One block from Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts, Trinity Lutheran Church stands at 824 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Sheboygan. Organized on 26 May 1853 by sixteen lay members and Pastor Otto Eissfeldt, an 1853 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Trinity is the mother church of Lutheranism in Sheboygan. Its work has grown into a single ministry that includes a Christian day school, a state-licensed childcare, and an active music program, all gathered around the motto "Making Known the Love of Christ." Today Trinity is a member congregation of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, served by Senior Pastor Timothy Mech and Associate Pastor John Berg.

A Mother Church on Wisconsin Avenue

The story begins in the early 1850s, when a Lutheran pastor from Milwaukee preached to Sheboygan's newest German immigrants in a local public school building. That gathering led to the call of the city's first resident Lutheran pastor and the formal organization of the Sheboygan congregation on 26 May 1853. A Christian Day School was established at the same time, and both the church and the school have been in continuous existence ever since. The name Dreieinigkeits Kirche, or Trinity, was adopted on 14 January 1855.

A small church building was acquired in 1854 and served the growing congregation until it was destroyed by fire on 5 October 1868. The very same day, the congregation resolved to rebuild at the northeast corner of Ninth Street and Wisconsin Avenue, the downtown location it still occupies. Plans were drawn by Rev. Martin Stephan, Jr. of Chester, Illinois, who was both an architect and a pastor and the only son of the leader of the Saxon immigrants who came to America from Germany in 1838. Cornerstone laying ceremonies were held on 23 May 1869.

The building was enlarged in 1882 with the addition of transepts and balconies. A frame school building, erected east of the church in 1881, was replaced with a red brick school in 1914, with an addition in 1927. Branch schools opened on the west and north sides of the city in 1877 and 1889, growing into the daughter congregations Immanuel and St. Paul. In 1890 Trinity established another daughter church on the south side, Bethlehem. All three remain Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod congregations today.

Until 1922, divine services were conducted in the German language. Bilingual services continued until 1974, when the last regularly scheduled German worship service was held. Special German services are still held periodically. A comprehensive renovation program undertaken in 1968 was completed in 1976 and added a gymnasium and a connecting lounge between the church and school. More recent work added a computer classroom and a music room above the lounge, and the church is now accessible via an elevator. Twenty pastors have served Trinity since its founding, while thousands of children have received Christian education from more than 150 full-time teachers.

The Divine Service: Word and Sacrament at the Center

Trinity's worship life centers on the Divine Service, celebrated in the traditional liturgy of the historic Church with Holy Communion at every service. With the universal Christian Church, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church teaches and responds to the love of the Triune God - the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As a member of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Trinity is a confessional congregation that holds to the Lutheran Confessions as the correct interpretation and presentation of Biblical doctrine.

Three services are offered each week. On Sunday, the Divine Service is held at 8:00 a.m. and again at 10:45 a.m., with Holy Communion at both. A Monday evening service is held at 6:30 p.m. The services are also livestreamed for those who cannot be present in person, and a library of recorded services and weekly Bible studies is available online.

Children are welcomed in the service. Church bags, Bibles, and children's bulletins are placed at each entrance to the sanctuary, and the pastors and Kantor invite families to sit toward the front where little ones can more easily follow the action. If a young child grows restless, the Music Room and Luther Room both carry a livestream of the service, with changing tables in the music room restroom and the downstairs restrooms. Older members of the congregation regularly offer to sit with young families and help little ones pay attention. The Family Worship Tips resource walks parents through every part of the service, encouraging children to chime in on the Amens, the Kyrie, and the Lord's Prayer as the parts that belong to them too.

Between the Sunday services, an education hour runs from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Children from preschool through fifth grade begin in the music room and move through stations during the hour, using the Enduring Faith curriculum from Concordia Publishing House. Middle school students in grades six through eight meet in the third-grade classroom. Adults gather for Bible study in the gym.

Music That Proclaims Christ

Music is woven into the life of Trinity in a way few congregations can match. Recognizing that the pipe organ is the best instrument to lead congregational singing, Trinity installed a new pipe organ in the fall of 2012, built by the Buzard Pipe Organ Builders of Champaign, Illinois. It is the largest pipe organ in Sheboygan County, with 52 ranks, 40 independently speaking stops, and some 2,930 pipes. The organ's dedication coincided with the celebration of the congregation's 160th anniversary and the Mixed Choir's 150th anniversary. A complete assortment of couplers at 16-, 8-, and 4-foot pitches is found in the organ, and the Festliche Trompete stops stand alone in every division.

Nearly every Sunday at Trinity is accompanied by organ-led liturgy and the offerings of one or more parish choirs or instrumental groups. The Mixed Choir rehearses on Wednesday nights from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., the Men's Choir from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. on Wednesdays, and the Handbell Choir from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Mondays. Instrumentalists rehearse as needed throughout the year. The School Choir, made up of Trinity's day school students, also contributes to worship. Music and art are taught to every grade, and the school's Fine Arts program includes Spanish instruction as well.

Kantor Charles Russell leads the Music Department and welcomes new voices and instrumentalists into the choirs and ensembles at any time of year.

Trinity Lutheran School: 3K Through 8th Grade

Trinity Lutheran School has shared the same downtown campus as the church since 1853 and remains the heart of the parish's work with families. The school provides a Christ-centered, academically rigorous education for children from 3K through eighth grade, integrating Christian values with high-quality academics in small classes where teachers personally know every student. The school is nationally accredited, ranks above national averages on the NWEA MAP assessment in reading, math, and language usage, and is part of the second-largest parochial school system in the United States through its affiliation with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

The curriculum nurtures intellectual, emotional, and spiritual growth. Beyond the classroom, Trinity offers a robust Fine Arts program that includes Spanish in grades one through eight, art, music, a variety of after-school activities, and five athletic programs. Early Childhood combines structured play and faith-based instruction for 3K and 4K, while Elementary (K through 5) builds foundational skills and creative thinking. Middle School (grades six through 8) offers rigorous academics, leadership opportunities, and a deeper exploration of the faith to prepare students for high school and beyond. Before- and after-school care is available, and SASD lunch is offered to early childhood students.

Trinity Lutheran School admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The student body includes families from nineteen local churches, and financial assistance is available. A Parent Teacher League supports the school through fundraising for Chromebooks, a charging cart, drinking fountain upgrades, field-trip bussing, Grandparents Day, Teacher Appreciation, and a calendar of community events that includes Trunk or Treat, the Christmas Cookie Walk, Caan's flower sale, an annual Trivia Night, the Christmas Shop, a Four Square Tournament, Back to School Night, movie nights, and a Middle School Dance. Thrivent Action has been a crucial partner in the PTL's outreach to families and the community.

Dr. Steven Witt serves as School Principal, and Mrs. Becky Truttschel leads the first grade while serving as Interim Principal. The school office is reachable at (920) 458-8248 or school@trinitysheboygan.org, and tours can be scheduled online. New and returning families enroll through the Sycamore parent portal.

Childcare and Early Childhood at the Ministry Center

Across the street from the main campus, at 904 North 9th Street, the Early Childhood Ministry Center houses Trinity Lutheran Childcare, a state-licensed, YoungStar-rated program that welcomes children ages two and older. The facility offers a full-time two-year-old program, flexible 3K programs, a 4K half-day program, and a 5K full-day program, as well as before- and after-school care. Enclosed outdoor play space and play-based learning anchor a curriculum that supports growth in five areas - spiritual, physical, emotional, cognitive, and social - within a faith-filled environment.

Childcare Director Ann Rahn leads a team of teachers and aides who facilitate authentic learning experiences and encourage healthy relationships among the children. The center is open on most non-school days, and SASD lunch is available. Parents can request a tour through the Trinity Childcare contact page or by calling (920) 458-8248, extension 417.

Forming Faith at Home and Across Generations

Trinity teaches that faith is shaped at home as well as in church. The Family Devotions page offers a curated collection of Lutheran devotionals that can be checked out from the church library, located in the lower level lounge. These devotions are rooted in Scripture, connected to the Church Year, and centered on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, with suggested age levels for each title so parents can match resources to the children at the table.

The Family Worship Tips resource goes further, walking parents through a Lutheran theology of children in worship and offering practical encouragement for the squirming moments that come with young families. The church also keeps a children's section in its library and encourages parents to ask the pastors, principal, Kantor, or day school teachers for help explaining the parts of the service or finding ways to engage children. Trinity Cares gathers additional family resources under one roof on the congregation's website.

Sunday morning education is a key piece of this formation. Between the two Sunday services, children preschool through eighth grade gather for Sunday School using the Enduring Faith curriculum from Concordia Publishing House, while adults study the Bible in the gym.

RISE Youth Group and Vacation Bible School

Middle and high school students are invited into RISE, the congregation's youth group, which meets throughout the year for fellowship, Bible study, service projects, and events that connect young people to the wider church. Vacation Bible School, hosted each summer at Trinity, brings together the congregations of Trinity, St. Paul, and Luther Memorial Lutheran Churches for a week of Christ-centered growth and fun for children entering 3K through fifth grade.

Serving Sheboygan: Outreach and Volunteer Life

Trinity has logged more than 1,500 hours of community outreach, and the congregation's volunteer life is organized into nine areas of service: Worship Support, Music Ministries, Education and Youth, Office Support, Church, School, and Ministry Center Properties, Fellowship and Hospitality, Human Care and Outreach, School and Classroom Support, and Leadership and Service Organizations. A volunteer reference booklet is available in the Church Office and online, and interested members and friends are invited to indicate their availability and interests through the volunteer form.

For students who wish to serve, scouting and other youth programs have long been part of Trinity's reach into the broader Sheboygan community. The PTL's partnership with Thrivent Action has extended that outreach further, underwriting family events and service projects throughout the school year. Members and friends who travel frequently or live elsewhere can still worship and learn with Trinity through livestreamed services, recorded services on YouTube, weekly Bible study videos, and the congregation's podcast.

Visiting Trinity in Downtown Sheboygan

Trinity Lutheran Church sits at 824 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. Parking is available on site and along the street. The church office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is closed on major holidays. Visitors are warmly welcomed at any of the three weekly Divine Services - Sundays at 8:00 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., and Mondays at 6:30 p.m. - with Holy Communion celebrated at every service.

Families with young children will find church bags, Bibles, and children's bulletins at each entrance to the sanctuary, and live broadcasts of the service in the Music Room and Luther Room make it easy to step out with a restless little one without missing a moment. A nursery and Sunday School are available for children preschool through eighth grade during the education hour from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Those who wish to give to Trinity's ministry may do so online, by automatic debit, through Scrip gift cards, or via PayPal. Trinity Lutheran Church, School, and Childcare is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and all donations are tax-deductible. To learn more or to schedule a visit, the church office can be reached at (920) 458-8246 or through the church's contact page.

What Trinity Believes

Trinity teaches and responds to the love of the Triune God - the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit - with the universal Christian Church. As a confessional member of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Trinity holds to the Lutheran Confessions as the correct interpretation and presentation of Biblical doctrine. Worship centers on the Divine Service with Holy Communion at every service, and the parish sees itself as a congregation gathered around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting.