Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church sits at 909 North La Cumbre Road, at the foot of the Santa Barbara mountains, where it has been the city's first and longest-running Lutheran congregation for more than 120 years. The congregation's motto, printed in oversized letters across the top of its materials, is "radical grace," and that phrase captures nearly everything a visitor notices about the place: a deeply liturgical Lutheran worship tradition, an open communion table, a formal commitment to welcome LGBTQ+ people, and a sprawling network of gardens, food pantries, meals, and small groups that extend the congregation's reach well beyond the church walls.
Sunday Morning in the Sanctuary
Worship at Trinity follows the four-movement shape that has shaped Lutheran liturgy for centuries: Gathering, Word, Meal, and Sending. Every Sunday at 9:30 am the congregation gathers in the Sanctuary for about an hour of singing, prayer, Bible readings, a 12 to 15 minute sermon, and Holy Communion. The order of service is printed in the bulletin, so newcomers do not have to know what comes next.
The Gathering begins with a communal confession and forgiveness, a hymn, prayers, and a welcome. During the Word the assembly hears four readings: a passage from the Old Testament, a Psalm, a letter from the New Testament, and a Gospel reading, followed by the sermon. The congregation then says a creed together, usually the Nicene or Apostles' Creed, and shares the Peace, a moment when people turn to one another and say "Peace be with you" or "God's peace." A handshake is common, though a peace sign with the fingers is equally welcome.
During the Meal the congregation comes forward pew by pew to receive the bread (gluten-free wafers are available) and wine or grape juice from individual cups. The communion table at Trinity is open: everyone is invited to receive, regardless of church membership or background. When you are handed the elements, you can say "Amen" or "Thanks be to God." The Sending closes the service with a benediction and a call to go out into the world for mission and service. After the service, everyone is invited to stay for free coffee and treats on the front patio. The service is also livestreamed on the congregation's YouTube channel for those who want to get a feel for it before coming in person.
Sunday Evening in the Chapel
Twice a month, on the second and fourth Sundays at 5:00 pm, Trinity offers a shorter, more contemplative service in the Chapel. Lasting about thirty minutes, the evening service draws on the meditative traditions of Taizé, the French ecumenical community known for its simple repetitive music and prayer, and Holden Village, a Lutheran retreat center in the mountains of Washington State. The service is quieter and more reflective than Sunday morning, with simple songs, prayer, and Holy Communion as a way to close the weekend. All are welcome.
A Lutheran Home Rooted in Grace
Trinity belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the largest Lutheran body in North America. The congregation is rooted in the teachings of Martin Luther and centered on the good news of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen for the sake of the world. The church's own statement of beliefs describes salvation as a gift received through faith, not earned through human effort, and it takes Scripture and the Sacraments seriously without reading the Bible as a strictly literal document. The Bible is understood as the inspired Word of God, containing Law and Gospel, and as a living word through which God continues to speak.
Trinity celebrates two sacraments: Holy Communion and Baptism. Communion is open to everyone, because the congregation believes there is no one for whom Jesus Christ did not die. The congregation confesses the historic Christian faith as expressed in the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed, and it sees itself as part of the global communion of Lutheran churches through the Lutheran World Federation. As a Reconciling in Christ congregation, Trinity has made a formal commitment to the full welcome and affirmation of LGBTQ+ people into the life of the community. The congregation also holds that faith and doubt can coexist, and that questions about Scripture, theology, science, and ethics are welcome at Trinity.
Music at the Heart of Worship
Music is central to worship at Trinity. The Music Director, Mi-Young Kim, holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Collaborative Piano from UC Santa Barbara, and she leads a music program that blends organ, piano, choir, percussion, and guitar. The choir welcomes adults and teens fourteen and up, with no prior experience required, and a smaller combo of instrumentalists and singers leads worship throughout the year. Talented young musicians and guest artists are regularly invited to share their gifts during services. Each summer, while the choir is on break, the congregation chooses favorite hymns to sing together. Trinity is clear about what it is and is not: if you are looking for a praise band, this is probably not your church. If you are looking for something with depth, structure, and beauty, you might feel right at home.
Children and Sunday School
Children are a full part of the body of Christ at Trinity. A small play area sits on the left side at the front of the Sanctuary for families who want it, and age-appropriate Sunday school takes place during the worship service. The children rejoin the congregation for Holy Communion, because, as the church puts it, we want to share the Eucharist together as one community. Volunteers who want to lead or support Sunday school are always welcome; no special background or teaching experience is required, just a love for children and a willingness to share the story of God's love with them.
The Care Ministry and Parish Nurse
Sharon Head has served as Trinity's Parish Nurse since 2004, and her work shapes much of the congregation's pastoral life. She listens, counsels, and walks alongside members facing health challenges, from explaining a new diagnosis to navigating care options for an aging parent, completing an advance directive, or simply having someone to talk to when life feels overwhelming. The Care Ministry she leads extends beyond her: members of the congregation visit the homebound, deliver meals, and bring a little joy through traditions like Christmas caroling. Parish Nursing is considered a calling at Trinity, and the presence of a registered nurse on the staff is one of the things that makes the community what it is.
Trinity Gardens: A Working Garden That Feeds the City
Since March 2012, Trinity Gardens has served as a mission outreach of the church, providing space for neighbors and the congregation to grow food and build community together. The gardens sit on the same campus as the church, at 909 North La Cumbre Road, and they include 23 individual garden plots, annual row crops, a food forest orchard, a greenhouse, and a chicken coop. In a recent year Trinity Gardens donated nearly 8,000 pounds of produce to local partners, including Rescue Mission Bethel House, the Organic Soup Kitchen, Sarah House, and the Grace Food Pantry. Sunday mornings at 10:30 am and Tuesday mornings at 9:00 am, volunteers gather to harvest produce for local food donations. No experience is needed, just a willingness to get your hands a little dirty for a good cause. The gardens also host plant sales, tours, and community events throughout the year.
The Grace Food Pantry
Since 1976, what began as a small congregation collecting food donations has grown into a weekly ministry that serves 70 to 90 families and individuals every Saturday morning. In partnership with the Santa Barbara County Food Bank, First Baptist, and Christ Lutheran Church Goleta, Trinity helps operate the Grace Food Pantry at Grace Village, 3869 State Street, from 9:00 am until 10:00 am or until the last client is served. Volunteers are needed for Friday deliveries and Saturday distributions, and Deacon Martha Santrizos, who coordinates the pantry, can be reached through the church office. Donations can be mailed to Grace Food Pantry at the church's 909 North La Cumbre Road address.
Transition House and Justice Advocacy
Since the 1980s, Trinity has provided meals for the residents of Transition House on the third Monday of every month, preparing dinner for more than fifty people along with bagged lunches for the following day. The commitment has been sustained for decades by volunteers who show up month after month with food and care, and it remains one of Trinity's longest-running acts of service. New volunteers are always welcome, and all meal ideas are encouraged; the program is coordinated by Ron Birkhahn.
Trinity also engages in justice advocacy. Member Larry Severance serves as chairperson of Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE), and through his leadership the congregation has publicly supported local measures for criminal justice reform, affordable housing, and the protection of immigrant families. Every month Trinity designates a special offering for a different organization or cause, ranging from local ministries like Transition House and Showers of Blessing to global efforts like ELCA World Hunger and Lutheran Disaster Response.
Learning, Walking, and Reading Together
Faith at Trinity is not confined to Sunday morning. Every Sunday after worship, from September through May, the congregation gathers for adult education, with topics ranging from Scripture series to Lutheran theology, world religions, ethics, sustainability, and current issues facing the church and the world. The format is intentionally discussion-based, with room for questions, disagreements, and honest conversation. Every Wednesday at 10:00 am, Pastor Mark leads an hour-long Bible study in the church library, also available on Zoom, exploring the lectionary texts for the coming Sunday.
On Tuesday mornings a group of walkers heads out for a 1.5 to 2 mile route through Santa Barbara and Goleta, followed by coffee and brunch at a local restaurant. The routes rotate through familiar spots including the Mesa neighborhood, Lake Los Carneros, East Beach, and Arroyo Road. There is no right way to participate; walkers can go fast, go slow, or skip the walk entirely and just join for breakfast. On Friday mornings a separate walking group meets at Shoreline Park at 9:30 am, open to all paces.
Trinity also hosts a monthly men's ministry that gathers at a member's home for an evening of food, fellowship, Bible study, and prayer, and a Bookbinders Book Club that meets about every six weeks on Sunday afternoons in the Fireside Room. A monthly Good Eats group explores Santa Barbara's culinary scene together, trying a new restaurant or café each time. None of these groups require prior involvement at Trinity; new faces are welcome at any of them.
The Sacred Land Story
Following an adult education class on Indigenous history and theology, a small group at Trinity has been meeting regularly to research and write a Sacred Land Story: the story of the land the congregation calls home, how it came under its stewardship, and the history that stretches back centuries before the church was founded. The work has included visits to the Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and a Chumash Intertribal Powwow, along with guest visits from Chumash elders and regional historians. The group is currently refining a first draft of the Sacred Land Story to share with the wider congregation.
The Fireside Art Gallery
Since December 2021, Trinity has opened its doors to the Santa Barbara arts community through the Fireside Room Art Gallery, recently renovated and expanded to include an adjacent Studio space. The gallery presents rotating exhibitions by local artists, many drawn to work with spiritual depth and resonance. Recent and upcoming exhibitions have featured a watercolorist painting "A Day at Trinity Gardens," a retired pastor's painting show titled "Beauty Heals," and a book artist's monotypes. The gallery is one of the ways Trinity reaches beyond its congregation and into the wider community, welcoming anyone who loves art to come and experience it in an unexpected place. It is open to the public during office hours, Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.
A 120-Year Story
Trinity's history reaches back to August 1901, when Lena Martinsen, Mary Jacobson, and a small group of women formed the Norwegian Lutheran Ladies Aid Society to provide Lutheran fellowship for the women of Santa Barbara. Their vision led to the formation of the first Lutheran congregation in the city, officially organized in 1902. By 1905 the congregation had raised enough funds to purchase a lot on the corner of Bath and Padre Streets, and the community continued to grow steadily through the decades that followed. In 1963, outgrowing its original home, the congregation purchased property at the corner of Foothill and La Cumbre Road, at the foot of the Santa Barbara mountains. On September 20, 1970, the new church, chapel, and education buildings were dedicated there, the same home where Trinity worships today.
The People Who Lead Trinity
Trinity is served by a small staff and a deep bench of lay volunteers. Pastor Mark Marius was ordained in the ELCA in February 2001, is a native of Los Angeles County and a graduate of California Lutheran University, and earned his Master of Divinity at the former Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He also served as a chaplain in the United States Air Force for twenty-four years, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and has served Lutheran congregations in Illinois, New Mexico, New Jersey, and California, as well as USAF chaplaincies in England, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and Hungary.
Vicar Tanja Helmert, originally from southwest Germany near the borders of France and Switzerland, is completing her year of pastoral formation at Trinity on the way toward ordination as a Minister of Word and Sacrament. She studied theology at the University of Heidelberg, completed a Master of Divinity at Yale Divinity School in 2024, and is also an EMT who has worked with New Beginnings Counseling Center serving people experiencing homelessness in Santa Barbara County. Music Director Mi-Young Kim holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Collaborative Piano from UC Santa Barbara, with additional degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Hartford. Parish Nurse Sharon Head, a graduate of Mount St. Mary's College, has worked in nursing at UCLA, St. John's Medical Center in Santa Barbara, Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, and the St. Francis Foundation Parish Nursing Program. Office Administrator Jamie Hubbard is a native Santa Barbaran who recently returned to the city after eight years in the Bay Area.
Visiting, Parking, and What to Wear
Trinity is located at 909 North La Cumbre Road, at the foot of the mountains, with a large parking lot belonging to the church. The building is fully accessible, although visitors should know that it is a short uphill walk from the parking lot to the Sanctuary entrance. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, and the phone is (805) 687-1577. Sunday morning visitors are encouraged to come as they are. Dress up if that feels right, or come casual; whatever makes you feel comfortable. Nothing is required to bring. Collection plates are passed for free-will offerings, but these are entirely voluntary, and small envelopes in the pews let visitors designate a gift if they wish. Bibles are available in the pews for following along. A short walk uphill from the parking lot leads into the Sanctuary, and a livestream is offered on YouTube for those who would like to experience the service from home.
Giving, Legacy, and the Endowment
Trinity is sustained by the generosity of its members and friends, and giving is available online through Vanco, by bank bill-pay to the church's mailing address, and in person through collection plates on Sunday morning. The congregation's Endowment Fund was established to strengthen outreach and provide for extraordinary needs beyond the regular operating budget, supporting benevolence, scholarships, parish nursing, and capital improvements. Gifts can be made through wills, trusts, and charitable gift annuities. The current month's special outreach recipient, ranging from local ministries to global efforts like ELCA World Hunger and Lutheran Disaster Response, is announced in the Sunday bulletin and the monthly email newsletter, Glad Tidings.
For more than a century Trinity has walked a path of faith rooted in Scripture, sustained by worship, music, fellowship, and outreach, and committed to proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ in Santa Barbara and far beyond its borders. On any given week a visitor might find a sanctuary full of hymn singing, a Tuesday-morning walk along the bluffs, a Bible study around a library table, volunteers harvesting lettuce for the food pantry, an artist installing a new show in the Fireside Gallery, or a small group learning the Chumash history of the land beneath the church. The motto, "radical grace," describes not a slogan but a working theology, the conviction that God's love is for every person without exception, and that the people of Trinity are called to live that grace out loud in everything they do.