As part of our continuing efforts to have members of our Trinity family share how much Trinity has meant to them, Fran Worthington recently offered her “Top 10” for why she loves Trinity.
Good morning! I am Fran Worthington and I love and treasure Trinity Presbyterian Church.
Growing up in Fayetteville, North Carolina, my parents and I attended Hay Street Methodist Church and later were charter members of the newly-formed Haymount Methodist Church. As did many of the single women of Fayetteville, I met and married a career Army officer who urged me to convert to his Roman Catholic religion. During the next 23 years, we became the proud parents of four children and moved our household 20 times, from Japan to Germany and points in between and finally settled in Charlotte. When that marriage ended in divorce and I was excommunicated from the Catholic Church, a friend invited me to visit Trinity. The first time I walked through the Narthex into this beautiful sanctuary, I was enveloped in a feeling of peace, serenity and the presence of a loving God; and I became a Trinity member 30 years ago on September 16, 1984.
With a nod to a certain late-night TV host, I would like to share with you my top ten reasons for loving and treasuring this incredible church.
# 10. This campus with its beautiful trees, soaring steeple and welcoming buildings.
# 9. The many programs and groups with which members can become involved and participate.
# 8. Our Weekday School which nurtures not only the children of our members but other children from our Charlotte community.
# 7. The devoted staff of Trinity who work behind the scenes to insure that all of our activities can occur seamlessly throughout the weeks, months and years.
# 6. Our church Session members, with whom I have been honored to serve for three separate terms, and who toil for countless hours and are dedicated to preserve and protect the history and the future of this wonderful church.
# 5. The members of Trinity who have become my extended family in times of joy, sadness and everyday living.
# 4. This sanctuary, which never ceases to impress me with its beauty, grace and solemnity.
# 3. The beautiful and inspiring music, which has been provided by our choir and instrumentalists under the devoted direction of Jane Arant, who also has been here during these past 30 years.
# 2. The succession of senior, associate and interim ministers, and now the presence of Dr. Lindsley, who have filled that pulpit and brought so many memorable and moving messages to me and this congregation.
# 1. And now we have reached my absolute Number One reason for loving and treasuring this incredible church. Remember that I mentioned “a friend” invited me to visit Trinity? Well, that friend was Charles Meredith Worthington. And, on this day, December 21st, 28 years ago, which also was a Sunday, after we had attended the worship service and the after-service coffee, our immediate families gathered in those seats and Chuck and I stood under that beautiful cross as Dr. Louis Patrick joined us in holy matrimony. Thank you!
Fran Worthington