Trinity Lutheran Church - Oakland

2015 CC SA-BY Our Oakland

Not to be confused with First Trinity Lutheran Church, which was on 17th Avenue.

Trinity Lutheran Church is at 650 Alma Avenue in Cleveland Heights. The congregation dates back to 1907 in McClymonds, when it was also known as Trinity Norwegian Lutheran Church, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, or Athens Avenue Norwegian Lutheran Church.

Athens Avenue

Rev. M.A. Christensen was the pastor beginning in 1907. Other pastors during this time include Rev. E.F. Belgum (1911-1919) and Rev. O.T. Bandrud (1919-1945). ¹

Around 1920, the Trinity Lutheran name started appearing more, but Trinity Norwegian Lutheran appeared in the Sunday listings.

In 1928, they remodeled the church building, and started using Trinity Lutheran in the Sunday listings in 1929.

2025 CC SA-BY Our Oakland1912 Sanborn excerpt

The building at 825 Athens is now Spire the Church.

Alma Avenue

Rev. Gordon J. Hanson became pastor in 1946. The church sold the building on Athens in 1946, and met at the East Oakland Seventh-Day Adventist Church for a time.

In 1950, they announced plans for a new building at 650 Alma, designed by Lief L. Nelson. The building was completed in 1951. ^1,2

1950 ¹