Trinity Lutheran Church

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By Shirley Olene

Several Swedish families began farming in the Princeton area between 1890 and 1895.

At that time there was a community church three or four miles east of town which many of them attended. Preachers from several denominations conducted the worship services.

The Lutherans were not satisfied with this arrangement and decided to form a church of their own. Early in 1903 a student, C. G. Gronberg, from the Norwegian Lutheran Seminary in St. Paul, came to preach and do missionary work in the Princeton area. His early work formed the nucleus of what is now Trinity Lutheran Church.

The congregation was formed January 8, 1904. The legal name chosen was the Evangelical Emanuel Congregation of Princeton. They became members of the Augustana Synod. Six families signed their names as charter members: Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Carlson, Mr. and Mrs. Erik Hoglund, Mr. and Mrs. Anders Gustav Newberg, Mr. and Mrs. Erik Johan Setterstrom and Mr. and Mrs. Gustav Swanson.

In the summer of 1904, a church building was purchased on our current location from the Methodist Church for $600., with the intention of moving it to a new location. This plan did not prove feasible, so the congregation purchased the land on which the church stood for $1200.

The first pastoral call was extended to Pastor J. E. Carlson of Almelund, Minnesota. His duties also included two neighboring congregations: the Livonia Church near Zimmerman and Sharon Lutheran Church, rural Princeton.

All of the services in 1904 were conducted in the Swedish language. In 1920 it was decided to use Swedish at all morning services and English in the afternoon or evening. In 1928 the congregation decided to use English exclusively.

On March 3, 1935 the name Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church was changed to Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. Trinity became a member of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) in 1962 and of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in 1988.

Church growth required the addition of an overflow area to the south side of the sanctuary in 1954. The Carl Peterson home next door was purchased in 1963 to provide more Sunday School space. In 1970, a decision was made to Build the facility which is now our fellowship hall, kitchen and upstairs classrooms.

A new facility, housing the sanctuary, office space and classrooms was built in 1976-1977 and the worship service September 26, 1976 marked the end of the little church that had been used for 72 years. The new church was dedicated June 12, 1977.

In 2004 Trinity celebrated 100 years of ministry in and with the community of Princeton. In 2008, our latest expansion, Trinity Crossing, was completed and dedicated for ministry. From a dream of those first families, Trinity has indeed grown tremendously. God is so good.