Our History
The name “Turning Point” embraces the rich history of the city of Trenton as well as The United States. The December 26, 1776, Battle of Trenton in the American Revolutionary War was a pivitol battle and may be known as one of the turning points in the Revolution. Prior to the Battle of Trenton General Washington and his troops had suffered a series of defeats. “The first break in this pattern began on Christmas night in 1776, when Washington led his army of cold, tired and hungry soldiers, many of them teenagers, across the Delaware River from Pennsylvania to New Jersey, where they surprised and defeated a professional army of Hessian mercenaries at the Battle of Trenton.” [1] Similarly, through the Love of Chirst, the people of Turning Point seek to play a pivitol role in the lives of the members of the congregation, community and the world.
The congregation, which was founded in 2008, is the result of a merger of two United Methodist congregations, the First United Methodist Church and St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. Both churches have a very long history in Trenton. “The First Methodist Church of Trenton has the honor of being the first established in New Jersey and probably the third in the whole country, ranking next only after the John Street Church in New York City and St. George’s Church in Philadelphia. The First Methodist Episcopal Church, known as the “Mother Church” by Trenton Methodists, came into existence in the year 1771, five years before the Declaration of Independence by the American Colonies.”[2]
The members and friends of Turning Point seek to be a congregation that has a fresh approach to ministry, where people with diverse needs and expectations can worship and serve the God together in innovative ways.
