In April of 1899, a survey was made of the South Wheeling area relative to the organization of an English Lutheran Church in this section of the area. Conditions being found favorable, the third floor of the A. O. U. W. Hall located at Thirty-Sixth and Jacob Street was secured as a place of Worship. (Across the street from Cooey-Bentz Company) The first service was held Sunday Evening, September 24, 1899 and was conducted by the Rev. C. B. King, D. D., Missionary Superintendent of the Pittsburgh Synod.

Trinity started as a Sunday School in South Wheeling. The congregation was organized on Sunday, November 5, 1899, named "Second English Evangelical Lutheran Church" by a group of thirty-one charter members who wished to have Lutheran services in English. At this meeting a call was extended to the Rev. W. A. Hartman to become the first pastor. The Call was accepted and the Rev. Hartman began his work December 17, 1899. 

Trinity was designated the "first Mission Church" of the Twentieth Century Fund of the Old Pittsburgh Synod of the United Lutheran Church in America. Pastor Hartman issued the first copy of the new four sheet Parish paper called "The Second English Lutheran." This paper was successfully conducted for a number of years. It was decided that the council act as a committee to find a suitable location for the church on February 12,1900. Attention was centered on obtaining a lot and proper church building. The lot was purchased from on May 1, 1901. Ground was broken for the first church building August 27, 1901, at 3536 Eoff Street. The Church was completed and dedicated April 6, 1902. 

The congregation decided to change its name to Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in January, 1906. In 1971, two projects of the Lutheran Ministry to the aging were started at Trinity. The incorporation of Chapter #824 of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and Meals-On-Wheels. (Our church is sometimes known as "The Meals on Wheels Church" because that is where the meals were cooked and delivered from.) (MOW started on Nov. 1, 1971) This program was a non-denominational and a community service non-profit organization. (The program closed on Nov. 8, 2013-after 42 years.) February, 2007, South Wheeling Preservation Alliance was organized and met at Trinity each month. (The SWPA is a diligent group of residents dedicated to effecting change in the neighborhood through positive actions.) South Wheeling area is traditionally defined as south of 29th street to 48th street and west of Route 2 to the Ohio River. The SWPA group is dedicated to identifying, to preserving and to promoting the historic character of the area. Goals are to promote restoration and conservation of buildings, beautification, demolition of dangerously decaying buildings and historic documentation of the area and its people via oral histories. The South Wheeling Preservation Alliance announced the beginning of the South Wheeling Neighborhood Watch on October 27, 2009, which was their first meeting. They hold their meetings at Trinity each month. The Friends of Wheeling honors those who have made positive impacts on the architectural heritage of Wheeling.

In 2010, The South Wheeling Preservation Alliance was honored for "Outstanding Preservation Efforts in South Wheeling," November 3, 2013 The Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, South Wheeling Scholarship Fund was established. At an earlier meeting in June, it was discussed to form a scholarship in Trinity's name. (Since Trinity was started as a Sunday School, the scholarship was started for the children in South Wheeling schools and then they go onto Wheeling Park High School.) In October, 2013, the church had a meeting with Suzie Nelson, the director of the OV Community Foundation, to set up this scholarship. The first scholarship was given out in 2014.