Trinity Lutheran Church and School stands at 830 East Plaza Circle in Litchfield Park, on the southwest corner of Indian School Road and Dysart. Its identity is expressed in three phrases: Christ Centered. Bible Based. Family Focused. This conservative Lutheran Christian congregation centers its worship, teaching, ministry, and life together on Jesus Christ and His Word. Trinity is known for five Sunday worship gatherings, a close connection between church and school, family learning that brings different generations together, and a Deaf Ministry that brings Deaf and Hearing Christians into shared worship.
Five Sunday Ways to Worship
Trinity gives Sunday worshipers a wide range of musical and liturgical styles. Each gathering centers God's Word, but the atmosphere, music, and structure vary according to the service and its congregation.
7:30 AM: Traditional Worship
The earliest service is a formal worship service in the tradition of the Lutheran heritage. Its ordered service, familiar hymns, classic organ, God's Word, and Holy Sacrament create a reverent and substantial worship experience. It is held in the Worship Center.
9:00 AM: Contemporary Worship
At 9:00 AM, a praise band leads dynamic contemporary music interwoven with God's Holy Word. This gathering takes place in the Family Life Center and is interpreted into American Sign Language by volunteer interpreter Jeremy Wright.
10:15 AM: Contemporary Worship
A second contemporary service also begins at 10:15 AM in the Family Life Center. During the same hour, Cross Training Sunday School gathers in the Main Sanctuary. Children in kindergarten and older begin with opening worship, after which families move into Bible studies suited to their ages.
11:30 AM: Blended Worship
The 11:30 AM gathering follows a structured order of worship while incorporating praise music. It balances Trinity's Lutheran worship patterns with a more contemporary musical element and is held in the Worship Center.
6:00 PM: Casual Traditional Worship
The evening service uses various traditional worship settings in a softer, peaceful, and more casual atmosphere. It offers another opportunity for people who prefer a quieter Sunday gathering while retaining Trinity's Lutheran emphasis on God's Word and sacrament.
A First Sunday With Children or Casual Clothes
Trinity has no dress code. Many people dress in business casual clothing, while others arrive in more casual or less formal clothes. The important distinction is not what someone wears but how fully they want to participate in worship. The range of service styles also gives families several ways to worship together or attend a class at a different time.
Children are encouraged to attend worship with their families because that is how children learn to worship. A secure nursery is provided at every service for children under four years of age, and all childcare staff are background checked. At the 10:15 hour, parents can begin with their children in Cross Training before joining the deeper adult study of the same Bible lesson.
Cross Training: One Lesson for the Whole Family
Cross Training is Trinity's Sunday school for the whole family. Children, youth, and parents begin together for a short period of worship and then move into groups organized by age. Everyone studies the same central Bible concept at a level suited to their age, allowing families to continue discussing Scripture and its application at home.
Parents and other adults study the same lesson more deeply after the opening worship. Trinity's aim is not merely to divide children into classes, but to help parents and children understand who God is, what He has done, and how Biblical truth applies to family life together.
Jesus at the Center, God's Word at the Heart
Triny is united with other congregations of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in a common confession of the Christian faith. Jesus Christ stands at the center of everything the church does. His life, death, and resurrection stand at the heart of Trinity's worship, teaching, ministry, and service.
Trinity understands Christ as coming to people through His gifts of God's Word, Holy Baptism, and Holy Communion. Through those gifts, Christ brings forgiveness of sins, creates and strengthens faith, gives the Holy Spirit, joins people to Himself and His Church, and sustains believers as His people. The church's desire is for people of every age to know Jesus better, understand the Christian faith, become increasingly fluent in Scripture, and grow as doctrinally sound disciples.
That goal is expressed through Trinity's three priorities. Christ is at the center. God's Word guides worship, teaching, and life together. Faith is also lived in homes, friendships, the church, and the wider community, with families encouraged to grow in faith, serve others, and share the love of Christ.
Pastoral and Ministry Leadership
Senior Pastor Dave Bolte has served Trinity Lutheran Church in Litchfield Park since 1996. He was ordained into the ministry of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in 1990 and has also taught at Concordia Lutheran Institute for the Holy Ministry in Yambio, South Sudan. Juliann Dolge directs Music Ministries and oversees the congregation's many opportunities for music and worship. Andi McDonald coordinates the church's ministries, while Janet Sienkiewicz directs Youth and Family Ministries, including family worship, Cross Training, confirmation, and youth discipleship.
A Week of Study for Every Generation
Trinity organizes Bible study across the week so that children, students, adults, families, men, and seniors can all grow in understanding of Scripture and the Christian faith.
- Sunday: An adult Bible study meets at 8:45 AM in Founders' Hall. Cross Training gathers from 10:15 to 11:15 AM, with children, youth, and adults studying the same biblical theme at different levels.
- Tuesday: A 25 minute faculty Bible class convenes at 6:50 AM and is open to school faculty and anyone else who wants to participate. Another adult study meets at 11:00 AM in Founders' Hall. Men of Faith gathers at 6:30 PM for Christian friendship and study of the Lutheran Confessions from the Book of Concord.
- Wednesday: Adult Bible study, confirmation instruction, and Senior Youth meet at 6:30 PM. Confirmation instruction serves students in grades 5 through 8. Students in grades 5 and 6 study the Old and New Testaments together, while students in grades 7 and 8 focus on the chief parts of the Christian faith and doctrines taught in Scripture. Senior Youth welcomes students in grade 8 and older for Bible study, doctrine, questions, discussion, activities, fundraisers, and larger ministry gatherings.
- Seniors: AMOS, A Ministry of Seniors, meets from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM on the second and fourth Wednesdays. People age 55 and older share study, games, fellowship, and sack lunch.
A separate young adult ministry serves people in their late teens and 20s. They study God's Word, share their faith and experiences, and build friendship and support with other young Christians. Across these groups, Trinity emphasizes active study, Christian discussion, and practical application of Scripture to home, school, work, and community life.
Deaf and Hearing Together in Christ
Trinity's Deaf Ministry seeks to create a community in which Deaf and Hearing people can participate together in worship, fellowship, and the study of God's Word. Lindsey Wright, who is Deaf, teaches American Sign Language classes several times throughout the year. Her goal is to increase awareness of Deaf culture and help Trinity become more accessible to Deaf people.
Jeremy Wright serves as Trinity's volunteer ASL interpreter. He interprets the 9:00 AM contemporary worship every Sunday in the Family Life Center. The ministry also encourages Hearing members to learn more about Deaf culture and American Sign Language so that people can grow together as one family in Christ. Sermons interpreted into ASL are available through the church's Deaf Ministry video archive.
Trinity Lutheran School
Trinity Lutheran School is a ministry of Trinity Lutheran Church. Its work is to share Jesus Christ while helping children learn, grow, and serve in a Christian environment. The school's stated mission is to make disciples of Christ through academic excellence, joining classroom learning with the church's emphasis on Scripture, faith, and service.
The school includes a preschool program and provides a setting where Christian education is part of a wider congregational life. Church and school share a ministry identity: children are taught academically while also being encouraged to know Jesus, grow in faith, and serve others.
GriefShare and Christmas Remembrance
GriefShare is Trinity's Christ-centered support ministry for people grieving the death of a family member or friend. The group offers a caring place to listen, learn, receive encouragement, and move toward hope. It welcomes people whose loss is recent and those who have carried grief for years. Sharing is always optional, so participants may listen and learn without speaking.
Each meeting includes an encouraging video with insight from grief counselors, pastors, and people who have experienced loss. Group conversation and a participant guide offer practical tools, Biblical encouragement, and space to reflect on the week's topic. Trinity's care also includes a quiet Christmas Memorial Service for remembering people who have died. Scripture, prayer, and music point to the comfort and hope of Jesus Christ. The service welcomes anyone grieving a loss, whether recent or long ago, membership is not required, and no one is expected to speak publicly.
Baptism, BASICS, and Joining the Family
Triny teaches that Holy Baptism is God's gracious gift, instituted by Jesus Christ for people of all ages. Water is joined to God's Word, and God himself is at work, giving forgiveness of sins, creating and strengthening faith, giving the Holy Spirit, and joining the baptized person to Christ and His Church. Baptism is not simply a symbol of faith or something a person does for God; it is a means of grace through which God gives the blessings Christ won through his death and resurrection. For that reason, Trinity baptizes both children and adults. Janet Sienkiewicz, Director of Youth and Family Ministries, handles baptism inquiries.
BASICS is Trinity's six week study for people who are new to the church, considering membership, curious about Christian beliefs, or simply wanting to understand the basics of the faith. Participants learn what Trinity believes, study the Bible, ask questions, and explore Trinity's mission and vision. The class is required for those who wish to become members, but there is no pressure to join afterward. Childcare is available when requested during registration.
Giving and Resources for the Mission
Trinity describes giving as a spiritual discipline motivated by God's goodness. Tithes and offerings are offered as thanksgiving for blessings already received and as support for the proclamation of the Gospel through the church's ministries. Weekly giving is central to Trinity's financial life. Donors can use offering envelopes, automatic bank bill payment, or secure electronic giving. Electronic gifts may be made occasionally, regularly, or on a schedule. Estate giving is another way to support the congregation's future.
Church members can also contribute to Trinity Lutheran School through tax credit scholarships, helping students receive assistance through the ACSTO partnership. Trinity's giving options include ways to support both the congregation and its school ministry.
Weekly worship can be watched online, and Trinity provides sermon texts along with printed and audio sermons. Additional resources include Bible study notes, Spanish printed sermons, Libre de Salmos, seasonal devotional material, and an expanding archive of sermons interpreted into ASL. These resources support people who cannot attend in person, want to study a message again, or need materials in print or another language.
Trinity's shared rhythm is worship, Bible study, family formation, Christian education, care, service, and the sharing of the Gospel. Jesus Christ and His Word remain at the center of that life in Litchfield Park and the West Valley.