CHURCH HISTORY

Trinity Congregation, Clover, Idaho, was organized in the spring of 1915. Seven members signed the constitution at the time. These original families had come from Lutheran congregations in Nebraska.

 

A company had organized by the name of HIGH LINE SEED FARMS and had put about four thousand acres under irrigation by means of a pumping plant. These farms were sold to people in Nebraska, Kansas, and a few other states. The whole tract was seeded and the first crop was guaranteed to the purchaser, even before he moved on his property. Let us state right here that the sales manager, Mr. Harley J. Hooker, was a man of his word, and the settlers still speak of his integrity. He faithfully fulfilled the promises made as far as he was able to do so. Among these was the donation of a tract of six acres to Trinity congregation.

 

On this tract a school was built in 1915 and dedicated in the month of August. This building also served as a house of worship.

 

The congregation soon outgrew its temporary house of worship. For this reason a larger house of worship became a necessity. Under divine blessings the project was completed, the cornerstone was laid in the spring of 1918 and the new church was dedicated to the glory of God on August 18 of the same year.

 

The congregation continued to show a healthy growth, many families settling below the Clover tract under the gravity system of the Twin Falls Canal Company.

 

Trinity congregation joined the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod at the convention of the Oregon-Washington District at Tacoma, Washington, in the summer of 1918. At the time the statement was made on the floor of Synod that our congregation is the only one in our District which never received support from the mission treasury, but was self-sustaining from its beginning. We can also state that throughout its history It has contributed liberally to the work of the Church at home and abroad.

 

As Christians, our founders desired a community that would glorify God. They established a school, even while many were living in tents, to teach scriptural truths to their children and the children of the community, and the Christian faith could be put into practice. The church congregation was established as a place where they could unite in worship, fellowship with one another, serve the needs of all people and help each other grow in faith.

 

Today, our surrounding culture is changing but the reasons we exist are the same. God’s truth continues to be proclaimed at Clover Trinity Lutheran Church and School.

 

Because we desire to glorify God, we regularly worship, fellowship, serve and grow together in faith strengthened by God’s Word - the Bible. God has led us to strive toward ministry where “together as servants of God we will share Christ’s love and strive to meet the spiritual and physical needs of all people.” In fact, you will find that very motto throughout our community, held up as a vision for excellence in Clover Trinity Lutheran Church and School ministry.