History | Trinity Lutheran Church of San Diego

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History of Trinity

On January 3, 1897, missionaries from the synod established Trinity Lutheran Church here in San Diego. Trinity members first worshipped at the "Holt House" and at a Seventh Day Adventist Church. In 1902 they bought a church building at Ocean View Drive and Dewey Street where they stayed until 1941. They then moved into a larger church at 20th and F Street.

Included was an altar that came from Norway in 1725. This altar still remains and is used today. It was completely refurbished for the 100 year Celebration in October 1997.

On December 29, 1959, Trinity relocated to new facilities at its current location of 7210 Lisbon Street. The facility at 20th and F Street was demolished for construction of Highway 94.

In 1972, as Trinity celebrated its 75th Anniversary, a new 17 rank pipe organ was dedicated. Over the years several buildings have been added to the church as well as the Messiah Memorial Hall which was dedicated on the 10th Anniversary of the Trinity-Messiah Merger in 1996.

In August of 1948, Reverend Kurt Brink (commissioned by the Southern California District) began a door-to-door Lutheran ministry in the Logan Heights area. The congregation consisted of one little boy that had been baptized by the Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, located then about two miles away.

Pastor Brink began holding Sunday School services in the 2900 block of Imperial Avenue. Teachers were recruited from Grace Lutheran and they offered their school bus and a driver to pick up children on Sunday mornings. Ground was broken on November 6, 1949. More than one hundred volunteers from the ten LCMS congregations in San Diego constructed the facility at 31st and Clay Streets. Master Carpenter Lou Perry and other craftsmen and volunteers donated more than three thousand hours of labor. The new church was constructed and furnished for $15,000.

In 1994, Rev. Gary Harms was serving both Messiah and Trinity Lutheran churches as Interim Pastor. With Rev. Harms help, discussions of merging the two churches began. On September 1, 1996 a final farewell service was held at Messiah and adjourned to the first "merged, new" Trinity Lutheran Church worship service on September 8, 1996.