OUR HISTORY
Building the Church (1926 – 1941)
Before 1926, there was no Lutheran church in Clarks Summit, PA, or the nearby communities. A survey by Lutheran seminarian Edward Mattson showed that enough Lutheran families lived in the area to start a new congregation. The first service was held on March 21, 1926, at the Knights of Malta Hall, located above the Davis Variety store on Main Street, led by seminarian Cyrus Wallick of Clarks Summit. The hall was rented for $15 a month. Rev. Francis Allen Shearer arrived at Trinity on May 15, 1927, and was officially installed as the first pastor on November 13 of that year. In 1928. the average Sunday attendance was 32 people.
The congregation bought property on the north edge of the former Northern Electric Park for $3,200. Building the church was estimated to cost $15,000. They had $2,223.95 in cash and secured a $4,000 loan.
On April 26, 1929, the church council learned that the Lackawanna Scranton Trust Company would provide a $7,500 mortgage, paid out in stages once the congregation invested $3,000 of its own funds. Contributing to the building fund were the proceeds of clam chowder sales by the congregation’s Ladies Aid Society.
Groundbreaking took place on Sunday, August 11, 1929, services were held in the basement of the church beginning in May 1930, and the church was completed and dedicated in August 1930.
How Trinity Got Its Name
Before 1929, two German Lutheran churches in Scranton—Zion and Holy Trinity—merged. Before the merger, Holy Trinity learned that a new Lutheran church was forming in Clarks Summit. Their Ladies Aid Society and Missionary Society donated a silver communion set and paten to support the new congregation.
When Zion and Trinity merged, they gave the new Clarks Summit church pews, hymnals, and other supplies. To show their appreciation, the new congregation chose the name Trinity.
Growing Pains (1942 – 1959)
In September 1942, repairs were made to the boiler, the coal bin roof, and the basement steps. The church minutes noted that the $2.94 bill would be paid when funds allowed. On May 21, 1943, a special congregational meeting was held to approve new mortgage papers. Only 25 members attended because driving was restricted that day due to wartime gas shortages.
In 1944, Pastor Louis E Wein received $5 a month to help with car expenses. At that time, pastors serving Trinity also served Lutheran churches in Scranton. In 1949, seminarian William Dennis served both St. Paul’s and Trinity during the summer. That fall, the council began exploring the idea of calling their own pastor. In December 1949, Rev. William Dennis accepted the call and became Trinity’s pastor after his seminary graduation in June 1950. Trinity rented an apartment on North State Street for the parsonage at $75 a month, including heat, water, and a garage.
Pastor Dennis quickly became a familiar figure in town—tall, friendly, and always greeting people as he walked. One of his first self‑assigned projects was a door‑to‑door survey of the religious affiliations of everyone in Clarks Summit. His survey was so thorough that other churches requested copies. Although he was often late for Sunday school, it wasn’t due to oversleeping. He spent Sunday mornings at the local diner, chatting with patrons and travelers. This was his way of bringing ministry into the community.
In 1951, the organist resigned because pumping the organ was too difficult. Many believed that no organist wanted the job because of the physical effort required—especially after Pastor Dennis encouraged more energetic hymn playing. The council explored adding a blower, repairing leaks, or buying an electric organ. An organ fund was created, and a new organ was eventually purchased.
Pastor Dennis also sought a larger parsonage that would still cost no more than $75 per month and found one at 108 Coburn Avenue. In 1952, the council began discussing building a parsonage. An architect presented sketches and estimated the cost at $22,000, prompting the creation of a parsonage fund. In January 1953, the church bought a lot next to the parish house for $1,200 plus taxes. In December 1955, Trinity purchased and remodeled the neighboring property at 207 W. Grove Street for $19,000.
As the congregation grew, concerns about the size of the church building led to the start of two Sunday services in June 1954. Attendance increased as a result.
For a time, Trinity was known as “The Church in the Pines” because it was surrounded by pine trees. Rev. David C. Burnite became pastor on April 5, 1959. During his ministry, a brochure described Trinity as “a congregation where the individual is important—small enough to care for each person, yet large enough to offer a full program.” It invited people to Trinity, “the church in the pines.”
Church Expansion – The Transcept (1960 – 2009)
These years brought rapid changes to the church buildings and the congregation. In May 1960, the church planned an expansion that would add 90 more seats, with a mortgage not to exceed $67,000. In the late 1960s, the worship and music committee reported two memorable issues: ushers refused to wear boutonnieres, and the last four pew rows were roped off to encourage people to sit closer to the front. In May 1965, plans were made to renovate the chancel. The work was completed in 1970 at a cost of $8,700.
In October 1966, the Christian Education Committee began organizing the Trinity Lutheran Christian Nursery School. Pastor Oswald Elbert started the school with first teacher donating her $100 monthly salary back to the school to purchase supplies. By January 1967, the school was running smoothly, and that teacher continued teaching until August 1986. The program, later known as Trinity Lutheran Preschool, served the community for decades with classes for three‑ and four‑year‑olds. In 2019, it expanded to include five‑year‑olds and transitioned into a full early education program that continues today.
The renovation mortgage was burned on Reformation Sunday, October 26, 1975.
In 1979, Rev. George J. Mathews, Jr. became Trinity’s pastor, leading his first service on August 26. Soon after Pastor Mathews arrived, the congregation tackled long‑standing property issues. The parking lot had never been paved in 50 years, leaving ruts, puddles, and mud. In spring 1980, the parking areas around the church and parsonage, as well as the access to Bissell Street, were finally paved. That same year, the outdated church kitchen was remodeled.
Trinity’s church library also grew significantly. Before the mid‑1980s, it consisted of a scattered assortment of books. A catalog and circulation system were created and donations from the church and the women’s organization helped expand the collection. Today, the library holds about 2,000 books, carefully selected to support the church’s ministries.
Music became an even larger part of our church life. In 1985, a custom Baroque‑voiced pipe organ was installed. A member built the wind chest and toe board and contributed woodworking seen throughout the church. The chancel was also refined that year. In 2011, the organ console was upgraded with solid‑state components, greatly improving its versatility and lifespan. In 1993, a Schulmerich Carillon system was installed, donated in memory of a deceased member.
Space needs have been a recurring theme in Trinity’s history. In 1994, the parsonage was converted into a parish house, providing classrooms on the first floor and offices on the second. This allowed the church building to dedicate rooms specifically for the library and choir, with an additional room available for small groups. Even with these improvements, the need for more space continued. And in 1999, something happened that many members still celebrate—the church was air‑conditioned.
The Parish Center (2010 – today)
In 2010, Trinity Lutheran Church received an unexpected gift of $1.6 million from the estate of a deceased member. For 15 years prior, the congregation had discussed the need for better facilities—permanent Sunday School rooms, expanded office space, and a larger fellowship area to support a growing church family. A long‑range planning team recommended tearing down the old parish house and building a new education wing, but the project had always seemed financially out of reach. Pastor Mathews continually encouraged the council to plan boldly and trust that God would provide. The bequest made that long‑held dream possible.
The congregational council worked with an ELCA building consultant and formed committees to assess space needs, ensure the plans supported the church’s ministries, select an architect, and manage finances. Key leaders oversaw property surveys, architect selection, and building design; managed the construction and prevented cost overruns; balanced competing ideas of future usage of the space. Construction began in fall 2011 and, thanks to an unusually warm and dry winter, was completed in time for Sunday School to begin in September 2012.
After 37 years of service, Pastor Mathews retired from active ministry in October 2016.
On September 22, 2019, after extensive discussion and educational meetings, the congregation voted to end its affiliation with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and join the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). Pastor Mathews returned as interim pastor in March 2019 and, during that time, became a pastor within the NALC. Pastor Mathews retired in 2023 and the church is currently in Pastoral Transition.