History

In the 1830s immigrants from the Hanover and Braunschweig area of Germany settled in north Cape Girardeau County. In the following years a community grew up around an area known as Shepherd's Mill. The first organized church activities date back to the late 1850s when a "preaching station" grew out of Hanover Lutheran Church. These activities continued during the Civil War, led primarily by the ladies of the community.

During one Sunday School lesson following the Civil War, Dr. James McGarvey was leading the Bible Class teaching on Joseph in Egypt. He proposed the name of the community be changed from Shepherd's Mill to Egypt Mills. The suggestion was taken and the new name stuck.

The first church building used by the Germans was located on the west bank of Big Flora Creek, near the intersection of what is now Bainbridge Road and State Highway 177. The land for this building was donated by Otto Hanebrink.

In 1867 the Germans in the Egypt Mills area formally organized The Evangelical Trinity Lutheran Congregation of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, Randol Township Missouri, otherwise known as Trinity Lutheran-Egypt Mills. They continued to meet in the log church on the banks of Big Flora Creek.

In 1879, because of the repeated flooding of the creek, a decision was made to relocate the church building approximately one mile west, to the current location. A new church building was built for $724.65 using primarily the labor of two members Edward and Theodore Gerlach. On May 30, 1880 the current church building was dedicated. It has been in continuos use since that dedication.

Changes took place to the building over time. During the pastorate of Rev. Purzner, 1896-1902, the current bell tower and bell room was added. Along with these additions, the "Old School House" was built to house the "German School." In 1907 the chancel and Sacristy areas of the building were added. During the 1930s the church building was raised and the basement dug out and added. The last major construction for the congregation was the building of a new parsonage in the late 1950s.

In the fall of 1997, the congregation having outgrown the "Old School House" as Sunday School space, authorized planning to begin on a new Education building. In August of 1998, the "Old School House" was moved from its original location to a place up the hill and across from the cemetery. In March of 1999, the congregation gave final approval for construction to begin for a new Education Building. Construction was completed in November of 1999 and the building was occupied and dedicated on Thanksgiving Weekend of 1999. The addition was 7,800 square feet consisting of classroom, offices, fellowship hall & kitchen and storage. The final cost was $265,000.

On Labor Day weekend of 2,000 the congregation began two worship services on Sunday morning. This is the first time in the congregation's history the congregation has had two Sunday morning services (other than special occasions.)

In 2003 the congregation has undergone a self evaluation. We have defined our Values and the vision we have as a congregation. Along with this we have adopted a new mission statement that is more reflective of who we are as the people of God. As the year winds down, we are currently in discussions concerning revising our current constitution, which is more than 50 years old.