Trinity Lutheran, Akron - HISTORY FROM OLD CHRONIK 1900-1965

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1888! Pastor J. W. Kimmel conducts service in home about Curtis, Colorado.
(This ! town-sight seems to have been located NE of Akron in the old Akron-Holyoke!
survey.) Quotation from this early record:!
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Colorado had never had a Lutheran Service, or a visit from a Lutheran pastor!
until the 2nd day of August 1888 the writer Rev. J. W. Kimmel as Gen. Missionary!
for SW Neb.
NW Kansas and East Colorado visited and preached the first!
Sermon at the Home of Gottlieb Gehrig, 21 persons being present. Services were held
from that time on every four weeks by the Missionary and in the 21st day of Dec. 1888,
the Communion Services were held at the home of Bros. J. R. Heasly and in the
evening of same day at Christ Tegtmanns home, 16 persons all members of the
Lutheran Church from different parts of the U. S. partook of ! the Holy Supper.!
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After the Evening service, the members present adopted the Constitution!
recommended by the Board of Home Missions declared the congregation !o r g a n i z e d
and named it - The First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Washington County, State of
Colorado and the election of officers was deferred until the next meeting to be held Jan.
17, 1889. Eighteen persons jointed the church at this meeting with 6 being added
during the following years, the last date of entry being Jan. 17, 1890. This little flock!
conducted services in the English language, erected their own church and !d e d i c a t e d
the same, debt free, Sept. 15, 1889. The last record of voters meeting is dated as of
June 6, 1893.!

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1893! Jan. 22, 1893 The Rev. Jos. Oesch conducted the first German
Congregation meeting.!
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Feb. 12, 1893 The German Evangelical Lutheran St. Johns Congregation,!
unaltered Augsburg Confessions, by Curtis, Washington, County, Colorado, was!
organized. Constitution signed by eleven members. Members of former English
Church being present and joining this German congregation.!

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1894! an opposition congregation begun at Otis. Three members lost.!

1894! In spring Pastor Oesch accepts call to Westcliff, Colo.!!
1894! Pastor H. F. Massmann accepts call within local field.!

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1897! Lost record of St. Johns Congregation.
Statistics:
45 souls; 24
communicants; 2 funerals in 1889, 2 confirmands in Dec.1896; 6 baptisms during enter
period.!

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1898! Sept 28, 1898, beginning of date in extensive mission field, Boundaries,
Sterling north, Cheyenne Wells-Hugo south, Ft. Morgan West; Wray & Vernon East.!

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1898! C. Lange missionary of field.!

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1899 Aug. 25, 1899 Trinity Lutheran Congregation organized.
signed by four members.!

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Constitution

Trinity Lutheran, Akron - HISTORY FROM OLD CHRONIK 1900-1965

1901! Rev. C. Lange accepts call to Westcliff, Colo.!

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1901! Sept 8, 1901 Rev. H. Schmidt installed. 5 families at Akron; 3 at Curtis.!

1902! Lutheran field added to int (sp), Arriba, Flagler, Hugo, etc.!
1906! Field divided, Pastor Schmidt taking southern field and moving to Flagler.!
1906! Rev. E. Lehmann at Ft. Morgan serves field.!
1908! Rev. J. G. Pflantz!
1909! Rev. Wm. O. Leitz!
1915! Rev. H. Heitfeld!
1916! Congregation reorganized with 6 voting members May 6!

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1916! Church dedicated, Oct. 22.: Lfeckers: Rev. Bierwagen of Bevina (sp),
Rev. ! Bechemcie of Stoneham. Dimensions of building: 20x30x12. Cost: $1,665.00!
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Tower: 7x8x35!

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Articles placed in cornerstone:!

Germania; !
Lutheraner!
Stadtmissioner!
Kinder in Jugendblatt!
Gemeindeordnung!
List of present officials & members of congregation!
Organization & historical date of congregation!
Lutherischer Kalender!
Young Lutherans Magazine!
Synodical report of Kansas District!
Synodical report of Ev. Luth. Synodica conference of N. America!
Synodical report of first delegate synod!
Homeletical Magazine!
Lebre w. Webre (Tlevelogical Monthy)!
Hymn book!
Synodical handbook!
Luthers Small Catachism;!
Small Bible History!
Morgan County Herald!
Concordia publishing Home Catalogue!
Krankentrost (comfort for sick).!
1918! Rev. Jos. Gerken first resident pastor!

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Trinity Lutheran, Akron - HISTORY FROM OLD CHRONIK 1900-1965

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1918! Building parsonage, Cost $3,458.65!

1924! (1922) The Rev. O. H. Voss former missionary in South America called!
1925! Pastor Voss resigns because of ill health!
1928! Pastor Hoyer accepts call to Yuma.!
1928! Pastor R. Cloeter called from Ornsby, Minnesota.!
1929! Balcony & altar nich added to church!
1933! Pastor Cloeter accepts call to Minnesota.!
1934! The Rev. P. H. Scheer of Flagler, Colo. called. Ordained April 15th!
1937! Young People organized adopting name: Youth Endeavor!

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1939! Basement placed under church, raising present edifice 15 inches. All
articles previously placed in cornerstone had completely decayed. Front entrance!
remodeled to accommodate basement entrance.
Work began January 18.!
Completed for dedication Dec. 31, 1939.!

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1939! Contents placed in re-laid cornerstone: (no special service conducted)!

List of officers and souls of congregation!
Concordia Bible student Vol. 27, No. 2!
Behold the Church of God - daily devotion booklet (Feb. 22-April 9, 1939. L. B.!
Buchheimer)! !
Parochial Report Jan 1, 1938 - Dec 31, 1938!
Lutheran Hour Press Release of week Feb. 26, 1939 - Return of Christ of the!
Cross.)!
Luthers Small Catechism pamphlet!
Augsberg Confession!
The Colorado Lutheran Vol. 15, No. 3!
Which Church Shall I Join pamphlet by Sommers!
Proceedings of the Colorado District 1931!
Proceedings of the Colorado District 1933!!
Lutheran Witness Special Thanksgiving Edition, Nov. 15, 1938!
C.P.H. Catalogue 1939!
Akron News Reporter of March 9, 1939!

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1939! Pastor P. H. Scheer received call Dec. 1, 1939, and accepts call from Zion!
congregation, Hinsdale, Illinois - Dec. 17, 1939.!

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1940! Farewell sermon Jan. 7, 1940.!

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Trinity Lutheran, Akron - HISTORY FROM OLD CHRONIK 1900-1965

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Feb 21, 1940, Pastor John C. Knippenberg of Grand Junction, Colo. was called.!
March 10, Pastor Knippenberg was installed at Akron by pastor A. Oltrage of Yuma who
had served Trinity congregation as vacancy pastor.!

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From 1940 to 1947 a goodly number of communicant members sold out and!
moved away to Denver, to California, and to Oregon.!
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The communicant membership shrank from 80 to as low as 55 in 1943-1944.!
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A few moved in from sister congregations; some adults were gained, and in 1947
(April) the communicant membership stood at 67.!
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Various physical improvements were made in the church property in the years!
from 1940-46.
Kitchen cupboards were built; a celotex ceiling put in church!
basement basement walls painted with Bondea; wash rooms re-plastered;!
hardwood floors laid in main church auditorium; sidewalks built in front of church; !a l t a r
repainted; pews varnished; organ-blower installed; church painted.!
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Early in 1946 the main church roof was re-shingled, and in the fall of the year an!
automatic, electric oil burner was installed in church furnace. A cabinet blower was also
installed. Paint was purchased for the parsonage and a start was made repaint the
parsonage - interrupted by cold, stormy weather. A new lawn was also planted to the
west of the parsonage and south of the church. It looked fine in the fall; but much of it
died during the winter. New electric three light !candelabra was donated by Mr. & Ms. R
Lundquist in memory of their daughter LaDonna.!

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On March 31, 1947, Pastor Knippenberg received a call to Immanuel!
congregation at Haxtun. On April 13th, the pastor accepted the call and received!
a peaceful dismissal.!

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Ladies Aid became the LWML in 1942!

1955! Rev. T. Pedersen!
June 1955- December 1961!

Rev. A. Wagner!

June 24, 1956 Ground breaking for new church building!

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June 2, 1957 the new church was dedicated. Cost $33,000 for building and
$4,000 for furnishings !
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Sun. 1955 a couples club joined to the International LLL.!

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By Rev. W. P. Goehring!
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Pastor Wagners ministry & Service was effective in formatting a building!
program & succeeded in the erection of the present brick church building at a cost of
$33,000 plus $4000 for furnishings. Pastor Wagner succeeded Pastor Petersen. He
accepted a call to Shelton, NE, Dec 1961. For better than a year a !vacancy followed
which was served by circuit counselor, he Rev. Roy Schulz of Ft. Morgan. After
extending many calls, the call extended Rev. W. T. Goehring of Kinsley, KS, was
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Trinity Lutheran, Akron - HISTORY FROM OLD CHRONIK 1900-1965

accepted by him and Sunday, January 6th, 1963, he was installed by present circuit
counselor Rev. A. Obermeier PhD, the sermon being delivered by vacancy Pastor Roy
Schulz, Ft. Morgan, whose text was John 21, 15 etc - Feed My Lambs - My Sheep.!

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Reorganization of the voters soon took place since congregational records were!
destroyed in a fire of the John Lindahl home. The organ sound console was the ! gift of
Mrs. Bessie Wolf in memory of her husband L Wolf. The set of flags in the!
chancel as well as the clergy seat, are the gift of the Ladies Aid of Trinity. The ! p u l p i t
lamps are a memorial gift from Leonard Nitzel in memory of his beloved ! s p o u s e ,
Selma, & Wm Nitzel, his father, by his spouse Anna. The name Trinity ! L u t h e r a n
Church and the emblem above the church entrance is the work & gift !
of Henry
Volberding. During Pastor Goehrings ministry many members !
relocated elsewhere
but the congregation maintained its stable membership of ! a r o u n d
100
communicants. Pastor Goehring resigned to retire to become !
c u r a t o r
administrator of Concordia Historical Institute, Lutheran Saxon Memorial ! a t F r o h n a ,
Mo March 31st, 1966.!

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Rev. F. L. Boeger (St. Johns, Yuma) served as vacancy Pastor followed by !
Rev. Harold Kaestner (Trinity, Sterling) served as vacancy Pastor until summer of 1966
when Rev. Gary D. Fortkamp was called placement from the seminary. Rev. Fortkamp
served until receiving a call in 1968.!

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In September 1966, a new parsonage was planned and underwent construction.
It was located 8th street and Date.!

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In 1968 a call to another seminary graduate Rev. Bruce Jeske was issued.
Pastor Jeske served until 1974 when he accepted another call.!

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In 1974 a call to another seminary graduate (Seminx, St. Louis) was extended to
Rev. Norman Lentz. He served until 1976 when Trinity revoked his call and caused a
split in the congregation. Lentz and others then started Peace Lutheran Church in
Akron. Many of the members of Trinity left Trinity and joined Peace.!

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In 1976 a call was issued to retired Rev. Roy P. Schulz. He served until 1978.!

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On April 14, 1977, a special service of thanksgiving was held to conduct a
mortgage burning ceremony.!

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In 1978 a call to the the Seminaries for a Vicar placement was issued to Vicar
Peter Bertram. Vicar Bertram returned to the seminary in 1979.!

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In 1979 a call to the Seminaries for another Vicar placement was issued to Vicar
Larry Steckling. Vicar Steckling returned to the seminary in 1980.!

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In 1980 a call to the Seminaries for another Vicar placement was issued to Vicar
Don Storrud. Vicar Storrud returned to the seminary in 1981.!
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Trinity Lutheran, Akron - HISTORY FROM OLD CHRONIK 1900-1965

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In 1981 a call was issued to a seminary candidate Rev. David Weber.
Weber served until 1983 when he took another call.!

Rev

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Rev. Steven Ude, St. Johns, Yuma, served as vacancy Pastor from 1983 to 1984
when a call to Rev. Verl Gunter was accepted. Rev. Gunter served from 1984 to April
1989 when he accepted a call.!

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In June 1989 Rev. James Swinford accepted a call to Trinity.
served until January 1991 when he accepted another call.!

Rev. Swinford

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In June 1991 a call was issued to a seminary candidate Rev. Gregg Reiser. Rev.
Reiser served until 15 April 2001 when he received another call.!

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Rev. Andrew Dimit, First English Sterling served as vacancy pastor from April
2001- September 2001.!

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In September, 2001, Rev. Mark Broecker, St. Johns, Yuma served as vacancy
Pastor until September 2003.!

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In September 2003, Rev. Andrew Dimit, First English, Sterling, served as
vacancy Pastor until a dual parish was formed with First English, Sterling in January
2005.!

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In January 2005, Rev Andrew Dimit was called as a dual parish Pastor with First
English, Sterling. Rev Dimit served until August 2012 when First English forced a
resignation of his call and dissolved the dual parish agreement between Trinity and First
English.!

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On April 17, 2006 Trinity sold the parsonage.!
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In August 2012 to present (2014), Rev. Terrence Buethe, St. Johns, Yuma
serving as vacancy Pastor.

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