Trinity Parish, St. Augustine

Trinity Parish in Saint Augustine is an historic Episcopal Church and the oldest Protestant church in Florida. It is also home to some of the oldest and most beautiful stained glass windows in the Episcopal Diocese of Florida. The parish was founded in 1821, shortly after Florida became a United States territory, and was one of the seven original parishes when the Episcopal Diocese of Florida was received into union with the General Convention in 1838.

The first church building was constructed in 1830 using coquina, a local shell stone that was also used to build the Castillo de San Marcos. It was formally consecrated on June 5, 1834, by Bishop Nathaniel Bowen of South Carolina. In the years following its founding, small additions and improvements were made to the church, including the addition of three stained glass windows just prior to the American Civil War. Despite the war taking a toll on the state and the church, Trinity Parish continued to grow through the dedication of a committed laity and a succession of Rectors.

In 1895, the Rev. C M. Sturges arrived and determined that the church building was outmoded, too small and in dire need of repair. This led to a six-year effort to obtain plans and funding to enlarge the church structure. Work began in early 1902 and on January 17, 1903, the first services were held in the “new” church, a cruciform structure with neo-gothic architecture that could seat 300 parishioners.

The 20th century brought profound changes to Saint Augustine, including a substantial increase in population and a steady rise in winter visitors, many of whom chose Trinity as their church. The Reverend L. Fitz-James Hindry served as Rector from 1904 until 1936 and oversaw the formation of many lay organizations devoted to working with the church on a variety of projects. The Rev. Charles Seymour, who was called to Trinity in 1949, oversaw significant physical changes to the church, including the addition of a two-story education facility and Parish Hall. By 1959, the number of communicants had increased to more than 500, and in 1960, after a successful stewardship campaign, Trinity Parish underwent a major expansion that included a new parish hall, kitchen, classrooms, administrative offices, and a nursery. Architecturally, the new facilities and cloistered walkways