The history of First Trinity Church Of God In Christ is almost as old as the Church Of God In Christ itself. It was revealed that the church had its beginning in 1910. This was three years after Bishop Mason had received the Holy Ghost at the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles, California. The first known meeting place was on Sixth and Maple Streets in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Arkansas. At that time, the church was called, “the Sanctified Church.” In 1911, when Bishop C.H. Mason and the congregation moved from that location, they church moved on Fourth Street in a tent and from there to a house.

 

In 1913, the Matthew family who were parents to the late Mother Mary Z. Sanders, grandmother to the late Mother Alphia Wilkerson donated the land on Catalpa Street so the congregation could build a sanctuary. The church was built on 700 South Catalpa Street in Pine Bluff just adjacent to the current location. Once the church was built, it was known as “The Mother Church” and often referred to as the “Tongue-Lane Church”. There are reports that Bishop D.J. Young who was a travelling companion with Bishop Mason was also co-pastor.

 

The chronological order of pastors are:

1911-1913 Bishop C.H. Mason, Bishop C.P. Jones

1913-1915 Elder R.E. Harding

1915-1921 Elder G.R. Washington

1921-1926 Elder J. Boer

1926-1932 Elder W.M. Rogers

1932-1957 Bishop W.H. Kendrick

1957-2019 Saint DeWitt Hill

2020-Present Elder Aaron Withers

 

During the pastorage of Bishop W.H. Kendrick, the church was rebuilt and the name was changed to “Trinity Temple Church Of God In Christ”. In 1957, Elder DeWitt Hill became pastor and served until his demise in 2019. To the structure built by Bishop Kendrick was added an educational wing, kitchen, modern facilities, restrooms and drinking fountains. In 1968, the structure was destroyed by fire and fifty percent loss to the educational wing. In 1968, the church bought an acre of land adjacent to the present property and built the beautiful and spacious edifice which was dedicated in 1969.

 

The property purchased included a six-room house which was moved to the rear of the church and renovated for classrooms. The educational wing, which was damaged by fire was renovated for classroom facilities also. The church added approximately one block in concrete parking facility to the church property. During the 1975 Homecoming, Trinity Temple was renamed “First Trinity”. Saint DeWitt Hill pastored Greater Trinity Church Of God In Christ in Little Rock, Arkansas and recommended changing the name to First Trinity because Greater Trinity was located in the Greater Little Rock community.

 

April 15, 2019, Saint DeWitt Hill was transitioned from mortal to immortality and Superintendent Jerry Williams was assigned as the pastor Designate. In January, 2020, Bishop Jewel Withers appointed Elder Aaron Withers as the pastor of First Trinity. The church has a multi-purpose center on the corner of Sixth and Catalpa, 16 Unit housing center for seniors, a office complex in the heart of downtown Pine Bluff (The Hill Minority Business Center), state of the art video cameras and surveillance system, broadcasting around the world through social media, World Wide Web, weekly Webcast.

 

The church provided the basis for Greater Trinity Church Of God In Christ in Little Rock, Arkansas, The church sponsored the bond to build Nineveh Temple Church Of God In Christ in Forrest City, Arkansas. First Trinity has built churches and schools in Haiti, Bahamas, Jamaica, Philippines and support teachers’ salaries monthly. The church supports orphanages and clinics in Haiti and support the Jurisdictional Headquarters (Vision 2000).