James DITTMAN, a lay assistant of the Lutheran Church, Iowa District West, moved to Mount Ayr in 1963 with the intent of gathering Lutherans and potential Lutherans to establish a Bible study and perhaps organizing a church. On August 30, 1963, the first worship service, Bible study and Sunday school class was held in the home of Jack YEAROUS. A year later, on August 30, 1964, the Lutheran worship center and parsonage were dedicated, located at 403 South Douglas Street.

 Reverend Gregory J. SCHULTZ (1991)
   Reverend Don CRAIG (2003)
    Reverend Gary JAECKLE (2009)
    Reverend Don CRAIG (2010);
    Vacancy Pastor Rev. Jonathan WATT (2012)

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, April 23, 1964

The Lutheran Mission, Missouri Synod, of Mount Ayr, held its ground breaking ceremony on April 19 on the lot behind the Dairy Sweet just off of Highway 2. Lay assistant James DITTMAN, Mrs. DITTMAN, Diane and Billy will reside in a new house, which will include a chapel for the mission. Tentative plans are to have the chapel completed about August 1, at which time the project will be dedicated.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, August 27, 1964

Dedicatory services for the new worship center and parsonage of the Lutheran Mission, located at 403 S. Douglas, will be held Sunday, August 30, at 7:30 p.m. Guest speaker of the occasion will be the Rev. G.A. Kengel of the Zion Lutheran church in Atlantic, and a circuit counselor. Plans for the mission were started by James DITTMAN, Lay Assistant for the Lutheran Church Iowa District West, who was recently assigned to southern Iowa and Mount Ayr.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, October 27, 1966

A new pastor is now serving at the Mount Ayr Lutheran Church. He is Dr. George Vogel of Greenfield, who served the Greenfield church for many years and is now retired.

On September 23, 1973, ground was broken for the construction of a new Lutheran Church at 111 East South Street. The building committee consisted of Merlyn ALLEN, James LUFT, Mr. and Mrs. Jack YEAROUS, Roy PIMPER, Shari Anderson, and Reverend Bruce FREDERICKSON. Dedication ceremonies for the new $100,000 church building were held on October 13, 1974. The old worship center was converted into a garage.

SOURCES:
Mount Ayr Record-News, Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa. June 7, 2007.

AVITT, Mike. Pages and Pictures from the Past . . . Ringgold County, Iowa: 1885-2005 p. 79. Paragon Publications, Inc. Mount Ayr, Iowa. 2009.

TERRY, Jack R. A Centennial History of Mount Ayr, Iowa: 1875 - 1975 p. 109. Mount Ayr Record-News Mount Ayr. 1975

Photograph and compilation by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2009; updated August of 2009; updated May of 2017

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, October 13, 1983

Pastor Tom ALBRECHT has a busy Sunday on his last Sunday in the First Lutheran Church, baptizing or confirming seven people from the Diagonal area all on the same day. Pastor ALBRECHT has since moved from the First Lutheran Church in Mount Ayr to a church in Farnhamville.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, July 25, 1991

Installation services Sunday, July 21, made official the assuming of duties as pastor of the Mount Ayr First Lutheran Church and the Leon Our Savior's Lutheran Church for Rev. Gregory J. Schultz.

A number of local residents helped plant the Hy-Vee One Step Community Garden at Trinity Lutheran (formerly First Lutheran) Church in Mount Ayr on May 14. Those working on the project included (front, L-R) Jane Lawhead, Shirley Wallace, Cindy Mitchell, Allison Carr-Anderson and Krishna Carr-Anderson; (back) Doug Bullock, Theola Bullock and Crystal Storhoff.

The garden consists of four raised 4' X 12' boxes located on the south side of the church. The group planted tomato and pepper plants along with seeds for radishes, cucumbers, green beans, peas, Swiss chard, lettuce and squash.

Shirley Wallace is starting watermelon in her greenhouse to be planted after the peas have been harvested.

Also helping, but not pictured, were Chris Doster, Sue Larsen, Vicki Sickels, Roger Townsend, Amanda Waske and Riley Waske.

Reverend Jonathan Watt dedicates the new church sign commemorating Mount Ayr's former First Lutheran Church's offical afflilation with the Creston Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Members of the Mount Ayr Chamber of Commercer were on hand recently for a ribbon cutting to receive the changing of the name of the former First Lutheran Church in Mount Ayr to Trinity Lutheran Church.

Trinity Lutheran To Close December 29

Trinity Lutheran Church will hold their final service at the Mount Ayr location, 1111 East South Street, on Sunday December 29 at 2 p.m. Doors will open at 1:00 p.m. with fellowship and refreshments until the service starts.

The current church location was dedicated on September 1, 1974. First Lutheran Church met at this location until May of 2013 when First Lutheran became part of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran of Creston and the name changed to Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Creston and Mount Ayr.

Pastor John Rutz, who has served Trinity since September 2016, will lead the final service.

In announcing the closure, Pastor Rutz stated: “We give praise and thanks to our God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the ministry here in Mount Ayr and the surrounding community that has fed so many here over the years and the seeds of faith planted that will continue to produce a harvest not only in Mount Ayr, but in the many other places as well.”

The theme of the closing service will be based on Isaiah 55:11: “So shall my word that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”