Trinity Lutheran Church and School sits at the corner of Second and Monroe in downtown Springfield, Illinois, the same block where members have worshipped since 1889. A mile to the south, the school's 70,000-square-foot campus at 515 S. MacArthur Boulevard is home to more than 160 students from early childhood through eighth grade, along with most of Trinity's weekday ministries. Together, the two campuses form one congregation under the motto "Sharing Christ, Meeting Needs," a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) family with roots that reach all the way back to the first Lutheran worship service held in Springfield in 1841.
Worship on Two Campuses
Trinity offers three weekly worship services plus a monthly sensory-friendly gathering. The Saturday evening service begins at 5:30 pm in the Parish Center on the school campus at 515 S. MacArthur Blvd. On Sunday, two services are held at the downtown church, 220 S. 2nd St.: an 8:00 am service in the sanctuary and a 10:30 am service that is also livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel. Communion is celebrated on alternating Sundays and at other special services throughout the church year. Children of all ages are welcome in worship; families are invited to sit together, and fussing little ones are not considered a disruption.
On the first Sunday of every month at 3:30 pm, the Parish Center on the school campus becomes the setting for "All God's Children," a sensory-friendly worship service designed for individuals and families who find a traditional service difficult. The service uses the same liturgy and sermon schedule as the rest of the congregation but in a calmer, more flexible atmosphere.
Between Sunday services, from 9:30 to 10:15 am, Sunday School meets at the school campus for children age three through high school, while parents and other adults gather for an Adult Bible Class in the Parish Hall. Childcare is available for children under three so that parents can take part in the adult class.
What Trinity Believes
Trinity is a member congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the second-largest Lutheran body in the United States. The church's teaching centers on the Reformation principles of Grace Alone, Faith Alone, and Scripture Alone: people are rescued from sin only by God's undeserved mercy in Christ; that forgiveness is received through faith, which is itself a gift; and the Holy Scriptures reveal that gift and shape the Christian life. Baptisms and the Lord's Supper are understood as means of grace through which God actively works to save and sustain his people.
The congregation confesses the historic ecumenical creeds - the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed - and worships in the liturgical style common to LCMS congregations. Trinity describes its vision simply as "connecting people to the Triune God," and its mission as stewarding the whole congregation's resources to build awareness, create fellowship, nurture relationships, and form spiritually mature disciples.
The Pastors and Leadership Team
Three pastors share the work of ministry at Trinity. Rev. Aaron Mueller serves as Senior Pastor, with Rev. Jonathan Sharp and Rev. Timothy Good serving as Associate Pastors. Rev. Good also serves as the congregation's Operations Manager. Deaconess Bridgette Sharp is the Ministry Director, overseeing much of the congregation's family and outreach programming. Laura Fliege directs the music program and the Adult Choir, and Nikhitha Mulpuri serves as Technology Director. Alicia Klug is Principal of Trinity Lutheran School, and Josh Woody serves as both Facilities Manager and Youth Director.
As is customary in LCMS congregations, Trinity is self-governing in matters of business and administration, even as it shares doctrine and confession with the wider church body. The Voters' Assembly meets quarterly to handle ministry business and elect officers. A Board of Elders - led by Head Elder Steve Rossman and including Brian Boehme, Adam Booher, Jim Croxton, Alex Evans, Ted Haberman, Matt Hudacek, Andrew Janetzke, Michael Kincaid, Brian Ogan, Mickey Reed, Dave Rohe, Byron Welt, Josh White, Brandon Williams, and Josh Woody - provides oversight for preaching, teaching, the Sacraments, and pastoral care. A Ministry Board and Administration Board guide the congregation's spiritual and temporal work, and a Board of Stewardship oversees financial matters.
Trinity Lutheran School: A K-8 Education Since 1860
Trinity Lutheran School has been part of the congregation almost as long as the congregation itself. The school opened in February 1860, with classes reportedly held above a downtown grocery store, and has continued without interruption for more than 165 years. Today the school enrolls roughly 166 students from age two through eighth grade on a five-acre campus a mile south of downtown, near the medical district and the Illinois State Capitol. Average class size hovers around 15, and the program is fully accredited through National Lutheran School Accreditation and recognized by the State of Illinois.
The school's four core values are Christ Centered, Family Focused, Serving Others, and Academic Excellence. Weekly chapel in the Parish Hall gathers the entire student body, with younger students paired with older "Chapel Buddies" for a multi-year mentoring relationship. The school embraces an education-inclusion model led by Educational Inclusion Specialist Carrie Coon, who works alongside classroom teachers to develop personalized learning plans; the campus offers after-school tutoring as well.
Beyond core academics, students can join band, choir, strings, guitar, art club, Bible Bowl, Scholastic Bowl, French Club, Chess Club, and Student Council. Athletics include girls volleyball, boys and girls basketball, cheerleading, co-ed cross country, co-ed track, and co-op baseball. The Outdoor Education program, run in partnership with Camp Cilca, takes students fishing, canoeing, and nature-hunting, and grows into an overnight weekend experience for the upper grades. Trinity's athletic teams have qualified for state competitions and earned state championships while developing Christian character.
Uniforms are required for students in Kindergarten through eighth grade, with embroidered polos in maroon, black, gray, and light blue available through the local supplier Luers; a uniform exchange closet is also available. Before- and after-school extended care runs from 7:00 to 7:45 am and from 2:45 to 5:30 pm. A hot lunch program is offered daily, with menus published on the school newsletter and online. The Early Childhood program features two preschool classrooms, two pre-kindergarten classrooms, and the "Two-Year-Old Town" for two-year-olds, with each classroom set up as either an academic learning space or a creative-play space.
Tuition is tiered by congregational relationship: members of Trinity Lutheran Church pay $3,650 for the first child in K-8 and $2,850 for each additional child; new members and members of sister congregations pay $3,800 and $3,300; community members pay $5,200 and $4,800. Tuition assistance is available through a FACTS Grant and Aid Assessment, with applications accepted between mid-February and May 1 each year.
Children, Youth, and Family Ministry
The congregation's Children and Family Ministry works hand-in-hand with the school, weaving Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and family events into a single network of support. Sunday School classes use the Enduring Faith curriculum in a same-age classroom model; every grade level studies the same Bible story in age-appropriate ways, and a family page goes home each week so parents and children can talk about the lesson together. Childcare is offered during the 9:30 am Adult Bible Class for children under three.
Vacation Bible School takes place in the evening each summer, includes dinner, and is free and open to children age three through sixth grade from the congregation and the wider community. Each spring, Trinity hosts an Easter Egg Hunt with more than 1,000 eggs, craft stations, cookie decorating, and an object-lesson retelling of the Easter story, all free and open to neighbors.
The Youth Ministry serves students in fifth through twelfth grade. The Middle School Youth Group, for fifth through eighth graders, plans service projects and outings such as bowling, ice skating, and hiking. The High School Youth Group, for ninth through twelfth graders, meets monthly from September through May for fellowship, service, and creative exploration of the faith. Every three years, the teens travel with chaperones to the LCMS Youth Gathering; the next Gathering is scheduled for San Antonio in 2028. Annual traditions include a weenie roast, an Easter breakfast, Pack the Gym nights, youth nights at the ballpark, and Trivia Night, which also serves as the congregation's major fundraiser.
For mothers of young children, the MomCo group (formerly MOPS) meets twice a month at nearby Immanuel Lutheran Church for encouragement, mentoring, and friendship.
Adults: Bible Studies, Classes, and the Choir
Adults at Trinity can choose from a deep bench of weekly and monthly studies. The Sunrise Bible Study meets Wednesdays at 6:30 am in the Parish Library, led by Bill Rast. The Senior Bible Class gathers Tuesdays at 10:00 am in the Parish Hall. A Wednesday Night Discipleship study currently walks participants through an introduction to the Augsburg Confession and its Apology under the teaching of Dr. Schurb. "The Mission of God," a Thursday-evening class at 6:30 pm, is designed both for newcomers exploring membership and for anyone wanting a refresher on Lutheran teaching.
Women's ministry at Trinity includes several distinct groups. The Women's Bible Study, led by Deaconess Sharp, meets on the third Wednesday at 9:30 am and the third Thursday at 6:30 pm in the Parish Hall and currently walks through Angie Smith's "Seamless," a study that traces the whole Bible as one connected story. Ladies Aid, a member of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League for more than 50 years, has been part of Trinity for over 120 years; the group gathers for luncheons and fellowship on the second Wednesday of each month from September through May. Women with Mission meets on the first Monday evening for devotional Bible study, fellowship, and mission projects supporting the school and the wider Springfield community. The Trinity Quilters meet each Thursday from 9 am to 2:30 pm to hand-quilt projects whose proceeds help sponsor a Concordia Seminary student and fund other causes. During the cooler months, the Lutheran Quilts for Missions group meets Mondays to tie quilts that go to mission outposts across Springfield and around the world.
Men's ministry offers solid Christ-centered resources, regular fellowship, and service opportunities. The Men's Bible Study meets the third Saturday of each month at 9:30 am in the conference room outside the Parish Hall, with donuts and coffee provided; the current series is a video study on the book of Revelation with Lutheran Hour speaker Rev. Ken Klaus. Men of the congregation serve as ushers, volunteer cleaners for the sanctuary, and help with property workdays. A monthly bocce night at Obed and Isaac's beer garden and a veterans' dinner out each month round out the fellowship calendar.
The Trinity Adult Choir, organized in 1865 and still going strong, rehearses every Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm in the balcony of the downtown church beginning in early September. Singers of all abilities are welcome to join.
Building Caring Relationships
One of Trinity's distinctive ministries is Building Caring Relationships (BCR) in Christ, a group of more than 70 volunteers who keep the congregation connected through prayer, practical help, and personal contact. BCR members send cards, organize meals for families after births, deaths, or illness, provide transportation to and from church, help with yard work, and visit or read to elderly members. A Prayer Warriors email list, available to all Trinity members, circulates prayer requests within hours; the team also publishes a bi-weekly Prayer Page used in worship services. BCR's Baptismal Ministry offers prayer, banners, and birthday cards to families with newly baptized children, and the Grief Ministry Team sends cards and encouragement to those who have recently lost a loved one.
GriefShare, a 13-week support and recovery program for people grieving the death of a family member or friend, meets Tuesday evenings at 6:00 pm in the Parish Hall on the school campus. Sessions feature video teaching from counselors and healthcare professionals, a workbook, and group discussion. A Divorced Dads Group meets bi-monthly on Tuesday evenings for men navigating parenting after divorce, and a Stephen Ministry program is being built up to provide one-to-one Christ-centered care to members of the congregation and the wider community.
Outreach in Springfield and Around the World
Trinity takes seriously the call to "Sharing Christ, Meeting Needs" both in its neighborhood and far beyond. Locally, the congregation runs a Food Pantry Ministry that dedicates one weekend each month to collecting items for the local food pantry. Trinity provides ongoing financial support to Contact Ministries, a Springfield organization that delivers food, shelter, clothing, financial assistance, and life-skills education through Christ's love and compassion. Members of the Community Outreach Team prepare occasional meals for the Helping Hands Homeless Shelter. Each fall, the school campus hosts Trunk or Treat, a free indoor trick-or-treating event that draws hundreds of neighborhood families. Members also volunteer with Wooden It Be Lovely, Habitat for Humanity, the Capital Area Concert Band, and Friend-in-Deed, among other local organizations.
Nationally and internationally, Trinity supports Lutheran World Relief through the collection of Personal Care and Hygiene Kits and Mission Quilts. Two LWML societies at Trinity - Ladies Aid and Women with Mission - gather mite contributions that fund district and national mission grants. The Synodical School Scholarship Fund provides financial support to congregation members attending LCMS colleges and seminaries, and Trinity supports the Concordia Seminary Food Bank with monetary and gift card donations. The congregation gives to the Central Illinois District of the LCMS, helping fund local mission congregations, deaf ministry, prison ministry, and campus ministry. Trinity also partners through prayer and financial gifts with Together In Mission, supporting the Campbell family in Gary, Indiana, as they develop missionary outreach and a Lutheran educational facility in Northwest Indiana.
Sharing Christ, Meeting Needs: A Story Nearly Two Centuries Long
Trinity's story in Springfield begins in 1839, when Rev. Francis Springer, a graduate of Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary, arrived in town and opened a private school to support his family. The first Lutheran worship service in Springfield was held in Springer's home in 1841, with Rev. Daniel Scherer, the "Father of Illinois Lutheranism," assisting. Springfield Lutherans initially worshipped together, but in 1854 the group divided along linguistic lines: the English-speaking members became Grace Lutheran Church, while the German-speaking members formed what would become Trinity. The name "Trinity" was officially adopted in 1860.
The German congregation opened a day school in February of that same year, the beginning of Trinity Lutheran School. The congregation has been active in Springfield's wider life ever since: early Trinity members helped open elementary schools, were instrumental in founding a local college and seminary, and in 1897 helped establish what is now Memorial Medical Center. In 1872, Trinity formally joined the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and in 1889 the congregation dedicated its present church building at Second and Monroe, with more than 5,000 people attending the ceremonies.
Through the twentieth century, Trinity's ministries branched out: deaf-mute services began in 1940, the Adult Choir formed in 1865, and the present school building on MacArthur Boulevard was dedicated in 1954. The last regular German-language worship service was held on June 18, 1953, with eighteen people in attendance, and the corporate name was changed from German to English in 1927. After Concordia Theological Seminary moved from Springfield to Fort Wayne in 1976, Trinity turned its attention toward strengthening the congregation's presence in the city. A major renovation in 1997 reshaped both buildings; a 2001 addition to the school added a Learning Center, a Parish Hall, modern science and music rooms, a computer classroom, an elevator, and additional office space. In 2016, Trinity celebrated its 175th anniversary and launched a $3 million capital campaign, completing a 2,000-square-foot addition to the church in 2018 that included new office space, restrooms, a nursery, and handicap accessibility improvements.
Today, the congregation is governed by a 2026-2028 Strategic Plan adopted by the Board of Directors on June 1, 2026, with the same mission that has guided the church since its founding: to connect people to the Triune God, and to share Christ and meet needs wherever Trinity's members are called to serve.
Practical Details for Visitors and Members
Trinity welcomes visitors to dress comfortably - members run the gamut of ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds, and "come as you are" is the consistent invitation. Worship services are described as "rich in God's Word and deep in its content," loaded with what Christians need to face life's trials and reminded constantly of God's love, mercy, and forgiveness. Children are encouraged to attend services with their parents, and the church offers Sunday School and nursery care during the 9:30 am Bible hour. A sensory-friendly worship service is offered on the first Sunday of each month at 3:30 pm. The 10:30 am Sunday service is livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel, and current and past services can be viewed any time.
The church office at 220 S. 2nd St. is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and can be reached at (217) 787-2323 or church@trinity-lutheran.com. The school office at 515 S. MacArthur Blvd. is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm at the same phone number. For after-hours pastoral emergencies, call (217) 522-8151. A dedicated mobile app, "Trinity Lutheran Springfield," is available for iOS and Android, putting the church directory, news, livestream, and giving options in one place. Online giving is available through a dedicated giving portal and through the "Church by MinistryOne" app, with the church's zip code (62701) the easiest way to find Trinity. Those interested in exploring membership or learning more about the Lutheran faith are invited to the Mission of God class, currently meeting Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm at the school campus.