The Church in The Yard
Mission is the reason for and also the manifestation of formation. This ethos serves as the cornerstone of Nashotah House’s discipline of daily prayer, study, and work - the hallmark those who leave here prepared for the ministries to which they’ve been called. Fr. Bill Dennler’s ministry at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Nashville, Tennessee, manifests just such a formation.
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The Church of the Holy Trinity on 6th Avenue South in Nashville, Tennessee, is a 170-year-old, historically African-American, now a multi-racial parish whose outreach includes a vibrant mission to feed - both physically and spiritually - members of Nashville’s homeless community. This ministry, which includes a Sunday afternoon Eucharist and a meal, was passed down to, and continues to thrive the capable care of the Rev. Bill Dennler (‘09).
Holy Trinity's outdoor church, The Church in the Yard (CitY), emerged from a local initiative started by a Nashville chef to feed the city’s homeless population. Troubled by the amount of food waste the restaurant disposed of each night, he wondered why those living on the streets or in the nearby homeless shelter shouldn't be able to enjoy a delicious meal as well. So, he started serving leftovers in a back parking lot in downtown Nashville to homeless people, until neighbors and city officials threatened to shut it down for serving meals without a permit. Figuring this wouldn’t be an issue if the meals were served on private property, Fr. Bill’s predecessor invited the chef to hold the meals on church grounds. Thus, CitY was born.
Fr. Bill, who served Holy Trinity first as a deacon, then priest-in-charge, before the parish called him as rector, has been at Trinity for a little over a decade now. His days are busy leading the church, delivering the services, providing pastoral care visits, and in outreach. Regardless of the zip code of the church located near the JC Napier Housing Projects, the neighborhood is a high priority for its parishioners. Holy Trinity Church was designated as the African American parish for the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee in 1907. With a history that predates the Civil War and includes the fight for civil rights, the church and its mission still stand strong.
Holy Trinity is situated near both the Nashville Mission and the Room at the Inn which allows the parish to be of service to people in dire need. “Most of the different businesses in the area have struggled, but the church is located in a perfect place,” Fr. Bill said. “We are called to provide outreach to the poor, the disenfranchised, and those that have experienced some kind of challenge in their life.” He further explained, “As the city changes and becomes more and more prosperous, our mission doesn’t change because that’s when the vulnerable also become more vulnerable.” Fr. Bill mirrors the church’s passion to serve individuals who are often otherwise deemed by society as lost causes.
Holy Trinity also receives many visitors and tourists, and, as part of the church’s outreach, information cards are routinely placed in each of the hotels to invite guests to visit Holy Trinity.
Holy Trinity is a small, tight-knit place of worship. Fr. Bill says, when it comes to politics, “I’m not the type of priest that will get in the pulpit and recommend a person for office or pick candidates, but I will certainly address issues that are affecting people’s life.” He indicated that if religious leaders don’t recognize this, then they’re missing something.
As Fr. Bill received his call to the priesthood later in life, Holy Trinity is the first and only church he has pastored. He returned to church as an adult, after an extended time away, when he began seeking something to fill a void in his life. He didn’t plan to become a priest but as time went on, he felt the hole being filled in his life, and he began to attend church more. He was employed at a large trucking company in Nashville when he began the journey to priesthood by earning a college degree and then started the process to attend seminary at Nashotah House.
Fr. Bill is effusive about this being the best job he’s ever had; he looks forward to serving the members who are often older, retired, and hail from professions at Fisk, Tennessee State University, and Meharry Medical College. Holy Trinity’s composition is primarily African American, and they strongly support the elderly community in Nashville, the homeless, homebound, single parents, and others who are challenged by life’s circumstances. Fr. Bill says, “People are looking for hope and we try to instill hope that is lacking in people’s lives, as our hope is in Jesus Christ.”