Trinivia

In 1994, the following year-long series of Trinity trivia questions, prepared by Mr. Stu Fliege, appeared in our Sunday bulletins:

Trinivia: We'll start our Trinivia with one of God's greatest blessings to Trinity, it's wonderful elementary day school. In what year did Trinity begin a day school? (we'll give you, say, 20 years either way). X-tra credit: In what month did school begin?

Answer: In February (that's right, February) of 1860 Trinity's Pastor Huschman began classes for our elementary school. This was the beginning of the school and what a tremendous blessing it has been!!

Trinivia: Surely you have been impressed with the wonderful, new design on the Bulletin Cover today. This design will be used throughout the year. For today's Trinivia we could ask who designed the cover, but that would be too easy as most would know that Bob Eschenfeldt, Trinity's own, who has contributed so much of his talent over the years, is responsible. For his artwork, Mr. Eschenfeldt chose various symbols in the church, but where are they located? The scroll on the upper left, "Verbum Dei" - where is it found and what do the Latin words mean? On the upper right is the Sheaf of Wheat and the Grapes with Vines - where are they located? Finally, where did Bob get the idea for the border around the top of the bulletin?

Answer: For the fresh new design of the bulletin, Bob Eschenfeldt utilized the scroll on the front of the lecturn, "Verbum Dei", which means "The Word of God". The Sheaf of Wheat and the Grapes with Vines are atop stained glass windows. (second from the back, up in the balcony) and the bulletin's Grape Vine Border comes from the trim around the altar, the lectern, and the pulpit.

Trinivia: Back to the subject of our day school, Trinity's strong commitment to Lutheran education is illustrated by the fact that our congregation has built four elementary schools. When and where were they built?

Answer: Trinity first purchased a house at 123 East Jefferson to hold school in, but in 1880 the congregation razed this house and replaced it with a new two story school (midway between 1st and 2nd Street on the north side). The next school was a two story school built in 1906 behind the church (this is the one familiar to many of us old timers and, if you look close at our present parking lot, you can see the outline of where it once stood). In 1916 Trinity built a branch school on East Matheny Street which eventually became Immanuel's first church. Finally, in 1953 Trinity built the wonderful education edifice at Governor and MacArthur.

Trinivia: If you've seen the recent film "Gettysburg" you know that a Lutheran Seminary was near the battleground. Which two of our congregation's Pastors graduated from this Gettysburg Seminary?

Answer: Rev. Francis Springer (founding Pastor of our church) and Rev. Simeon Walcher Harkey graduated from the Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary.

Trinivia: Both Revs. Springer and Harkey were key individuals in the formation of the ill-fated Illinois State University. They were also affiliated with the Lutheran Church in Springfield when it divided into English and German speaking factions. In what year did this division take place?

Answer: On Dec. 15th, 1854, the Springfield Lutheran Community voted to divide into English (now Grace) and German (now Trinity) speaking congregations. Abraham Lincoln was still a Springfield resident and the Civil War was six years away.

Trinivia: For Trinity's Boy Scout Troop, forty-seven is the magic number this week. On Feb. 10, 1947, (47 years ago, of course), Troop 47 was first chartered. Art Brockschmidt, Lou Klekamp, Bob Tarr and other adult leaders were instrumental in it's beginning. Meetings were held in the basement of the 2nd & Monroe School. Four members of Trinity today were Boy Scouts in that Troop so long ago. Can you name any of them?

Answer: Present Trinity members Sam Dodd, Alvin Elchlepp, Paul Bogan, and Harold A. Olsen were Boy Scouts in Troop 47 back in 1947. Present members Herb Kobialka and Ray Boehner joined in 1948.

Trinivia: How high, in feet, is the top of the steeple (not including the cross) above ground level? Go outside (after the service, of course), take a long look, and make a good guess. Give you + 10 ft.

Answer: From ground level to the top of the steeple (not including the cross) is 129 feet high. How close were you?

Trinivia: Okay, -- if the steeple is 129 feet high, how tall is the cross atop the steeple?

The week of Feb. 27th, the printer broke down and the TRINIVIA for the next Sunday was not included.

Trinivia: During the 1950's there were no less than ten gentlemen who were registered as members of our Voters Assembly with the same last name. What was the family name? Well, - that might be kinda easy for some, so, give all 10 first names.

Answer: The surname of the 10 Voters was, of course, Ostermeier. They were Alvin, Carl, Christopher, Ernest, Fred J., Fred W., Frederick, Henry, Delmar, and Rudolph.

Trinivia: Ever notice the fancy grillwork high on the west wall of the chancel. What's the story behind that grillwork?

Answer: Many Trinity members know that the grill work in the chancel was to allow music from an echo organ to fill the sanctuary. The echo organ had about 12 ranks of pipes plus the chimes and was controlled from the main console in the balcony. But the echo organ was not always located there! Before the 1940 renovation the altar stood away from the back of the chancel (there was six feet between the wall and the back of the altar) and the echo organ was hidden on a platform high behind the altar. During the renovation, a room was actually added on top of the sacristy to house the echo organ, and a hole made in the wall which is the reason for the grill work. The empty room is still there.

Trinivia: What was Pastor Paul Schulz's nickname? Further, what title was often given to his parsonage?

Answer: The dynamic, much beloved and respected, Rev. Paul Schulz D.D. was affectionately called "Pope" Schulz and his home was sometimes nicknamed the "Vatican". Pastor Schulz had a tremendous sense of humor and enjoyed the play on words.

Trinivia: We've all heard of C.F.W. Walther, the principal figure in the history of the Missouri Synod. What do the initials C.F.W. stand for? Also, which hymn in our present hymn books was written, both words and music, by the very talented Rev. Dr. Walther?

Answer: Rev. Dr. Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther wrote the inspiring Easter Hymn, He's Risen! He's Risen! Christ Jesus, the Lord, (originally in German, Erstanden! Erstanden!) which is hymn #198 in the Red Hymn Book and #138 in the new Blue Hymn Book.

Trinivia: We all enjoy receiving the monthly Newsletter. When was it first published and who was the lady that was the driving force behind it?

Answer: Mrs. Walter Baepler, wife of the Seminary professor, was responsible for getting out Trinity's earliest Newsletter; the first one was in April of 1954. An expert in public relations, Mrs. Baepler headed up Trinity's Public Relations Committee for years and eventually became News Service Director at Valparaiso University.

Trinivia: Make a good guess (or a bad one, for that matter) at the year the first telephone was installed in the church (give you five years on this one).

Answer: In 1926 the Walther League was given permission by the Voters to install the first telephone in the church's kitchen.

Trinivia: Speaking of the Walther League, many present Trinitarians were once members of this huge, Missouri Synod organization for young people. Here are several Walther League Trivia questions. The International Walther League was formed in Buffalo, New York in 1893, but when did Trinity Youth join? What was the Latin Motto and what does it mean? Finally, can you still sing the official Walther League Song? ...all three verses?

Trinivia: In 1966 a history of our congregation was printed entitled 125 Years of Grace. An excellent account of the 1936 to 1966 era was researched and written by a lovely lady who continues to worship in the early service. Who are we referring to?

Answer: The history of Trinity from 1936 to 1966 was very ably written by Mrs. Mildred Bowden. The earlier historical period was originally written by Pastor Herman H. Koppelmann in 1936 and reprinted in 125 Years of Grace.

Trinivia: In what year did Trinity switch from gas lighting to electric lighting? (give you plus or minus 10 years).

Answer: The June 18, 1905 Voter's Minutes reveal a bill of $285.00 for the installation of electric lights in the church. One year previous, electric lights had been installed in Trinity's School on Jefferson Street.

Trinivia: Our Church's stone nameplate (facing Monroe) reads thusly: Evangelical-Lutheran; Trinity Church: U.A.C.: C.F. May, Archt. This is the present English version which, in 1940, was inscribed on the back of the original stone which had a Latin-German inscription on it, and the stone was then turned around. What was the Latin-German version? Now here's the real tuffee. The architect had originally proposed an all German inscription for this nameplate. What was this proposed inscription? You get this one and,...well...you really know your Trinity trivia....or you know the GERMAN word for TRINITY!!

Answer: Trinity's original nameplate read: Evanc. Luth: Trinitatis-Kirche: U.A.C.: C.F. May, archt. The word "Trinitatis" is Latin. The original proposal, however, was to use the German word for Trinity, DREIEINIGKEIT, which means, literally, Three-in-One. Makes sense doesn't it? (Now if you are not aware of what the U.A.C. stands for, you should have attended Pastor Strong's recent Bible Class on the (Unaltered) Augsburg Confession).

Trinivia: Before 1905 Trinity Church had no electricity, which meant, of course, that air for the organ had to be pumped by hand. It is almost unbelievable, but there is a member of Trinity today who once manually pumped the bellows to provide air for the organ. Who is this venerable gentleman?

Answer: Mr. Louis Koopman, blessed by God with a long and fruitful traverse on earth, as a young boy, manually pumped the bellows to provide air for the organ before the days of electricity. Further, he attended Trinity School while it was still on Jefferson Street. During the decades of the 20's, 30's, & 40's, the name Louis Koopman appears over and over in the minutes as he served in various roles and on different boards for his beloved Trinity.

Trinivia: Beyond doubt, the president of our congregation when our present school was built has been one of Trinity's leading lay figures for many years. Who are we referring to? X-tra credit - What is his middle name?

Answer: Harold M. Olsen was Chairman of the congregation when our new school was built and the M. stands for Mathias. To list all his contributions to Trinity, Concordia Theological Seminary, and Synod would require a separate supplement.

Trinivia: Have any idea when the first film (or "Moving Pictures") was shown in Trinity School? Think about it and take a guess (+ 5 years).

Answer: On Nov. 11th, 1923, the Voters Assembly gave approval to show Moving Pictures at the school. Wonder what that first film was? Boy, that would be real good trivia! Anyhow, three years later the Walther League began showing "Movies".

Trinivia: A few years after the church was built the Ladies Aid Society agreed to fund the building of a "Schalldeckel". For some reason it was never built, but what in the world is a "Schalldeckel"?

Answer: A "Schalldeckel" is a small, usually very ornate, roof above the pulpit. Literally, from the German, it means "sound ceiling". The idea behind them is to help project the voice of the preacher into the congregation. Remember seeing Martin Luther in the film "Here I Stand"? He was preaching beneath a "Schalldeckel". We have no clue as to why Trinity never built the one the Ladies had agreed to pay for.

Trinivia: Speaking of the Ladies Aid, what was their original German Name and in what year did they begin providing their valuable assistance to the congregation?

Answer: The Ladies Aid Society of Trinity Church was formed in 1880 and the original German name was Tabea Verein (Tabatha Society) which was changed to the English in 1906. The name Frauen Verein (Ladies Society) was also used.

Trinivia: Look at the beautiful carving of the Savior above the altar. How many times have we gazed upon it and felt the real presence of God? How tall do you think it is?

Answer: The carving of Christ above the altar is 7 feet 8 inches tall.

Trinivia: Look at the In 1863 Trinity called a Missouri Synod pastor even though the congregation was not itself a member of the synod. Who was this pastor and when did Trinity become a member of the Missouri Synod?

Answer: The Missouri Synod pastor called by Trinity in 1863, during the latter stages of the Civil War, was Rev. William Bartling. Nine years later, on Dec 3, 1872, Trinity voted to join the Missouri Synod. The first Trinity member to be elected as a delegate to the Synod was Jacob Neu, grandfather to Mrs. Marian Bachmann.

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