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Trinity Center reaches out in Dayton

By: Perla Trevizo
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John Anderson

DAYTON, Tenn. — An old, red-brick church with an inscription on the side that reads “First Ave. Methodist Episcopal Church 1887” has become the Trinity Center, an ecumenical cooperative ministry with a goal of bringing the community together.

Pastor John Anderson, chairman of the Trinity Center board of directors, said the building once housed Trinity United Methodist Church, but it was discontinued because of declining membership.

Mr. Anderson was pastor of St. Andrews Methodist Church in Chattanooga, which also closed because of low attendance. It is now the St. Andrews Center, which houses about 20 nonprofits, including a credit union and a Plaza Comunitaria offering English and literacy classes. It serves an average of 1,200 people each week.

Mr. Anderson said that after Trinity Church closed, he thought it could become another St. Andrews Center.

“There’s a lot of things we know we can do as we build communities and bring people together,” he said. “Our building might not be as big as St. Andrews, but there’s still a lot we can do.”

Mr. Anderson said the key is unity.

“Too many times churches compete with each other, and we don’t need that. If we come together in unity, we can be strong,” he said.

The Trinity Center has partnered with the YMCA, which is offering a Silver Sneakers exercise class for seniors at the center.

Mr. Anderson said program organizers also want to offer child care for Basic Adult Education classes, an after-school and weekend coffee shop, tutoring, praise and worship concerts and Bible study, among other programs.

The Rev. Mike Feely, director of the St. Andrews Center, said a community center like St. Andrews could be created anywhere.

“What’s important is that you have some distinct human needs,” he said. “There’s not a location that doesn’t have kids being underserved or whatever the social need is. The idea of having groups not doing their own thing but working collaboratively, that’s something that can be applied everywhere,” he added.

In Dalton, Ga., Grace Presbyterian Church also has taken a new function.

“I arrived (in Dalton from Texas) about two years ago and saw the size of the Hispanic community, and as a church we decided to see how we could invest in the community,” said Carlos Ireta, assistant pastor of the church.

He said organizers see it as their duty to offer not only spiritual counseling but practical tools to be successful in life.

“We started offering English classes on Sundays, but they got so full that we partnered with the Mexican Consulate in Atlanta to open a Plaza Comunitaria — an initiative that offers classes to obtain Mexican elementary, middle school or high school certificates in addition to English as a Second Language classes.”

Mr. Anderson said Trinity also wants to reach Hispanic immigrants.

“We want them to know that we want them to become part of us. We were all immigrants at one time. We need to welcome people and receive them, help them to adjust to the changes they are going through,” he said.

It comes down to making a difference in the world, he said.

“Ultimately what we are looking for is some way to represent Jesus in the world,” he said. “Jesus told us to go to the four corners of the earth, not to stay in our building.”

The Dayton building still requires some remodeling, and the Trinity Center is still in search of volunteers and partners, but Mr. Anderson said he hopes that with community help, the tutoring program can start as early as next month.

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