1920 marked the year The Rev. George Theiss was sent to canvas Bend, population 5,415. Mission work began in earnest in 1923 by Rev. W. F. George, with an unusual approach. He would look for German names on the mailboxes and then ask the family if they might be Lutheran or know any Lutherans. He served this area until 1925. On December 27, 1925, the congregation was formally organized and named Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. March 13, 1926, saw the groundbreaking for the chapel located at Federal and Galveston (which still stands today). The total cost was $1,500.

Our first pastor, Rev. J.C.R. Schmidt, was ordained and installed on September 5, 1926. Ministry continued until by October, 1957, having outgrown the building on Galveston, property was purchased 'out in the country' and groundbreaking was held at the new location, 11th and Greenwood. Pastor Robert Becker was serving Trinity at that time. He saw the beginning of Trinity Lutheran Kindergarten in the fall of 1959. Again our congregation outgrew its facility, so in 1982 a complete remodel at that site began. This enabled us to establish our Day School with grades 1 and 2 in 1983. 1989 marked the next expansion on the Church building to allow our Sunday School and Day School to continue to grow.

The day school included Pre-Kindergarten through 10th grade in 2000. 1994 marked the year Trinity Lutheran School moved into its new facility on Butler Market Road. In 2005, Trinity Lutheran Church sold the 11th Street building and joined the school at the Butler Market Road site, holding Worship Services in the new gymnasium/Worship Center. Today, Trinity Lutheran School goes from Pre-Kindergarten (3 year olds) all the way to 12th grade.
"All praise and glory to God."

Two daughter congregations have been established by the grace of God through Trinity: Faith Lutheran Church in LaPine (1966) and Emmaus Lutheran Church in Redmond (1980).



Our Pastors of the Past

1920-1923 Rev. George Theiss
1923-1925 Rev. W.F. George
1925-1926 Rev. J. Kempf
1926-1936 Rev. J.C.R. Schmidt
1937-1939 Rev. T. Tshirley
1939-1940 Rev. R.C. Fenning
1940-1945 Rev. D.W. Hinricks
1945-1949 Rev. Vincent Larson
1950-1954 Rev. William Albach
1954-1964 Rev. Robert W. Becker
1964-1968 Rev. Fred Huscher
1968-1977 Rev. W.A. Anderson
1977-1978 Rev. Roger Berg
1979-1991 Rev. David Chamberlain
1982-1984 Rev. John Watkins
1991-1995 Rev. Andrew K. Barkley
1992-1998 Rev. Mark K. Rogers
1998-Present Rev. Robert F. Luinstra
1999-Present Rev. David A. Carnahan