Church History

1870

Rev. Baumhoefener worked to gather German Lutheran settlers around the Fremont area for worship.

1880

Services were held by area pastors in the Dodge County Courthouse.

1884

In May the congregation built a 26'x 44' church at 3rd & C, known as the German Lutheran Church (now known as Trinity Lutheran Church). Speakers at the dedication services spoke in German, Danish, and English. A Christian Day school was started in a rented store building on Main Street with a student engaged as a teacher.

1885

The school was moved into the church building.

1886

Trinity's first resident Pastor was installed, Pastor August Lange.

1887

The first teacher was installed.

1888

A small 2-story building was erected just north of the church for a school. It opened in August with 32 pupils, but increased to 63 during that year. Classes were conducted in German. The pastor's living quarters were on the 2nd floor of the school building. The 1st men's choir was organized.

1889

Trinity joined the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.

1891

Pastor's salary was $450.00. The young women had a choir loft built in the church. Pastor Peter Graef and Trinity Lutheran Church (LCMS) of Fremont petition the Nebraska District for support in opening an orphanage. The District President, Rev. J Hilgendorf, responded, "If you do that, we will not disappoint you."

1892

The first orphans were housed with the pastor's family on the second floor of the old school.

1893

A new Lutheran Orphan Home (Military and Lincoln Ave.) was dedicated in June.

1894

Sunday School was organized. The Lutheran Orphan Society was organized with 14 other congregations as sponsors with Trinity. This was the start of the present Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska. The first Orphan Festival was held in Fremont.

1900

The orphanage secured their own full time personnel to serve as superintendent.

1904

Fire damaged the school building and was repaired.

1909

25th Anniversary - the congregation numbered 140 communicant members and 240 baptized members.

1912

A "momentous" decision was made to accept English-speaking members into the voters' assembly. Trinity began fully supporting it's own pastor and teacher.

1913

The school expanded into two rooms and a contract teacher was hired.

1918

The English language replaced German in school and at the voters' meetings.

1922

The Orphan Home Park was dedicated in Fremont.

1926

The Ladies Aid bought the hand carved scene of the Lord's Supper. This was carved by Joseph Meyer from Oberummergau, Germany and was said to be one of 2 or 3 of its kind in the world.

1927

The old church on 3rd & C was torn down and replaced by the present brick edifice, with cornerstone laying service in May. The altar, pulpit, baptismal font, lectern and statue of Christ were donated to Immanuel Lutheran at Atkinson, NE. The new church was dedicated in December.

1934

50th Anniversary - Trinity has grown to 441 communicate members and 735 baptized members. The Day School had 97 pupils and Sunday School had 138. During the Depression money was very short so the Ladies Aid made and fried donuts in the church basement. They were sold to the community, as a fundraiser to help pay for the church.

1946

A quarter block of ground was purchased for a school site directly across the street south of the church on 3rd and C.

1948

Hoffman began a five-minute daily chapel on the radio (stations KORN & KFGT), which ended in 1963. It was paid by memorials from the area churches. Trinity's choir taped music for it.

1949

Children's Christmas Eve Services were held in the Fremont City Auditorium.

1951

Construction began on the first unit of the West School. Ground breaking was in February. Cornerstone laying services were held in May. Enrollment was over 100 for the first time.

1952

The one story building was a 9,500 sq. ft. educational building, which contained five classrooms and a gymnasium and was dedicated May. The orphanage building of the Lutheran Orphan Society in Fremont, was replaced by two modern cottages.

1954

For the first time, Trinity had two permanent teachers.

1956

Trinity had two pastors on staff. Two additional parcels of ground were purchased adjacent to the West School ground on the south end.

1958

A two-story unit was added to the West School. The groundbreaking service was held on May 18 and the dedication service was on November 23. The addition consisted of two more classrooms, a kitchen and a dining hall.

1959

75th Anniversary - growth of the congregation had soared to 1,210 communicants and 1,780 baptized members. Day school had reached 194 and Sunday School with 354 enrolled.

1960

Trinity now has 3 permanent teachers. The church is facing overcrowding.

1963

A parcel of ground on 2nd & C streets was purchased. This made the west school site a half block in size. Sunday School reached an all time peak of 490 students. The Lutheran Family Service Society is renamed Lutheran Family Services. (Lutheran Family Services has been building and strengthening lives in Nebraska for more than 100 years. Today LFS offers a variety of services in 29 locations across the state to assist with personal and family problems that impact the quality of life for so many in Nebraska. LFS welcomes individuals of all ages and families who need support because of changes or crisis in their lives.)

1965

A 5-acre tract of ground at 16th & Luther Road was purchased in March. Construction on Trinity East School began with ground breaking in October. In a period of rapid growth, Trinity reached an all time peak of 2,162 baptized members and 1,426 communicate members.

1966

Trinity East School was dedicated and regular Sunday worship services began in the East Trinity gymnasium. The one story building contained four classrooms and gym, plus kitchen and dining facilities. December 4, Donald E. Levenhagen was installed as Associate Pastor.

1967

School enrollment reached an all time peak of 276 students.

1969

Trinity now has four permanent teachers.

1977

Communicant membership reached 1,492 with 1,947 baptized members.

1979

The congregation decided to sell three of the five church-owned houses to the workers living in them.

1981

Trinity now has 5 permanent teachers. In July, women were allowed to join the voter's assembly and thus became enfranchised for the first time in Trinity's history.

1983

The congregation decided to have a church and school consolidation program with a new church addition, fellowship hall, small chapel, meeting rooms, administrative center and more classrooms. Estimated cost to combine all worship and educational facilities of Trinity under one roof site is approximately two million dollars.

1984

100th Anniversary - Trinity congregation is nearly 1,800 including 1,350 communicants and more than 200 students in Day school. We now have two pastors, a school principal, and ten teachers.

1985

March 30th, the congregation breaks ground on the new church building. A church will be attached to Trinity East School with an estimated cost $1,323,000. Sanctuary seating of 600 arranged in an arch shape with a large wide communion area. The front end, or north end, will include the altar in the center; the pulpit to the right; and baptismal font to the left. The Lord's Supper wooden carved scene was placed on the east wall.

1986

Trinity dedicated its new worship facility at the East location.

1988

Day care was started and held in Trinity West School. This was the last year the Children's Christmas Eve services were held in the City Auditorium. (1949-1988, 39 years.)

1989

Trinity decided to sell the church on 3rd & C. (It was sold in 1992.) Trinity Lutheran Church held its final worship services at 3rd and C on April 30th.

1990

School children and families collected 225,000 Campbell Soup labels. These labels purchased a new computer system, from the Campbell Soup for Education Program.

1993

The organ was rebuilt - cost of about $70,000.

1996

Burning of the mortgage was in August - a celebration of the completion of the 1st mortgage, (over $1,500,000) was paid off in 10 years.

1997

Pastor Levenhagen's retirement - honoring his service to Trinity for 30 years, and a total of 37 years of faithful service to our Lord. Pastor Phillip Vance was installed as "Associate Pastor" on Dec. 14th. In June, the celebration of 150 years of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Missouri Synod now had 6,175 churches - 62 High Schools - 2,031 Elementary Schools - 12 Colleges & Seminaries.

1998

The congregation voted to adopt 6 missionaries and their families.

1999

Trinity plans to expand the facilities for effective Ministry.

2000

March 19, Pastor Vance was installed as "Director of Ministries". Dr. Foster was adopted as our Missionary. Pastor Donald Levenhagen went to China for six weeks to help Chinese teachers improve English language also to learn more about the U.S. in friendship and faith. He was part of a six-member team that taught 130 Chinese at Shandong, Ins., a teaching college in the city of Jinan. July 9, Lay Minister Michael Meyer was commissioned.

2001

Membership is now totaling 2057 baptized members, 1540 communicant members, and with 205 enrolled in Sunday school. (Missouri Synod is opening a new High School this fall at 15656 Fort St., Omaha, NE 68116.)

2003

An addition to the school is completed providing four additional classrooms, a music room, a fellowship hall, and a chapel containing the stained glass windows from the building at 3rd & "C". The entire K-8 school is now at a single location while the Early Childhood Center, including the preschool and daycare, occupies the entire west facility.

Church History

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