About Trinity A.m.E. Zion Church

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The mission of Trinity African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church is to praise God through worship and service and lead all people of Christ. We believe this should be done by studying, teaching, and preaching the bible. We believe in prayer, spiritual nourishment, and the Christian lifestyle. Our mission is to move toward perfection in Jesus Christ.  We pray that what you see on this page will be a blessing!

Equipping Minds, Empowering People, Embracing Worship

In 1884, the Polk’s Washington City Directory published a list of the Methodist Episcopal denomination that included Trinity Church.  This document indicated that the church, organized in 1883, was located at the corner of 10th and V streets NW under Rev. John W. Valentine.  In 1890, Rev. Peter C. Louis presented Trinity Church for admission into the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Connection with a membership of 70.  Records indicate that in addition, Rev. Alfred C. Washington secured Trinity’s Connectional Membership in the Philadelphia-Baltimore Annual Conference in 1905 as the fifth AME Zion Church in Washington, DC.

The Articles of Incorporation seem to suggest that on September 7, 1909, a merger took place between Trinity and the North Washington Church of Mount Pleasant.  In both the 1908 and 1910 editions of Boyd’s Directory for Washington, the Pastor is recorded as Rev. H.W. Smith who resided at 748 Morton Street, NW.  Other ministers who served as pastors included Charles Warfield, Thomas Jenkins, Alfred C. Washington, Logan Johnson, S.L. Corrothers, C.J. Henderson, J.J. Tucker, I.S. Lee, Oscar L. Rand, Raymond Smith, William D. Speight and William R. Jones who in 1944 moved Trinity to 625-627 Park Road, NW.  Pastors at the Park Road Church included Adholtz Pagan, James W. Page, Sheffield O. Gill, C.M. Kirkpatrick, John H. Satterwhite and Richard K. Thompson.  Rev. J. Clinton Hoggard served as the supply pastor for three years in conjunction with his duties as the Foreign Mission Secretary (Overseas Mission Secretary) for our denomination.

In 1983, Trinity moved to 3505 16th Street, N.W. and paid off the mortgage in 1991 under the pastorate of Dr. Richard K. Thompson.  Following Pastor Thompson’s elevation to the episcopacy in August 1992, Dr. Warren Matthew Brown became the pastor.  Under his leadership the Meridian lots were purchasded for parking.  In 1996, Rev. brown was elevated to the episcopacy and Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Lamb, Sr. served as the pastor until 2003.  On July 6, 2003, Rev. William E. Kelly succeeded Rev. Lamb and was promoted to Presiding Elder May 2014.  On June 22, 2014 Rev. Dr. Timothy L. Freeman was appointed pastor of the Trinity AME Zion Church.