Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church - Regina

Der Herr sei mit dir. (The Lord be with you.) Twenty-one German people lived in the area that became Saskatchewan in 1881. The total population of was 19,000. 15,000 were people from First Nations, 2,100 people were British and 21 people were German.

Four years passed and another 275 Germans joined the first 21. Another 16 years passed and by 1901 11,743 Germans were living in Saskatchewan. The population of Regina was 2000.

Saskatchewan became a Province of the Dominion of Canada in September 1905. An invitation went out to the peoples of Western and Eastern Europe to make this new and dynamic province their home.

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church is only one year younger than the City of Regina. On March 4, 1906 the small, German speaking Lutheran community in Regina assembled at a family home. Following worship, 15 men and women signed the constitution and Trinity Lutheran Church came into being.

The population of the province soared. People were coming from, it seemed, all over. By 1911 Saskatchewan's population had grown to almost half a million. Almost 70,000 of them of German origin. And the population of Regina had reached 30,000. It appeared that nothing would stop the growth of the province and the congregation.

During the First World War the flood of immigrants dwindled to a trickle. However, even while immigration slowed, by 1916 Trinity had grown to a baptized membership of 450. After the end of the First World War, German speaking people continued to immigrate to Saskatchewan.

Although Saskatchewan's population of 900,000 in 1931 had dwindled by several tens of thousands during the depression and war years. But the population of Regina was approaching 70,000 by 1948. Germans continued to be the largest ethnic group in the province apart from those of British origin.

The city of Regina was expanding. New churches were needed and planned. German speaking people once again came to the province. They were refugees from war and people looking for employment and hope.

On March 9th 1948, 80 people signed the constitution at a meeting held at the Kitchener Hotel and St. Paul's Lutheran Church came into being.

Trinity Lutheran Church and St. Paul's Lutheran Church were two thriving German Lutheran congregations who were now welcoming the second and third generation of Canadians to their baptismal fonts.

On 8 June 2003, the world having changed much again, Trinity Lutheran Church and St. Paul's Lutheran Church merged and in 1906 Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church celebrated 100 years of God's work in this city in this place.

Ehre sei Gott. To God be the Glory.