1858:  The pastor of the First Methodist Church of Chicago (now the Chicago Temple) "organized a class and established preaching" in a frame house on Indiana Avenue near Twenty-Second Street in order to serve members of his flock who had moved to "a remote southern suburb of Chicago, viz. from Eighteenth Street southward." 

1862-64:  During the dark years, assisted by the First Methodist Church, Trinity built its first church home on Indiana and Twenty-First Street.

1870:  A new building was begun three blocks further south.  After their own building had been destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, members of the Wabash Avenue Church united with Trinity.  In the face of severe personal losses, the congregation went forward with the building of a new church.  These years were marked by "a sweeping revival of religion." 

1875:  A magnificent new building was dedicated in March 1875.  Trinity increased in membership and influence, becoming one of the great churchs of Chicago and of Methodism.  Its benevolences supported extensive missionary programs abroad and church extension in the city.

1900:  February 15, Trinity's splendid church building was completely destroyed by fire.  The membership rallied to establish a new church home on Indiana Avenue at Thirtieth Street.  Again in 1916 they moved when the property of St. Paul's Universalist Church on Prairie Avenue and Thirtienth Street became available.

World War I brought significant changes to this neighborhood.  Members of Trinity moved away.  The program of the church was revised conforming as fully as possible to the needs of the community.  However, by the summer of 1919 it was apparent that the church was not growing.

1920:  In March, the trustees voted to sell the church property.  "It is not without heartaches that Trinity abandons this field;...unless better plans can be worked out we shall form some kind of union with our Mother Church, the old First Methodist."  A "better plan" was proposed by the far-seeing secretary of the Board of Trustees.  He saw the great possibilities in union with a growing Methodist Church in the Beverly Hills community of Chicago.

1920:  In May, "Old Trinity" moved south again.  It brought to the union with the Beverly Hills Methodist Church an honored name and a great tradition together with substantial financial resources.

• Prospect Avenue Methodist Church was first organized as the "Longwood Society" the outgrowth of a little preaching service begun in the Longwood (95th Street) station of the Rock Island Railroad by the pastor of the Morgan Park Methodist Church.  When their station home was outgrown, the congregation purchased a site for a church at Winchester Avenue and 94th Street.  Here a modest wooden building was dedicated in October of 1893.

• Discouragement marked the first years for the westward trend of population had not materialized as expected.  At the same time another little Methodist Church, the Berean in Washington Heights, was also struggling.  In 1896, members met to discuss their mutual challenges.  They decided to make a new beginning as one church to be located on a site central to both.

• The church building of the Longwood Society, considered to be "more staunchly built", was placed on rollers and moved to the corner of Prospect Avenue and 99th Street, a journey of more than a mile ending in the descent of a steep hill.  According to the record, the building escaped control at the brink of the hill and made an exciting journey downward.  It  safely landed on its new site where it still stands, now the home of a church of another denomination.

• The early years of the Prospect Avenue church were a time of struggle.  There was not always enough money to pay a regular pastor and so student pastors often ministered to the flock.  Once, when their church treasury was depleted, the devoted members taxed themselves a month's salary each in addition to their regular pledges.

• The Church may have been small in membership and in financial resources but it was great in vision and spirit.  The record of its support of home and foreign missions is inspiring.  One of the first standardized Sunday Schools in the city was organized here.  In the Men's Bible Class and Philathea Class there was a reservoir of strong, effective leadership.  Members and officials ofthe little church were united and purposeful; deciated to Christian service.

1912:  Although the original building was enlarged to double its capacity, within a few years the congregation had again outgrown its facilities.  At the close of World War I a new site at the corner of Vanderpoel Avenue and 99th Street was purchased and plans for a new building were discussed.  Conforming to the new location, the name of the church was changed to The Beverly Hills Methodist Episcopal Church.

1920:  Then in the Spring of 1920, at a time most opportune for all concerned, came the offer of the Trinity United Methodist Church to unite with the Beverly Hills Church under the time-honored name of Trinity and to bring to that union the considerable resources of the older church.

• The Beverly Hills and the Trinity Methodist Churches were united.  Under the leadership of Dr. A. T. Stephenson plans were developed for building a great new church.  Far-sighted leaders of Trinity urged the purchase of a new location on Winchester Avenue at Ninety-Ninth Street.  "This corner is on a ridge comprising the highest ground in Cook County; the commanding structure to be erected thereon...will be in splendid keeping with the tone and dignity of this most beautiful district."

• In planning the building both artistic design and utility were considered.  The "beautiful Gothic sanctuary" (patterned after Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago) would be used for worship only "that it may ever express a particular sanctity."  The Community House would accommodate a large Sunday School.

1924:  Financing for such a large project was not easy.  The Community House was dedicated in October of 1924.  Much remained to be done before the beautiful edifice as envisioned was complete.  The members of Trinity applied themselves prayerfully and resolutely to the task.

1927:  Dr. Stephenson concluded six eventful years of devoted service to Trinity in 1927.  He was followed by Dr. Martin J. Magor; one of the most scholarly and eloquent preachers in the Conference.  He brought to his congregation high dedication and deep spiritual leadership.

1937:  When Dr. Ira G. McCormack came to Trinity in 1937 the membership of the church had grown to eight hundred.  Completion of the building had been delayed during the years of depression but the time now seemed ripe for completing the long-desired church.  The goal of $88,000.00 was achieved through the generosity and devoted service of lay leaders and the warm response of the membership.  The church was dedicated on June 16, 1940, debt-free, a circumstance almost without precedent in church builing.

• "But as we build of brick and stone, we build a still greater church in its ministry of service."  Dr. McCormack's hope found realization during the following years.  Although burdened with the anxieties and tragedies of World War II, the church enlarged its program in scope and service.  Newcomers to the community joined the congregation in ever increasing numbers.

1947:  When Dr. Kermit Long became its pastor in 1947, Trinity had fourteen hundred members.  Under his vigorous leadership, services to the youth of the church and community were extended and strengthened.  Growth in membership continued.  Trinity became outstanding in the Rock Rick Conference in support of World Service.  At home, the church reached out with a loan to assist a new congregation in Park Forest to build a church.  As a living memorial to the gold star men on its Honor Roll, Trinity established a scholarship fund to help promising students continue their training at Garrett Biblical Institute.

1955:  Approaching its Centennial year, the church planned to celebrate that great anniversary by a "sacrificial gift program" to finance the building of a quadrangle addition.  Dr. Amos A. Thornburg began his pastorate at Trinity in 1956.  The new addition was consecrated in April of 1957 completing the building begun in 1922.