Bishop Benjamin M. Washburn, in his address to the Convention of 1943 said, “We meet today in a sacred building which is the mother of Churches in far more than a sentimental sense. Two hundred years ago it was a center from which missionary activity extended into the western counties of the state. With its close proximity to the Diocesan House it may in our own day become more and more a missionary center in the widest sense of that term. To that end the Finance and Advisory Board has tentatively explored the possibility of some form of consolidation of Trinity Cathedral Parish and the foundation known as the Cathedral of All Saints, . . . should the Convention approve in principal the plan of consolidation, the various bodies concerned can proceed to perfect its details.”

The Convention responded by voting that a committee of nine be appointed, three by the Bishop, three by Trinity Church and three by the Chapter of All Saints’ Cathedral to study the matter proposed and report to the next Convention. On May 9, 1944, the Diocesan Convention voted its unanimous approval of the agreement and also gave its unanimous approval to the constitution and by-laws of the new corporation resulting from this merger: Trinity Cathedral in Newark.

The people who founded Trinity Parish were a persevering lot. They were a small minority in the town where only members of the established Presbyterian Church were allowed to participate in the government. But the leaders of this small minority were determined to have a church and minister of their own, and they persisted in their efforts even though it was 18 years from the time the first Church of England services were held in Newark until the congregation had a settled minister among them.

Colonel Josiah Ogden, a member in good standing of the First Church (Presbyterian) looked at the sky one Sunday morning in 1736 and saw signs of a gathering thunderstorm. His wheat had been cut but it was still in the field. Colonel Ogden knew what would happen if he worked on the Lord’s Day. But the wheat was in danger and it was brought in. He was censured by the local church but acquitted by the Presbytery which said his labor “on the Sabbath was a work of necessity.” He withdrew from the First Church and with the help of others began the organization of Trinity Parish.

The construction of Trinity Church began in 1742 and was completed one year later. On February 10, 1746, King George III granted Trinity Church its charter. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel sent the Reverend Isaac Brown in 1747 to serve as Trinity’s first Rector.

The current building was constructed in 1809 with renovations done in the 1890s and in the late 1940s.

St. Philip’s Church began its work not only as another mission of Trinity Church but also as a place of worship for those members of the congregation of Trinity who differed from their fellow communicants in color, affluence, social status and liturgical preference.

The little group of men and women who assembled in the second story of a schoolhouse on the southeast corner of Halsey and New Streets on December 9, 1847, consisted of persons whose lineage could be traced to Africa, the West Indies, and the American South and to the Native American nations.

Two building lots were donated to St. Philip’s Church on High Street between New and Bleeker Streets. Ground was broken for a new church in 1853. The Reverend Louis H. Berry assumed his duties as Rector on April 15, 1924.

By 1944 the membership of the parish had climbed, but church activities were limited. During this period, Father Berry conferred with Bishop Benjamin M. Washburn, the Rev. Stewart A. Hogennauer, Rector of St. Paul’s Church and Arthur E. Barlow, Senior Warden of St. Paul’s. One day when lunching with Father Berry, Mr. Barlow inquired about the condition of St. Philip’s. Referring to the crowded conditions in the building, Father Berry responded: “too close.” Mr. Barlow than replied, “take St. Paul’s.”

In June 1945 the congregation of St. Philip’s accepted the invitation of the Rector and the Vestry of St. Paul’s Church to move into their buildings. On June 25, 1946 the Vestry of St. Philip’s held a special meeting and adopted without dissent a resolution consolidating the two churches.

Early on the evening of December 20, 1964, just as St. Philip’s was in the midst of preparing for its best Christmas ever, a spectacular blaze burned out the roof of the 110-year old landmark at West Market and High Streets. For the next couple of years, the saddened congregation met to worship in the parish house. The parish house was the original St. Paul’s Church.

Many plans for financing the building of the new church were discussed. Plans to repair the church were also discussed, but it was discovered that the damage was far worse than originally thought and the idea was dropped.

St. Philip’s refused to die. “If a Church wants to die,” said Father Berry, “all it has to do is to ignore the needs of the community surrounding it.” Father Berry served as St. Philip’s Rector until 1966.

The Right Reverend Leland Stark was aware of St. Philip’s travail. He was also conscious of Trinity’s changing role and even more aware of the trend of the times. Both the Bishop and Father Berry realized that while a tragic fire had ended an era in the history of St. Philip’s, it presented an opportunity for a reunion at Trinity Cathedral.

A momentous meeting of St. Philip’s congregation with that of Trinity took place on October 21, 1966. Their purpose was to vote on a merger of St. Philip’s Church with Trinity Cathedral.

The two congregations met in a joint worship service of Holy Communion. The service being over, both congregations adjourned to Cathedral House and the critical vote was taken.

The Vestrymen of both congregations had already passed a resolution to merge. The vote had to be confirmed by both congregations, according to state law and this requirement was easily met. At the time of the merger, St. Philip’s was the larger of the two congregations.

On January 16, 1967, Father Berry was made Honorary Canon of Trinity Cathedral.

Trinity Cathedral sponsored the first national conference on black empowerment, “Inner City Urban Leadership Conference” in the fall of 1967. Although this conference was held after the 1967 Newark riots, it had been planned prior to the riots.

Upon the resignation of Dean Laughlin, Trinity elevated Canon Dillard Robinson to the rank of Dean. The seventh Dean of Trinity Cathedral and the first black Dean of any cathedral in America was installed in 1969. The Rev. Canon Walter Dennis of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City preached the sermon at Dean Robinson’s installation: “Speak to the Church as well as for the Church . . . . Dean Robinson, you are not only the first black Dean in the Episcopal Church in this country, but also the Dean of the only predominantly black cathedral congregation in this country.”

The vacant Continental House and former Trinity rectory, located at 2 Park Place in downtown Newark, was selected as the site of a very special project in the fall of 1988. Dismayed by the inequality of education for children in the inner city, Dean Dillard Robinson and members of Trinity Cathedral founded St. Philip’s Academy in the Episcopal tradition. The Academy began in 1988 with 10 first graders. In 1996, St. Philip’s Academy purchased and moved to its current location at 18 Washington Place, Newark, in the heart of Newark’s historical and cultural district. The current enrollment is more than 280 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Ground has been broken for a larger facility located at 342 Central Avenue, Newark.

The name of the Cathedral was changed to Trinity and St. Philip’s Cathedral in 1992 and the Rev. Petero A. N. Sabune was called to serve as Dean and Rector.

Celebrations recognizing the 250th anniversary of Trinity Church, the 150th anniversary of St. Philip’s Church, and the 50th anniversary of Trinity Cathedral have been held in recent years. In addition, the Cathedral marked the 30th anniversary of the Newark riots.

The Cathedral has served as a center of activity for the Church and the community. The Cathedral has hosted prominent guests such as Desmond Tutu, Archbishop of Southern Africa, Archbishops of the Sudan, Nigeria, and Uganda, Stokely Carmichael (Kwami Ture), Mayor Sharpe James and Newark civic leaders. A program on AIDS was addressed by Bishop Spong and panels of the AIDS Quilt were hung in the Cathedral. The Cathedral has hosted the Caribbean Clergy Conference and monthly meetings of the Jewish, Christian, Muslim Institute. The Cathedral has also provided an academic tutoring program for non-violent juveniles in the New Jersey Juvenile Justice system.

The Very Rev. C. David Williams was called to serve as Trinity and St. Philip’s Dean and Rector in 1999 and was installed in 2000.

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