Our History

Delve into Prince of Peace's 150 Years of Community and Service, dating back to the mid-19th century in Over-the-Rhine.

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church

In 1849, a small group of members left the German Evangelical Zion Church to form Trinity Lutheran Church, which has since evolved into the beloved Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.

Trinity Lutheran Church, pictured in 1910, here labelled "German" Lutheran Church.r

Origins Dating Back to 1871

The church building, constructed in 1871 with a Gothic architectural style, is a historic landmark that has stood the test of time.

A newspaper clipping of Trinity Church, now Prince of Peace's sanctuary. The caption is written in both German and English.

A newsclipping of Trinity Church & Parsonage, now present-day Prince of Peace Lutheran Church

Concordia Lutheran Church

Despite being split by a schism in 1904, the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church persisted and eventually reconciled with Emmaus congregation to form Concordia Lutheran Church in 1927.

Becoming Prince of Peace

In 1969, a peaceful separation between Concordia and the Race Street Remnant resulted in the formation of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.

Uniting through Service

With the transition, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church initiated an outreach program to serve the Greater Cincinnati area with the help of volunteers from the Prince of Peace Volunteers, inspired by the organization of the Federal Peace Corps.

Prince of Peace continues to serve the community with its various ministries.

Modern Day

Members of the Cincinnati community gather for a concert to celebrate the success of Prince of Peace's restoration campaign.

The community gathers in celebration of the successful Restoration campaign for a piano concert.

A booklet, written primarily in German, details the history of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, the church formed prior to Prince of Peace.

An illustration of the Holy Spirit (a dove) shines above an excerpt, The Fruit of the Spirit, from Galatians 5.

A vintage Palm Sunday order of worship cover with an image of Jesus and followers above a verse from Matthew.

A withered page of German text details the history of Trinity Evangelical Church, one of Prince of Peace's predecessors.

Virgin Mary cradles Baby Jesus above an excerpt from John 3:16.

A Nativity Scene is illustrated on sheet music for "Silent Night"

An illustration of Baby Jesus is framed in gold above the text "For Unto Us a Child is Born"

A newspaper clipping from the Cincinnati Times in 1954 references Concordia Lutheran School, Prince of Peace's predecessor.

Four black and white images show the Concordia Lutheran Church's Mens Club, the Senior Walther League, The Junior Walther League, and the Concordia Stewards

An illustration of Jesus hung at the Cross looms over the 1963 Calendar for Lent

A Journey through Time

Step back in time through these rare photos and documents.

Our restoration campaign has made tremendous strides, revitalizing the grandeur of our iconic steeple, a symbol of hope and unity in our community. However, our journey of renewal is ongoing.

We are excited about the prospect of illuminating the steeple with outdoor lighting, turning it into a radiant beacon for our neighborhood. In the heart of our space is the Koehnken and Grimm pipe organ, a 130-year-old musical masterpiece. This extraordinary instrument awaits critical repairs to restore its melodious voice. Additionally, we envision enhancing the warmth and welcoming atmosphere of our sanctuary with new, elegant carpeting and revitalizing our kitchen with durable, stylish flooring.

Your support is vital to continue this transformative journey. To be a part of this legacy of restoration and renewal, we warmly invite you to contribute to our ongoing efforts. Please consider donating below to help us bring these visions to life.

Support Further Restoration of Our Historic Sanctuary

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Prince of Peace's unique pipe organ sits atop the balcony in the sanctuary

Restoring our Sanctuary

In 2014, Prince of Peace launched a restoration campaign to completely restore the historic church sanctuary. The first event held in the renovated sanctuary was a concert in 2016, followed by the Easter Vigil Service.

The church's beautifully restored sanctuary features stunning stained-glass windows, pillars throughout, a soaring ceiling, a large balcony, ornate images, and statues of the four evangelists on the altar.