Trinity English Lutheran Church sits at 450 West Washington Boulevard in the heart of downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana, where it has welcomed worshipers since 1846. A congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Indiana Kentucky Synod, Trinity English is known for its Sunday liturgical worship, its unconventional Waffle Church service held over breakfast, a celebrated music program that fills the Nave every September, and a strong commitment to outreach that now includes Fort Wayne's first pay-what-you-can community café.
A Downtown Congregation Rooted in 1846
Trinity English began in 1846, when seventeen Lutherans in Fort Wayne, led by a prominent resident named Henry Rudisill, decided to form an English-speaking congregation for the benefit of their children. At the time, Lutheranism in Fort Wayne was closely tied to a German ethnic heritage, and worship was largely conducted in German. Rudisill and his companions recognized that the future lay somewhere different, and their decision to create an English-language parish gave Trinity English both its name and its forward-looking identity.
Through its long history, Trinity English has nurtured leaders who shaped both the parish and the wider Fort Wayne community. The first towering figure was the Reverend Samuel Wagenhals, a Civil War veteran who served as pastor from 1868 to 1920. Wagenhals was a noted preacher, scholar, and civic leader whose personal library was among the largest in the city. The Reverend Paul Krauss succeeded him in 1920 and led the congregation until 1967, growing Trinity English into one of the largest Lutheran parishes in the United States. The Reverend Richard Frazier, who joined Trinity English as an associate pastor in 1956 and became senior pastor in 1967, expanded the youth ministry and continued the congregation's growth into new programs. The Reverend Fred Hasecke succeeded Frazier in 1998, overseeing the purchase of adjacent land that added parking, a new entrance, accessibility improvements, and geothermal heating and cooling. The current senior pastor, the Reverend Dr. Gary Erdos, became only the fifth senior pastor in the congregation's history when he succeeded Hasecke in 2012.
Worshiping in a 1925 Goodhue Sanctuary
During Dr. Krauss's long tenure, Trinity English commissioned one of the foremost Gothic Revival architects of the early twentieth century, Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, to design a new church home. The result, built in 1925, is the historic building the congregation continues to worship in. The sanctuary, Wagenhals Hall, and the upstairs office areas together form a single architectural ensemble whose influence on the parish's spiritual life has been profound. After nearly a century, the stained glass windows that fill the sanctuary are now undergoing professional restoration to preserve their beauty and structural integrity; the project is expected to exceed $1.1 million and to take more than two years.
Trinity English approaches its building as a working tool for ministry. The Nave hosts Sunday and Thursday worship, the annual Fridays in September concert series, and many of the community's most formative gatherings. Wagenhals Hall, named for the storied Civil War veteran pastor, hosts Waffle Church, Community Dinner, and major events like the Hope in Action service projects. Upstairs classrooms house Sunday School, the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atriums, and a parent lounge with a livestream of the service for families with infants and toddlers.
Sunday Worship in the Liturgical Tradition
Trinity English offers two Sunday services in the liturgical tradition, both featuring traditional music, prayer, Scripture readings, and a sermon from one of the pastors. The earlier service begins at 8:00 a.m., and the principal service follows at 10:30 a.m. The 10:30 service is livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube, and the printed bulletin is available for download so that worshipers anywhere can follow each step of the liturgy.
Each service runs about an hour. The bulletin guides worshipers through every part of the liturgy, including when to sit or stand and the words for prayers and hymns. Holy Communion is offered regularly, and gluten-free wafers are always available. Pastors wear traditional robes, and young people frequently serve as acolytes and assistants. People attend in everything from jeans to suits; the congregation's only guidance is that whatever a visitor wears will fit right in.
Arriving is straightforward. Ushers greet visitors at the door, answer questions, and hand out a printed bulletin. The easiest worship entrances are on Washington Boulevard and Wayne Street, and free parking is available in the Washington Boulevard lot or on Wayne Street west of the church. Guest information cards are available in the pews for anyone who wants to share contact information or learn more, and a weekly newsletter keeps newcomers connected to events, volunteer opportunities, and the congregation's wider life.
Waffle Church: A Service Around the Table
On the first and third Sunday of each month at 9:00 a.m., Trinity English hosts Waffle Church in Wagenhals Hall. The service is built around a simple premise: the early church shared a meal, learned about Jesus, and offered up prayers together. Waffle Church is a contemporary re-imagining of that pattern. Waffles are served alongside fellowship, followed by a lesson, prayer, and a chance to share what's on each worshiper's heart. Children are welcome, the dress is casual, and conversation runs as long as the waffles do.
Waffle Church meets in Wagenhals Hall from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., and most weeks those who attend stay for the 10:30 liturgical service, making the morning flow seamlessly between the two formats. The Waffle Church gathering is a deliberate extension of Trinity English's identity as a church where the table matters as much as the pulpit.
Thursday Evenings, Midday Prayer, and Open Doors
Beyond Sunday morning, Trinity English keeps several doors open throughout the week. A worship service is held every Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. On Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the sanctuary hosts Open Doors, a quiet window of silent reflection and prayer set in the middle of the workday.
Midday Prayer meets on Zoom three times a week: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 11:45 a.m. Each gathering lasts fifteen to twenty minutes and is led by Pastor Erdos alongside other Trinity members, offering a brief, regular way to pray together from wherever a participant happens to be working. A Monday midday meditation is held in person at 12:15 p.m.
Family Ministries from Infants through High School
Trinity English treats every stage of family life as worthy of its own dedicated space. The congregation's Director of Family Ministries, Amy Henderson-Hill, oversees a web of programs that begins with infants and continues through high school graduation, with a Director of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Meghan Dohring, coordinating the children's faith formation.
For infants through kindergarten, a Parent Lounge next to the Atrium offers a quiet space to breastfeed or let a toddler get the wiggles out; a livestream of the worship service plays inside so parents can stay connected to the liturgy. Children three years old through kindergarten gather on Sunday mornings for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in Room 106, and on Wednesday evenings from 4:45 to 6:15 p.m. they gather for Catechesis and Choir in the same space.
Elementary-age children (grades 1 through 6) gather on Sundays from 9:45 to 10:25 a.m. for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in Rooms 210 and 208, and on Wednesday evenings for Catechesis and Choir in those same rooms. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-based approach to faith formation in which children work in a specially prepared space called an atrium at their own pace, guided but not directed by a trained catechist. The aim is to give children the tools and the quiet to wonder, reflect, and encounter God for themselves.
Middle and high school students (grades 7 through 12) gather for Youth Group on Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 10:25 a.m. in Room 101. Friends are always welcome. On the third Sunday of each month, students are encouraged to attend Hope in Action, a service morning in Wagenhals Hall where people of all ages assemble kits, pack birthday bags for children in foster care, build toys for shelter animals, and complete other projects for local organizations. The youth choir, chancel choir, steel drums ensemble, and handbell ensemble all welcome student participants. Care packages, notes, and ongoing prayer extend Trinity English's care to college-aged students after they leave the parish.
Faith milestones: First Communion, Scripture Milestone, Confirmation, and Baccalaureate are marked as intentional, celebratory moments that recognize God's presence at each stage. Art Lab, a monthly Saturday morning art class for first through sixth graders led by local illustrator Talitha Shipman, runs during the school year and offers caregivers a parallel creative hour while children experiment with drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, printmaking, fiber arts, and art history.
A Centering Tradition: Sundays in Sunday School
On Sunday mornings from 9:45 to 10:25 a.m., children from Pre-K through sixth grade attend Sunday School, where they hear Bible stories and participate in activities designed to help them grow in faith. Lower elementary (grades 1 through 3) meets in Room 210, upper elementary (grades 4 through 6) meets in Room 205, and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for three-year-olds through kindergarten is held in the Atrium in Room 212. Children are picked up at 10:25 a.m. in time to join their families for the 10:30 service. All Sunday School teachers have completed background checks. During this hour, parents and caregivers are invited to gather, enjoy refreshments, and connect with one another, while adults also have their own option in the Adult Bible Study held in Room 111.
Music and the Fridays in September
Music has long been one of Trinity English's defining ministries. The Director of Music, Robert Hobby, and the Associate Director of Music, Andrew Peters, lead a program that includes the Children's Choir (kindergarten through second grade), the Junior Choir (grades 3 through 6), the Chancel Choir for adults, a Steel Drums ensemble, and a Handbell Ensemble. The Children's and Junior Choirs sing for the 10:30 a.m. service about once a month and participate in the Candlelight and May Music services. Second Sunday Summer Choir offers a no-robes, no-experience-needed opportunity to sing with the chancel choir at the 10:30 service; singers meet in the music room at 9:30 a.m. and stay through the service.
Each Friday in September, Trinity English presents its annual Fridays in September concert series, a tradition now in its fourth decade. Free half-hour concerts are held at 12:10 p.m. in the Krauss Chapel or the Church Nave, with a $5 cash lunch served in Wagenhals Hall afterward. The series features vocal and instrumental performers from across the region and showcases the sanctuary's extraordinary acoustics.
Twice a year, Trinity English breaks its liturgical routine with Jazz Worship, an afternoon service where the standard hymns give way to a jazz ensemble. Theology Sunday, held on the fourth Sunday of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., invites the congregation into a discussion format. A single question of faith, God, or theology is taken up over a light lunch ($5 donation), with childcare provided. Past topics have included whether all of the Bible is literal, how to talk about politics across differences, and the relationship between reconciliation, confession, and forgiveness. Participants can submit future questions to Pastor Erdos.
The Sparrow Café: A Pay-What-You-Can Table for Fort Wayne
In the fall of 2026, Trinity English launched The Sparrow Café, Fort Wayne's first pay-what-you-can community café. Operated out of the Fireside Room in Wagenhals Hall and entered through the east side door on the Washington Boulevard side of the building, The Sparrow Café is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Local chef Lindi Miller prepares soups and sandwiches, with weekly specials and fresh food designed to be accessible regardless of a guest's circumstances. The café is managed by Makayla Tedder, and the project was developed in partnership with the broader HeartEdge movement, which helps congregations become a transforming presence in their neighborhoods.
The Sparrow Café builds directly on the parish's history of feeding its neighbors. Every Thursday at 5:30 p.m., Trinity English hosts a Community Dinner in Wagenhals Hall. On the first Thursday of each month, the Pet Food Pantry distributes supplies to families with animals. Trinity English also partners regularly with Community Harvest Food Bank, hosting food drives in the Washington Boulevard parking lot where volunteers accept donations of nutritious, protein-rich items.
Adult Formation: Bible Study, Book Groups, and Being With
Adults at Trinity English have a steady stream of formation opportunities to choose from. Monday Morning Bible Study meets from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. in the Seeds of Faith classroom; recent studies have included Esther, The Hidden Hand of God by Lydia Brownback. The Trinity Book Club meets in the Seeds of Faith Conference Room to discuss a chosen title each month, with selections drawn from contemporary nonfiction and faith-related topics. Pastor Erdos leads a weekly Wednesday evening book group on Zoom, where conversation centers on titles like Love Thy Stranger by Bart Ehrman.
Wine & Wisdom is a women-only gathering held at area restaurants on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m., designed as a casual space for women over 21 to talk about life and faith over a glass of wine or dinner. Recent gatherings have been hosted at The Abstract, Club Soda, Henry's Restaurant, JK O'Donnell's, and Copper Spoon. WELCA (Women of the ELCA) hosts its own gatherings, including Learn About Our Partners evenings where the women's ministry highlights community partners like A Baby's Closet and Redemption House, and quarterly service mornings where the group assembles personal care kits for Lutheran World Relief.
For those curious about Christianity but unsure where they stand, the Being With course offers a ten-week, no-pressure introduction to Christian faith. Meeting on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on Zoom, Being With uses real-life stories and honest conversation rather than lectures. The course welcomes those who are returning to faith after time away, those who have been hurt by church in the past, and those who simply want to listen and reflect alongside others.
Worship, Service, and Mental Health Support
Hope in Action is Trinity English's monthly hands-on service morning, held in Wagenhals Hall on a Sunday from 9:00 to 10:25 a.m. Volunteers gather at 9:00 a.m. for donuts and begin assembling at 9:15 a.m. Recent projects have included building Hope in a Handbag kits for women undergoing breast cancer treatment, packing birthday gift bags for children in foster care, creating toys for shelter animals, and assembling activity boxes for children who have been hospitalized. Donations are collected in advance, and the gathering is open to all ages.
An Alzheimer's Support Group meets on the second Thursday of each month at 10:00 a.m. The Trinity Quilters gather on the last Thursday of each month from noon to 3:00 p.m. Handing Out Hope, the parish's street outreach ministry, meets at 11:00 a.m. on the first, second, fourth, and fifth Wednesdays of the month.
Life Events: Baptism, Weddings, and Funerals
Trinity English offers its facilities and pastoral care for the major milestones of life. Baptism is celebrated during regularly scheduled Baptism Festivals throughout the year, always within one of the worship services. Parents and adults considering baptism meet with Pastor Erdos for pre-baptismal instruction, and baptism classes are offered periodically for those who want to dive deeper into the sacrament. Sponsors (or godparents) walk alongside the baptized as they grow emotionally and spiritually; parents may serve as their own child's sponsor if they wish.
Couples preparing for marriage at Trinity English work with one of the parish's pastors to plan and prepare for the wedding. The pastoral staff encourages couples who have not previously attended Trinity English to come and worship a few times first to confirm the parish is a good fit for their life together. Each wedding is treated as a sign of God's gracious work in the world.
Trinity English also ministers to families at the time of a death. A funeral at Trinity is understood as the church's expression of the Christian hope of resurrection, an act of thanksgiving for the life of someone loved, the comfort of standing together in grief, and a way of expressing hope for the future. Funerals may be arranged by contacting the church office.
Pastoral Leadership and the Team
Trinity English is led by Senior Pastor the Reverend Dr. Gary M. Erdos. Pastor Erdos grew up in Butler, Pennsylvania, graduated from Grove City College, attended seminary in Boston and Columbus, and served parishes in Pittsburgh and Yorktown, Virginia, before earning his doctorate from Virginia Theological Seminary in 2011. He is the fifth senior pastor in the congregation's 180-year history.
Pastor Lee Zandstra serves as Associate Pastor. A native of Northwest Indiana, Pastor Lee graduated from Clarke College and attended seminary in Philadelphia. Before ordination she worked for Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey, and she has served congregations in New Jersey and Michigan.
Deacon Mary E. Lasits serves as the Deacon for Resource Development, encouraging people to make a difference in the world through Trinity English and overseeing the church's giving and partnerships.
The wider staff includes Robert Hobby (Director of Music), Andrew Peters (Associate Director of Music), Amy Henderson-Hill (Director of Family Ministries), Meghan Dohring (Director of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd), Rebecca Karcher (Director of Communication & Community Engagement), and Hillary Troup (Creative Director). A Church Council, chaired by Trina Gould Liggett, oversees the congregation's temporal affairs. Pastor Erdos serves as President of the Congregation and Pastor Zandstra as a member of the council; Doug Brouwer serves as Treasurer.
Beliefs and Welcome
Trinity English stands in the long line of things Christians have believed and taught since the earliest followers of Jesus. The congregation confesses the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) and celebrates two sacraments: Holy Baptism and Holy Communion, alongside the practices of Confession and Reconciliation. The Lord's Prayer teaches how to pray and live with trust in God. The Ten Commandments guide how the community treats one another. The Bible tells the story of God's relationship with humanity and invites the congregation into the same ongoing relationship. Three ancient creeds (the Nicene, the Apostles', and the Athanasian) remind the church of who Christians say God is and pass that confession to the next generation.
The congregation's welcome is broad and deliberate. Trinity English believes God's love is for everyone: people of all ages, viewpoints, genders, sexual identities and expressions, abilities, and ethnicities are welcome here. A church, the parish teaches, is never full or complete without everyone. The prayer Jesus taught (that God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven) is taken seriously, and the congregation seeks a world where everyone has safety, dignity, meaningful work, love, and enough to eat. Put simply, the parish says, God loves every person, period.
Ways to Give and Ways to Connect
Gifts to Trinity English sustain faith formation, education, and outreach programs that serve both members and neighbors. Donations can be made online through a secure portal, by mail, or through stock transfers, donor-advised funds, qualified charitable distributions, or bequests. Monthly giving is encouraged as a way to provide a reliable foundation for the congregation's work. Special giving opportunities include the Stained Glass Window Restoration project, The Sparrow Café, and HeartEdge.
Visitors and newcomers are invited to fill out a guest card in the pews or to use the online guest form. Anyone who considers Trinity English their church home is welcome to join; a welcome email and packet follow, along with subscription to the weekly newsletter. The congregation gathers new members through Trinity 101 classes held throughout the year. Midday Prayer on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays on Zoom, the weekly newsletter, and the Trinity English app through Realm all keep the parish connected between Sundays.