Trinivia (page 2)
 Trinivia:
In what year was the last regular German Service held in Trinity?
(Give 'ya two years either way on this one). X-tra credit: Give the
actual date.
Answer: On June 28, 1953 with 18 people in
attendance, the last regularly scheduled German Service was held.
Trinivia:
Many of us subscribe to "The Lutheran Witness", the Missouri Synod's
English periodical. In what year was it first published? What was
the name of it's German companion periodical and during what time
span was it published? (Hint: The 1994 Lutheran Annual can give you
the answers.)
Answer: The first issue of "The Lutheran
Witness" was May 21, 1882. Its German companion periodical was "Der
Lutheraner" which began in 1844 and ceased publication in 1974.
Trinivia:
Trinity's church has always been known for it's beautiful stained
glass windows. How many are there? Since some windows are in several
parts we will define "a window" as one that is covered by one
protective storm window. Go outside and count them (not now!!!), but
don't count the sacristy, the basement windows, or the 2nd street
entrance (because they are not stained windows).
Answer: There are 39 stained glass windows.
The protective storm windows, by the way, have been a tremendous
blessing in preserving the appearance of the windows. The protective
windows were installed in 1972 and were a gift from the Karl Schewe
family.
Trinivia:
Trinity once had a Pastor whose father was president of the Missouri
Synod. Who was he?
Answer: Rev. Lloyd Behnken was assistant
pastor at Trinity from 1944 to 1948, during the era that his father,
Rev. John W. Behnken, was President of the Missouri Synod.
Trinivia:
Speaking of Presidents of Synod, which member of Trinity became
President of the Missouri Synod?
Answer: J.A.O. Preus was a member of Trinity
during the time he was president of Concordia Theological Seminary.
He later was elected to the office of President of the Missouri
Synod. In the way of Trinivia, the J.A.O. stands for Jacob Aall
Ottesen.
Trinivia:
Everyone knows Marlene Gunderson, Trinity's very able church
secretary. But who was Trinity's first church secretary and in what
year did she begin her service?
Answer: Trinity did not employ a church
secretary until May 1946 when it hired Loulla Wanless (nee Klekamp).
Now in Heaven, Loulla was Betty England's sister and Rick Wanless'
mother.
Trinivia:
Trinity's two massive bells really do sound better from the outside
(as many of us realize as we scurry to get to church on time). Many
Springfield folks believe that our bells sound the best among the
city's churches. Could it be that the German inscriptions on them
make them sound better? What are the German inscriptions and how do
they translate?
Answer: Here's what is says on our church
bells: (bigger bell, south side) CONCORDIA: GOTTES WORT UND LUTHERS
LEHR, VERGEHT NUN UND NIMMER MEHR - God's Word and Luther's
teaching, endure now and ever more-. (bigger bell, north side) CAST
BY H. STUCKSTEDE & CO. ST. LOUIS, MO; EV. LUTH. TRINITATIS KIRCHE -
Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church - SPRINGFIELD, ILLS; REV. G.
LINK, SEN. PASTOR; ZUR KIRCHWEIH DEN 22t SEPT. 1889 - At the church
dedication, September 22nd, 1889-. (smaller bell, north side) CAST
BY H. STUCKSTEDE, ST. LOUIS, MO. 1889; EHRE SIE GOTT IN DER HOHE -
Glory to God in the Highest-. The south side of the smaller bell is
blank.
Trinivia:
For many years, Trinity member, Mr. Herman Goerring, provided a
valuable service to the church. What was his unique contribution?
(Hint: He may have begun the practice because of the Volsted Act.)
Answer: Mr. Herman Goerring provided his
home made wine for Holy Communion. Many still remember it as "the
best tasting wine we ever used". Mr. Goerring may have started the
practice because of prohibition when it became impossible to legally
purchase wine.
Trinivia:
For about a dozen years, (we skipped a year here and there) Trinity
utilized ten vicars to assist (and to be trained by) Trinity's
pastors. What period of time are we talking about here? Wasn't all
that long ago. Okay, --of the ten vicars, name as many of them as
you can.
Answer: From 1963 to 1975 the following
vicars served at Trinity: Norman Nessett; Clark Gies; David
Schroeder; John Hetlinger; Roy Kieschnieck; William Voelker; James
Schnackenberg; Paul Devantier; Robert Preece; and Keith Brutlag. How
many did you name?
Trinivia:
Among Trinity's most cherished physical assets is its wonderful
large pipe organ; so - a little trivia about our organ. What is our
organ called (that is, what is the name of the firm that built it?)?
How long has it been at Trinity? It has four main divisions; the
Hauptwerk (Great Work), the Schellwerk (Swell Work), the Kronwerk
(Crown Work) and the Pedal division. Make a guess (even a wild one
will do) at how many individual pipes are in our organ (even if you
get within 200, we'll call it correct).
Answer: Our Casavant Organ was installed in
October of 1972 and has 2,388 pipes ranging in size from a small
pencil to a 16 foot tube with a 12 inch diameter.
Trinivia:
Trinity's present organ is certainly a tremendous and wonderful
piece of equipment and a decided assest to the congregation; as was
the organ it replaced in 1972. What was this organ called, what kind
was it, and when was it installed?
Answer: Trinity's organ previous to the
present one was called the Schoknecht Memorial Organ to honor the
memory of teacher, organist, choir director, principal, and Walther
League Counselor, Robert J. Schoknecht. It was an Austin organ that
had been used in a private home in Brooklyn, N.Y., before its
installation in Trinity in 1939.
Trinivia:
Think time doesn't pass quickly? How many years ago did the
following individuals, all alive and living in Springfield, first
begin serving Trinity? Revs. Sommerfeld, Niemoeller, Rothe, Hoffman,
Strong, Radtke, and Schroeder? How about Principal Gehrke, Marlene
Gunderson, Alberta Whitcomb, and our organist Laura Fliege?
Answer: Rev. Martin Sommerfeld was installed
forty-five years ago (2-20-49) and Rev. Lewis Niemoeller joined him
forty-one years ago (10-11-53). Rev. Martin Roethe came to Trinity
twenty-one years ago (10-1-73) while Rev. Hermann Hoffman has been
here for sixteen (9-17-1978), the same number as Rev. Micheal Strong
(10-10-78). Rev. Thomas Radtke came to us eleven years ago (2-20-83)
and Rev. William Schroeder has been here for six years (1-17-88).
Principal Gehrke began teaching here twelve years ago (Aug. 1982).
Marlene Gunderson became the church secretary eighteen years ago
(Aug. 1976), one year after Alberta Whitcomb began serving as our
school's secretary (Sept. 1975). Laura Fliege has been our organist
for fifteen years, since 1979. Many years of loyal service by
dedicated individuals, but it does make us feel a little older,
doesn't it?
Trinivia:
The minutes for the Board of Christian Education for September 1953,
taken by Arthur Brockschmidt, reveal that John C. Rodenberg had
completed a study to determine the cost per year per student at
Trinity School. Make a guess at what Mr. Rodenberg's cost figure was
for 1953. What is the figure today?
Answer: In 1953 J. C. Rodenberg reported
that the per pupil annual cost for each Trinity Student was $91.23.
The figure for last year, 1993, was $1,868.00.
Trinivia:
Most Trinitarians have heard and know about the German-Saxon
emigration to Perry County, Missouri and the subsequent formation of
the Missouri Synod. As far as we can ascertain, only one of those
emigrants eventually became a member of our church. Despite poor
eyesight he was accomplished artist and the Illinois State
Historical Society has some of his works on file. He was also the
first "Steward" for Concordia Theological Seminary. Who was he?
Hint: His last name is German for Peacock.
Answer: The artist and multitalented
gentleman, a member of the Saxon emigration, was Gustav Pfau. He and
his wife became members of Trinity during the 1870's. After his
death Trinity made several financial gifts to his widow who had
become destitute.
Trinivia:
Quickly now (you can count them later), how many rows of pews are on
the main floor of our church?
Answer: There are 23 rows of pews on the
floor of the nave in Trinity.
Trinivia:
The name of Jacob Loose is firmly established in the history books
of Springfield. He was not a member of Trinity, but his name appears
regularly in the congregation's minutes during the latter part of
the 19th century as we had to pay him for a certain commodity. What
is Jacob Loose's claim to fame?
Answer: Mr. Jacob Loose opened Springfield's
first coal mine. He sank a 237 foot deep shaft in 1867 just south of
Highland Avenue where the railroads cross. For many years he
supplied our church with coal during the winter months. His large
headstone in Oak Ridge is right next to the Bressmer headstone.
Trinivia:
What is inscribed on the cornerstone (not the stone nameplate) of
the church and the cornerstone of the school? Be sure and take a
look at them today. (You have to push the bushes aside at the
school.)
Answer: The church's cornerstone, on the
extreme south-west corner, simply says ERBAUT A.D. 1888, Erbaut is
German for BUILT and A.D. is "anno Domini", in the year of our Lord.
The cornerstone for the school is on the north side of the MacArthur
Street entrance. Inscribed on it are Luther's Coat of Arms with the
year 1953, below it.
Trinivia:
There are two Memorial Plaques on the north wall in Trinity's gym.
Which two men are honored by these plaques?
Answer: The plaque near the center door in
the school's gym states that the gym was dedicated to the memory of
Pastor Paul Schulz. The plaque near the west door was put in place
when the bleachers were installed to honor Lou "Papa" Klekamp.
Trinivia:
While we are on the subject of the gym, for many years there was a
major problem in the afternoon when the sun streamed in the windows
and the glare was almost unbearable. How was this resolved and who
was responsible?
Answer: To block the glaring sun into the
gym. Huge green automatic roller shades were installed on both east
and west sides. They were a gift of the Hank Burge family. Also, the
first electronic scoreboard was in memory of Hank Burge and donated
by his widow Norma Burge Houlette. Also, the family donated the
Communion Flagon when services were held in the gym and which is now
being used at church. In addition they donated the two timpani which
are used both in the gym and in the church.
Trinivia:
Not only were there many windows in the gym, the entire school had
an enormous square footage of glass windows. Our school was built in
an era of plentiful and cheap natural gas and the architectural
style of the day called for lots of windows. All the exterior
windows were replaced with thermal windows not too many years ago.
Now two trivia questions. What was the total number of panes of
glass (in the windows, doors, hall-dividers, basement, etc.) before
the thermal windows were installed? Think about it and take a wild
guess. How many are there now? (We hope this subject is not too
panefull for you!
Answer: Before the new thermal windows were
installed at the school, Mr. Gehrke's math class totaled all the
panes of glass and did some related math problems. There were 1,781
panes. Today, after the thermal replacement, there are 652.
Trinivia:
In 1976, to honor the Bicenntenial Year of the United States,
Trinity held a very special Thanksgiving. What was so special abut
it, and who were the pastors and organists who participated?
Answer: The Thanksgiving Service in 1976
consisted of two similar services; the first was entirely in German
and the second in English. During the German service, women and
children sat on the east side and the men on the west, collection
was taken using old long handled baskets, and the old German liturgy
was used. In the German Service Prof. Fred Kramer gave the Sermon,
Prof. Clarence Spiegel handled the liturgy, and George Derwig played
the organ. In the English Service, Pastor Lewis Niemoeller was the
liturgist, Pastor Wilbert Sohns delivered the Sermon, and H. Allen
Herbst was the organist.
Trinivia:
Which Governor of Illinois was attending a wedding in Trinity when,
unfortunately, the organ completely failed?
Answer: Because his daughter was a
bridesmaid, Gov. William Stratton was attending the wedding of
Mildred Sears at Trinity when the organ went kaput. The Governor
later told Pastor Sommerfeld that the hour delay, due to the organ
failure, was one of the most peaceful, serene, and reverent hours he
had ever spent, and he had truly enjoyed the surroundings of the
church as the assembly waited.
Trinivia:
This one ought to be easy. Name all the families in the congregation
whose last name begins with the letter I.
Answer: The William and Carolyn Isham
family, with offspring David, Aimee, and Keil, is the only Trinity
family whose last name begins with an I.
Trinivia:
In the narthex, those two smaller stained glass windows have the
name C.F. May on the bottom. Who was C.F. May?
Answer: C.F. May, he name on the small
windows in the narthex, was the architect for our House of Worship.
His full name was Carl Frederich May.
Trinivia:
Okay, here's the final Trinivia of the year and you better not miss
it. What do the German words "...denn du bist bei mir..." mean?
Answer: The German "...denn du bist bei mir..."
means, of course, "...for Thou art with me...", the theme of our
present Capital Improvement and Repair Campaign. And certainly he
has been with us and will continue to be with us, individually and
as a congregation as we look to the future.
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