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Our History : The history of Trinity Lutheran Church in Whatcom County, Washington, is the story of the grace and blessings of God. The history begins in the early 1900’s when missionaries of the Oregon and Washington District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod paid periodic exploratory visits to Bellingham. In 1902, Gottlieb Waschke and the Rauch brothers petitioned the District for a resident pastor. Pastor H.C. Hinz was called and installed as pastor of Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church of North Bellingham, where a church was constructed on a site directly across from the present Redeemer Lutheran Church. Seven voting members, Adam and Fred Rauch, Gottlieb and John Waschke, Henry and John Kammerzell, and a Mr. Reda, organized the congregation. Pastor Hinz extended his activities, establishing preaching stations in Blaine, Delta, Everson, Acme, and Whatcom, now Bellingham. After one year of activity, Pastor Hinz gave up his duties because of ill health. A call was extended to F.M.L. Nitz, a recent seminary graduate, who arrived at Peace in September, 1903. Pastor Nitz, an energetic missionary, expanded the work to Burlington, Mt. Vernon, Sedro Woolley, Port Townsend, Port Angeles, Roche Harbor, Sumas and Clipper. The preaching station in the town of Bellingham held promise and it was due to the requests of those being served that a vicar be called to serve this station. Student Hans Rosenwinkel (Jahn) was called and continued to serve until returning to the seminary in 1904. A call was placed to Theodore Goesswein who arrived in August of 1904, and was ordained and installed by Rev. Nitz as missionary for the Bellingham area. It was at this time that the communities of Fairhaven and Whatcom consolidated under the name of Bellingham, population at that time, 22,000. In the spring of 1905, a plot of ground was purchased at the corner of Franklin and Gladstone streets at a cost of $700.00, and on September 17, 1905, the building was dedicated. Cost of the building was $625.00. A school was opened with four pupils in attendance. On January 1, 1906, eight voting members met with Pastor Goesswein and signed the constitution of Trinity German Evangelical Lutheran Church. These voting members were: Henry and Jake Kammerzell, John Waschke, Conrad Hofferber, John Baucke, Julius Neimann, Martin Goesswein and Ludwig Fitz. July 7, 1907 Pastor Goesswein preached his farewell sermon and resigned from the ministry because of poor health. Pastor Nitz from North Bellingham served as vacancy pastor, and then was extended the call to be Trinity’s pastor in December, 1907. Continued growth necessitated planning a new building in 1910. Pastor Nitz served as contractor for the construction, and much of the labor was donated by members. In November of 1910, the new church building was dedicated. Total cost of the two story construction was $2,497.64. Pastor Nitz continued the school started in 1905 assisted by candidate A. Grabow from 1919 to 1921, and candidate O. Winterstein from 1925 to 1926. With deep regret the school was discontinued after the term of 1926. Peace Lutheran was served by Rev. C.H. Weber from 1908 to 1910 and Rev. Schmoock from 1910 to 1914. From 1914 to its disbanding in 1925, Peace Lutheran was served by Rev. Nitz. In 1925 Peace Lutheran disbanded and its members were transferred to Trinity. The buildings were sold and the proceeds given to the District Church Extension Fund. August 1948, Pastor Edward Bartell, a former Army chaplain, was called to Trinity. It was during his ministry the site of the present church building was purchased for a sum of $3,375.00. In 1952, Pastor Bartell accepted a call to Bellfield, North Dakota after a ministry here of 5 years. In May of 1953, Pastor Carl Eggers, also an Army chaplain, was called and installed. In September of 1953 a Building Committee was formed and instructed to proceed with the building of a parsonage on the new church lots. On Easter Sunday of 1954, the parsonage was dedicated. The congregation continued to grow under the blessing hand of God. The seating facilities became overtaxed and it was necessary to hold two Sunday services. The general condition of the church building and the restricted parking area made relocation mandatory. In June of 1954 a campaign was launched to build a new church. Pledges amounting to $57,000.00 were received and a loan secured. Construction of the new church started in 1957, and it was dedicated on January 20, 1958. Shortly after the new church was built, Pastor Eggers accepted a call to a parish in Seattle, and Rev. Fred Zehe served an extended vacancy here. On December 13, 1959, Rev. Carl Fischer of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was installed as pastor of Trinity. God continued to bless the congregation with growth and mission challenges. From 1962 to 1963, Warren Schumacher was called as vicar to Trinity to assist with establishing a church in Blaine. Three more vicars were called, Baldwin Camin from 1965 to 1966, Walter DeMoss from 1966 to 1967, and Thomas Decker from 1967 to 1968 to assist with the church in Blaine. In August of 1971, Trinity called Deaconess Sara (Doolen) Bormuth. That same year, the school that was closed in 1926 opened as Trinity’s preschool and has been prospering ever since. Sara continued to serve as Deaconess until August of 1979. Vicar Robert Gaiser was called in 1975 to assist in forming a mission church in North Bellingham, but nothing developed. Finally in 1977 the mission church, operating out of a grange hall in North Bellingham, was ready to take form. Vicar's John Ahoyt, from 1977 to 1978, and Richard Husman from 1978 to 1979, served the mission church at North Bellingham. In the spring of 1979, Redeemer Lutheran Church was incorporated. Richard Husman was extended the call to Redeemer, which he accepted and in which he is still serving. History completed its cycle in November 1980 with the dedication of Redeemer Lutheran Church at a site across from the original site of Peace Lutheran Church. Trinity dedicated a new educational and administrative wing of the church in February, 1979. Director of Christian Education, Steve Endicott, was called in August of 1981 and continued to serve until August of 1986. Pastor Fischer retired August, 1987 after 28 years of service to Trinity Lutheran Church. On October 25, 1987, Rev. Donald Schatz was installed
as pastor of Trinity. James Lohman was installed as Director of Christian
Education November 25, 1988. In April of 1991, the parsonage was converted into
a community transitional housing facility. It served in this capacity until
June, 1994 when it was converted into a home for unwed mothers. Also in 1991 the
church purchased two adjoining lots at a cost of $173,800.00. James Lohman
accepted a call to a church in Missouri August, 1992. On May 2, 1993, Sara
Bormuth started part time as Seniors Minister and continues in this ministry to
this day. In July of 1993, Trinity started a $60,000.00 remodeling job that was
completed in 1994. On July 10, 1994 Amy Vande Voort was called and installed as
Minister of Celebration and Youth. In November of 1994, Pastor Schatz accepted a
call to Trinity Lutheran Church in Seattle. In April of 1995, Amy Vande Voort
accepted a call to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Puyallup. Pastor Al Schudde
served as vacancy pastor until 1997 when Pastor Douglas Iben from Seattle
accepted the call to Trinity where he continues to serve today. |
Soli Deo Gloria
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