History

Trinity Lutheran Church, Fort Worth, TX was prayed into being in 1942.  Started during the early years of World War II Trinity traces its heritage to faithful Lutherans who moved to Fort Worth largely from Clifton to work in the booming Defense industry. The congregation was organized by Pastor Erling Wold in 1942 in the backyard of several founding members. Very quickly the young congregation acquired a home at 3621 Tulsa Way, and remodeled it for administration, education, and worship space. When the congregation outgrew the space available by the remodeled home on its property, it worshiped in the Bowie Theater on Camp Bowie Blvd., a few blocks west of the Camp Bowie-Montgomery intersection, while its new building was under construction.

A unique building was designed by the Austin architectural firm, Fehr and Granger, and their plans were accepted by the congregation in September, 1953. Dedication of the new building took place on the congregation’s 13th anniversary, September 18, 1955. Later, in 1963, a fellowship hall and education/administration were added with a parking lot behind the facility, giving the congregation a three-story building from the lower (south, parking lot) side, with entry to the nave from a breezeway connecting the nave with the U-shaped building around a courtyard.

In the early 1960’s the congregation started a Mother’s Day Out (MDO) program, staffed entirely by volunteers from the membership. As the needs of the community warranted, the MDO program evolved into the Trinity Lutheran Children Center (TLCC), as a mission outreach into the community, serving currently an enrollment of approximately 115 children ranging in age from 6-week old infants through Kindergarten with a paid staff of 25-30 people. While many of these children are members of Trinity, many others come from the surrounding suburbs and other areas, providing Trinity with a significant outreach opportunity.

The mission of the congregation has centered around providing not only a early-childhood ministry including parenting classes, but also some unique ministry to the aging population of Tarrant County. This has been accomplished through such programs as Eldercare, Lifeline, Continuity of Care (a monthly meeting of Senior services personnel and resource people in Tarrant County), and Caregiver Training and Support Groups. The congregation has a strong Stephen Ministry in place, providing caring and listening to people experiencing special times of stress in their lives.

While originally having a majority of its membership living in neighborhood proximity of the location of the facility (Arlington Heights, Monticello, Mistletoe Heights, and neighborhoods around TCU) over the years, Trinity has gradually become more of a regional congregation. Additionally, as the area around Trinity has been redeveloped more and more young adults and young families are purchasing lots or condos along the West 7th Street corridor and into downtown.

More and more construction of the Cultural District, the Will Rogers center and the UNT Health Sciences Center in the immediate neighborhood of our facility are continuing to help us shape some new and innovative forms of ministry. These developments present a great opportunity for mission as Trinity focuses on reaching the cultural district of Fort Worth and beyond.