Our Story
Trinity had its beginning when a Lutheran pastor traveled from Buffalo to Lockport in April of 1871 to baptize the child of a family recently moved to Niagara County. He encouraged the Lutherans to organize, which they did, although it was quite a while before they were able to write a constitution and call a pastor of their own. They worshiped in rented rooms and were served by pastors of nearby Lutheran churches (most notably J.W. Weinbach of Bergholz and John Her of Martinsville) for several years. In 1875 they organized under a constitution, but it was another nine years before Rev. A.T. Hanser was ordained and installed as their first resident pastor.
By 1885 a church building was constructed at the corner of Washburn and Walnut Streets, which also served as a school building. In 1889 the congregation purchased land on Cold Springs Road for a cemetery. After years of struggling, the congregation had begun to grow. Pastor Hanser was followed in 1888 by Rev. Samuel Glaser, also newly ordained. In 1891 Rev. Arthur Michel came to Lockport and served initially as both pastor and school teacher.
By 1892 the congregation was beginning to outgrow its little church building. They bought land at the corner of Saxton and LaGrange Streets, constructed the stone church building that we occupy today (dedicated in October, 1893), and moved their wooden church to Saxton Street, where it served as the school building until 1923. The total cost of the project - church, school and parsonage - was just under $18,000.
Rev. Michel was succeeded by Rev. Paul Loeber in 1906 and he was followed by Rev. Herman Meier, who arrived with his family in 1915. The era of World War I saw the congregation transitioning from German-speaking to English-speaking, though worship services in German were offered until the 1950's.
The growth of Trinity's school required a bigger building, so the parsonage was moved up Saxton Street and a three-story brick building replaced the little wooden school building in 1923.
Rev. Meier retired in January, 1954 and Rev. Ernest Heuer was installed in March of that year. Trinity reached its peak of Sunday worship attendance in 1960, with an average of 502 per week. In 1960 Trinity gave birth to a daughter church when Trinity members formed a mission congregation in the Town of Lockport, on Chestnut Ridge Road. They became Mount Olive Lutheran Church.
Declining enrollment took its toll on Trinity's school during the 1960's. In March, 1972 the congregation voted to close the school. On the same day a fire of unknown origin destroyed the brick school building.
Rev. Heuer retired in February, 1973 and Rev. Otto Struckmann was installed in June. A new parish building replaced the burnt school building and has housed the Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and innumerable dinners over the years.
In 2004 Vicar Alan Bauch arrived for a year of internship under Pastor Struckmann. In 2005 he was ordained and installed as pastor at Trinity. Pastors Struckmann and Bauch served together until Pastor Struckmann's retirement in October of 2005.
In July, 2019 Trinity began a pastoral sharing agreement with St. Michael Lutheran Church in Wolcottsville. Â St. Michael worships at 8:45 AM and Trinity worships at 10:45 AM, with Pastor Bauch ministering to both congregations.
Trinity continues to serve the Lord and the Lockport area with Word and Sacrament ministry, proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ as taught in the Lutheran Confessions of the Book of Concord. We occupy an urban location, which allows us to touch the lives of hungry people through our food pantry and homeless people through our participation in the ecumenical Christian ministry of Lockport CARES, Inc.
We pray that God will grant us growth in zeal for His Word and in people to share it with. Amen.