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New Furnace and Fences removed - 1931 Improving properties again became a major undertaking. The Ladies Aid had offered the congregation $350.00 toward a new furnace in 1926. But when the cost for the furnace increased to $665.00, and a new chimney and basement increased the total cost to $935.00, the congregation in 1929 decided to postpone these improvements until the following summer.
The Great Depression intervened at the end of that year.
But in spite of this, the balance at the end of 1930 of $665.00
encouraged the congregation to apply $750.00 toward
teacherage remodeling. The
debt was wiped out by the end of the year!
But the final details of paying for the furnace and removal of the fences
around the church, parsonage and teacherage put off the final payment
of the furnace until 1931.
The total cost amounted to $1200.00
for all these property
improvements.
Lutheran Witness - 1934 The congregation subscribed to the Lutheran Witness with a blanket subscription. This magazine is an official Missouri Synod publication with inspirational articles, reports of the church, changes of address for pastors and teachers and ads for small or large church supplies. A blanket subscription means 100% of the families received this magazine at a reduced rate, the balance being paid by District.
German and English service alternate - 1936 The first and third Sundays would be German services; the second and fourth Sundays of each month would be English. In addition, 500 copies of the church constitution were to be printed in English, with the pastor, teacher and chairman of the congregation to be translators.
Pastor Herman C. Kothe passes away while pastor of Trinity - 18 Jul 1941 Throughout Pastor Kothe's ministry an increasing number of adult converts came in. Forty-nine people were added to the church family during a comparable ministry that only had five for Pastor Hansen in the 38 years of his ministry. This outreach occurred all the way to Pastor Kothe's sudden death by heart attack July 18, 1941.
Pastor Karl Schroeder is installed - 11 Nov 1941 Rev. James Hennig of Hamel assisted the congregation until November 1, when Pastor Karl Schroeder was installed. He was pastor during the Second World War years. Despite the serious difficulties, fourteen more adult converts were added through his ministry. Three school trustees were nominated at an October 9, 1944 meeting, but not heard about in the minutes after that.
Lectern is placed in the church - 14 Jan 1945 The January 14, 1945 meeting decided to place a lectern in church, and at the March 12 meeting it had been added. "The lectern" is the reading stand for Scriptures opposite the pulpit, or place where sermons are usually delivered.
Pastor Schroeder leaves - 5 Aug 1945 From August 1945, when Reverend Karl Schroeder accepted a call to Venedy, Illinois to November 11, 1945 when Reverend Erwin G. Meseke was installed, Reverend James Hennig of Hamel again served as interim pastor, followed by Reverend C.E. Benning of South Staunton.
Young people's society organized - 10 Dec 1945 At the December 10, 1945 meeting Rev. Meseke outlined plans to organize a young people's society. The first and third Mondays would be Bible study; the second and fourth, business and social nights. No mention is made of the 1926 Bible class that asked to join the Walther League, but either they did not follow through at that time, or that group had since dissolved or was inactive.
Teacher Miss Nancy Glass is hired - Jun 1947 During 1947 enrollment had grown so large for the school that a second teacher again had to be placed. Miss Nancy Glass was the first teacher of grades one to four since Miss Irma Kothe in 1926, Together with the principal, A.C. Neumann, who had come August 15, 1920, the school continued to stay at this level of enrollment.
Parish hall was dedicated - 25 Apr 1948 During 1947 plans were made to purchase the present parish hall from Scott Air Force Base. The gymnasium was carefully moved, piece by piece, to Worden. It was part of a larger plan to renovate one classroom, convert the former parish hall into a classroom for lower grades, and add a kitchen along with the 37' x 100' gymnasium, equipped with stage and projection room. It cost $43,338.91 and was dedicated April 25, 1948.
The new Wicks organ was dedicated - 18 Jul 1948 The congregation also decided to honor servicemen who had returned home safely from World War II. The new Wicks organ in their honor was dedicated July 18, 1948 at a cost of $6,743.44.
In 1948 the congregation signed a contract for a new area water system. To help pay for this system they also decided to mimeograph the annual report and save printing expenses.
Vacation Bible School & Sunday School - 28 Oct 1948 On October 28, 1948 the ladies of the Trinity LWML (Lutheran Women's Missionary League) passed a motion "to ask the congregation for permission to underwrite a vacation Bible School and consequently a Sunday School and adult Sunday School...." On February 11, 1949 the congregation had a joint meeting of the Sunday School board, Sunday School committee, LWML committee, pastor and teacher to discuss various matters about the proposed Bible and Sunday School. At the March 13 voters meeting, the congregation approved the October 1948 proposal. During the next months 23 members enrolled in teacher training under Rev. Meseke.
First vacation Bible School - 6 Jun 1949 The vacation Bible School ran from June 6th to 24th, 1949 with an average attendance of 100. Twenty-four adults worked with the Bible School. Sunday, June 26th was Vacation Bible School Sunday that climaxed the three-week endeavor.
First Sunday School classes - Sep 1949 The first Sunday School classes that fall were held with fourteen teachers and two Bible class groups (youth and adults). There were to be Sunday School mission offerings the last Sunday of each quarter according to July 3, 1949 plans.
Sunday School constitution approved - Mar 1950 There was a joint meeting of teachers and Sunday School board in February 1950 to approve the constitution and present it to the board of education. The congregation accepted the constitution and bylaws at their March 1950 meeting.
Trinity Sunday School joined the Madison County Sunday School Teachers Association - Jun 1950 In
June 1950, Trinity Sunday School joined the Madison County Sunday School
Teachers Association and cooperated
with other schools in using and loaning visual aids for their classes and in
area training. The Madison
County Sunday School Teachers Association decided in 1974 to dissolve because
materials were being printed in Interaction, a Sunday School magazine
for teachers, and because area workshops and Sunday School conventions were
meeting the need for
further training.
Pastor Erwin G. Meseke leaves Trinity - 24 Jun 1951 On June 24, 1951 Rev. Meseke accepted the call to Sioux City, Iowa, and Rev. August Deichmann of Hamel was called on to be interim pastor. He served until Rev. W.L. Stellwagen was installed August 3, 1952.
75th anniversary of the congregation is celebrated. - 24 Aug 1952 Reverend Stellwagen and the congregation celebrated the 75th anniversary of the congregation with three services August 24, at 10:00 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Reverend E.H. Bekemeyer of Nokomis was morning speaker; Reverend Heinrich Luker of Lincoln, Missouri was afternoon and evening speaker. The 2:30 p.m. service was in German. Mr. Bernhard Bunjes of Brighton, Colorado, son of the former teacher, H.F. Bunjes, was organist for the services.
First Social Night - 7 Dec 1952 A social night Sunday evening, December 7, 1952 climaxed the anniversary observances. After a hymn, prayer and welcome, there were history excerpts and customs told, picture displays of Worden including charter members and individuals, and a history of the school with humorous incidents in school history and a pantomime of "a day in school." Several individuals reviewed more old customs, sang German songs, had a style parade, displayed more pictures and closed with community singing and lunch.
Special Events Hosted - 1953 The congregation in 1953 hosted a number
of special events. Concordia
College Male Chorus of Milwaukee, Wisconsin was the first for the
evening of April 18th. Members
after the evening concert kept students overnight in their homes and
returned them to their chartered bus the next morning.
Usually students were fed that night and breakfast the next day while they were on tour. A second event was the presentation of
the Bible Advance Program Sunday, April 26th.
Mr. Tony Ostrowsky made this presentation at the service to encourage
family Bible study. The third event was the chartering of
Worden Lions Club, May 28, 1953.
The club was chartered, holding its first meeting and every meeting thereafter, except summer, In the
parish hall.
Additional use of Parish Hall - 29 Mar 1954 The school board recommended and the congregation adopted the first regulations for use of the parish hall at the March 29, 1954 voters meeting (Volume 3, page 202). A number of community groups were using the hall, such as Boy Scouts and Lions. Later that year 4-H also asked and received permission to meet in the hall.
Confirmation Classes for Children Outside Day School - Oct 1954
Official notice was given of confirmation
classes for children outside day school.
Particular mention is made
of high school and seventh grade. Apparently
a large number of students not attending day school needed an additional class for confirmation instruction.
These and other students were instructed through joint classes, called
released time (released from public school for a designated number of hours
during the week), or separate
classes.
A Number of Education Items purchased - Jan 1956 A film library for the Sunday School was proposed and accepted at the January 1956 voters assembly. A new mimeograph machine was also purchased that year. New desks for school and teachers were to be purchased. Apparently the 50 desks ordered had to be increased to 53 the next year, making the total cost for desks $1703.20. Kindergarten was discussed, but was not acted on.
Pastor Stellwagen leaves Trinity - 8 Jul 1963 In addition to continuing the young people's work Rev. Meseke began, Rev. Stellwagen's was placed on the District Stewardship Board, and later as circuit visitor. The visitor was to make regular visits to each area congregation, assist churches in calling a pastor, help pastors plan and carry out their work, and provide information on District and Synod when needed. He represented the Synod at the installation of a pastor or teacher and other official functions. Later the office was called pastoral adviser and at present circuit counselor.
Trinity joins Concordia Plans - 1 Jul 1965 Effective immediately July 1, 1965 was Trinity's joining Concordia Plans, insurance for Lutheran church workers. The Welfare Plan covered hospitalization and disability. The Retirement Plan was the other half of the program. Later a Survivor Plan was formed to assist families at the death of a full-time worker.
90th anniversary of the congregation is celebrated - 20 Aug 1967 The congregation celebrated the 90th
anniversary August 20th and 27th, 1967.
Rev. E.G. Meseke of Sioux City, Iowa was guest speaker and Mr. Edward
Schoenleber guest organist on August 20th; Rev. E.W. Blumenkamp, Southern Illinois District Executive Secretary was speaker and
Steven Kohlmeier, the regular organist, on August 27, 1967.
Rev - 19 Nov 1968 Pastor W. H. Kohlmeier was very energetic in working with youth, in beginning the church membership record update, and In collecting historical data despite his heart condition. In 1962 he had open heart surgery that prolonged his life until November 19, 1968. He died suddenly on returning home from St. Louis. The interim pastors were Rev. Lawrence Heuchert of Litchfield, and in the last year before the arrival of the new pastor, Rev. Daniel Schmalz of Carpenter. No bulletins for 1968 or 1969 were
kept as records. But in January 1970, the principal, Gene Ladendorf,
assumed responsibility for corresponding with called pastors, arranging for
bulletins and news to be typed, and setting up meetings for the interim pastors.
Pastor John Recks is installed - 3 May 1970 On May 3, 1970, Rev. John Recks was installed as the present pastor. Members of the Ladies Aid sewed and presented stoles the summer and fall of 1970 to the congregation.
First field worker, Paul W. Hoffman - August 1971 The first field worker of the congregation was assigned, Paul W. Hoffman, of Arlington Heights (Chicago), Illinois. He was from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. The field worker assisted the pastor in gathering membership records, planning youth services, conducting services, assisting at Holy Communion, and assisting in substitute teaching at the school. His wife, Mrs. Jane Hoffman, taught grades 1 to 4 at the school. This was the first family team of husband and wife as fieldworker and teacher at our school.
Area youth distribute New Testaments - May 1971 In May 1971 the Walther League, and youth from the Christian and Methodist churches in Worden distributed "Good News" New Testaments in the community. On Memorial Day weekend the students handed out "Good News for Illinois" Bibles for the American Bible Society year. The remaining New Testaments, about three dozen, were divided equally among the three participating churches.
Mrs. Jane Hoffman and Mr. James Arbeiter were installed - 29 Aug 1971 Mrs. Jane Hoffman and Mr. James Arbeiter were installed as teacher of grades one to four, and as principal of Trinity School and teacher of grades five to eight to the present.
95th anniversary of the organization - 27 Aug 1972 On August 27, 1972 the congregation celebrated the 95th anniversary of the organization. Rev. Herbert Kothe, son of H.C. Kothe, former pastor, was the speaker, and Steven Kohlmeier, son of W.H. Kohlmeier, the organist.
25th anniversary of Trinity Lutheran Sunday School - 27 Oct 1974 Trinity Lutheran Sunday School celebrated 25 years with the 10:00 a.m. worship and potluck. Rev. Erwin Meseke was guest speaker. Pictures were displayed of anniversaries and dedications, and the booklet "Walking in the King's Highway" prepared by the Sunday School staff.
80th anniversary of the church dedication - 15 Dec 1974 The outside of the church was renovated for the 80th anniversary of the building's dedication. Siding, new windows and front entrance, costing $21,679.18 in 1974, and $1,932.84 in 1975 was the first of the 100th anniversary projects of the congregation. By the time of the celebration about $800.00 was owed on the project, the identical amount when the building was first dedicated!
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