Holy Trinity Lutheran Church sits one block north of the University of North Carolina campus in Chapel Hill, on East Rosemary Street. The congregation was born out of Lutheran student ministry that began at UNC at least as early as 1911, was organized on July 21, 1946, and has remained closely tied to the university ever since. Today the parish and its companion ministry, Lutheran Campus Ministry (LCM), share one campus and one identity: an ELCA congregation committed to the liturgical tradition of the Lutheran church, to an extravagant welcome for LGBTQIA+ people, and to building a multi-generational community of disciples living and serving through God's grace.
The congregation describes its mission as "Loving God, Loving Neighbors." Its core values are Worship, Lutheran Campus Ministry, Outreach, and Faith Formation. As a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation, Holy Trinity publicly affirms that people of every age, ability, race, culture, religion, class, marital status, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation are welcome, and commits to growing in its understanding of systemic racism and to becoming an anti-racist community.
A Parish Born From Campus Ministry
Lutheran work in Chapel Hill began as student ministry. Formal synodical support started in 1924 when the pastor of St. Paul's in Durham was charged with student ministry in Chapel Hill. Various seminary graduates doing advanced work at UNC or Duke served as student pastors between 1928 and 1944, and in 1942 Dorus P. Rudisill became the last of those student pastors. Upon receiving his doctorate from Duke in 1944, Rudisill was called by Synod to be the first full-time Lutheran parish pastor in Chapel Hill. His development work led to the organization of Holy Trinity congregation on July 21, 1946. The initial service, held in Gerrard Hall on the UNC campus, was attended by sixty-six people; fifty-seven became charter members. Rudisill resigned a month later, having laid the groundwork.
Dr. Edgar C. Cooper became pastor in September 1946 and served until 1953. During his pastorate the congregation acquired its own facilities at Rosemary Street and Pickard Lane, a site one block north of the UNC campus. A parsonage was built in 1949, and the opening services in the completed church were held on January 6, 1952. These facilities were almost entirely supported by gifts from outside the community.
From 1953 to 1959 Dr. Wade F. Hook served as pastor. Under his leadership the congregation evolved from a student ministry into a more stable one as permanent residents were incorporated into the worshiping community, and Holy Trinity went off mission status in 1955. Frank C. Perry came as pastor in 1959 and oversaw air conditioning as the congregation's first self-funded capital project. A new parsonage was built two miles away in 1964 and the old one was converted into a Campus Center; in 1965 the residence on the other side of the church was purchased and named "Parish House" for Christian education and youth ministry. A long capital campaign culminated in the dedication of the Aubrey Mauney Building for Campus Ministry and Christian Education on September 16, 1979.
Beginning in 1963 a separate pastor was charged with student work at UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC-Greensboro, and Duke. Jon R. Fogleman was called as a full-time Campus Pastor in 1976, followed by Larry F. Hartsell in 1982. In the 1990s the parish hired leaders in lay ministries, education, and youth, and purchased the "Yellow House" at 303 East Rosemary Street, renting rooms to college students. Plans for the Theta House property across the street led to the construction of an 11,000-square-foot Worship Center completed in 2008, with a sanctuary and narthex, a crib and toddler nursery, a music room, sacristy, clergy vesting room, and an HTLC Youth Room. Pastor David Hood retired in the summer of 2010; Pastor Will Rose was called in February 2012. The parish is now in its eightieth year of ministry.
The Building and the Land
Holy Trinity operates out of two connected buildings on East Rosemary Street. The Worship Center, at 227 East Rosemary Street, is the larger of the two and contains the sanctuary, narthex, music room, sacristy, clergy vesting room, crib and toddler nursery, HTLC Youth Room, and a conference room. The Ministry Center, at 300 East Rosemary Street, houses classrooms for Faith Formation, the Reception Hall (home to Luther's Cafe and the children's choir), the parish library, and the conference rooms used by Adult Bible Study and the Adult Forum.
Two parking lots serve the campus. The Worship Center lot, entered from Cottage Lane, has twenty-eight spaces, including two visitor spaces and a lift to the main floor of the Worship Center for those who need step-free access. The Ministry Center lot, entered from Pickard Lane, has thirty-eight spaces, with two accessible spaces, several held until ten minutes before the service for elderly worshipers, and four reserved for visitors. Additional free parking is available until 1 p.m. at Morehead Planetarium one block south on Franklin Street and at the Wallace Parking Deck two blocks west on Rosemary Street. Franklin Street itself offers free parking on both sides until 1 p.m., and during the summer the Pi Beta Phi sorority lots across from the front door and behind the Campus Center entrance open to the congregation.
Holy Trinity acknowledges that its buildings stand on the original and ancestral homelands of the Eno, Lumbee, Shakori, and Skaruhreh/Tuscarora peoples, and honors all Indigenous siblings who have called and continue to call this land home.
Sunday Worship
Sunday worship at Holy Trinity is committed to honoring God "in ways that are consistent with the liturgical tradition of the church, yet vibrant and new." Evangelical Lutheran Worship, the hymnal of the ELCA, is used as a primary source. The congregation gathers weekly around the Word and Sacrament.
Two services are offered each Sunday morning at the Worship Center. The 8:30 a.m. service is held in person and is streamed live on YouTube; the 11:00 a.m. service is in person only. Between services, at 9:30 a.m., Luther's Cafe opens in the Reception Hall with coffee and snacks, a long-standing gathering point for the congregation. A weekly worship bulletin is posted online for those who want to follow along or prepare in advance.
Music plays a substantial role in both services. The Adult Choir (SATB) rehearses each Wednesday from 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. and sings most Sundays, alternating between the two services. The HTLC Band, currently including piano, guitar, bass, percussion, and saxophone, leads the 8:30 service twice a month and rehearses one Saturday per month at 10:00 a.m. in the sanctuary. A small group of singers offers prelude and offering music at the 8:30 service along with the instrumentalists, with Saturday morning rehearsals. The children's choir, open to all elementary-aged children, rehearses twice a month from 12:00 to 1:15 p.m. in the Reception Hall and presents music in worship several times a semester.
The seasons of the church year shape the worship schedule. During Advent, Wednesday services are held at 7:00 p.m. and a Family Christmas Eve service is offered at 4:00 p.m. alongside an Evening Service at 8:00 p.m. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday services at noon and 7:00 p.m.; Wednesday evening Lenten services continue through the season, leading to Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services at 7:00 p.m., the Easter Vigil at sundown on Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday morning.
Music Ministry
Holy Trinity takes seriously Martin Luther's claim that "Beautiful music is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us." Four ensembles give people of all ages and skill levels a way to participate.
The Adult Choir is open to all adults regardless of musical background or availability. No auditions are required, and the only prerequisites are willingness and a desire to praise God through singing. The choir presents anthems weekly at the 11:00 a.m. service and at special services for Christmas and Easter.
The Handbell Choir rings a three-octave set of handbells and handchimes. Reading music is required, but prior handbell experience is not. The ensemble rehearses Tuesdays from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the conference room of the Worship Center. A new set of handbells was dedicated on Sunday, May 3, 2026.
The HTLC Band currently plays at the 8:30 a.m. service twice a month and is always looking for guitar players and vocalists. Rehearsals take place one Saturday per month at 10:00 a.m. in the sanctuary.
The Children's Choir welcomes all elementary-aged children and rehearses twice a month after the 11:00 a.m. service in the Reception Hall. Children present music in worship several times a semester, including during the Christmas season when they prepare a musical for the congregation.
Anyone interested in joining an ensemble is encouraged to contact Director of Worship and Music Megan Mash.
Lutheran Campus Ministry at UNC
Lutheran Campus Ministry, known as LCM, is the student-facing half of Holy Trinity's life. The campus ministry is described as faith-focused, student-led, and congregation-supported, and it remains central to the parish's identity. LCM serves students at UNC Chapel Hill and welcomes participants from other Christian traditions as well as Lutherans.
Weekly worship services are at the heart of LCM, with Wednesday evening gatherings offering a chance to pray, study, and eat together. Bible and book studies, small group discussions, leadership opportunities, community service projects, social activities, alternative spring breaks, and weekend excursions fill out the calendar. A four-event rhythm of retreats shapes each year: a fall beach trip in August, a ski trip in January, a Lutheran Youth Organization weekend in February, and a Memorial Day weekend mountain trip. Some students attend summer church camp, and every three years LCM sends a delegation to the ELCA Youth Gathering for high school students.
Two-thirds of the financial support for campus ministry now comes from the congregation, with the remaining third from the NC Synod and ELCA churchwide funds. One of LCM's signature fundraisers is football parking during the home game season, when the parish opens its lots for visiting fans.
LCM operates with its own social media presence, separate from the parish accounts, and publishes a newsletter called the Bell Tower that shares news, reflections, and announcements.
Faith Formation for Children and Youth
Faith Formation at Holy Trinity meets each Sunday morning from 9:45 to 10:40 a.m. Children gather for Luther's Cafe in the Reception Hall first to grab a snack and then move to their classrooms. The fall offerings are organized by age group.
Godly Play, in Classroom 1, serves three-year-olds through first graders. Children hear Bible stories told by Sunday School teachers and engage the texts through retelling, artwork, Bible reading, and play. Godly Adventures, in Classroom 3, is for second through fifth graders. It draws on Godly Play stories and adds age-appropriate crafts, games, and cooking. On the fourth Sunday of each month, Godly Adventures becomes KOOL Club (Kids of Our Lord), where the children engage with a topic through art and, sometimes, cooking.
Confirmation Class, in the Youth Room, is for sixth through eighth graders. It runs as a three-year program that uses a university-style model of core courses and electives, giving youth the chance to explore the Lutheran faith, the Small Catechism, Martin Luther, and other faith traditions in a structured but flexible way through Discipleship University. The High School Class meets once a month for breakfast on Franklin Street and topical discussion.
Youth Ministry gathers sixth through twelfth graders several times a month, usually in the Youth Room on Sunday evenings, for topical discussions, devotions, games, movies, and dinners. The group also goes off campus for outings to places like Frankie's Fun Park, ice skating rinks, and escape rooms, and participates in the four annual retreats.
Each summer the parish offers Music Camp for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. Campers spend a week preparing a musical that they perform in worship on Sunday, and during the day they sing, rehearse, make props and crafts, hear Bible stories, play games, and share lunch and snacks.
Adult Learning, Bible Study, and Reading Groups
Adults at Holy Trinity have several ongoing opportunities to study together during the program year. The Adult Forum meets in the Community Room downstairs and offers topical classes and conversation. Recent series have included a fall study of Grace Ji-Sun Kim's "When God Became White," led by Pastor Will. No advance reading is required to join.
The Adult Bible Study gathers each week in the Worship Center Conference Room to read carefully through books of the Bible.
A Women's Book Discussion meets each Wednesday at noon via Google Meet, and a Men's Breakfast Group meets via Zoom on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 8:00 a.m. Links to both gatherings are circulated in the Sunday email.
The Holy Trinity Library, housed in the conference room of the Worship Center, contains a wide variety of books on faith, theology, and racial and social justice issues. Congregants are invited to borrow books and return them when they can. The library grew over the years into the largest church library in Chapel Hill and was named the Helen Miller Peacock Library in 1983 in honor of its founding librarian.
A Reconciling in Christ Congregation
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and Lutheran Campus Ministry are Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregations and organizations. The RIC program, a ministry of ReconcilingWorks, has existed since 1983 as a public way for Lutheran faith communities to ensure the welcome, inclusion, celebration, and advocacy of people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions, and to work for racial equity within the Lutheran church.
Holy Trinity joined the RIC community about fifteen years ago. As an RIC congregation, the parish publicly affirms that every LGBTQIA2S+ person is a beloved child of God and an important part of God's unfolding story. The RIC logo, inspired by the Progressive Pride Flag design, includes blue, pink, and white stripes representing transgender siblings, and a black and brown stripe representing the fullness that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color bring to the queer community.
The congregation takes the active verb "reconciling" seriously. Reconciliation is not a one-time declaration; it is holy work that continues. Each year the parish plans a special Reconciling in Christ worship service. The summer series focuses on themes such as lament, foundation, and "joy that celebrates the beauty and gifts of LGBTQIA+ lives." A dedicated collection of RIC resources is maintained by the parish, offering testimonials, liturgies, music, art, and book recommendations, including works like Cole Arthur Riley's Black Liturgies, Mitri Raheb's theology of liberation, Austen Hartke's "Transforming: The Bible and Lives of Transgender Christians," and Grace Ji-Sun Kim's "When God Became White."
The Racial and Social Justice Ministry Team carries the RIC commitment forward. The team meets monthly to plan educational opportunities, deepens the congregation's understanding of systemic racism, confronts racism within itself and the wider community, works to become anti-racist, and advocates for justice and fairness. The team's mission and vision draw on the ELCA's 1993 social statement "Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture."
Outreach and Service
Outreach at Holy Trinity is described as "reflecting Christ beyond our own doors." The Outreach Ministry Team raises awareness of the needs of others, provides hands-on service opportunities, and allocates budget funds to support both local and global charities.
The team has long sponsored the Chapel Hill/Carrboro CROP Hunger Walk, fielding teams of thirty or more walkers who raise thousands of dollars each year for global and local hunger relief. Project 5000, inspired by the feeding of the five thousand, fills one hundred boxes of nonperishable food every February for the Inter-Faith Council Food Pantry. Lenten and Advent offerings are given each season to charitable recipients, with past beneficiaries including Lutheran Services Carolinas, Lutheran World Relief, and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services.
Special collections gather school supplies, gently used toys and books, craft materials, and other supplies for local schools and groups such as KidSCope, pet shelters, and prison ministries. The Giving Tree at Christmas fulfills wish lists for local needy children; one year the congregation donated more than 150 gifts to benefit ten Orange County families, in addition to dozens of grocery gift cards to cover food over the holiday break. Through God's Work, Our Hands Sunday, projects have included packing meals with Rise Against Hunger (formerly Stop Hunger Now), working at Transplanting Traditions Community Farm, cleaning up parks, making casseroles for the local community kitchen, and assembling hygiene kits for a homeless shelter.
Through PORCH, Holy Trinity sponsors healthy snacks at Smith Middle School. The Outreach Ministry also collects grocery store gift cards each May and December, distributing them with a value of more than one thousand dollars each time to local families enrolled in the free lunch program.
The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Service Day in January gathers the congregation for a service project; recent efforts have included "no-sew" blanket projects for local refugee families and critically ill children, clothing drives for Dress for Success, coat collections, and Red Cross blood drives.
Mid-week Lenten and Advent giving has supported Lutheran Services Carolinas, Lutheran World Relief, and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services in recent years. The parish also partners with the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, whose food pantry is a year-round recipient of donations and volunteer hours.
Stephen Ministry
Holy Trinity is a Stephen Ministry congregation. Stephen Ministry equips and empowers lay caregivers, called Stephen Ministers, to provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care to people who are hurting. Stephen Ministers are congregation members trained by Stephen Leaders to offer one-to-one Christian care to people going through tough times. A Stephen Minister typically provides care to one person at a time, meeting with that person once a week for about an hour.
Care receivers are congregation members and others in the community who are struggling through grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, or some other life crisis. Confidentiality is foundational; men are matched with men and women with women; and if a care receiver's needs exceed what a Stephen Minister can provide, the team helps find appropriate professional care or community resources.
Gather on the Hill: Young Adults
Young adults at Holy Trinity organize themselves as Gather on the Hill. The group commits to creating an intentional community that celebrates all identities and welcomes everyone to bring their whole selves. Members engage in meaningful conversations about justice and equity informed by their faith, transcending denominational boundaries. Embracing a grassroots approach, the group empowers individuals to contribute to the planning of activities and gatherings, ensuring a diverse, open, and participatory environment for all.
Other Groups at the Parish
Beyond the named ministries, Holy Trinity hosts a variety of smaller groups that meet throughout the year, with details circulated in the weekly email. These include Stephen Ministry, a Member Care group, Young Families, a Quilters group, Womenship, OWLS (Older Wiser Lutherans), and LAF (Lutheran Adult Fellowship).
Worship and Learning in the Midst of Questions
Holy Trinity has invested seriously in the conversation between faith and science, recognizing that many of its members come from scientific backgrounds in a college town. A reading group grew out of conversations between Pastor Will and Duke physicist Dr. Al Goshaw, who helped lead the parish's submission of a STEAM (Science and Theology for Emerging Adult Ministries) grant proposal. The proposal noted that "the stakes for cultivating engagement between science and faith are high," and argued that reframing the question from "Faith OR Science" to "Faith AND Science" could help young adults become more effective policy-makers, community leaders, and informed citizens.
Dancing with the Trinity is published weekly by the parish, hosting sermons, reflections, and homilies from pastors and laypeople. Recent series have included a seven-part meditation on the days of creation, a Reconciling in Christ hymn festival reflection on "a theology beyond divisions and binaries," sermons on the Emmaus road and the Easter Vigil, reflections on the Middle East, and senior reflections from graduating LCM students. Faith and science are explored in conversation with both ELCA and secular perspectives.
Staff and Leadership
Holy Trinity is served by Parish Pastor Will Rose, Campus Pastor Katie Elkin Ziehr, Minister of Discipleship Holly Shipley, and Director of Worship and Music Megan Mash. Together they lead worship, preach, teach, coordinate youth and young adult ministries, oversee the music program, and accompany the congregation and LCM students through the rhythms of parish life.
The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The office can be reached by phone at 919-942-2678 or by email at htlc@holytrinitychapelhill.org.
Giving
Holy Trinity offers three ways to give. Online giving is available through the parish's electronic giving portal, and donors may also give by text message to 833-309-0136 (with the gift amount in the message) or via Venmo at @htlclcm. All text and Venmo contributions go to the general fund.
Into the Next Eighty Years
On October 25, 2026, Reformation Sunday will be celebrated as Holy Trinity's eightieth anniversary, marked by an Oktoberfest celebration. The parish that began with sixty-six people in a UNC lecture hall has grown into an intergenerational congregation with members ranging from one month old to ninety-something, a thriving campus ministry serving hundreds of students, a Reconciling in Christ identity, a multi-faceted music program, and an extensive outreach network. In a world in turmoil, the parish keeps asking the same question the Palm Sunday crowd asked of Jesus long ago: "Who is this?" And each Sunday, around Word and Sacrament, it answers: the One whose Spirit still hovers, still creates, and still calls creation, including Holy Trinity itself, into a continuing dance of love and grace.