Trinity Lutheran of Lake Johanna
Church History
Trinity Lutheran Church of Lake Johanna traces its history to before the founding of Arden Hills. The first church in the area, it began in 1941 as a part of the Knollwood-New Brighton parish, a mission church of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Some early services were held at the old Village Hall in New Brighton. Services were transferred to the former Lake Johanna Elementary School in November 1941.
Rev. Henry Beltz served his entire ministry of 38 years with this church. Before his ordination on November 23, 1941, he canvassed the north suburban area from Arden Hills to Blaine, recruiting parishioners. Rev. Beltz recommended that the Mission Board establish two separate congregations: Messiah Lutheran was built in Mounds View, and Lake Johanna Evangelical Lutheran was established in what later became Arden Hills. The sites selected for the construction of church buildings placed them in neighborhoods where the new parishioners lived. Pastor Beltz served both parishes until 1954, when Pastor W. Siefkes was installed as Pastor at Messiah and Pastor Beltz was installed as Pastor of Lake Johanna Evangelical Lutheran.
Official organization took place in the summer of 1942. Though the congregation had purchased the property on New Brighton Road for its building, World War II delayed construction. But the parish itself grew. In 1943, only two years after the first services, Sunday School enrollment exceeded 80 children, partly because of the Sunday School bus that traversed the neighborhood from New Brighton.
After the war, the congregation initiated a building program for both a parsonage and a church building. Services moved to the basement of the Education Building in late February 1949, and Pastor Beltz and his family moved to the parsonage through snow and mud a month later.
In 1956, the congregation's name became Trinity Lutheran of Lake Johanna. In the same year plans progressed rapidly to provide much needed additional space by completing a new level of the Educational Building to serve as a temporary place for services, meetings, and fellowship gatherings. The cornerstone was laid on November 5, 1961, and the new sanctuary dedicated on May 6, 1962. Over the next decade, Sunday School enrollment exceeded 300 children, including 75 pre-schoolers who met in the basement of the parsonage next door. Mrs. Beltz would take down the laundry so there would be space for them.
After Pastor Beltz' retirement in 1979, W.C. Franzmeier served the congregation for eight years. Pastor Byron Northwick arrived in 1989 and left in 2002. Our current Pastor is Daryl Gehlbach. Chaplain Werner R. Saar was assistant visitation pastor from 1957-1991.
Beginning in late 2003 Prince of Peace for the deaf began sharing our facilities for worship and other activities. Pastor Gehlbach ministers to Prince of Peace as well.
Improvements to the building and grounds continue. The stained glass window above the altar was designed by Char Kahler of Fairmont Art Glass Studio, and funded through memorials and donations. The window depicts the story of faith, through the use of Biblical scenes and Christian symbols.
Always a strong presence in the neighborhood, the Church served as a fall out shelter, shares its parking lot with Hazelnut Park next door, offers Alive-55 classes through its Senior Citizens Club, and provides a comfortable, safe place for young people for second grade through high school through its Mid-Week programs on Wednesday nights. In addition, the Church hosts both Girl, Cub and Boys scout meetings.
Trinity continues its commitment to on-going spiritual growth through worship, education, and service, to equip people as active disciples and confident witnesses of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Look back in time to Trinity's history. Click here to view pictures! (coming soon, sorry for the inconvenience)