to move out of the community.  The late William Augustus Cook, grandfather of Trinity’s current communicant,  Julia Killough Cook Donahoo, was instrumental in getting the church moved about two miles away, and the present building was constructed.  The cornerstone was laid on June 14, 1917; the present church building was consecrated an organized mission on September 19, 1917.  The thirty-one communicants of Nottingham chapel were transferred to Trinity, Alpine.

Mrs. Donahoo remembers as a child being able to walk down the railroad tracks from the old chapel site in Nottingham, to the church’s new location in Alpine, as the church still sits directly off the tracks.  Many a Sunday the rector would have to pause during the service to allow the rumble of the morning train to pass.   The church remained an organized mission until 1968 when it was recognized as a parish by Diocesan Convention.

From 1921-1923, there was no resident clergy in the county.  James B. Wynn, serving as layreader, led the services at Trinity until 1924 when The Rev. Joseph H. Harvey arrived to provide services.  He remained until 1936 when Capt. Robert H. Channon of the Church Army  served the churches. The Rev. James M. Stoney, Sr. provided leadership from 1936 to 1938.  The Rev. Robert C. Clingman came in 1938 and remained two years until 1940.  He was followed by the Rev. Marshall E. Seifert, 1941-1943.  From 1943 to 1945 the Rev. William Stoney served the churches.  During most of these years the Diocese of Alabama supported Trinity Church through placement of newly ordained clergy thus providing an ordained presence.  In 1945, the Rev. Randolph F. Blackford became rector.  He stayed until 1958, but while he served, the Rev. Furman C. Stough led the Alpine mission on alternate Sundays from 1955 to 1958.

Many years ago, when Bishop C. C. J. Carpenter made his annual visit to Trinity, bees were in the west wall of the church and honey dripped down the inside back wall.  On Sundays, parishioners could actually dip their fingers in the raw honey that had run down the inside wall.  His not classic remark was, “This is the sweetest church in Alabama.”  Strange animals have been known to attend services on occasion. Before the days of central heat and air, Alpine residents’ dogs frequently attended services.  More recently a squirrel has been seen sitting very quietly in the upper left corner of the ceiling.  In the 1950’s, another of God’s creatures, a (harmless) snake was found by a parishioner just as she was about to kneel for prayer.  Bees and wasps are always with us at our services; ladybugs are always found in abundance in season; and cows are usually heard mowing in the adjacent pasture.  Nature’s collection is found here and helps give Trinity its pastoral feel.

Most of the business of the church is transacted at monthly church suppers.  Before the parish house was built, all business was transacted with the entire congregation participating and meetings were help in parishioners’ homes.

From 1959 to 1962, The Rev. Kenneth Franklin served the churches, followed by The Rev. Albert C. Baker, 1963-1964.  The Rev. Louis Tonsmeire, Rector of St. Andrew’s, Sylacauga, provided services at Alpine in 1965 and 1966.  He was followed by The Rev. James M. Stoney, Jr., 1967 – 1972.

It was during these years that much remodeling took place to the church plant.  Through these years great improvements have been made in the heating and cooling systems.  At first the church was heated by coal heaters, then gas heaters and now a central heating system.  The windows and doors were all opened and hand-held church fans were used by parishioners for most of our years for cooling.  Then small electric fans were replaced with a window air conditioner, then later with a central system.

After remodeling of the church and the building of a parish house, several improvements were made such as Sunday school room dividers, a concrete patio area between the two buildings, landscaping, tables and chairs for the parish house, new pews in the church and connection to a county water system.  Except for a little additional remodeling of the interior in 1969, the congregation of today worships in the same church building as many of the grandparents did over three quarters of a century ago.  The altar, baptismal font, credence table and brass altar cross were all moved from the chapel at Nottingham.  The altar cross had been given to Nottingham chapel by the church at Waldo where a mission had been started in the 1880’s but became defunct in the early 1900’s.  The wooden processional cross we used to day was hand-carved by Robert O. Thompson, a communicant of the early 1940’s.

The stained glass windows in the church are the original ones installed in 1017.  Then lexan was added for the protection of the windows in 1969, each windows was dedicated to the memory of a members’ loved one.

The Rev. A. Stratton Lawrence arrived in 1972 and served until 1979.  It was the dream of one of Trinity’s communicants, Robert Lacy Killough, to have an educational and fellowship building, but he died before his dream could be realized.  In early 1978 work was begun on the parish house and the dedication of the Robert Lacy Killough Parish House took place on September 17, 1978.  In the early ‘70’s a church volleyball league was formed in  Talladega.  Trinity had several members on the St. Peter’s team and many nights the Episcopalians were heard cheering, “42, 12 and the big red chicken, look out Baptists, you’re ‘gonna get a ‘licken.”  The Episcopalians were very impressive!

In the few short intervals between rectors in the 1970’s and the 1980’s and 1990’s, Kenneth Power and Rex Killough, as lay readers, led our services at Trinity Church. Earlier Robert Lacy Killough and his father, William Forrest Killough, Sr. served as our lay readers.

Thieves have broken into the church and parish house many times.  Items stolen were two window air conditioners, the old pump organ (from the Nottingham Chapel), all of the kitchen utensils and equipment, linen tablecloths and napkins, a propane gas tank full of gas and all the altar brass and brass processional cross.  The old pump organ was replaced with a new electric one.  The only brass item recovered was the altar cross.  New brass candelabra, Eucharistic candlesticks and altar vases were purchased.  After so many break-ins, a security system was installed.

The Rev. Timothy H. Murphy served from 19080 until 1983.  He was followed by the Rev. Jack Symonds who remained until 1987.  From March 1988 to July 1990, The Rev. Richard G. Marshall, Rector of St. Andrew’s, Sylacauga, provided served at Alpine.

Two projects to raise money for the church have become annual events – the rummage sale held in the spring and the holiday bazaar in the fall.  Fish fried and barbecues have also been held to raise money.  Two cookbooks have been printed and sold with great success.  One of these cookbooks is still available.

In January, 1991, The Rev. William Asger became the Interim Priest for Alpine, Sylacauga and Childersburg.  An organization called the South Talladega (County) Episcopal Ministry (STEM), comprising the Episcopal congregations of Trinity, Alpine, St. Mary’s, Childersburg, and St. Andrew’s, Sylacauga, was formed and still continues to provide ordained ministry.

The Episcopal Young Churchmen at Trinity were inactive for awhile but these last few years have seen an increase in activities:  trips to Six Flags, and a Birmingham hockey game and spend the night (lock-ins) parties, Halloween party, Christmas caroling and visiting shut-ins.  Some years ago, the entire congregation used to go caroling and enjoyed several hayrides.

The Rev. Mr. Asger served until January, 1994, when the Rev. John Ebaugh began as Interim Priest for STEM.  In January, 1995, The Rev. Grady F. Barbour was called as Rector of the three parishes of STEM.  He continues to serve and signs of growth are evident.

The church floors were refinished for this anniversary celebration and the inside walls were painted.  A new dossal was hung and new altar kneelers were made.  Our current project is the have the old plaster and gravel outside walls of the church repaired and completed by Trinity Sunday, 1995, and a carpet runner and new kneelers installed shortly thereafter.

There is a large marble plaque on the wall in the sanctuary which reads, “To the glory of God in memory of Rev. Thomas A. Cook, priest, first missionary of the church in Talladega County.

AD 1812- AD 1896.  This tablet is erected by his descendants.”  So it is indeed appropriate today that we use the lectern Bible from the old Nottingham Chapel and the Holy Communion service from The Rev. Thomas A Cook’s own personal missal.

Trinity Church has always been a very small parish, even from its beginning never numbering more than 30 or so communicants.  There have been ups and downs but this tiny church, and it families has always been able to maintain it unique character, to look ahead to a brighter future and the church continues to worship the crucified and risen Lord.

THE EXHIBITS ON DISPLAY IN THE PARISH HOUSE contain photographs of former Rectors, historical photographs, our parish register, artifacts and other memorabilia of Trinity’s history.

After the service, everyone is invited to the picnic lunch on the church grounds.  For those who wish to take a short trip, arrangements have been made to visit the gravesite of The Rev. Mr. Thomas A. Cook in the Alpine Cemetery.