Trinity began as a Sunday School mission in 1890 at what was then the outskirts of town. In March of 1891, 68 members petitioned their parent church, First Lutheran in Chambersburg, for a charter to be called Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church and their petition was granted.
The original wooden chapel was 24×60 feet large and cost $1,200 to construct. This simple, modest building housed Trinity’s first reed organ —which is a testament that Trinity’s love of music goes back to its very roots. The first service of the North End Mission Sunday School was held on Sunday July 6, 1890 at 2pm for a group of 84 people. Within five months of operation, it was necessary to add 20 feet to the building due to the rapid growth of participation.
The first building for Trinity as an incorporated congregation was a brick chapel of Akron-type architecture that cost $13,000 to construct. Dedicated Sunday July 3, 1892, the octagonal chapel is on many historic maps of Chambersburg. At that time, members were strongly encouraged to take their personal hymnals to church. If they did not do so, they might find themselves mumbling the words of the liturgy and music. The church provided hymnals only for friends and guests.
Construction of our current sanctuary began in 1929, the corner stone laid on Sunday September 28 that year, at 2:30pm. The completed building cost about $105,000, and one of the first events in the new sanctuary was a 12-number organ recital featuring soloists John B. Baumgardner and M. P. Moller, Jr. A major strength of the congregation at that time remains to this day: an emphasis on learning and the leadership of the laity in church life. A Sunday School building was added in 1951 and in 1961 the original octagonal chapel was torn down and the educational building added.
Today Trinity is known for its rich love of music, many active ministries, its curiosity in learning, and its core of hardworking volunteers. In 2010, Trinity established 4 broad goals during a period of spiritual discernment to direct its future ministry and they adopted the Mission Statement:
Seed – Planting and Growing in our Faith
Sow – Sharing the word of God with our community
Steward – Entrusting God to our care
Service – Showing the love of God to our community
Trinity’s History of Senior Pastors:
Rev. Herbert C. Alleman (1891-1897)
Rev. John H. Harms (1897-1900)
Rev. Clifton G. White (1900-1909)
Rev. F. L. Bergstresser (1909-1913)
Rev. William A. Kump (1913-1927)
Rev. Dr. Clarence Arthur Neal (1927-1965)
Rev. Frederick B. Zikeli (1963-1965)
Rev. John F. Lenhardt 1965-1970)
Rev. Paul Luebbe (1971-1975)
Rev. Richard Englund (1976-1993)
Rev. Neal Otto Hively (1994-2016)
Rev. Tara L. Magoon (2005-2015)
Rev. Dr. Aaron Smith (2018 – 2021)
Rev. Thomas Wimsae (2025-present)