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About Us
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church is a congregation of sinners in need of the Savior, Jesus Christ. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” wrote the Apostle Paul. (Romans 3:23, NIV) However, he adds this good news: “…and are justified (that is, forgiven) freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.” (verse 24).
Our forgiveness came at a great cost to Jesus. He purchased us from sin, death and the power of the devil by giving up His life on the cross in payment for our sins. Then, by His power as God almighty, He came back to life to guarantee the forgiveness of our sins and the promise of everlasting life with Him.
If you are a sinner also, if you have failed to be everything God wants you to be, if you have a burden of guilt, you are welcome to join us at the foot of the cross to rejoice in the forgiveness of sins that is ours in Jesus Christ, and to learn how we may better love and serve Him, our wonderful Savior!
Our Story
On May 1, 1983, twenty-seven people met in the home of Herb and Ruth Karner for prayer, Bible Study and to begin a new church in South Broken Arrow. On October 30, 1983 the first Divine Service was held in the house just south of our present worship sanctuary under the leadership of Rev. Lawrence Boye. Also on that day Trinity was formally recognized and chartered by the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod and the Oklahoma District.
On January 12, 1986, the first sanctuary (our present Fellowship Hall) was dedicated to the glory of God. By the fall of 1989 the congregation had grown to 350 baptized members. Later that year Pastor Boye accepted a call to Zion Lutheran Church, Hiawatha, KS.
In January of 1990 the Rev. R. Reed Lessing became the congregation’s second pastor. God continued to bless the congregation with growth. The church dedicated its new sanctuary, along with offices and classrooms on March 3, 1996.
Children have always been a high priority at Trinity, so in September of 1996 the congregation installed Cindy Twillman as Trinity’s Director of Christian Education. In August of 1999, Pastor Lessing accepted a call to teach at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. “Retired” Pastor Harold Klawitter agreed to serve as Vacancy Pastor. When Pastor David R. Cloeter accepted the call to be Trinity’s next pastor in December of 2000, the congregation invited Pastor Klawitter to continue on as a part time servant in the church.
In August of 2002, Cindy Twillman accepted a call to Ascension Lutheran Church in Wichita, KS. In the spring of 2004, the congregation then called Rev. Aaron Kretzschmar, who was then graduating from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, to serve as associate pastor, working in the areas of youth, education and children’s ministries.
God continues to bless the people of Trinity with opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with the people of our community and to serve the Lord with gladness!
Mission Statement
The members of Trinity believe that God originally created all things perfectly. Adam and Eve were perfect and sinless, and lived in a perfect world. But when Adam rebelled against God’s command, sin and death were brought into the world (Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3; Romans 5:15; 6:23). Rebellion and sin were passed on to all of us, and so “we were by nature objects of wrath” (Ephesians 2:4).
But God had mercy on us lost sinners and send His only Son, Jesus Christ. In His own words Jesus said, “For the Son of Man (Jesus) came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10, NIV) Jesus’ saving work was accomplished on the cross, and guaranteed by His resurrection from the dead. The Apostle Paul tells this good news with these words, “In him (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” (Ephesians 1:7, NIV)
But many people do not know this wonderful love of Jesus for sinners. Therefore Jesus commanded us to, “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV)
In keeping with this command of Jesus, this is our mission:
Trinity Lutheran Church is a community of Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod Christians who take our stand on the three great Reformation truths: Grace Alone, Faith Alone; Scripture Alone. Our mission is to be faithfully obedient in making disciples for Jesus Christ from among our family, friends, neighbors and throughout the world. We will do this by the means God has given to grow His Church; namely, Baptism, Holy Communion and Bible Study.
Four "R's"
It is our desire is for you to grow in your relationship with the Lord Jesus. We express this desire by means of a funnel illustration and Four R’s:
The first R, Redeemed, corresponds with the wide mouth of the funnel. We want all people who come to us to know that they have a wonderful Redeemer in Jesus Christ.
After they know they have been redeemed, our greatest desire is to see them Renewed by reading and study of the Bible.
As God fills us up with His Word, He also Retools us, molds and motivates us to carry out ministry for His kingdom.
At the bottom end of the tunnel, as our ultimate focus, Jesus Recruits us to bring the message of Jesus to others, making us fishers of men.
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