On Saturday, Aug. 17, Trinity Baptist Church (TBC) in Ukiah celebrated 60 years of service to the Lord and the roots their church has made in the community. It was August 1964 that Bethel Baptist Church and Northside Baptist Church united under a common roof to make a new church known as Trinity Baptist Church.
The Rev. Gallie Bennett, who had been the pastor of Northside Baptist Church since Aug. 17, 1963, became the first pastor of the new church.
Both Bethel and Northside churches were sold and the old Seventh Day Adventist Church at 900 S. Dora St., Ukiah, was purchased.
It took a year-and-a-half, however, before the congregation could move into the Dora site. Attendees at the celebratory reception agreed “We are celebrating the fact that God has kept us safe through a pandemic, through global turmoil and a whole bunch of it. Six decades of service reflects dedication.
” Well-known pastor and tent evangelist Dick Coolidge became pastor at TBC on Feb. 8, 1976. His warm, relatable, yet direct style of preaching, along with his legendary “Chalk Talk Drawings” (drawing a beautiful picture using fluorescent chalk as he preached, and then illuminating the picture at the end to depict a more vibrant picture to augment the theme upon which he preached).
In 1977, Rev. Dick Coolidge established an epic Passion Play at Coyote Dam at Lake Mendocino. This was in partnership with Redwood Valley Baptist Church and Redwood Valley Community Church.
This inaugural presentation of the play drew a crowd of 5,000 spectators. The Rev Joe Fry became pastor at TBC May 1, 1978. Pastor Fry’s vision for an education building led the church to build a 5,000-square-foot education building and Fellowship Hall that has seen many people, much learning, and a variety of events happen over these many years.
Some of the events that have taken place: Wedding, anniversary and memorial service receptions, pie and ice cream socials, a “Gong Show,” and more. Additionally, in the past, TBC invited the community to Easter and Christmas pageants, an outdoor live nativity, Fall Festivals, and Vacation Bible Schools for children. “Trinity Baptist Church has had several remarkable, Godly men lead our church family to deeper spiritual growth, including some who were our Director of Missions for Mendocino and Lake Counties (the Mendo-Lake Baptist Association).
Over the years, we have also had the blessing of having many people come up from our state office in Fresno to inspire and provide all kinds of training,” related Monica Burney, event organizer. The current Pastor at TBC relates: “My family and I came to TBC in 1984. I never dreamed of being in pastoral ministry, but had people repeatedly ask me if I was a pastor or had plans to become one.
After suggesting sermon topics to two of my pastors, I was asked if I was supposed to be preaching them. Eventually, I was asked to interim pastor in 1994-95 after Dr. Don Parker left.
I was ordained in 1995 and began ‘officially’ pastoring since. I am excited to be partnering with Crossroads and Rey de Reyes churches going forward. I will be officially celebrating 30 years pastoring at TBC next year.
It was in May 1978 I was called as Senior Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church. I was 32 years old. I left in August 1987.
In the nine-plus years at TBC we formed many close, personal relationships that still remain today. We look back on those years as some of the happiest times in our lives. We are looking forward to TBC continuing to share with our communities the love that God has for everyone and how God wants to share His goodness in our lives.
” Two major organizers of the celebration were Jonelle Urbina and Monica Burney. Celebrants were from TBC, Iglesia Cristiana Rey de Reyes, and Crossroads Christian Church. The church plant currently hosts TBC and Rey de Reyes.
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