On November 8, 1896, God breathed life into the German Evangelical Church Society when a group of German families decided they wanted to praise God together.  A church society was a very common name in the beginning of the organizing of a future congregation.  A “society” is a group of people with a common belief, language, and heritage.

Rev. August Bartling from Trinity, Odessa, began serving as a vacancy pastor until 1903.  Services were held in the homes in the Ortonville and Big Stone areas and then in the Swedish Lutheran Church in the City of Ortonville. (Located at 224 5th St. N. West, it has since been converted into apartment housing.)  The first order of business was to have the congregation incorporated.  On March 28, 1903 at 9:00 A.M. the German Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church Society of Ortonville, Minnesota. was duly recorded. In 1903, the Rev. George Kase became the pastor and served the Ortonville Society through 1906.  It was in the Swedish Lutheran Church in Ortonville that Rev. Kase was ordained into the sacred ministry on August 24, 1902, by Pastor August Bartling of Odessa, MN.

Then on Christmas Day, 1911 some members informed the congregation for their desire to own their own church building.  For the sum of $1.00 the congregation purchased the “Hurley Church Building” from O.D. Hurley of San Diego County, California, on February 6, 1912.  An article in the Herald Star dated March 21, 1912, read “Church Comes To Town”–“Members of the German Lutheran Congregation have purchased the Hurley Church building, which was up the lake a few miles and had the building moved to this city. The building was brought onto the ice and brought down the lake and is now at the foot of Madison Ave., but will be soon moved onto lots near the parsonage, where it will be remodeled into a modern place of worship.  Mr. J.J. Hausauer and some other men from the community moved the union church for  what was known as the Hurley.  This was accomplished by the use of seven teams of horses on the ice of Big Stone Lake.”

It was on January 8, 1911 it was decided to build a parsonage. On July 28, 1912 the newly renovated church was dedicated and held 2 services that day and a Divine service in the evening. Up until 1920 all services were in the German language; however students were to take confirmation classes in English as well as in German. Younger members wanted services in English so they decided to have one service in English every 3 weeks. At a Voters Assembly, January 1947 it was decided to Change name from German Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church Society, to what is now known as Trinity Lutheran Church” of Ortonville, Minnesota. In 1947 Trinity Lutheran Church joined the Missouri Synod.

The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

     “Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.”
                             Psalm 90:1