Trinity Lutheran Church will celebrate one hundred years in September of this year. We will have a service on Sunday, September 13 at 3:00 pm at Christ Church Episcopal because the crowd expected is bigger than our church can hold at one time (we actually have three different services each Sunday). After the service, the congregation will gather in Trinity’s Activities Building for a reception, brief program, and an audiovisual presentation. The Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Mark Hanson, will be preaching at this service. Today Pastor Bill Trexler gave the sermon. On March 8, Pastor Ray Mohrmann will be here and on May 3, Pastor Joe Glymph will give the sermon.
As I think of this special year, it brings back memories of how I became a member of this church. I was a student at Furman University in 1977 and a church friend from NY also went to Furman. He told me that a group met each Sunday morning on campus and carpooled to Trinity Lutheran Church. Pastor Bernard Trexler and Pastor Bob Coon were the pastors during that time. Of course I joined the Lutheran Students Assocation (LSA) and continued to attend all four years of college. My first attempt of independence from my parents came when I decided not to go back to NY one summer. Earlier in my junior year, Marilyn Lampley invited Furman students to her home for Sunday lunch after church. I really liked her and that summer asked her if she knew someone who could rent me a room for the summer and she agreed to do that. I had my independence but I still felt safe so my parents were happy for me.
When we decided to get married, Pastor Bob Coon officiated at our wedding at the Furman Bell Tower on June 26, 1982. My husband and two daughters officially joined our church and both girls were also baptized. My daughters attended Sunday School, received Communion, and attended Confirmation classes here.
Over the years I have served in the Nursery, taught first grade Sunday School, organized meals after funerals, and attended Circle meetings. Now I participate in Loving Threads which makes and donates prayers shawls and baby blankets.
Through the years, like most people, I have had my good times and bad times. I am a very private person so I did not share a lot during some rough times, but there were so many people in church who were there for me. They listened if I needed to talk or sometimes they just made me feel loved and valued. Many of them will never know how they helped me through some difficult times but I’m thankful they were there for me. I hope that I can be there too for someone who might need me.
The best part of our church is that I feel welcomed and cared for. Since we travel so much, I am unable to attend regularly but I’m never made to feel guilty about it. The people who are there are so warm and caring. I am glad that I found this church 31 years ago and even though there is a Lutheran church closer to my home, I am not willing to go anywhere else. I guess I feel at home here with my church family.
If you are in Greenville, SC and want to visit, check out the
Trinity Lutheran Church website. It gives information about location, times of services, and other information you might find useful. Pastor Susan Crowell is our senior pastor (and she is awesome!) and Pastor David Edenfield (our associate pastor) joined us last year. Maybe I’ll see you there!
Today is National Inane Answering Message Day. What would you really like to say on your answering machine?
