Trinity Lutheran Church - Lawrence, KS

Our Mission

Our mission is to be a Place of Grace, with a Call for All, to Continue the work of Jesus.

A Place of Grace
As Lutherans we trust the words of Paul in Ephesians 2:8 - 10, "For by Grace you have been saved through faith and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God – not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life: (NRSV). We affirm that Grace, God's unmerited favor, is what saves us and all people. Grace is not just an idea or a teaching, but the very real and tangible power of God that changes and transforms lives. Grace cannot be separated from Jesus the Christ who was and is, "full of Grace and Truth" (John 1:14). We envision Trinity Lutheran Church as a place where people will constantly encounter and experience God’s Grace when we gather for worship, for learning, for planning and for service. And our aim is that people will hear and experience God’s Grace in the preaching, the praying and especially in the gracious and welcoming people of this place we know as Trinity Lutheran Church.

Our Beliefs

What exactly do Lutherans, in general, and the folks at Trinity, specifically, believe?

The Lutheran heritage originates just less than 500 years ago in Germany, were a Roman Catholic Monk named Martin Luther became aware that there were differences between the teaching of the Roman Catholic church and what is stated in scripture. Luther's protests of the teachings of the Roman Catholic church, particularly the selling of indulgences (get out of purgatory free cards), called for reform of the church and began the Protestant Reformation. Followers of Luther's teachings became known as "Lutherans" and the Lutheran tradition spread throughout Germany, Norway, Finland, Denmark and other Northern European countries.

Lutherans believe in the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and that he conquered sin and death through his crucifixion and resurrection.

We believe that humans, by nature, are sinful and that there is nothing that we can do on our own to be saved. HOWEVER, through the gift of Grace that God so generously bestows upon us, we are saved through our faith, which is also a gift from God (Eph 2:8-10). This being the case, we believe that salvation is accessable to everyone.

We believe that scripture is the inspired Word of God that reveals the good news of God's love for us. Scripture serves as the source and the norm of our proclamation of the Gospel, which, through the Holy Spirit speaks and creates Faith, Hope and Love.

We believe that God calls all people to do ministry in the world, whether we know it or not. From mothers and fathers who care for their children, police officers, teachers, and librarians, to bus drivers, construction workers, and dentists, all vocations include a call from God to serve the world in some way.

Trinity is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The ELCA formed in 1982 when its three predecessor bodies, the American Lutheran Church, the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, and the Lutheran Church in America, merged to become one body of faith.