Holy Trinity Church, Leicester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids HTL Church |
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| Holy Trinity Church, Leicester | |
Holy Trinity Church, Leicester
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 HTL Church
Location in Leicestershire
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| 52°37′43″N 1°7′51.4″W / 52.62861°N 1.130944°W | |
| Location | Leicester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Charismatic Evangelical |
| Website | https://htl.church/ |
| History | |
| Dedication | Holy Trinity |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Architect(s) | Samuel Sanders Teulon |
| Completed | 1838 (rebuilt 1871) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Holy Trinity with St John the Divine, Leicester |
| Deanery | Leicester |
| Archdeaconry | Leicester |
| Diocese | Diocese of Leicester |
| Province | Province of Canterbury |
Holy Trinity Church, also known as HTL Church, is an Anglican church located in Leicester, England. It serves as a local parish church for the community.
Contents
About Holy Trinity Church
This historic church building is found on Regent Road, just south of Leicester city centre. It's conveniently close to the University of Leicester, De Montfort University, and the Leicester Royal Infirmary hospital. Holy Trinity is known for being an Evangelical and Charismatic Anglican church. This means it focuses on sharing the Christian message and experiencing the Holy Spirit.
The current Vicar, Elaine Sutherland, started in March 2020. She leads the church alongside Associate Vicars James Norris and Jitesh Patel.
History of the Building
The church was first built in 1838. This happened because a law called the Church Building Act of 1818 provided money for new churches in growing cities like Leicester. The original design was in a classical style by Sydney Smirke. As the city grew, Holy Trinity became part of a new neighbourhood. Its parish, or local area it serves, was created from part of the nearby St Mary de Castro Church's parish.
In 1872, the church got a big makeover! It was completely redesigned by Samuel Sanders Teulon. He changed it to a High Gothic style. This new look included a tall spire and side towers, built with red-purple bricks and decorated with limestone.
In the 1800s, the church had wooden pews and one main aisle. There were also balconies on both sides. The main floor was for middle-class families, and their servants would sit in the balconies. People entered the ground floor through the main church door, while those going to the balconies used two side entrances.
Past Leaders of the Church
Many vicars have led Holy Trinity Church over the years. Here are some of them:
- William Hill (1838 - 1865)
- Edmund Davys (1865 - 1876)
- James Arthur Faithfull (1878 - 1882)
- Edward Grose-Hodge (1890 - 1894)
- W. Jeffry Thompson (1894 - 1906)
- Frederick Papprill (1905 - 1921)
- R. Chalmers (around 1939)
- John Aldis (1980 - 1989)
- Roger Morgan (1990 - 2008)
- John McGinley (2009 - 2019)
- Elaine Sutherland (2020–Present)
Church Building Features
Between 2018 and 2019, the church had a major building project. This changed the inside of the church, including the main worship area and the entrance. The entrance now has a coffee house! The existing balcony was made bigger, and new stairs were added near the front of the church (the Chancel). The stage area was also updated.
The wall at the front of the church (the chancel end) has five arched stained glass windows. These windows show modern designs from the Parable of The Sower, a story from the Bible (you can read it in Matthew 13:1-24). Above these, there's a more traditional flower design that includes a symbol of the Trinity. There are also smaller windows with the words "The Truth" and "The Life." However, there isn't a window showing "The Way" (from John 14:6). The marble wall in the chancel also shows a picture of the Last Supper.
The large pipe organ that used to be in the church was moved to a church in Poland in 2020. The church and other nearby buildings are now part of the New Walk conservation area, which means they are protected because of their historical importance.
HTL Church Today
HTL Church is a "Mission-Shaped" church. This means its members are part of smaller groups called "Missional Communities." These groups are based on where people live, their social circles, or their interests. HTL Church says its main goal is "Following Jesus, Making Disciples, Raising Disciples."
The church community includes people of all ages, from many children and young people to a large number of university students. HTL Church is also connected with the Charismatic Evangelical group called New Wine.
The church is very active in helping local communities in Leicester. They have a special project called "Triangle" that helps people who are homeless in the city. HTL Church also offers the Alpha course throughout the year, which is a series of sessions exploring the Christian faith.
The morning church services are designed for families and feature music played by a live band. The evening services usually attract more students and young adults. If you can't make it in person, both services are streamed live online on YouTube and Facebook.
Images for kids
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The organ of 1901, by J. Porritt of Leicester, which was later removed.
