Chronological History of Events


1856 Methodist Church began in Genoa with 5 members meeting in homes, often that of David Wood
1869 First Methodist Church (wooden) built on site at Main and Fourth Streets
1911 Parsonage built south of church
1911 Lightning strikes and destroys church steeple
1923 June and Harold Sigler married in old church (last wedding in that building)
1927 Wooden church building razed; brick building erected
1928 Great Depression slows paying off building debt
1936 YPSC (Young People’s Social Club) leased quarry from White Rock and opened it for public swimming
1938 Mortgage debt paid-in-full
1939 Trinity Methodist Episcopal becomes Trinity Methodist
1948 Church building remodeled
1948 First full-time pastor appointed (Rev. John Marshall Sutton)
1956 100th Anniversary Celebration
1957 Vision for future Sunday School wing to become reality
1957 Building Fund started
1958 1200 pounds of fish ordered for Annual Fish Fry
1959 Construction of Education Wing began
1959 Fish no longer available – annual dinner to feature BBQ chicken!
1960 New education wing dedicated
1961 Sunday School attendance topped 131
1968 Trinity Methodist becomes Genoa Trinity United Methodist Church
1968 Used bus purchased for youth group activity
1970 Thrift Shoppe opened on Main Street for mission project
1974 House next to parsonage razed for parking lot
1974 Thrift Shoppe moved to 4th Street location
1978 Church balcony closed, sanctuary re-plastered, and pews stripped and refinished
1984 Trinity celebrates 200 years of Methodism in America
1987 Parsonage completely insulated at cost of $1,350
1988 First woman pastor appointed at Trinity
1989 Study began on installation of elevator
Head Start Migrant Summer Program started
1991 Endowment Fund established
1993 Ramp constructed at North entrance by Head Start
1993 Childrens playground equipped and fenced by Head Start
1994 Roof leak in education wing caused nursery ceiling to collapse
1994 New roof installed at cost of $9,000
1995 After-school tutoring program established
2001 Lightning strikes church, damaging electrical service. Fire damages church ceiling.
Elevator installed and dedicated
2002 Church sanctuary and offices re-modeled and dedicated
2011 Electronic messaging sign installed
2012 Outside landscaping completed
2013 Dining Room re-carpeted, painted, and new lights installed
2013 Air-conditioning installed in the sanctuary
2014 New chairs purchased for Dining Room