Claremont’s Favorite Front Lawn

By Mary Carter EAGLE TIMES CORRESPONDENT
CLAREMONT, NH — The title “Pro-Cathedral” is likely a mystery to most. In simple terms, as noted by NH’s Episcopal Bishop Rob Hirschfeld, it’s “giving special attention to a church where we think that God is up to something important, powerful and new.”

Claremont’s Trinity Church will host the Episcopal Diocesan Convention on Saturday, November 4th this year. This isn’t the first time Trinity Claremont has served as a Pro-Cathedral. That honor was initially bestowed 179 years ago, in 1844.

Trinity’s parish was originally a 16-sided brick meeting house. Consecrated in November of 1843, the first worshippers brought footstones to warm themselves in winter. Its predecessor, Union Parish in West Claremont, was built two years before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, thus making it the English Church. In addition to being the oldest Episcopal church in the state, Union Episcopal is also New Hampshire’s oldest surviving building built for religious purposes. Union and Trinity are fixtures and “friendly siblings” in Claremont.

Reverend Carlton Chase served as rector of Trinity Church. In 1844, Chase was elevated to become the first Episcopal bishop of NH. Years later, Chase set the cornerstone for the basis of the present wooden church we now praise. A marble plaque stands in Chase’s memory on the church wall.

In 1963, Trinity would serve as the site of the one-hundred-sixty-first Annual Convention of the Diocese of NH. Now, Trinity is set to shine again for this year’s event. Reverend Kelly Sundberg Seaman is here to help the good folks of Trinity prepare.

A graduate of Davidson College in NC, the University of Virginia and the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Rev. Kelly trained as a medical chaplain at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Rev. Kelly is a Dean of Formation. “Formation means not just head learning, but heart learning,” she explained.

Trinity is sprucing up for the November 4th convention. Vestry Member Linda Patch pointed out some of the challenges of keeping all the wooden surfaces cleaned and polished. “On occasion, bats find sanctuary in our church,” she told us, “and some of them aren’t well behaved Episcopalians.”

Rev. Kelly admires Claremont. “This is a city of connections, a city that matters.” Rev. Kelly was amazed by the numbers who return for Stevens High’s alumni weekends. She’s also impressed by the dedicated fellowship at Trinity.

The folks at Trinity open their famous red doors to people in need. Because of past parishioners’ philanthropy, added chapels and conference rooms provide areas for groups to gather and grow by mentoring. Through generous community gifts, Trinity offers nourishing food for kids who might not have enough to eat over the weekend away from school. “We’re all about what God wants us to do,” Rev. Kelly concluded.

An excellent opportunity to learn more about the wonderful folks at Trinity would be at their upcoming “Bluegrass and Bountiful Desserts” event on Saturday, August 26th at 6pm. Music will be provided by the Stockwell Brothers. With a suggested donation of $20 per person or $35 per couple, it’s a chance to make new friends on Claremont’s favorite front lawn. Sunday services are at 9:30 a.m., and open to all.

See www.trinityclaremont.org for further information.