A CONCISE HISTORY OF TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH OF HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA

(Copied from the Hazleton Standard Speaker article of October 8, 1964)

Trinity Lutheran Church was founded in 1874 by fifteen persons who met in the Immanuel=s German Reformed Church on West Oak Street. That same year the Reverend John WAGNER was installed as pastor.

When the lease on the Reformed Church expired, the congregation met in a room of the Presbyterian Church for one and one-half years. In 1876 the congregation purchased a lot at the corner of Laurel and Oak Streets and a cornerstone for a church was laid on September 10^th.

Two and one- half years later the church was completed. In 1880 a petition of the local congregation to sever its connection with the country churches of Seybertsville and Rock Glen was approved by the Synod..

When the church became too small for the growing congregation, a lot and double dwelling on the corner of Church and Hemlock Streets was were purchased. The home was moved to the rear of the lot, and the building of a new church was started on August 21, 1887. The new building was dedicated in 1888.

The cornerstone for yet another new church, the present one, was laid in 1904. This church was dedicated on Palm Sunday of 1905.

In 1924 the Reverend John WAGNER, who had served as pastor since the church was formed, retired and the Reverend H. Clay BERGSTRESSER, who had been serving at Littletown, was elected pastor. With the retirement in 1960 of the Reverend Bergstresser, Reverend E. Lawrence BOTTIGER was elected .

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The article in the Standard Speaker was accompanied by several group photographs. The first is of the church council with the following members:

Front Row: Earl DITTBRENNER, Raymond ZIERDT, George FERRY, Harry E. FILBERT

Back Row: George LENHARDT, John W. REIDLER, Rodney W. FOX, the Reverend Lawrence BOTTIGER, Andrew LEIB, Carl KIRSCHNER, George ROHDE, Herman DOTTER.

The next photograph is of the church choir whose members were:

Front Row: Denise BERGERON, Mrs. Russell LINDENMUTH, Mrs. George LENHARDT, Andrew BAYMORE, Joseph R. BERGERON, Edwin G. ROHDE, Allen LENHARDT, Cynthia CURRIER, Jean SANDROCK, Sharon DITTBRENNER,

Back Row: Mrs. Clyde KAUFFMAN (director), Jean CROLL, Donna ZIERDT, George E. ROHDE, George E. CURRIER, Raymond G. ZIERDT, Carl S. HARTZEL, Mrs. George CURRIER, John THOMAS, Mark BREHM, Kathleen MURPHY, Mary COBURN, Ruth ZIERDT.

The next photograph is that of the Bell Choir:

First Row: Ann BOTTIGER, Gayle EVANS, Thomas DINKELACKER, Linda ROWLANDS, Judy THOMAS, Rodney CURRIER, Deborah KENT.

Second Row: Joyce BOEHMLER, Karen EVANS, John COBURN, Richard HALL, Jeanne EVANS,.

Back Row: Mrs. Clyde KAUFFMAN (director) Bruce CURRIER, John THOMAS, Mark BREHM, Kathleen MURPHY, Mary COBURN, Ruth ZIERDT .

The last group photograph is that of the Trinity Lutheran Church Orchestra:

First Row: Raymond G. ZIERDT, , Russell G. SHERRY, Donna ZIERDT, Kathryn DIXON, Mrs. Robert S. LONG, Marcia REBER, Joseph DIXON, Claude R. GOOD.

Second Row: Edwin G. ROHDE, Franklin E. BARAGER, George E. ROHDE, David R. DOYLE.

The article also contained photographs of the Reverends John WAGNER, H. Clay BERGSTRESSER, and E. Lawrence BOTTIGER. As well as photographs of Miss vera WAGNER and Dr. Paul S. WAGNER children of the first pastor. Miss Wagner taught Latin at the Hazleton High School.

This page was donated by June Nessler