Our Pastor, Jeff Cannon

Pastor Jeff Cannon came to Trinity from St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Hampton. He and his wife Karen joined Trinity for their first sermon on Sunday, July 3rd, 2011.

Jeff was born in Great Lake's Illinois. He spent 15 years in Michigan before coming to the Tidewater area where he attended Denbigh High School. Jeff attended the College of William & Mary and graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from Oklahoma University in 1978. He is also a 1994 graduate of Eastern Mennonite Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity. Jeff is a 1978 member of the National Honor Society in Psychology; he was recognized in 1981 as an Outstanding Young Men of America by Jaycees; and he was also recognized as a Scholar Leader of Oklahoma by the State of Regents in 1978.

Reverend Cannon was a staff member of Youth for Christ for 18 years, serving in virtually every area including State Director for Virginia in 1985 and on the National Board in 1990. Jeff was a Youth Minister at St. Mark's 24 years ago. Seven Years ago Jeff was again assigned to St. Mark's - this time as pastor.

As previously mentioned, he is married to Karen, has two sons, Evan and John, and three stepsons, Josh, Ben and Andrew. Karen is a lifelong resident of Hampton, Virginia, having been born and raised there. She is a graduate of Kecoughtan High School, and attended Christopher Newport University and Thomas Nelson Colleges. She has been employed at Teledyne Hastings Instruments located in downtown Hampton for over 30 years as a Customer Service specialist. Karen is a cancer survivor of three years and is active in fundraising for cancer related causes. Karen enjoys scrapbooking, reading and kayaking in her spare time.

A Historic Place of Worship

Trinity United Methodist Church was the first church built in the Town of Smithfield, built in 1812, sixty years after the town was established. Since we know that Methodists were meeting in Smithfield since at least 1791, we assume that they met in private houses, or visited churches in the county, such as Bethel or Benn's Church. It is possible that they even met in pastures under the shade of a large tree. In 1812, Benjamin and Mary Drew deeded a lot on South Freemason Street (now called Mason Street) for six shillings to George Benn, Andrew Woodley, Isaac Velines, Micajah Bidgood, Samuel P. Jordan, Mathias Jordan, and Benjamin Drew, all trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The deed states they "have erected and built a house thereon for the purpose of divine worship, for the members and minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church of the United States." This lot was four lots south of the present church on Freemason Street almost across the street from the present Masonic Lodge.

The first church was plain, unattractive, and very uncomfortable. It was unlathed, unplastered and the walls were unceiled. The church was unpainted inside and out. The seats were backless wooden benches. There were no provisions for any kind of heat. The building was improved in 1834 by James Wilson Riddick, a dedicated recent young convert. It was turned to be parallel to Freemason Street and was properly lathed, ceiled, and painted. The old backless benches were replaced by pews. The yard was enclosed and shade trees were planted. The church was sold to the Methodist Protestant Society in 1848. The society sold the church to Brown's A.M.E. Church in 1877. The church burned down in 1957 prior to a wedding that day. That was the 145th year of being a house of worship.

With proceeds from the sale of the old church, the congregation purchased the lot on the corner of Cedar and Freemason Streets and built a new and much larger wooden church. The entrance to this church was on Freemason Street. At that time, men and women did not sit together.  The middle row of benches was divided down the center.  The men sat on one side and the women on the other. There were galleries on both sides and one across the back, in which the choir held forth. (continued next column)