|
Lutheran Church Celebrates it's History
 By: Karl Kell
For more than a century, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church and its members have been a valued part of Abita Springs and the surrounding community.
Historical records provided by David Schwefel, president of the Church Council, and Bob Reese, evangelical and outreach coordinator, reflect that 103 years ago this week, its members held their first official worship service. A small group of German Lutherans gathered in a building where the former Mutti Hotel stood for the first formal service conducted by the Rev. Arthur Kaub. Kaub was invited to the area by one of the founding members of what was to become the original church council. Organized officially in April 1905, the church went on to grow for the next four years. Kaub assisted in the purchase of property and later oversaw the building of the church that still stands in the heart of town at Level and Hickory streets. Completed at a cost of $2,000, Trinity Lutheran was formally dedicated in April 1906 with weekly services held in both English and German. The church has high ceilings and arches pointing upward to heaven and a raised pulpit that reflects on the Sunday morning sermons that have been spoken from there, said Reese. "The high steeple and cross on the top contains the bell that has rung out every Sunday, calling people to worship. The church is one of the best-kept secrets on the north shore." In 1917, the congregation built a new parsonage for then-Pastor Oscar Luecke on Pine Street and converted the old building into what is now the Fellowship Hall next to the church. During the 1920s, they added a cemetery for members and families, and later donated it and all related properties to the town for use by all residents as the current Abita Springs Cemetery. The church was initially affiliated with the Missouri Synod of the Lutheran Church through the 1960s, when the town's economy became stagnant and membership declined. Synod officials decided not to provide any future pastors and later recommended that the property be sold and the remaining members transfer to a congregation in Covington. However, since the original property had been purchased by its members, the synod later agreed that the church and related property belonged to the congregation.
The setback only made the membership stronger and more resolved, and in 1971 they joined the more conservative Wisconsin Evangelical Synod with Douglas Weiser assigned as its new pastor. The long-planned Centennial Year observance in 2005 was interrupted by Hurricane Katrina, with several smaller celebrations held throughout the year. Many of its members joined with synod volunteers from across the country to help families locally and their sister church in eastern New Orleans in recovery from the storm.
In July, the congregation welcomed their current pastor, the Rev. Dustin Bergene, a native of Wisconsin. He, too, values the church's rich history and traditions and has initiated programs to help increase new membership as well as expand the congregation's worldwide missions. Bergene said that the next official observance of the church's local history probably will be in 2010. "Next Sunday, however, is another important day for our church: Reformation Sunday. We will hold a special service at 10 a.m. that commemorates Martin Luther's posting of his 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany. It was on the eve of All Saints Day, so that all entering the church would see it. Luther didn't set out to start a new religion and only wanted to cite the areas for reform." Trinity Lutheran also holds a weekly Bible study and Sunday school class at 9 a.m. each Sunday before the 10 a.m. worship service. There is also a Bible study and general information session on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. for nonmembers interested in learning more about Lutheran teachings or in joining the congregation. For more information, contact Bergene at 892.4880 or Reese at 875.7550.
published in the Times-Picayoune on October 19, 2008
|
Minister pleased to fill Trinity Vacancy
By: Karl Kell
Dustin Bergene's first and only trip to Louisiana was in January, when he and other seminarians from their school in Wisconsin helped rebuild the Crown of Life Lutheran Church in New Orleans, which was damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
Following their work on one of the days, a church representative offered to show the volunteers around the area and ended up in Abita Springs for dinner at a local restaurant.
"We knew that there was a historic Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Church in the town," Bergene said. "We drove past it around 9 p.m. and someone mentioned that the church had a vacancy and had requested a replacement minister from our seminary." The group later returned to finish out the final semester at the Wisconsin Lutheran seminary in Mequon and to await their initial assignments in May. Bergene recalled that the students had little say in the placement process, and he was quite surprised and pleased to learn that he had been selected for the vacant position in Abita Springs. "I am looking forward to meeting all of the members of the congregation and getting acquainted with the church and its programs. I have already been contacted by a few of the members who were all very kind and welcoming," he said.
Born and raised in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., a popular Midwest tourist destination, Bergene said that he has long been interested in pursuing the ministry as his vocation.
"I have thought about it off and on probably since I was in first grade. Through the years, I have also received a great deal of encouragement and support from other pastors," he said.
The new minister plans to continue to build the congregation and has expressed an interest in mission work in the local community and worldwide in sharing the good news of the Gospel.
Outside of his ministry, Bergene said he also enjoys music and regularly played the organ at his previous churches. He also enjoys traveling, photography and all types of sports.
Following graduation in June, Bergene returned to Nebraska to get married. He had served for a year in training there as a vicar in 2007.
He and his new wife, Dee, a first-grade teacher for the past six years and native of Nebraska, later honeymooned in Hawaii before returning to the Midwest to pack up and begin their travels to their new assignment.
This evening at 6, Bergene will be formally ordained and installed as the new pastor at the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church by the Rev. David Sternhagen.
Sternhagen, the regular full-time pastor at Trinity's sister church, Crown of Life in New Orleans, has been acting as the vacancy pastor since January. Special guests at this evening's ceremony will include Bergene's parents, who are visiting from Wisconsin. The congregation also plans to host a reception for the couple following the service at the Town Hall.
"We are both very excited about our new mission and becoming involved in the church and its programs. After the past hectic month, we are now looking forward to settling down in one place and getting acquainted with our new community," Bergene said.
Published in The Times-Picayune Sunday, July 20, 2008
|
|
Home
