Remembering the past, 50 years ago, two distinct Lutheran congregations in Frankfurt, St. Martinsgemeinde and Dreieinigkeitsgemeinde, embarked on a journey of unity. These congregations, initially separate, merged on October 31, 1971. This union occurred as they moved toward forming the Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche or SELK.
Let’s delve into the story of Trinitatis Gemeinde. The newly formed congregation was initially named St. Johannes Gemeinde. Later, it was renamed Trinitatis Gemeinde. This name reflects the Holy Trinity. The SELK itself was officially founded on June 25, 1972. It represented a merger of various predecessor churches.
Interestingly, the path to unification wasn’t always smooth. Professor Dr. Gilberto da Silva, a Historical Theology professor at the Lutherischen Theologischen Hochschule in Oberursel, spoke about the history of confessional Lutheran church members in Frankfurt and neighboring cities, from the mid-19th century onward. Splits and divergent paths occurred. There were, however, repeated instances of convergence.
In 1968, St. Martinsgemeinde and Dreieinigkeitsgemeinde organized a Lutheran Confessional Day in Frankfurt. Numerous Lutheran congregations from across Germany were invited. About 2,300 people attended. This event is viewed as a precursor to later Kirchentage SELK or Church Days.
Following this Confessional Day, negotiations commenced between the two Frankfurt congregations. These talks culminated in the 1971 merger that created Trinitatis Gemeinde. Da Silva also addressed the history of Frankfurt’s Stephanusgemeinde. It was founded in 1926. It joined SELK in 1978. Then it merged into Trinitatis Gemeinde in 2007.
A celebratory weekend marked Trinitatis Gemeinde’s 50th anniversary. Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt D.D. delivered a sermon emphasizing freedom. Today, Trinitatis Gemeinde continues its mission. Every Sunday and holiday, they celebrate a church service usually at 10:00 a.m. The services often include Holy Communion. You can find upcoming service times posted.
Trinitatis Gemeinde also streams its services online. They seek donations to upgrade their equipment. This will improve the quality of their recordings and live streams. If you wish to donate, details are available. The Gemeindebrief “Brücke” or “Bridge” is the congregation’s newsletter. It is published four times a year. Limited information is available online for data protection reasons.
Trinitatis Gemeinde stands as a testament to faith, unity, and the enduring power of community.