100 Years 100 stories
Transcription
100 Years 100 stories
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH 100 Years Our Stories 209 South Allen Street Appleton, Wisconsin 54911 920.734.9895 www.trinityappleton.com Contents Judy Boncher ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................1 Mitzi Britton ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................1 Carol Burns Loaves & Fishes of the Fox Valley, Inc. ........................................................................................................................................1 Dorothy Deeg........................................................................................................................................................................................................................2 Anna Faye Dodd ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................2 Lorna Dorn.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................2 Dean and Ann Einspahr ..................................................................................................................................................................................................3 Margie and Jerry Ellefson ..............................................................................................................................................................................................3 Heidi (Ellefson) Selander...............................................................................................................................................................................................3 Betty Emmanuel .................................................................................................................................................................................................................4 Wanda Fischer – Confirmation ...................................................................................................................................................................................4 Wanda Fischer - Family ..................................................................................................................................................................................................5 Barbara Haas ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................7 Helen Heil ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................7 Marilyn (Pingel) Jacobson .............................................................................................................................................................................................7 Annelise Jensen ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................8 Erick Jensen .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................8 Julius Family .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................8 John Julius ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................9 Hilkka Kaustinen................................................................................................................................................................................................................9 Janice Liebscher ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Leanne Meidam Wincentsen..................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Brenda Miller .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Pete and Millie Mohr ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Kari A Mor ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Judy Natz .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 11 John and Carol Palmquist ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Carlyn Pingel...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Mary Robertson ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Audrey Mattes Schiedermayer ................................................................................................................................................................................ 13 Marilyn Schucknecht..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Glennis Schuelke ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 14 Lois Small............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 15 Doug and Marion Steward.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Susan Suprise .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Chris Vander Wielen ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Dorothy Warren............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Pr. Brian, Mary, and Matt Bankert........................................................................................................................................................................ 17 John Julius Automobile Memories: ....................................................................................................................................................................... 18 i Trinity Lutheran Church 1915 - 2015 Centennial Welcome to "100 Years . . . Our Stories" A century is a milestone for any building, but for our church it represents a particular achievement at the heart of our community. It is an occasion in which not just the congregation, pastor, and volunteers should be proud, but also the entire community, which benefits from the good deeds and work that spring from its influence. Our centennial anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate the lives and works of all who have worshipped here. Each one of you has a "Trinity" story written on your heart. Please enjoy the following stories that members, both former and present, have chosen to share. Some stories may make you chuckle while others may bring a tear to your eye. But all of them are heartfelt! Thank you to everyone who contributed stories as well as those who interviewed members, transcribed the notes, and assembled this booklet. Please excuse any typos or spelling errors - the memories and stories are what's important. Enjoy!! ii piano, I again held them at the church. This time we had the recitals in the church, from the years 1990 to 2006. I have lots of wonderful memories of great performances and receptions over those 50 years. Judy Boncher Having been a member of Trinity for over 50 years, I thought I might be remiss if I did not write a few words about my favorite memories. They are, of course, the wonderful Christmas and Palm Sunday cantatas and programs that told the Gospel story through music and word. We always had a full orchestra, insightful readings, and glorious orchestral and organ music. Our choir of 25-30 members sang and rehearsed with passion… and fun. On those Sundays we usually had about 600 congregational and community people in attendance. (One time the fire chief came to the service to assure himself that we could all exit safely if needed!) Finding a parking place was a good issue! Carol Burns Loaves & Fishes of the Fox Valley, Inc. Although not a member of Trinity Lutheran church I have had personal contact with Trinity since 2000 when Loaves & Fishes of the Fox Valley, Inc., began serving our evening meal every Monday night. I don't remember the name of the pastor with whom I spoke in 2000 when I came to discuss the possibility of renting space at Trinity to feed the hungry, but I do remember feeling very welcomed. All of us felt a commitment to what we were doing and a hope that we were truly communicating messages of peace, hope, and love. There was always an aura of community togetherness in the choir and it was wonderful for each of the choir members and those in the congregation, to experience that wonderful sense of strength and togetherness. Candles, carols, and connectivity created an atmosphere of intense spirituality. Worship was both personal and communal. When we sang “How Can I Keep from Singing?” it was truth in evidence. Each of the pastors since then has supported our outreach with enthusiasm. The people at Trinity began to get involved, too. Mary Robertson and her husband, Ron, graciously built us a cabinet in which we stored can goods and paper items. Those items were kept in the small storage room under the stairs. Paul Walker, the church custodian, built shelves for L&F in the storage room across the hall from the smaller storage area. (Pastor Kurt Kovanen authorized the purchase of lumber used to build the shelves and I believe the lumber was then donated by a church member). Austin was the choir/music director for 35 years; he was here officially longer than any of our pastors! I am truly grateful and most appreciative for the musical memories the choir and my husband created at Trinity. I feel blessed to have been a part of it. Golden memories in my golden years! A wonderful history of remembrance in this building! As L&F continued to grow and a second night was added to our ministry in 2010, more freezer space was needed. Pastor Kurt offered us space in the former library located across from the kitchen to accommodate our walk-in freezer and food items. The Ladies Bible Study Group also became involved with L&F and took control one evening serving the entire meal. A partnership soon developed. Pastor Brian Bankert arrived in 2013 and was immediately supportive of our program. In January of 2014, Trinity co-hosted a Holiday Party for the guests of L&F. Later the church council, with the blessings of Pastor Brian, agreed to let L&F rent the lower auditorium for a third night of feeding the hungry. L&F has been blessed by our partnership with Trinity. Thank you all for graciously welcoming us into your church community. Mitzi Britton I gave private piano lessons in Appleton for over 50 years. I had a total of 303 students during that time. My students performed in a recital once a year. From 1961 to 1979, I held those recitals at Trinity on a Sunday afternoon in the lower auditorium. We had a reception after also. From 1980 to 1989, I held the recitals at the History museum and Einstein Junior High School. When Trinity was able to get their beautiful grand 1 Dorothy Deeg trainer who prepared these members for their duties. My husband Richard was a lifelong member of Trinity. He was baptized and confirmed here. In 1992 he passed away and was buried from Trinity after 61 years of membership. We were married at St. Paul’s church in August of 1953. In October of that year I joined Trinity. We had two daughters, Sue and Cindy. They were baptized, confirmed, and married here. Our four grandchildren were also baptized and confirmed here. Two of them were also married at Trinity. Two great-grandsons were baptized here as well. When our daughters were young, I was a Sunday school teacher and also a Vacation Bible School teacher. Later on I was head of both departments at Trinity. Professionally, Anna Faye was a substitute teacher and tutor. She was involved in preschool screening of three and four year-olds and became in charge of the program. When children needed assistance, Anna Faye linked them to the appropriate program or source. Anna Faye was an active volunteer in these community organizations: League of Women Voters, Community Clothes Closet, and Harbor House. Lorna Dorn Joyce Lippold and I co-chaired the Membership Committee for many years. Our committee consisted of Lois Small, Millie Mohr, Ann Einspahr, and Esther Jurgenson. We met once a month at The Good Company with the pastors. With the money given to the church for funerals and other special events we purchased many things for the kitchen and dining areas. Some of these items were the round tables and chairs, large refrigerator, silverware, and tablecloths. We also purchased the bookcase and credenza in the west lobby of the church. My daughter, Cindy, made all of the floral arrangements for the tables. I joined Trinity when I married my husband, Jim Dorn, in 1970. Our four boys, Travis, Tyler, Trevor, and Troy were baptized by Pastor James Nelson and they all were confirmed at Trinity, too. Our second son Tyler and his bride Kim were married at Trinity and their daughter Katelyn was baptized here. The funeral for our oldest son Travis was also held at Trinity, so we had many happy times and one very sad time all in which Trinity played a part. As we belonged to Trinity over the years, we met so many wonderful, caring people. There is one couple that we have made many special memories with. They are Dan and Glennis Schuelke and their family. We had soup suppers together during Lent that the youth would clean up after. Dan taught Travis and Tyler how to run our dishwasher in the Trinity kitchen. In the Christmas pageant one year, Kristen Schuelke played Mary and our son Travis played Joseph. Also, we worked at the Emergency Shelter and shared the duties there with Dan and Glennis. It always worked ou fine, and after we were done, we got a bite to eat and enjoyed our social time together. I also taught Sunday school and on my last day of teaching, Glennis put a bouquet of flowers in my classroom. What a gal! I also served as an altar care person, communion assistant, and greeter. I also helped Barb Haas with the church cookbooks. I have enjoyed working with all of the great people at Trinity. Anna Faye Dodd Anna Faye was very active in Sunday Church School and Vacation Bible School for which she taught and also served as a leader for the teachers of three, four, and five year-olds. Anna Faye advocated for the Head Start Program which met in Trinity’s lower auditorium and kitchen. She persuaded the Church Council to open Trinity’s doors to this group and mediated any problems between Head Start and Trinity. August 4-13, 1989, we went on a youth trip called “Westward Ho” with about 15 Trinity youth. Our outgoing Tentmaker, Tom Stadem, planned this trip and our incoming Tentmaker, Judy Hogen, went also. We didn’t stay at any luxury motels; we slept in sleeping bags on cots in church basements, a park pavilion, and one night at a ski lodge. Our Adults benefitted from Anna Faye’s commitment to the Stephen Ministry Program. She recruited Trinity members for Stephen Ministry and was a 2 youth kids performed their musical talents at many churches on the way to South Dakota. It was an inspiring, faithful, and fun journey for all. Skien, Norway. He had come to this country in 1980 as a member of the Norwegian Olympic Cycling team. We hosted him and another Norwegian cycler at our house. There, Heidi and Dag became acquainted and later engaged. They were married in 1981 at Trinity by Pastor James Nelson. As a special favor, he performed part of the ceremony in Norwegian. Austin and Judy Boncher sang a duet (La Os Leve) in Norwegian for the ceremony which was also very special. Dag’s family of 10 members was hosted here by us and friends for two weeks during that time. Dean and Ann Einspahr Dean and Ann Einspahr were married in 1946 in Wall Lake, Iowa, which is Andy William’s hometown. In 1948 their first child, son Larry, was born on February 1st. Their daughter was born seven years later in 1955 on the same date (February 1st) with the same doctor and at the same hospital. She was blessed with a name combining both Dean and Ann. Shortly after DeAnn was born, they moved to Appleton. Dean worked for Iowa State University and Ann taught school in Ames prior to their moving to Appleton. They attended a Lutheran Church in Ames, Iowa. Dean came to Appleton to work at The Institute of Paper Chemistry. Margie and I were members of the choir led by Austin Boncher. We had many thrilling experiences giving concerts at the church for Christmas, Easter, and other special occasions. We felt our choir was second to none and were proud to be part of it. One memorable experience is that Jerry was to have a short solo passage in one of the anthems at the Christmas concert and was so listed in the program. A member of Trinity at the time, Jerry Otteson, had a similar name and also was somewhat similar to our Jerry in appearance, both being blond Norwegians. After the performance, many people walked up to Jerry Otteson and complimented him on his performance. He said, “Thank you very much,” and took credit for the performance. We were good friends and laughed about it many times. Ann was a teacher for many years working at Richmond and Huntley schools. After she received her Master’s degree in reading, Ann traveled to various schools as a reading specialist. Pastor Kindem came to Appleton the same time as the Einspahrs. Dean remembers Pastor Kindem knocking at their door for a visit and after the visit they decided to join Trinity. When the Kindems were transferred, “Hap” their son, stayed with Einspahrs in order to finish his senior year at Appleton West. Another memorable experience was arranging for the Christmas star on the south wall of the church. Jerry constructed the star, mounted, and wired several lights to illuminate it. Requisitioning volunteers and a bucket truck from the power company, it was mounted up in the peak of the south wall where it was used for many years. Margie and Jerry Ellefson We were welcomed as Trinity members in 1960 by Pastor Kindem after moving to Appleton and beginning a career at Wisconsin Michigan Power Co. At that time we had a family of two little girls, Sonja and Heidi, and a newborn infant Jermond Jon. Jerry Jon was baptized soon after joining. We moved away in 1991 after Jerry retired. We will not forget Trinity Lutheran Church nor the many pastors, members, and friends we knew. It was our family church as we raised our family. We both served a term on the church council, too. Our children, Sonja, Heidi, and Jermond Jon were all confirmed at Trinity and I think received a solid Christian foundation there. Our first grandchild, DagOlav Selander, was also baptized there. Heidi (Ellefson) Selander My family belonged to Trinity Lutheran Church and I grew up in that church going to regular Sunday worship services, attending Sunday School, confirmation classes, participating in the choir and youth group. I watched and was influenced by my A most memorable occasion was the marriage of our daughter, Heidi, to a boy, Dag Selander, from 3 mother and father’s dedication to their church and always putting God first in their lives. I saw them as workers and participants in the church and I saw Trinity as a very strong and healthy church centered in the heart of Appleton. Olympic boycott of the Moscow Olympics. We were asked to host a couple of members of the team by some of our Trinity church friends, Harold and Mary Lovdahl, who were connected with the Sons of Norway organization. The rest is history. Mom and Dad both served on the church council and I remember Mom being on the church council when Trinity helped a Vietnamese family to immigrate to the United States and how she poured herself into that mission, sacrificing her time and energy in making everything work out for this young family from Vietnam. It really made an impact on me. Dad was always a member of the senior choir and for a while directed the youth choir. He was dedicated to this ministry and served in it all the years he was a member of the church. Trinity was an immediate home to Dag as he instantly made friends there who embraced him and showed him so much warmth and love. We had an amazing wedding at Trinity in the fall of 1981! We were married by Pastor Jim Nelson who did his best to speak a little Norwegian for our guests from Norway. While Dag and I were starting our lives together and undecided about where to live, Trinity was in need of a custodian and Dag needed a job, so his first job in the U.S. was as a custodian for Trinity. He is a carpenter and craftsman by trade so he also took on the job of repairing some of the pews of the church that needed some work. You can probably still see his handiwork on some of the pews. Dag and I have two sons who were both baptized at Trinity by Pastor Luther Olson. The senior choir was directed by Austin Boncher who was an outstanding musician and someone I always looked up to. I remember how he would have music students from Lawrence University often performing with the choir or as special music which was always outstanding. The organ at Trinity is a beautiful majestic instrument and I always loved to hear the sound of it as we sang hymns of praise. The choir I was in was the youth choir directed by Karl Eriksen. I always loved the music ministry (and still do) and felt I was where God wanted me to be when I was there. We now live in Hudson, Wisconsin, where we are members of Bethel Lutheran Church and where I am still a part of the music ministry. Betty Emmanuel I originally came from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and my husband Dick came from Augusta. We met on a blind date. After we married, we were involved in a church in Mondovia before the LCA existed. Dick and I came to Appleton when Dick’s job as a teacher and coach brought us here. My confirmation years were rich with friendships and fun and there were teachers who encouraged and guided me and helped me grow and understand my faith. We had a youth minister, (can’t remember his name, I think it was Chris?) anyway I remember he took a group of us to the new movie, “Jesus Christ Super Star” and afterwards we went to a restaurant and discussed our thoughts on the film. This was probably my first small group Bible study! We found Trinity in August of 1953. A Pastor from Zion visited us several times but we decided to join Trinity instead. We had three girls and one boy. Three were baptized at Trinity, four were confirmed at Trinity, and two had their weddings at Trinity. I taught Sunday School at Trinity with Anna Faye Dodd and was in Bible study with Jan Pirner. Through my college years I loved coming home and attending worship at Trinity. It was my home church and a place where I felt safe and loved and at peace. Wanda Fischer – Confirmation I met my husband Dag in the summer of 1980 after I had graduated from college. He was from Norway and came with the Norwegian Olympic cycling team that was in Wisconsin as a result of the I was confirmed at Trinity in May of 1972, just three months after my father died. We took a confirmation trip that I remember well as it was a 4 great getaway during this time of my life. We took a bus ride around Lake Michigan. Roger was the bus driver and Barbara Haas was our chief cook. The trip consisted of driving to various churches, sightseeing, and sleeping at those church stops. There are several that I remember well. One was in the Chicago area and we slept in the basement of the church. We also visited “Little Chicago”. there were many aunts, uncles, and cousins who also attended Trinity. William (Bill) and Gert Cotter, Ernie and Josephine Henke, Gordy and Lori Cotter, to name a few and then our parents Ralph and Evelyn Cotter. I believe all of the children were baptized at Trinity. I remember going to Sunday School, and there was a very large picture of Jesus hanging on the wall. I believe that Judy (Omen) Tischauser or her mom, Verona Omen, was the teacher at the time. When I was younger my mother did not drive, so in order for us to be able go to Vacation Bible School, someone else from church would pick up my sister, Mary Cotter Lindsley, and me to go. This person, Phyllis Bouchard, sits toward the back of the church to this day. Another memorable stop was in Battle Creek, Michigan, and touring the Kellogg’s Company. We saw ladies sitting on stools next to the cereal line, dressed in all white including white gloves, hair covered with white bonnets, and dropping prizes into cereal boxes. The next memorable stop was in Mackinaw, Michigan, at St. Ignace where we went to Mackinaw Island. Barbara Haas would use kitchen facilities of the churches we stayed in to prepare our meals. However, when we were in upper Michigan, we were blessed to have pasties. It was my first taste of one and I was not very impressed. Today, however, I enjoy them! I participated in the usual things, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, children's choir (led by our still present Mitzi Britton) and going to Pine Lake Camp multiple years. Going to camp was a big plus for my sister and me. We received campership scholarships from a church in Green Bay. We did not realize that our parents could not afford it, so we considered it a gift. Our parents had us write thank you notes to the generous givers. Part of confirmation “back in the day” was receiving first communion. I do not recall having any distinctive first communion training. What we were told was that as part of the confirmation process we would get communion for the first time. In doing this, while kneeling around the altar, we were to put the wafer in our mouth and start to chew it immediately to prevent it from sticking to the roof of our mouth. What I remember actually happening is that I tried to do that, but the wafer went right to the roof of my mouth and it was stuck. I started to laugh and fell back on my feet while kneeling at the communion rail. That was a memory I will never forget. Our father was a big believer in education and he did a door-to-door campaign to assist in building funds for Carthage College. Ironically, that is where our daughter Wendy went for her four year teaching degree. We always had a big garden at our home. Mary and I have fond memories of our father taking us along to deliver fresh raspberries and produce to the pastors living in the church owned home. I remember Pastors Kindem and Waggoner at the house which is still standing on the corner just across from Edison grade school. Wanda Fischer - Family My grandparents were Harry and Ida Cotter. I believe they were the first generation of the Cotter Clan to belong to Trinity. I was told that my grandmother (whom I never knew as she passed in 1952) was very involved with the women at Trinity. My informant was a prominent and longtime parishioner at the time, Viola Chandler. Although our family was a long time member of Trinity, our parents were not married there. Our mother, Evelyn Schultz Cotter, belonged to St. Paul Lutheran Church and shortly after their wedding, came to Trinity. I remember going to many family potluck dinners in the lower auditorium at Trinity. Our mother was our guide, as our father passed away on March 15, 1972, when I was 14 and Mary was 15. That was just two months before my confirmation in May of 1972. That was a tough I was also very young when my grandfather passed in 1962. I do remember visiting him when he was residing at the City Home. Since he was from a family of 11 children, in my early years, 5 time in my life, and although I did not regularly go to church often, it was never far away. Wendy was married in Green Bay at the church she joined when relocating there after college as she pursued her teaching career. Amelia played her harp at Wendy's wedding and Bette played the organ. These were great gifts to Wendy as they were both instrumental in her faith journey. On November 26, 1976, I was married to Allen Fischer by Pastor James Nelson. Pastor Nelson was a friend to our family and helped us through our dad's death. I went to school and was friends with his daughter Krista. We went to parties at each other's houses and went through confirmation together. I remember him telling me, just before I walked down the long aisle at Trinity, that "your father would be proud of you". It has been 38+ years and that thought is still in the forefront of my mind. We had the pleasure of having Austin Boncher sing the Lord’s Prayer at our wedding. Al joined Trinity after we were married for 5 years. Our parents always loved Sharon Radke’s voice but she was not available to sing for our father’s funeral. But both Sharon sang and Bette Wibracht played the organ for our mother’s funeral. I myself became involved in the youth committee when our children were of that age. Mary and I taught Sunday School together and I also taught VBS. I would have to take the week off of work so my kids could attend, so I decided that I could teach. I also enjoyed working with the three and four year-olds. Several of the years we collaborated with other churches. One year we were with Zion and met at Zion Lutheran Church. One message that stuck with me, and I now share with my grandchildren, was given by one of the Pastors. To Pray: “You don’t have to fold your hands. You don’t have to bow your head. You don’t have to close your eyes. You just need to open your heart!!!” Al and I had two children together, Wendy Lynn (Fischer) Theobald (5-27-77) and Scott David Fischer (2-12-80). When they arrived, they were fourth generation members of Trinity. Our children were very active at church. It was a time with many youth and there were many opportunities to be involved. Both Wendy and Scott participated in children choir led by Bette Wibracht. After being in children’s choir for three years with perfect attendance, Wendy and Scott each received a green hymnal with their names engraved in gold on the cover. Bette was truly instrumental in their music education; more so than the public school system. They also played in several handbell choirs. At the time there were three choirs and, as they aged, they progressed through the choirs. Bette also pulled together young adults she knew from the community for a special bell choir that played at special events at Thrivent and with the former White Heron Choir. My mother, I guess, was instrumental with my involvement in the evening Bible study group and the Lutheran Church Women group, prior to the formation for the ELCA and the Women of the ELCA. For several years I was on the board as secretary. At first I was the only one under 25 in the group, then 30!! After a while it just did not make a difference. I remember Viola Chandler approaching me saying she was glad there were some younger women becoming involved. I currently have a passion for staying involved in the Women of the ELCA and am on the planning committee for the Appleton chapter. It is a way to stay connected with women from other churches. Now I continue to stay involved by helping with many events at Trinity and participating in the bell choir and vocal choir, Trinity Belles. I participated in adult choir for several years while the kids were in children’s choir. It was quite a task as we sang at opposite services, so many Sundays I was there for four or more hours! I also enjoy reading the scriptures, serving communion and helping with children's time. Our children went to Pine Lake Camp for at least eight years, multiple youth gatherings, brat fries, mission trips, Spokefolk Tours, and boundary water trips. Tent makers Tom and Judy Stadem, and Amelia Hawkins, to name a few, were instrumental in the growth and development of the youth programs. Now I have the pleasure of taking my grandchildren to summer camp. Three generations have been going to the same camp, Pine Lake. 6 Barbara Haas Marilyn (Pingel) Jacobson Barbara served Trinity Lutheran Church in a variety of ways. Her leadership ability led her to be the first woman elected President of the Church Council. She faithfully attended to the duties involved whether they were large or small. Barbara delivered communion to Trinity homebound members, visiting them at least once monthly. Her service brought happiness to the recipients. (Former member baptized, confirmed, and married at Trinity) It was probably 1942 or 1943 when I was in confirmation class and attended my first Bible Camp, which was then held at Green Lake, WI. There were several young people from Trinity there. One of the lecture-type classes that we had to attend was extremely dull, at least as far as most of us from Trinity were concerned. Someone in our group suggested that the next day we should skip that class and walk down to Harold and Leone Ferron’s cottage (Leone was the organist at Trinity), which was just a couple lots down from the edge of the camp. Ferrons were not there during the week, but it was determined that they wouldn’t mind if we just sat on their dock! Because of her interest in cooking, Barbara chaired committees which published Trinity Cookbooks. She was the moving force behind the 1974 and l980 editions and was in the midst of a third volume when she died in 2007. Professionally, Barbara was a chemist who did research at the Institute of Paper Chemistry as well as private paper companies. Barbara was an active volunteer in numerous community organizations. As an Appleton Medical Center volunteer she chaired the annual geranium sale for many years. She was involved in American Association of University Women and Highlands Elementary School Parent Teacher Association. So, the next morning sometime before the start of the boring class, we (probably 12-15 of us) walked over to Ferron’s dock. It was a beautiful day, and we were all enjoying just sitting along the edge of the dock. It wasn’t long before the Dean of the camp and one or two other pastors came walking toward us! They marched all of us back into the class, instructing us that when they called attention to us during the noon meal, we were all to stand up! Well, not a word was ever said during lunch about what we had done, but the nervousness among our group was enough to teach us a lesson about not skipping class anymore! Needless to say, I don’t think any of us enjoyed lunch that day! Helen Heil Helen was an influential Trinity member. She served on the finance committee and the evangelism committee—both of which offered real challenges. Helen also served on the church council, participated in Lutheran Church Women, and represented Trinity at Synod Assemblies. Helen attended congregational meetings diligently and had the confidence and courage to question that which she didn’t understand and to voice her opinion regarding important decisions. Jim Wilch, who later became a pastor, was in our delinquent group; and I often wondered if he ever talked of this experience to any of his confirmation classes! Professionally, she was the Executive Director of the Appleton Housing Authority from 1977 to 1992. Through this experience she became aware of the housing needs of low-income elderly and advocated for their needs. She served on the Board of Fox Valley Lutheran Homes and strongly supported the establishment of Linwood Place. Helen was an active member of many community organizations. She was elected to the Appleton Board of Education. She volunteered with League of Women Voters and Church Women United, Fox Valley. I have fond memories of singing in Trinity’s choir in the late 1940s. My brother Earl Pingel also sang in it, along with Pete Mohr, Miles Hanna, and I think perhaps Carl Roehl and others were in it. Florence Krabbe would sometimes sing a solo, and Leone Ferron was the organist. I remember a few of the other women in it but I'm not sure of their names – Lillian Oertl(sp?) and her sister Lorraine Denicious(sp?), Nadine Greunke, and maybe Leone Fahrenkrug. Merrick Nelson directed the choir and I think there must have been 20-25 members or so. Of course, this was in the old church, so we always 7 would march in from the back of the church and go up into the choir loft in the front left side of the church. We wore black robes – with white collars, I think! long to feel at home at the church and with children of many different ages, we fast became involved in many different aspects of church life. I have enjoyed being a member of Trinity for almost 62 years so far. It has always been an important part of my life and I have made many good friends through the years. On June 24, 1955, my husband Earl and I were blessed with the birth of our first child – a daughter Karla. In 1955, Wisconsin’s Fox River Valley had more polio cases per capita than anywhere in the United States. Also, the Salk vaccine for polio did not become available until sometime that year. People with babies and young children were advised to stay away from crowds. Therefore, we had Karla baptized privately one evening at Trinity, with only a few family members present. Pastor Kindem performed the baptism. Erick Jensen On the way home from skiing one Saturday with Pastor Kevin Ruffcorn, I fell asleep. When I woke up, I apologized for falling asleep on him. He replied that it was okay because he had been practicing his sermon for the next day in his head. I said, “I hope you get a better response to your sermon tomorrow.” Trinity holds many memories for me over the years and has a special place in my heart. I was baptized there in 1930 by Reverend Bosserman, confirmed in 1944 by Reverend Zeidler, and married there in 1950 by Reverend Zeidler. In 1955, Reverend Luhn (Assistant Pastor at Trinity, 1955-1957) came to visit at our home upon the birth of our daughter Karla. Then, in 1957, Pastor Luhn became the Mission Developer for starting a church in northwest Neenah where we lived. So, in 1958, we became charter members of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, and Pastor Luhn served as its first pastor until 1961. Julius Family Along with the guidance of our parents, Kenneth and June Julius, we are truly grateful for the role Trinity Lutheran Church has played in the shaping of our lives. Our father, Kenneth Julius, was born in 1918 and began attending Trinity Lutheran Church, along with his parents, when he was very young. However, because he wasn't baptized at Trinity, he wasn't an official member until he was confirmed in 1932. Many of our father's relatives belonged to Trinity, and our mother joined after they were married in 1950. Annelise Jensen A strange coincidence that led us to Trinity happened the last Sunday we attended church at The Church of the Good Shepherd in Houghton, Michigan, before moving to Appleton. Our bulletin had a photo of Trinity English Evangelical Lutheran Church in Appleton, Wisconsin. The church had been renovated and the picture was taken the day of the dedication. Since Trinity was the closest Lutheran church to our new home, it was very natural that we went to that church. Pastor Kindem welcomed us on our first Sunday and then the next night he came to our home to tell us more about Trinity. What he had to say made us think that Trinity was a good place for our family to worship. All four of us children were baptized and confirmed at Trinity. Sunday mornings were extremely busy for us because we grew up on a dairy farm in the Town of Greenville. A lot of work had to be done before leaving for church, and our parents were very conscientious about making sure we attended every Sunday. It was understood that if we didn't go along to church on Sunday morning, we wouldn't be going anywhere else the rest of the day either! Over the years there had been several family activities for Trinity members held on our farm. They were usually held in the fall and included a hayride, followed by eating and singing around a campfire. It was a warm and sunny fall day on Sunday October 6, 1963, when Kris and I, along with our five children, Peter-8, Helen-7, Alice-3, Karen-2, and Erick-10 months, joined Trinity. It did not take us 8 John Julius Below you will find a few things that come to mind from each of us: During the mid-1960s, Pastor Waggoner organized weekly evening meetings for youth to come to "rap" about the issues of the day. During the often-forgotten turbulence from that era, youth had many tremendous concerns, such as possibly ending up in Vietnam, as well as the racial relations and the rioting which were taking place. At one point, we went to Milwaukee where there had been rioting and some mostly black congregations had their churches firebombed or burned. We were divided up and sent home with several black families of one congregation where we would spend the night. I remember the family I went home with prepared pancakes and sausage for breakfast for me the next morning. John treasures the wonderful sermons of Pastor Thearle. He has many memories of the sincere kindliness of Mayme Roehl who had served as the Sunday School Superintendent and later often prepared the altar on Sunday mornings. He also remembers when an attempt to be more contemporary took place by having a band come in and play. He recalls them playing "Quinn the Eskimo" and that afterwards his grandmother wasn't too keen on the whole ordeal. Jim admired the huge Christmas trees which adorned Trinity during the Christmas seasons. They were decorated with beautiful ornaments and trimmings, along with artificial snow. He thought the graham crackers and milk always served as the snack at Vacation Bible School were great! He recalls all the carpooling (with the Steudels and Grewes) that took place in order to get to catechism classes on Wednesdays. I am forever grateful to Pastor Waggoner for the lessons of empathy and understanding which that trip gave to me. The lessons of questioning authority, responsibility to change the world, and advocacy for "causes" were given to us by the leadership of Pastors Thearle and Waggoner. As a child, Jean loved the sound of Trinity's pipe organ and all the beautiful and reflective music which emanated from the choir loft. She is so thankful to have had the opportunity to later be a choir member under the direction of the awesome Austin Boncher. Jean also loved lambs and remembers the two occasions when they were asked to bring a lamb to church on Sunday. We brought in lambs for Pastor Wayne Schmidt and several years later for Pastor Russ Creydt. I remember both of them holding their lamb for a rather lengthy time during part of the church service. Hilkka Kaustinen Ola and Hilkka were married in Finland in 1951. Their firstborn, a son named Columbus, was born in 1952. Ola originally came to Appleton from Finland to work at the Institute of Paper Chemistry. He was in Appleton for several years alone, as Hilkka had trouble getting a Visa to come to the United States. After Hilkka came to Appleton, she and Ola became part of the Scandinavian Club. Kris and Annelise Jensen, as well as Eldrid and Ulla Ellestad were also a part of that group, and also went to Trinity Lutheran. “Ola was more churchy than I was,” Hilkka said and wanted to find a congregation that he was comfortable with. He visited many churches in Appleton, but Trinity was the closest to the churches he attended back home in Finland. They started to attend Trinity in 1956. Jerry still has the cross that his very special Sunday School teacher, Doug Steward, gave to his students at the end of the class. He also admired the readings and teachings of a special Trinity member by the name of Miles Hanna. He inspired Jerry to later become a reader, as well as a council member at Trinity, and Jerry actually had Miles Hanna do the readings at his wedding. Their second child, Eva, was born in 1957. Eva was in Sunday School with Wanda Cotter Fischer and both were confirmed at Trinity in 1972. Their third child, Pia, was born in 1959 and was confirmed at Trinity in 1974. Thank you, Trinity! John, James, Jean (Goffard), and Jerold Julius The year 1967 was a trying time for Hilkka. Ola passed away suddenly and her son Columbus 9 moved to Chippewa Falls for special care. It was important to Hilkka to be able to spend as much time as she could with Columbus during this transition for him. She was troubled as to what she should do with the girls now. She heard that others at the Scandinavian Club sent their daughters away for the summers. So Hilkka thought about it and decided that she would send Eva and Pia, at age 10 and 8, to Finland for the summer. Wanda remembers this as Hilkka shared her story because Wanda and Eva were pen pals that summer, writing many letters back and forth. Wanda remembers the thin paper used for writing and the blue and red striped envelopes she had to use for airmail back then. brother, Rick, off for youth group --- a frustrated Pastor Nelson when our confirmation class didn’t do so well on our confirmation exam --- Pastor Creydt playing his keyboard for Sunday service --being a frustrated single-mom of three trying to keep them from crawling under the pews --- my son, Jason, playing in the handbell choir --- the overwhelming support of my Trinity family when my son, Ben, died --- sending my daughter, Stephanie, off on her confirmation trip to South Dakota --- teaching Sunday School and playing Mary in several Christmas pageants. A Lifetime of Memories! A lifelong member, I was baptized at Trinity on June 10, 1956. My earlier memories are of lots of potlucks. I’m wasn’t sure what they were for, but I did learn that Lutherans liked to eat. Dressing up in our best Sunday ‘dresses’ … no pants for girls back then … and going directly to ‘our family pew’. Uncle Billy and Aunt Gert, sat a few pews in front of us along with Aunt Josephine and Uncle Ernie. I also remember the walks between the Masonic Temple and church when the renovations were being done in the early 1960s. I remember trips off to Pine Lake Camp when the Cotter girls joined the Kaustinen girls, Eva and Pia, for a week of fun; and also Vacation Bible School with Jimmy Johnson and the Bouchard kids. Hilkka also shared a story about one of the first times she went to church at Trinity. The organ started playing and she recognized the tune being similar to a Finish song she knew. “I started to cry like crazy,” she said. She laughed recalling that Pastor Kindem looked right at her and wondered why she was crying. She did not share why with him, but he had noticed. When Pia started kindergarten, Hilkka went back to work. Hilkka also worked at The Institute of Paper Chemistry as a chemical engineer. During her last years there, she worked with Dean Einspahr who was a division leader at the Institute. Leanne Meidam Wincentsen Janice Liebscher I know that each of us treasure many memories from Trinity; baptisms, first communion, confirmation, weddings, and funerals. We may remember a Sunday School class, confirmation sleepover, certain sermons, and times we have spent with friends at Trinity. The two stories I chose to share are my strongest memories and I hold them in my heart. In 1962, our family moved to Appleton from Madison because of a job change. We “settled in” and then started looking for a church we could attend. The first (and only) church we visited was Trinity Lutheran Church and we immediately liked it. They had several services Sunday mornings and even had Sunday School at the same time as one of the services, which made it very nice. Within a few weeks, Millie and Pete Mohr came to our house and invited us to join the church, and we did! Millie and Pete have supported me with friendship ever since. During Sunday worship in my childhood I went forward with many other children for children's sermon. Pastor Russell Creydt selected three of us to stand and he handed each of us a glass. He held a pitcher of water. He went to the first child and said that many people love us, such as friends, and he poured water into the glass until it was half full. He turned to the next child and said that we have some people who love us with all of their heart, such as our family. He poured water into the second glass until it was full. Pastor Creydt walked to me. I was Mary Lindsley Lifetime Memories of Trinity: My mom preparing a casserole for a church potluck --- sitting in our designated pew and seeing Uncle Billy with Aunt Gert and Aunt Josephine and Uncle Ernie sitting up ahead --- dropping my 10 nervous and did not know what to expect. He told us that God's love for us is abundant. He asked us if we knew what abundant meant and he started to pour water into the glass I was holding. He did not stop when the glass was full. He continued to pour water as the front of my Sunday dress became wet. I saw a puddle was spreading on the carpet and I was horrified. I looked at Pastor Creydt and he smiled at me and told me not to worry about the mess, as he continued to pour more and more water into my glass. He then explained that abundant meant overflowing. God's love for each of us is abundant, overflowing, never-ending. a difference from the first time we had attended. There were more people and a more positive energy. We liked the pastor’s down-to-earth, relatable style and thought he had a good message. After the service, a member was talking with us about the confirmation program and it sounded like a good fit for our son. Not long after that Sunday, we decided to join Trinity. Now, one year later, we’re glad we did! Pete and Millie Mohr We arrived in Appleton in 1948 so we have been members for 66 years. Pete arrived first to begin his Optometry practice and to find a home for the family. He lived at the YMCA and got acquainted with Warren Pechman, an Intern at Trinity under Rev. Zeidler. He invited Pete to visit Trinity which later led us to join the church. Pete joined the choir soon after and was a member for many years. Pete was active on the softball team and volleyball team and Lutheran Men’s Club. He also served on the church council. Decades later, a year after my much loved mother had died; I began to cry as I drove to Sunday morning worship. I wished I had one more hug from my mother. My mom had been unable to give me a hug once she became ill. I asked God to help me remember the last 'Mom hug’ I had received. I was a little late to worship and I hurried toward the pew I normally sat in. I looked up and noticed that there were other people in 'my' pew and took an immediate right to sit where I was. I sang the hymns, said the prayers, listened to the sermon, and soon it was time to share the peace. I hugged each of my children and then stood to shake hands with my neighbors. Lorna Dorn turned around and I extended my hand to her with a warm smile. Lorna quickly extended both arms and gave a me a strong, long 'Mom hug'. I was stunned! God gave me what I asked for. God gave me what I needed. I believe that God helped me to be late for worship and put others into the pew I normally sat in. I believe that God put me behind Lorna. God worked through Lorna. She has always been a wonderful caring woman, but now I see her as an instrument of God. Every time I see Lorna, I remember her 'Mom hug' and God's abundant, overflowing, never-ending love. I was a Sunday School teacher and Vacation Bible School teacher, and have also been active in ladies’ organizations including being on the board of Church Women United for 60 years. I am also still involved in Bible studies and helping serve funeral meals for many years. We had one daughter baptized at Trinity and one daughter married at Trinity. We are so thankful for the many wonderful friends we made and the years of worshipping at Trinity. Kari A Mor (Granddaughter of Dorothy Webers) My grandma was a long-time member of Trinity Lutheran Church. It is where she met, and came to know, her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; for which she was eternally grateful. All the friends she met at Trinity (which she called 'her extended family') brought her great joy along with many wonderful memories. In memory of Dorothy Webers Brenda Miller We were new to Appleton and searching for a church home. We attended Trinity one Sunday morning. It was a nice service with an interim pastor, but there were few people in attendance. We kept trying out different churches. Judy Natz One day, a few months later, we saw on the Trinity website that a new pastor had been called. So we decided to try again. Right away, we noticed This is the story of my parent’s choice to join Trinity in 1954 with three small children, myself and two older brothers. They joined church for 11 their children, so we could be in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Two more children joined our family by 1959, baptized and raised in the church. First communions and confirmations all made my parents very proud. Our family had many special times at Trinity. My dad’s funeral in 1969 and then weddings and grandchildren and greatgrandchildren were all welcomed into Trinity. My mother, in her last 20 to 25 years of life, always sat in the chapel so she could see her children and grandchildren up in front of church. life and amazing things can happen. Thank you ladies! John and Carol Palmquist Our family has had a very unique way of connecting to Trinity. First, my father, Rev. Wilbur N. Palmquist, spent a year coming out of retirement to serve at Trinity under Pastor Kindem some fifty years ago. He previously served parishes in Omaha, Nebraska, Marquette, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois. At Trinity his role involved attending to needs of senior members with occasional preaching and other duties. At this time, Carol and I, along with son David, were living in Monmouth, Illinois. The chapel was always full with many beautiful people; Bud Storch, Ruth HuttenBerg, Joyce Able, Carral Johnson, Joyce Lippold, Doug and Marion Steward, and many more. My mother came to church on Sundays when her health was not failing. She loved Trinity, all the pastors, children, and adults. She was very strong in her faith and love for Trinity. She passed away in 2006 and left us with her love and compassion for giving. In memory of Ethel Vaubel, your loving daughter, Judy Shortly after leaving Marquette and arriving in Chicago, Dad went back to Marquette in search of a site for escape from the heat and humidity of the Chicago summer. Eventually, family and friends constructed cabins on the Lake Superior shore that served as a summer retreat and reunion for the family at large. In 1964, when Carol and I, along with David and newborn daughter Kirsten, were planning our annual trip to ‘the lake’, my father suggested we take a break on our drive and stop at Trinity in Appleton. We did and enjoyed a tour of the sanctuary and rested briefly in the Fireside Room. Little did we know that four years later we would move to Appleton where I began teaching geology at Lawrence College. The tears ran down my face one Sunday morning, at the children’s Christmas program. My heart was full of joy and hope for the future of my three year-old daughter standing in front of church with a white robe and halo on her head. The Trinity youth gave a wonderful Christmas program every year. The program was always beautiful and full of surprises. With all the rehearsals and work the Sunday School staff put in it always ended up working out. In my 12 years of teaching Sunday School, I had my share of Christmas programs. All of them were a gift from God. Naturally, we joined Trinity and were warmly welcomed by those who had become friends of my folks, Wilbur (Wibs) and Amy. Thus, we had readymade friends who invited us out socially as well as telling tales of the times they had with my parents. One story was that on Trinity’s fiftieth anniversary Wibs had the congregation sing ‘Happy Birthday to Trinity’ at the Sunday service. I remember my confirmation in 1965. We had long white robes that we wore for the worship service. Twenty minutes before church started, I stumbled down the steps as I caught the heel of my shoe on my robe. I got a bloody nose which bled all through the service, including communion. This was a time at Trinity that was most embarrassing and an important time of my life. My growing up years in Marquette were special in many ways, but whenever I encountered Finlanders or other legal immigrants from the Upper Peninsula at Trinity I was able to have a special bond with them. Pastors Kurt and Mary Beth Kovanen are among those in that category. Also included is Pastor Nancy Amacher who after serving at Trinity was called to serve Messiah, Marquette, the same parish my father served in Marquette. While she was there we could still I love Trinity because of the people. They are caring, compassionate, loving, strong, and helpful. I would not have been able to teach Sunday School for 20 years without the help of Glennis, Sharon, Lorna, and my daughter, Tracy. I learned a lot about my faith and church family. I never thought I could sing or ring bells, thank you Wanda. She pushed me and God took over. Let God into your 12 worship in the summer with ‘our Trinity pastor’ in Marquette. projects for the church including making draperies and the formerly used blue skirts for the handbell tables. Carlyn Pingel Mary Robertson (Former member and mother of Susan Suprise) From Susan: My parents were married by Pastor Zeidler on Oct. 14, 1950. My father, Earl Pingel, had also been baptized and confirmed at Trinity. Five of my parents’ seven children, including me, were also baptized at Trinity. It was 1990. Our family had been trying to support our mom, who had recently battled sepsis and as a result was required to have a below-theknee amputation. We were all struggling with the impact this would have on her life. We were asking "Why? Why our mom?” It was a stressful time for all of us. At the time both the Schuelke and Robertson kids were a part of Trinity's handbell choir under the direction of Bette Wibracht. The choir decided to surprise our Mom and play for her at St. Elizabeth Hospital. She was so thrilled to watch her four grandchildren and the other youth of the handbell choir present a concert just for her at the hospital, while she was in rehab. Our family will never forget that afternoon concert! It was a very moving experience for our mom. From Carlyn Pingel: Our two oldest sons, Eric and Dean, were in the Sunday School Christmas program in the mid-50s. They were to wear pajamas and slippers. Of course, Dean was being his stubborn self and didn’t want to go to the front of the church in pajamas & slippers. By the time he should go up front for the program, he had broken the zippers on his slippers. He and another little boy had to be pulled out from under a pew. When we would take Dean to Sunday School, he would be on the floor crying and kicking. His Sunday school teacher, Susan Dahm (spelling?) would say to just leave him, which we did. She somehow got him to settle down and behave. He now lives in Marshfield, WI, and is a Lutheran minister in Hewitt. Who would have ever predicted that outcome? One of my fondest memories is our Trinity youth participating in Spokefolk. Our daughter participated in several of these ministries along with other youth from Trinity. Spokefolk is a biking and music ministry. Spokefolkers would bike many miles during the day and stay each night at a host congregation where they would put on an evening worship service. Those services, led by youth, were so inspiring and so meaningful. God's message was shared by enthusiastic youth to reach out to everyone! My daughter, Susan, is named after that same Sunday School teacher. We were going to name her Lisa but her brothers, Eric and Dean, said they were going to call her Susan - after their favorite teacher. Susan, the teacher, was also Dr. Rae Simenson's office nurse. Dr. Simenson was the doctor who delivered our daughter, Susan. Dr. Simenson also served on the church council with my husband. Audrey Mattes Schiedermayer I visited Trinity in 1945 as a freshman at Lawrence College. In 1946, my parents and brother moved to Appleton and we joined Trinity in 1947. A fellow student named Larry Schiedermayer and I joined a group called The Lutheran Student Association which was sponsored by Trinity Lutheran Church and mentored by Trinity member Irv Isenberg. Larry joined Trinity about 1949 and we were married by Pastor Clemens Zeidler in 1951. Susan was baptized on a cold Sunday in December. We had parked far from the church entrance so my husband suggested that we walk through the parsonage. I didn't think that was proper but we did it anyway. We didn't want baby Susan to get a chill! My bother Jarv began assisting Pastor Ziedler from 1949 to 1952 during Jarv’s years at Lawrence; he then went on to attend Northwest Lutheran Seminary and was ordained on June 5, 1955. I have a lot of fond memories of Trinity. My husband, Earl, served on the council for many years. His mother, Gladys Pingel, did many sewing 13 like “Away in a Manger” and “Silent Night”. The horses seemed to sway to the music, too. There was a sense of a presence of wonder and awe with God’s peace and love for all. Larry and I moved to Detroit immediately after our wedding. We returned to Appleton in 1956 and joined Trinity’s mission church Our Saviours, along with my parents. In 1984, we transferred back to Trinity and at the time Rev. Luther Olson was Senior Pastor. Afterward, folks petted some of the horses and Millie and Pete Mohr fed carrots to Jubilee. Ask them about that. We had refreshments and snacks, too. The stable service meant so much to me because of Jesus being born in one. Did you ever wonder why? He was a King. He should have been born in a palace, but no, He was to be born in a stable, a lowly humble modest simple stable. It was in the plan to be in a stable surrounded only by simple creatures of the earth. One of the “extra activities” that are in our fond memories was a Trinity group called “The Retirement Group”. It began as a Bible study group with Ken and Dorothy Moburg and Larry and me. We invited any Trinity member near our vintage in age to join us. It didn’t take long before we had 18 to 20 members meeting monthly in our home, taking trips to family cottages and restaurants, or touring places like Rawhide, etc. SPECIAL MAUNDY THURSDAY SERVICE We had a meaningful Maundy Thursday service and potluck in the lower level of Trinity. The tables were put together to represent a cross. Everyone shared a meal and communion just as Jesus and his disciples did many years ago. Little things like this make Trinity Lutheran Church special for me. Marilyn Schucknecht CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE IN A STABLE DECEMBER 2005 & 2006 I wanted to bring the real meaning of Christmas to Trinity folks and share that feeling. We all know that Jesus was born in a stable. Glennis Schuelke What wonderful opportunities I’ve had at Trinity to make new friends. I count Jim and Lorna Dorn among them. My introduction to Jim and Lorna came when they chaperoned the first youth trip that my daughter went on. I told her I was writing this and asked for a story about chaperone Jim, but she said she couldn’t recall any she would feel good about sharing with her mother! I asked Pastors Kurt and Mary Beth Kovanen if we could have a service in the stable where I boarded my horse. They agreed, and DBT Stables agreed. I told friends to bring apples and carrots as horses love them, especially my horse Jubilee. After the first service I wrote this – “The stable was decorated with a Christmas tree and stockings were hung on all the stall doors. People started to arrive and mingle inside. Our mother, in her eighties, even came out and enjoyed the service.” That’s a special memory for Ken and me, too. Parents had many opportunities to take part in fundraisers for the youth. Dan and I grilled many a brat with Jim. Jim was not aware that you could grill brats without the beer. How many of you that supported our brat fry events knew that your brats were marinated in beer? Remember the “kosher” brats that we grilled Jim? What a good salesman you were! People were anxious to see the horses, cats, and dogs. We were all bundled up and snug in warm clothes, hats, boots, and blankets because the temperature was ten below zero. We sat on hay bales that were in front of the horse stalls. We listened to the crunching noise of horses eating their hay. The rich aromas of hay and animal filled our nostrils. (This is a good smell). The stillness became something grandeur and holy as we listened to the pastors tell the story of Jesus born in a stable. We all enjoyed the guitar music and songs We now volunteer at the Emergency Shelter and continue to cook with Jim and Lorna. We gave Jim the job of making the “instant” mashed potatoes once. Of course, he had never done this since in their kitchen they peeled their potatoes. But he went ahead, followed the directions, and came up with some nice smooth mashed potatoes. Comments from the residents ranged from 14 “potatoes are a little salty” to “WOW these are the saltiest potatoes I’ve ever tasted!” Seems Lorna hadn’t taught Jim the difference between teaspoons (as called for in the directions) and the tablespoons of salt that Jim added. His comment when we discovered what had happened was “I hope they don’t do a blood pressure check here tonight!!!” don’t know about it as of yet. Hopefully, we will be able to keep our church, members, and pastor for a long time. Doug and Marion Steward From Doug: My family joined Trinity in 1942 under Pastor Zeidler. I was 12 years old then. I was confirmed in 1945 after four years of confirmation classes at Trinity. I graduated in 1948 from Appleton High School. I went into the Navy out of high school. Pastor called me into his office one day and told me he wanted me to become a pastor, but I told him I had already enlisted in the Navy so that was that. Many great memories, many great friends, many great years spent at Trinity Lutheran Church. After four years in the Navy and getting married to Marion and then having our first child, we came back home to Appleton. All four of our children were baptized at Trinity. I taught Sunday School for 12 years, and was the Superintendent of Sunday School twice. I also served two terms on the church council. I also led the Trinity Explorer Scouts starting in 1961 for 12 years. I was the Trinity photographer for many years also. Lois Small My family, Bill, Greg, Dave and I arrived in Appleton in 1977. My husband grew up in Menasha so this was familiar territory for him. I was Lutheran and the rest of my family was Catholic. It didn’t take a long time for me to find Trinity Lutheran Church, which I attended regularly. Pastor Jim Nelson was the Senior Pastor. He visited me at my home and in 1980 I became a member of Trinity, a move I have never regretted. Now I teach crocheting at the Thompson Center in Appleton. I also have made many beautiful crosses and designs. Some of them are hanging in the hallway by Pastor’s office and have been donated to the Charity Golf Auction over the years as well afghan blankets that I made. I have many scrapbooks that have photos of memories at Trinity, too. We have many great memories of people and times at Trinity. Upon my retirement from Kimberly-Clark Corporation I was asked to work with the “kitchen crew” at church. We “worked hard” but it wasn’t “hard work” as we all worked together and completed the job. Of course, we did take a little time for a laugh “now and then” but that’s what brought us all back the next time. We did funeral lunches and other dining room events. This group of ladies became my very dear friends and we held each other and found strength and love when something went wrong in our lives. These very dear friends are Dorothy Deeg, Ann Einspahr, Pearl Kunz, Joyce Lippold, and Millie Mohr. I will always remember these gals, the fun time we had together, and the times we helped each other through a “tough” time. You can’t find better friends than that!! Thank you for your friendship girls. From Marion: I have been a member of Trinity since 1951. I have raised four children, two boys and two girls, with my husband Doug. I used to make the flower corsages for the confirmation classes for many years. All of our children were confirmed at Trinity. I also took my turn helping in the church nursery. Over the years, I have baked many cookies for events at Trinity and for Loaves and Fishes and we have donated food to St. Joseph’s Pantry. I also volunteered many years at Appleton Medical Center. Now I crochet and do jigsaw puzzles at home. I have many good memories of people at Trinity, too. Now, “Welcome Pastor Brian and Family!” I guess this is a strange time to “welcome” you when there’s a possibility that our church won’t be here much longer. However, we need to leave this in God’s hands. He knows better than we do! Just maybe He has other plans for all of us but we just 15 I spent time with Pastor Mary Beth and Pastor Kurt along with Sandy LeMoine and Jeanne Beckley at Harmony Café (great food by the way) for Mutual Ministry meetings. Susan Suprise All creatures great and small...the Lord God made them all... A couple of years ago, when we had our annual congregational service and meeting in the fellowship hall, a special visitor joined us. I was assisting Pastor Lisa Ubbelohde with communion when a bat started swooping all around the room. It seemed to be especially interested in the communion offerings! I was not enjoying having a bat fly around my head and kept ducking out of its way. Pastor Lisa noticed and reassured me that the bat was harmless. Meanwhile, I had visions of a future filled with painful rabies shots. Dorothy Warren Viola Chandler invited me to Trinity when I met her at a friend's home just after I moved to Appleton to begin my teaching career in 1966. Soon after that I found out that my principal, Dick Haas, was also a member of Trinity. Fellow members Ann Einspahr and Sally Timmers taught with me at Huntley School. Barb Haas encouraged me to sign up for the first class of Stephen Ministry training that she and Pastor Russ Creydt were going to lead. A few years later Dixie Guthrie and I went to St. Louis for Stephen Ministry training. We, along with Pastor Nancy, Barb Haas, Carol Lundgren, and Anna Faye Dodd, led the Stephen Ministry group for many years. The Jensen's cottage was a wonderful retreat center! The Help, Healing, and Health Committee are an offshoot of that group. I have been blessed in so many ways by each individual that I have met with over the years. Most people know that I'm a big animal lover and I would never intentionally harm any of God’s creatures. So I was relieved when someone had the idea to use a butterfly net (obtained from a Sunday school room) to catch the bat and eventually release it safely outside. I was baptized and married at Trinity and will always consider it my church home. I cherish the friends I’ve made thru worship, Bible study, and the many events the church has hosted. I have loved decorating for many of these events – just ask Lorna Dorn how I taught her to tie a bow my way!!! You may also have noticed me snapping pictures all over Trinity. I can’t help myself --- our church is so beautiful!!! Pastor Russ got me involved working with the youth. One summer he, Bernice Johnson, and I took a group of teens to a youth gathering at Purdue University. A highlight of working with the youth was a mission trip to Appalachia with Judy Hogan, Tracy Smith, and two vans full of teens. That was an experience I think we all will never forget. Chris Vander Wielen My Trinity story begins 18 years ago when Joe and I were married by Pastor Chris. New carpeting and the elevator were installed that summer and our photographer commented on adjusting the settings on his camera (before digital images) to compensate for the light reflecting off the marble wall. Through the encouragement of Pastor Nancy, I attended several Global Mission Events. It is very heartwarming to be a part of the ELCA knowing all it does globally and how we, Trinity, are connected to the larger church. Now I enjoy being a part of "The Lutheran Church Basement Women"! Trinity holds a special place in my heart, so many friends, so many memories, so many blessings! Pastor Ray in his trademark cowboy boots baptized our son Mitchell in June 2002 and he had his first communion at the end of first grade with Pastor Kurt. Mitchell was involved in many Vacation Bible Schools and Christmas pageants yet did not care for singing too much. Now he is a confirmation student and learning the books of the Bible. 16 Pr. Brian, Mary, and Matt Bankert I chatted with the Bishop for a little bit and promised to have Brian call him back when he got home, which was after 10:00 at night. We have only been at Trinity for a year and a half but it feels like home already. Pastor Brian, Matt and I moved to Appleton from Centreville, Virginia, in July of 2013. Our family had been living in Virginia for 12 years after Pr. Brian retired from the Air Force and was then working and going to seminary to begin his new career. We did not know where we would be placed after Pr. Brian graduated from seminary but he could ask for some specific synods that we might like to serve in. We decided that if we could not stay in Virginia, we would move back to Wisconsin after living away from our home state for 28 years. We did not know the possibility of Trinity being our new church home until March of 2013 when the Trinity Call Committee invited Pr. Brian to meet with them and start the process. We were very excited when this congregation decided Pr. Brian would be a good choice to be the new pastor of this church. Pr. Brian was ordained in Virginia in June of 2013 at our home church, Lord of Life. Over 150 people attended on a very rainy Friday evening. Bishop Justman had to fly to Washington, DC, and then be driven out to our church that day and his flight was very late, but he made it! We got a call in early October of 2012 after all of the Bishops had met in Chicago. Part of that meeting is to place all of the seminary graduates from around the country into specific synods at that time. Our phone call to tell us who picked Pr. Brian came at about 8:00 one evening that week from Bishop Justman. Pr. Brian was at night school in Gettysburg at the seminary, so I answered the phone. The Bishop informed me that we were going to be placed someplace in East Central Wisconsin in the synod he was in charge of. Then when we came to Appleton, Trinity welcomed Pr. Brian with a wonderful summer evening Installation Worship Service right here at our church. When Trinity decided to call Pr. Brian to be the pastor of this church, we thought Appleton and the Fox Valley area would be a great place to live and it is. But… we forgot how cold winter can be in Wisconsin. Last year was a pretty powerful reminder! We are very happy to be living, working, and worshipping here with all of you. 17 John Julius Automobile Memories: I have recollections of some of the vehicles and their owners which frequented Trinity. Here are just a few: The Brans '62 Olds 88, 4-door, orchid Lawrence Bentle '66 Buick Riviera, maroon Merle Culbertson '57 Chrysler, salmon & maroon Jerry & Margie Ellefson Matching Plymouth Barracuda convertibles, red Richard Emanuel '54 Imperial custom 4-door sedan, black August Julius '53 Pontiac Chieftain, 4-door, green w/white top Kenneth Julius '50 Olds Dynamic 88, 4-door, light green; '65 Olds F-85, 4-door, turquoise Al Krabbe, Sr. Al Krabbe, Jr. Donald Missling Earl Pingel '71-'72 Pontiac, 4-door, dark green '64-'66 Plymouth Barracuda '66 Chev Impala, blue '58 Chev Biscayne, 4-door, blue & white '65 Chev Impala, 4-door, beige Lester Pingel '52 Chev, 4-door, blue; '61 Chev BelAir, 4-door sedan, jewel blue; '67 Chev Impala, 4-door sedan, gold; '71 Chev Impala, 4-door sedan, blue Wallace Pingel '56 Chev Two-Ten, 4-door sedan, green & white; '64-'66 Plymouth Valient, 4-door, blue Carl Roehl, Sr. The Rohans (sp?) Mrs. Shernick The Swamps Lester Tesch Elmer Thorson '62 Ford; '69-'70 Ford LTD '51-'52 Kaiser or Allstate Henry J, white '65 Ford Galaxie 500 LTD, 4-door hardtop, black '53 Pontiac Chieftain, 4-door, maroon '57 Buick, copper '56 Buick Special, 4-door hardtop, yellow & white; '65 Buick Wildcat, 4door hardtop, blue Louie Weise '52 Olds 98, 4-door, green Ellis Waggoner '67 Ford Mustang Other memorable cars, but I don't remember the owners' names: '54 Plymouth Suburban wagon, tomato color w/black roof '61 Chev Impala convertible, jewel blue w/matching top '61-'63 Ford Thunderbird, powder blue; ‘68 Imperial Crown, 4-door hardtop, yellow w/green top & Symphony Board, and numerous other groups. 18