The Episcopal congregation in Searcy gained property in 1867 from a donation by Honorable George C Watkins of two lots at the northwest corner of Main and Pleasure Streets to establish a Church House.  Due to the building of the Searcy West Point Railroad along Pleasure Street the site was reckoned undesirable.  The lots were conveyed to the Railroad Company and two lots on Pine Street (now known as Gum Street) between Market and Center Streets were acquired.  Four years later in 1896 the lot on which the present Church House is located was given by John E Lightle, T.B. Paschall, W.C. Dugan and John T. Hicks.  The lots on Pines Street were sold and the first chapel was built on the property in 1899.

 Prior to the building of the first Church House worship services were held in the homes of parishioners and in at least three Church Houses of other Communions, The Methodist Episcopal Church South (1^st United Methodist Church), The Presbyterian Church and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.  Many Diocesan clergy served as well as the Rt. Rev’d. Henry N. Pierce.  The second organizational meeting was April 24, 1893 under the leadership of The Rev’d. Wallace Carnahan, Rector, Christ Church, Little Rock at which meeting the congregation was named “Trinity”.  Disorganization followed until The Very Rev’d. D. D. Hobbs, Dean, Trinity Cathedral, Little Rock, visited Searcy and held service for the Congregation at the Methodist Church, December 29, 1898 after which the Dean exhorted the congregants to move toward the permanent establishment of the Trinity Mission, Searcy.

The Dean returned in less than a month (January 26, 1899) finding that the ladies of the Congregation had started raising money for the first Church House.  Bishop William M. Brown contributed toward the cost and a “small but neat, comfortable Chapel was built and furnished at a cost of $1,200.00”.  The building was consecrated Thursday, June 14, 1900.  The first service on a Sunday in the new building was September 9, 1900 when the Rev’d. Dr. George Bancroft Norton became the first vicar and priest in charge as he split his time between Searcy and Brinkley.  The first celebration of The Holy Communion in the new structure was 11:00 AM, Sunday, October 7, 1900.  The following year the communicants numbered 24 (not including baptized members).

Wednesday morning in Holy Week, 1902, the Church House was struck by lightning and burned to the ground.  The furniture was saved (we’re still using most of it) but it was rain damaged.  Easter services were held in the Presbyterian (Cumberland) Church House that year.  Insurance amounted to $640.00 being paid.  June 8, 1902 saw the selection of a building committee, Charles Thompson of Little Rock was the Architect, (he designed two Church Houses for the Episcopal Diocese which did not have a building committee responsible for the design, one of which is Trinity Searcy) soon after, St. John Baptist’s Day, June 24, 1902 the ground-breaking was held, and on July 9, 1902 the laying of the corner stone was accomplished.  On September 30, 1902 the Mission held a meeting resolving to adopt the name, “St. Thomas” for the patronage of the Congregation at the request of Bishop Brown.  (The money for construction was given by St. Thomas’ Parish Church, Fifth Avenue, New York City).