PLATTE COUNTY, NEBRASKA
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH HISTORY
The Columbus Daily Telegram - July 2, 1928, pages 1 and 3
TRINITY CHURCH IS DEDICATED IN
SUNDAY SERVICE
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Rev. F. A. Heinz Formally Installed as Pastor of New Lutheran Congregation
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VISITING PASTORS ASSIST
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With appropriate services held morning, afternoon and evening, the new church home of the recently organized Trinity Evangelical Lutheran congregation, the former Maennerchor hall building in Eleventh street, was formally dedicated and Rev. F. Albin Heinz installed as its pastor, yesterday. It is estimated that at least 650 persons participated in the day’s activities, attendance at the three services totaling more than 800.
The dedicatory ceremony during the forenoon service was conducted by Rev. Heinz, with assistance of Rev. C. Goede, of Glenvil, president of the German Nebraska synod of the United Lutheran church; Rev. E. Klotsche, of Fremont, professor in the Western Theological seminary, and Dr. Horace F. Martin, of Fremont, president of Midland college.
Dedicatory sermons were then given by Rev. Goede in the German language and Dr. Klotsche, in the Enligh, in which they emphasized the need of being true to confirmation vows and steadfast in religious convictions. Dr. Martin also gave an address in English in which he discussed the reasons why people should be Christians.
The musical program included several numbers by the choir and congregation singing.
Pastor and Officers Installed
Rev. Heinz was installed as pastor of the congregation by Rev. Geode, in his capacity as president of the synod, during the afternoon service. Rev. Heinz then conducted the ceremony installing the officers of the church—Carl Rohde, president; Emil Held, vice president; Emil L. Mueller, secretary; W. L. Boettcher, treasurer; Walter Jaeggi, J. H. Rudat and Wm. Durkop, deacons.
Preceding the installations, sermons were given by Rev. O. W. Heick, of Lincoln, professor at Martin Luther seminary, in the German language, and Rev. G. J. Bessler, pastor of St. John’s Lutheran church at Shell creek, in English. In the course of his address, Rev. Bessler paid a high personal tribute to Rev. Heinz, whom he had known since the latter was a boy.
Several selections by the Community orchestra and an anthem by the choir featured the musical program for the afternoon’s service.
Evening Service
Dr. Martin, of Fremont, and Rev. F. C. Schuldt, of Hastings, synod secretary, and Rev. Heinz were the speakers at the evening service. Dr. Martin and Rev. Schuldt, as had the other visiting pastors who spoke earlier in the day, extended congratulations, during the course of their addresses, to the members of the local congregation upon their establishment of the new church.
Violin solos by Berthold Tiesing, son of Dr. and Mrs. B. C. Tiesing, were features of the musical program, which also included an anthem by the choir and hymns by the congregation.
During the noon and evening meal hours, the ladies of the congregation served delicious meals in the dining room in the basement of the church.
Membership Increase
Charter membership of the new congregation, which was formed several months ago, was increased to 152 by enrollment of a number of new members yesterday, the charter lists being still held open.
The new church home of the Trinity Lutheran congregation, which bought the Maennerchor hall and made the necessary alterations to adapt it for a church building, represents an investment of approximately $20,000, but could not be duplicated new, if erected at this time, for considerably more than that sum. The congregation also has an investment of upwards of $8,000 in the parsonage which it recently bought at 2010 Ninth street. The congregation is carrying a debt of approximately $8,000 now, but it is anticipated that this will be wiped out in the not far distant future.
List of Donations
During the services yesterday, Rev. Heinz read a list of the special donations made by members toward furnishing and equipping the new church home. These included an English bible by the members of the 1928 confirmation class; an English-German altar bible, Mrs. R. Pohlner and Mrs. B. C. Teising; altar and pulpit scarf, Mrs. A. Borneman and Mrs. George Lusche; Candelabra, Mrs. Henry Luesche and Mrs. Teising; crucifix, Dr. and Mrs. Teising; cross on pulpit scarf, Mrs. F. A. Heinz; pulpit lamp, Mrs. A. Jaeggi; communion set, Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Rudat; baptismal font, Mrs. J. G. Kluck; baptismal bowl, Mrs. H. Wiseman; the palms, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Klug and daughters; offering plates, Mrs. S. Mueller and Mrs. Gesine Lueschen; chancel chairs, Gass Furniture company; hymn-board, Paul A. Jaeggi; organ, the ladies’ aid society; church record, Mrs. Susan Grossnicklaus; church name plate above entrance, Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Brenneman and family; cross on church, Mrs. Helene Oehlrich; offering box in vestibules, W. F. Krueger; organ for Sunday school, Mrs. L. Maier, sr.; registering of deed, H. J. Rudat; carpet on platform, J. Hoessel, Mrs. G. J. Kluck, Mrs. Lena Ewert, Mrs. Carl Hoth, Mrs. O. Heiden, Mrs. Joe Cochran; furniture for children’s nursery and shades and curtains for pastor’s study, Mrs. B. Wiseman, Mrs. B. C. Teising, Mrs. S. Ingold, Mrs. Fred Asche, Miss Bertha Lusche, Mrs. Henry Lusche, Mrs. Gesine Lueschen, Mrs. Gerhard Loseke, sr., Miss Elsie Lueschen, Mrs. Gus Stoll, Mrs. R. Pohlner; cash donations for miscellaneous furnishings, Mrs. L. Boje, Mrs. Gerhard Loseke; kitchen utensils and dishes, by a large number of the ladies of the congregation. Rev. Heinz also mentioned that a great deal of work had been done by a number of men, who had thus saved the congregation a substantial sum, and that quite a number of the ladies had worked hard and faithfully in preparing the building for a church home, and he extended the thanks of the congregation to them even though their names and work were not mentioned specially in the foregoing list.
Rev. W. Heidenreich, of Leigh, was among the visiting pastors at yesterday’s services.