The congregation was first known as the "German Lutheran Congregation of Taneytown." Services were conducted exclusively in the German language until 1828 when the demand for English preaching became so strong that an English-speaking assistant was secured for the pastorate. From that time until several years after the Civil War, ministers conducted services in both languages. Today services are conducted only in English.

During the latter part of the eighteenth century, the congregation was served by pastors who were not residents. Around the beginning of the nineteenth century, Taneytown’s church became the center of a pastoral charge, which included, at various periods, Emmitsburg, Fountain Dale, Mount Joy, Emmanuel (Baust), Uniontown, St. Luke’s (Winters), Mount Union, and Keysville. Some of the pastors were almost entitled to be called itinerant missionaries, so faithfully did they labor to establish churches in the surrounding communities. In Taneytown there was tremendous success in attracting people to the church and, from the early records, this appears as a large congregation. In 1920, when the population of Taneytown was around 800, there were six hundred seventy confirmed members of the congregation.

Five buildings have been used in the history of this congregation. First, the Lutherans in conjunction with the Reformed and Presbyterian congregations used a frame building that stood on the ground, which is now part of the Reformed Cemetery behind Grace United Church of Christ, but in 1811, the community laid the cornerstone for a building where the church now stands. The West Baltimore Street location being chosen for its excellent location on the main artery through town. Two years later, the structure was formally dedicated. About thirty years later, this building was remodeled and enlarged. Beginning in the fall of 1870, a new church was built. After more than twenty-five years, that building was extensively remodeled, enlarged, and improved to give the present beautiful and spacious church the appearance of an entirely new structure. The new design was dedicated on May 9, 1897.

An act of incorporation was approved at a special congregational meeting held February 19, 1900, making the name "Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Taneytown, Carroll County, Maryland." The act was acknowledged before Henry C. Wilt, Justice of the Peace, on March 5, 1900, and duly recorded according to the law on March 6, 1900, at the county seat.

During both World War I and World War II, the congregation felt its losses. Verle E. C. Snider enrolled at Gettysburg Seminary volunteered for service during World War I. He died in France in 1918. In addition, to die in France from complications brought on by the Spanish influenza was Corporal Raymond L. Hesson.

Similar to WWI two members of Trinity were killed in World War II: Paul Copenhaver and Richard Sell. A "Service Flag" honoring the 68 men and women of Trinity who served their country during World War II was enclosed in a glass case and placed alongside a brass plaque in the front vestibule. All four service members found their final resting place in the cemetery at Trinity.

Though not all-inclusive, below is a list of the pastors who have served Trinity Lutheran Church since the calling of the first permanent, full-time pastor in 1788.

• John Guenther Wingandt 1788 – 1795
• John R. Ruthrauff 1796 - 1799
• John David Young 1800 - 1803
• John Grobp 1803 - 1828
• John N. Hoffman 1828 - 1833
• Samuel D. Finckel 1834 - 1837
• Ezra Keller 1837 - 1840
• Solomon Sentman 1841 - 1858
• Levi T. Williams 1858 - 1867
• Peter Bergstresser 1867 - 1874
• W. H. Luckenbaugh 1875 - 1878
• Samuel G. Finckel 1878 - 1883
• Oliver C. Roth 1883 - 1889
• George W. McSherry 1890 - 1896
• D. Frank Garland 1896 - 1899
• Charles A. Britt 1899 - 1904
• William E. Wheeler 1904 - 1910
• Luther B. Hafer 1911 - 1923
• Wouter V. Garrett 1924 - 1928
• Alfred T. Sutcliffe 1928 - 1945
• Glenn L. Stahl 1945 - 1955
• Stanley B. Jennings 1955 - 1960
• Howard W. Miller 1961 - 1968
• Maurice A. Arsenault 1968 - 1973
• Emil Gustafson 1974 - 1981
• Arthur L. Mentzer 1982 - 1993
• John S. Douglas 1994 - 2000
• Rev. John Douglas, September 1994 through November 2000
• Interim Pastor, Rev. Janyce Jorgenson, January 2002 through May 2002
• Rev. Nicholas Brie, May 2002 through November 2008
• Rev. Linda Fernandez, September 2005 through December 2006
• Interim Pastor, Rev. Charles Frederick, November/December 2008 through October 2009
• Rev. Joshua and Rev. Rachael Semovoski, October 2009 through November 2013
• Interim Pastor, Rev. Stacy Marsh, December 2013 through March 2016
• Rev. Cristopher Frigm, March 2016 through Present

While Trinity’s pastors have served with devotion, several pastors have been singled out for special mention because of their acknowledged contributions. One was the Rev. John Grobp, a German pastor, who served the congregation for 25 years. Following his resignation in 1828 because of the trend toward English services, he remained in the community, later died here, and is buried in the church cemetery. Another was the Rev. Solomon Sentman who is most often remembered for building the present parsonage as his home and later selling it to the congregation at a discount. However, judging from the young men who he tutored and subsequently entered the ministry, he must have made a tremendous impact on the lives of his constituency.

Another outstanding pastor, the Rev. Ezra Keller, founded Wittenberg College in Ohio, soon after leaving Taneytown. The Rev. Luther B. Hafer researched and wrote the booklet "A Brief Sketch of Trinity Lutheran Church" in 1911 in time to celebrate the centennial of the laying of the church’s first cornerstone, Sept. 3, 1911.

The longest pastorate at Trinity in the twentieth century was Rev. Alfred T. Sutcliffe who arrived in November 1928 and served until his death on May 26, 1945. Rev. Glenn L. Stahl, in accepting a call to Trinity in 1954, also accepted the challenge to raise funds and begin a building program at Trinity. He rose to that challenge which resulted in the educational wing dedicated Sept. 5, 1954. It was also during his ministry that Trinity celebrated its bicentennial, which culminated in the memorable pageant, "The Seven Books of Trinity."

Rev. Arthur Mentzer, who was Trinity’s beloved pastor from Dec. 12, 1982, until his sudden passing on January 27, 1993, will be remembered for his keen interest in music and, most particularly, the Felgenmaker organ. In 1987 the pipe organ was dismantled entirely, tonal additions made, and completely restored at the cost of $43,000. In 1988 it was rededicated as the "All Saints Organ" and is the pride and joy not only of Trinity congregation but of every musician who plays it.

David Buie is a Taneytown Resident who has a passion for
Carroll County and its place in history.

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