Disappointment and frustration hampered Wesley at almost every turn. Oglethorpe denied his plea to minister to the Indians. His efforts to help his brother at Frederica failed. He fell in love while traveling to America but was dissuaded from marrying by close friends. Relatives of the young lady posted false charges that he refused to administer Communion to her. However, she had failed to give him the required notice according to the laws of the Church of England.While under orders of arrest he gave notice to all concerned that he intended to leave America immediately. He left without hindrance on December 2 1737.

George Whitfield, a great English evangelist, arrived in Savannah only a short time after Wesley left. Wesley had written him pleading for help. Whitfield found a strange “state of affairs here.” He wrote: “His name is precious among people. He has laid a foundation that I hope neither man nor devil will ever shake.” Whitfield took up Wesley’s ministry and enjoyed great success for a number of years. Gradually Methodist “Societies” began to be organized in homes and shops. A military map of Savannah of 1779 shows a meetinghouse of The Methodist Society on the corner of what is now State and Hambersham Streets. Cornelius Winter preached here in 1769.

Bishop Fancis Asbury visited Georgia twenty times. In 1784 Asbury sent Jesse Lee to “The Savannah Circuit.” Others who preached in Savannah were: Hope Hull, Richard Ivy, Beverly Allen, Thomas Humphries, John Majors, Phillip Matthews and Samuel Dunwoody. James Russell was appointed to Savannah in 1812. Under his leadership Wesley Chapel was constructed on the corner of Lincoln and East Oglethorpe Avenue. Completed in 1813, this “Good, neat house” had a congregation of thirty white and thirty-five black members. As the congregation grew , a larger building became necessary and the Wesley Chapel congregation changed their name to “Trinity”.

The cornerstone of Trinity Church was laid February 14, 1848. The land had been the garden of the Telfair Family. It was purchased for the sum of $8,500.00, a large investment in those days. Designed by the famed archetect John Hogg, the sanctuary and one-story educational building were constructed at a cost of $20,000.00. The building was completed in the fall of 1850. The solid masonry walls are “Savannah Gray Brick” finished with stucco. Virgin long-leaf Georgia pines were hand hewn for the framing, flooring, and wainscoting. The boards were cut to the taper of the tree and fitted together. The interior of the sanctuary, similar in design to the Wesley Chapel in London, England, was fully restored in 1969. The present McIntire Educational Building immediately west of this sanctuary was constructed in 1927.

In the early morning hours of October 7th 1991 a fire broke out, likely in the parlor of Trinity Church, which completely destroyed the McIntire Building. The blaze swept swiftly through the building. Thanks to the timely response of the Savannah Fire Department the sanctuary was spared destruction. However extensive smoke and water damage made the sanctuary unusable for almost two years, until August of 1993. Now 15 years after the "Great Fire", thanks to the diligence of the faithful membership, a dedicated Board of Trustees, and superb pastoral leadership during those early years after the return; Trinity Church is a thriving congregation. In 2001 a Transitional Task Force helped Trinity church determine a new course. In 2005, the Church accomplished a complete exterior restoration, winning an Award of Excellence from the Historic Savannah Foundation.

John Wesley once referred to Savannah as the scene of the “second rise of Methodism”. As the first and oldest Methodist church in the city, Trinity holds a unique place in the development of both American and World Methodism.

The sophistication of the restoration of the Church complements its historical and architectural significance. After months of careful research and assessment, a complete restoration plan was developed. The plan included roof repairs (which later let to the replacement of the entire roof), window repairs, and window and door repainting. In what became the most extensive phase of the restoration, all the existing inappropriate and damaged stucco (added in the 1970s to hide problems beneath) was removed and the bricks beneath repaired and replaced as necessary with Savannah Grey bricks. The bricks were re-pointed with mortar formulated to match the original. New stucco formulated and color-matched to the original was applied and scored to replicate the original pattern.

The capitals on the columns have been restored to their elaborate splendor and all the sandstone lentils and sill above and below windows were restored. New copper gutters and downspouts with decorative boots were also installed.
More about the restoration...