BULLETIN FOR THE MARCH 30, 2008, INAUGURAL CELEBRATION OF
TRINITY'S 125TH ANNIVERSARY.
Remembrance
On Easter Sunday, March 23, 1883, a small group of German Lutherans signed the charter that created Trinity Lutheran Church. From this humble beginning, Trinity Lutheran Church has grown, with God's blessing, into a parish of over 1,500 members and has been recognized as one of the leading congregations in the Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod.
It is good for a Christian congregation to remember its roots, its struggles and its triumphs in order to reflect upon God's grace. It is with that purpose in mind we gather this weekend in the first of many celebrations in this anniversary year.
Several hymns are being sung this weekend that will help us to remember some of that history. The opening hymn, "Holy God, We Praise Your Name", is often called the "German Te Deum". It is actually a paraphrase of that ancient 5th century text. It was the favorite hymn of the Dr. W. Harry Krieger, pastor of Trinity from 1948-1961. It was sung at all festival celebrations of the congregation. Dr. Krieger is responsible for the design of the 1949 sanctuary that is the core of the present building and its churchly furnishings.
The sermon hymn, "Oh Lord, Our God in Years Long Gone" was written by Dr. Krieger, who wrote many hymn texts, for the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in 1972. Included in Lutheran Worship, as "Our Father's God in Years Long Gone", it is sung today in its original 5 stanza version with the original opening line.
The hymn, "Just as I Am" was a favorite of L.C.C. Grueber, pastor from 1929-1948, who later became Chaplain to the Traverse City State Hospital. The closing hymn, "Lift High the Cross" was the favored closing hymn for all festival occasions of the recently sainted Pastor E. V. Fitz. Pastor Fitz served at Trinity and led the congregation as its shepherd for sixteen years from 1971-1986.
Theme for the March 30, 2008 Anniversary Service: Remembrance.
Scripture readings: I Kings 8:22-30 I Peter 2:1-9 John 10:22-30
The following hymn by W. Harry Krieger served as the sermon hymn:
Our Lord, Our God in Years Long Gone
ALL:
O Lord our God in years long gone, Our God for all the years to be, Accept the
sacrifice of praise We bring to you on bended knee. For mercies to our fathers shown, For all
your grace, so rich and free, To you, great God, the One in Three, We sing the hymn of jubilee.
MEN:
You led our fathers to this land, A land of beauty, bounty, pow'r; You blessed the labors of their
hands, Upheld them in each trial hour. You kept them faithful to your Word, Were not ashamed
their God to be. To you their sons sing gratefully The joyful hymn of jubilee.
ALL:
O bind us to Your will for us By the strong bands of Jesus' love. Bind each to each in
fellowship United with the saints above. Then send us forth from palm to pin, From pole to pole,
from sea to sea. Grant that our witness one may be, And one our hymn of jubilee!
WOMEN:
Make us the channels of your love, Your endless mercy, power, and peace. So build your
church in every place, And day by day her strength increase. May we hold high the cross
of Christ, Who rose and lives eternally, - That all in him their Savior see And sing the
hymn of jubilee.
ALL:
Grant us your mercy to the end, With all your Spirit's pow'r and grace,Till with the ransomed,
white-robed throng We stand at last before your face, Where we with bright angelic choirs And
all who served you faithfully Will blend our voices endlessly In one unending jubilee.
