Our History

It was September in the year 1886. Most of the people of the United States, 72,000,000 at that time, were looking forward to the up-coming dedication of the new Statue of Liberty in New York harbor on October 28, with President Grover Cleveland giving the dedicatory address. Across the Atlantic, millions of people were thinking about the Golden Anniversary of the reign of Queen Victoria of England in 1887.

An event which attracted no attention, even in the newly chartered village of Waukesha with its some 6000 inhabitants, was a chance meeting of a Lutheran pastor and a resident of the village whose identity has been lost in time.

Pastor Johannes Brockmann, pastor of St. Mark's Lutheran Church of Watertown, Wisconsin, was on his way home from Burlington. In transferring from one railroad line to another in Waukesha, he found that he had some time to tour the village which prided itself as the 'Saratoga of the West' because of the fame of its many springs.

At the present Five Points he struck up a conversation with a local resident, a woman of German Lutheran stock. When he identified himself as a German Lutheran pastor, she expressed concern that there was no Lutheran church in the village and asked if there was anything he could do to bring one here.

True missionary that he was, Pastor Brockmann proceeded to question her about other German Lutherans in the village. With the names that she supplied and, encouraged by further investigation and satisfied that the response would be favorable, he announced the beginning of services.

The field was ready for the Seed.

Brockmann held six of the services in the old Waukesha Town Hall, then located next to the Methodist church on Wisconsin Avenue. Since over 38 percent of the population of the county was of German extraction and over 33 percent were foreign-born, his services attracted many of the residents of the village and the surrounding country-side. Together with regular services, Pastor Brockmann performed baptisms, weddings, and funerals. The first baptism recorded was that of the George Lehnhardt Bruecker, born on March 26, 1887, and baptized on May 1, 1887. Sadly, his was also the first funeral recorded, on August 6, 1887, at the age of four months and 13 days.

Attendance increased steadily. Within the space of six months the faithful desired to organize formally as a congregation. They held a meeting for this purpose on Sunday, May 15, 1887. A constitution provided by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Wisconsin and Other States was discussed and signed by the members present. These "founding fathers" were Heinr. Lebermann, Friedr. Krummhaus, Heinrich Nehring, Ferd. Knoll, H. F. Merten, Hermann Wilke, August Timm, Karl Moede, Julius Heling, August Boettcher, Albert Buege, and Wilhelm Busse.

The Seed had been planted.

Soon the new congregation needed its own pastor. In a meeting on Sunday, October 30, 1887, they called Herman Knuth, a recent graduate of our Seminary. He accepted and was installed on Sunday, January 17, 1888, as Trinity's first resident pastor at a salary of $300 a year with a dwelling provided.

Before the new pastor arrived land search had begun, and the twenty-family congregation had subscribed a total of $700 toward the purchase of land and the construction of a church. With the arrival of the resident pastor, the congregation intensified the search and purchased a site on the southwest corner of Vermont (now White Rock) and Oak Street. On this 100 by 150 foot lot they erected a small church for about $3000 and dedicated it on December 2, 1888.

The congregation made progress during Pastor Knuth's ministry. In addition to conducting regular services and frequent meetings to consider the admission of new members, the pastor taught all the classes in the Day School, which met in the basement of the new church. The first marriage he performed was that of Dorothea Zimmerman and Johann Schunk on November 11, 1888. His first confirmation class, confirmed on June 9, 1889, consisted of six boys and three girls. Pastor Knuth's ministry at Trinity ended when he received and accepted the call to start a new congregation in Milwaukee. He became the founder and long-time pastor of Bethesda Lutheran Church on Chambers Street.

The second resident pastor of Trinity was the Rev. John Karrer. During the years of his ministry, 1892-1897, the congregation purchased two lots and a house across from the church on Oak Street for $6000.

Pastor Karrer also taught all the classes in the Day School. Because of growing enrollment during this time, however, the congregation called a teacher, Mr. Edw. Karrer, to assist in the school. The congregation set salaries of $450 a year for the pastor and $365 for the teacher. Pastor and Teacher Karrer began the school day at 5:50 AM in the summer.

With the acquisition of the larger parsonage, the congregation converted the old parsonage into a school. (This building stood on the spot that is presently the middle of the front lawn of the school.)

They also added an organ loft to the church, but left no information regarding the instrument used in the church services.

Pastor Karrer's ministry at Trinity ended when he accepted a call to Tawas City, Michigan, in 1897. Now in its tenth year, the foundations of Trinity Lutheran Church had been laid.

The Seed had set its roots.

After Pastor Karrer left, the name Brockmann appeared again when the Rev. Paul T. Brockmann the son of Trinity's founder, was called in the fall of 1897. Brockmann returned the call once, but the congregation called him again. He accepted and became Trinity's third resident pastor. The Rev. Streiszguth of Milwaukee served as interim pastor until Pastor Brockmann arrived. With the school enrollment growing, the members determined to build a new school. The minutes of the congregational meeting spell out the dimensions as 24 by 40 by 12 feet high with a 7-foot basement. They erected this structure along Oak Street just 30 feet west of the back of the church and dedicated it on July 22, 1900.

At about the same time, the members also erected a stable along the south fence-line of the lot to provide shelter for the horses during church time. The stable was removed in the late 1920's or early 1930's, when the automobile, especially the Model T, came into general use.

Although Thomas Edison had developed a functional electric light bulb already in 1870, its use for general lighting purposes had not come about; so Trinity's first church and the first school were illuminated by "gaslight" in the 1890's.

The 1902 records contain the first report of a church organ. The congregation purchased a one-manual Kilgan organ for $650. This was a "two-man" organ, -- one pumped the air into the bellows and one played the keyboard. (Mr. Garbrecht recalled many occasions when the 'pumper' got tired and the volume of the music quickly dropped.)

Throughout these early years the preaching of God's Word bore fruit. The many new arrivals in the city, especially immigrants from Germany, found the area well-suited to their way of living. The membership increased, and by the turn of the century the congregation numbered over 100 families.

In 1902 Pastor Brockmann accepted a commission from President Theodore Roosevelt as chaplain in the regular army and left in March of that year.

To succeed Pastor Brockmann, Trinity called the Rev. Carl Henning of Lannon, Wisconsin. During the years of his ministry, 1902-1907, church membership grew and the church's debt was significantly reduced.

In 1907 Pastor Martin Busack was called to succeed Pastor Henning, and Mr. Fred Loebel was called as teacher. Both church and school flourished during those years. A picture taken in 1907 shows 88 children with Pastor Busack and Mr. Loebel on the front steps of the school building. Accommodating all these children in the room available must have presented quite a problem. Mrs. Busack provided a partial solution. She took some of the lower grades into her living room and held classes there.

Trinity School was a German school in 1907. The members spoke German at home; the children spoke German on the playground; and the teachers used German to teach all religion subjects, (Bible stories, catechism, and hymns) as well as reading and writing. Of necessity they also taught English reading, writing and spelling as part of the daily schedule from the very beginning. Occasionally, Pastor Busack held church services in the English language as early as 1910.

The "spy hysteria" during World War I discouraged the use of German somewhat, and gradually the English language took over until German services were discontinued entirely with the last services in 1947. However, even after these many years, older people of the community still refer to the 'German' church or the 'German' school on White Rock.

After three years Pastor Busack left, and in 1910, the congregation called back its former pastor, Paul T. Brockmann, This time he came and stayed for 30 years as the shepherd of the flock in Waukesha until his retirement due to poor health in 1940.

These were the years of World War I, the Roaring 20's, the Great Depression, and the rumblings which preceded World War II. Whether it was the nature of the man, Pastor Brockmann, the stirring times, or records and reliable recall on the part of the older members, these come through as years of great activity at Trinity.

As church membership and attendance increased, so also school enrollment rose. In 1912 the congregation added a second story to the school building and called a second teacher to relieve the pastor of that duty. The pastor, however, was still involved in the school; paid the first $1.50 of the electric light bill for the school, while the congregation paid any excess.

The congregation called Mr. Martin Garbrecht to head the school in 1919. He remained as principal, upper grades teacher, organist, and choir director for 31 years. (He was also highly regarded in the city as a baseball and basketball player!)

Trinity undertook a major church remodeling project in 1922. The basement was enlarged, and a steam-heating plant was installed. An entry hall and a bell tower, with a 1000 pound bell were added. Art glass windows were also installed. (The cornerstones of both the 1888 and 1922 church building projects can be seen in the pavement at the front entry of our present (1959) church. The bell is still in use as the largest in the set of three in our present church bell tower.)

While the response on the part of the members was commendable, a debt of $4000 remained after the project was completed. This caused great concern, since, as Pastor Brockmann reported in the monthly paper, The Trinity Messenger, it was costing the congregation $270 in interest a year. The congregation quickly retired the debt!

In 1935 Trinity purchased and installed a two-manual Barton organ for $2000. It was dedicated in a special service on Sunday, April 7, 1935, with guest organist C. F. Heine of Milwaukee and guest soloist, Miss Mona Woyann of Grace Church in Waukesha. (This organ was transferred to our new church in 1959. It has been rebuilt and is being used for special services in the old church of St. Paul's Lutheran congregation in Tess Corners, Wisconsin).

On May 16, 1937, Pastor Brockmann led Trinity's 50th anniversary observation, but the final years of his ministry were difficult. After he suffered a heart attack in February, 1939, Dr. E. Kiessling, Rev. Maaske, Rev. Schaewe, and Rev. Alfred Nicklaus temporarily assumed Pastor Brockmann's duties. Pastor Brockmann preached his final sermon on February 4, 1940, and retired shortly thereafter.

Trinity installed the Rev. Harry Shiley of West Allis, Wisconsin, on May 19, 1940. During the years of his ministry our country experienced the rigors and sacrifices of World War 11, the Korean conflict, and the doctrinal indifferences so rampant in our country. A dedicated and energetic servant of the Word, Pastor Shiley firmly resisted the tendency toward liberalism and led the congregation in maintaining doctrinal purity. During these years, Mr. George Coutts was not only our congregation's president, but also the mayor of the City of Waukesha.

In December, 1950, Mr. Martin Garbrecht resigned as school principal for reasons of health, after serving the congregation for nearly a third of a century. Mr. Otto Blase was engaged to finish the term. On July 1, 1951, Mr. Martin Rauschke was installed as successor to Mr. Garbrecht. With God's blessing the congregation continued to grow. Encouraged by this growth and the prosperity that followed the years of military and doctrinal conflict, Trinity began to plan for a larger house of worship. With Pastor Shiley's encouragement and leadership, the congregation began a building fund and a search for a larger site.

The old White Rock School and its acre of land became available. Since only a 30-foot lot separated this site from our original property, the congregation decided to bid on this property when it was ready to be sold. Their bid of $19,000 was accepted and secured the property in 1953. Architect Harry Ohlrogge was engaged to prepare the plans for the new church building.

It was not, however, Pastor Shiley's lot to be involved in building the new church. In the summer of 1956 he received and accepted the call to found a new mission in Milwaukee.

Trinity installed its new pastor, The Rev. Clayton Krug, of Green Lake, Wisconsin, on September 9, 1956. Pastor Krug proved to be an enthusiastic supporter of the plans for a new church. Collections for the building fund had been successful to a degree. Always, however, the amount the members added to the fund each year was much less than the yearly rise in building costs. In 1957, with the communicant membership reaching a new high of 900, the congregation made a concerted effort to reach the fond dream of a new church. A successful fund drive proved that the congregation was ready to support the building project with enthusiasm.

Groundbreaking took place on February 23, 1958. The cornerstone was laid on September 11, and the dedication took place on Sunday, April 5, 1959, the Sunday after Easter. The total cost was about $385,000.

Initially, the project was to include a four-room school also, but the bids made it clear that this part of the project would have to be delayed until the mortgage on the church was paid. Due to the growing school enrollment, however, an alternative had to be found. Mr. Dale Kammueller, a recent graduate of Dr. Martin Luther College, was assigned to Trinity and installed on August 24, 1958. His classroom was the old church, even while it was still being used for church services on Sundays and mid-week Lenten services. After completion of the new church, the old church building was converted into a more suitable classroom and was used as such until the new school was completed in 1965.

In 1961 Mrs. Lorrain Bulloch began to conduct the Kindergarten as a separate class in the fellowship hall of the new church. She continued to do so until the new school was completed in 1965. The same year school enrollment surpassed 100 for the first time.

In 1963 the congregation built a home for the school principal on the lot at the corner of Oak and Baxter Streets for $15,000.

With the debt on the church being rapidly paid off in 1964, the members decided to proceed with plans to build the new school. With Pastor Krug providing the concept of a "round" school, in contrast to the "square" church, the architect, Mr. Krouch, and the Link Builder's engineers designed and built an attractive, if unique, building.

The old school and church buildings were demolished during the week of May 10-14, 1965. Ground-breaking took place on May 16, and the building was completed and ready for occupancy on September 16. It was dedicated on Sunday, October 11, 1965. The cost was $166,000 for the construction and $54,000 for land acquisition and furnishings. The number of teachers increased from four in 1964 to eight in 1978 and enrollment reached 198.

This was an era of westward migration, and Waukesha county was in the path of this movement. The resulting increase in Trinity's membership brought with it new enthusiasm and leadership. This imbued the "octogenarian" church with strong evangelical zeal.

Reminiscent of Pastor Brockmann's involvement with the military chaplaincy some seventy years earlier, in 1971, the Special Ministries Board of WELS assigned Pastor Krug to tour the military establishments in the United States in order to determine the effectiveness of our Synod's civilian chaplaincy effort. During Krug's nine-month leave-of-absence, Trinity was served by Pastor Harold Wicke, the editor of the Northwestern Lutheran.

Pastor Krug returned a refreshed and invigorated man. He introduced many changes and new programs. The number of services on Sundays was increased from two to three. A Bible study period during the middle service was conducted in the fellowship hall. With Pastor Dan Sabrowsky as its instructor, the Bible class usually saw a weekly attendance of 100. Church attendance approached and frequently exceeded 800 on a Sunday.

In April, 1977, Pastor Krug received and accepted the call to become the Civilian Chaplain to our WELS members in the military service in Germany. His commissioning took place in a special service on Sunday, April 17, 1977, with Pastor John Graf, a son of the congregation and Pastor Krug's son-in-law, delivering the sermon. Pastor Eldon Huebner, Executive Secretary for the Board of Trustees, was assigned as vacancy pastor for Trinity and served as such for three months.

At this time the congregation decided it was too large to be served adequately by one pastor, even with the help of the vicars for the years since 1967. It was decided to add a full-time associate pastor to the staff and to implement this plan after Pastor Krug's successor had arrived. Pastor Wayne Mueller, of Crete, Illinois, accepted the call and was installed on July 7, 1977.

With Pastor Mueller's leadership, enthusiasm, and energy, a new surge of activity occurred. Mueller led changes in administration, evangelism, and many other areas of service in the church which gave more members opportunities to make use of their gifts. A Monday evening worship service was added; Sunday morning Bible classes continued to flourish; mid-week classes on summer evenings were equally well attended. Increased school enrollment made necessary the addition of a temporary, two-room relocateable school building at a cost of $60,000 in 1978.

By this time also, the church organ, which had served the church since 1935, but which had never seemed fully adequate for the new church, needed expensive repairs. The members studied the purchase of a new organ. They contacted organ companies but those who were contacted were reluctant to place one of their organs into our church unless improvements were made in the acoustics. So the members moved to remodel the ceiling as it is seen now. The organ, a Wickes 22-rank pipe organ, was dedicated on April 1, 1979. The cost of the organ was $57,000.

The congregation was reminded at this time that they needed to carry out their plans for an associate pastor. Until they could call a full-time pastor, the Rev. Gerhardt Ehlert, recently retired from his church in Fond du Lac, accepted the call to be part-time senior pastor.

After having spent 29 of his 45 years in the teaching ministry at Trinity as teacher, principal, organist, and choir director, Mr. Martin Rauschke retired on June 30, 1980. His successor, Mr. Scott Uecker, of Toledo, Ohio, was installed in July of 1980.

As the need for office, meeting, and storage space became more pressing, the congregation undertook an expansion of the south end of the church in 1983. This church office complex was completed at a cost of about $217,000. With adequate office space, the congregation called a second full-time pastor to work with Pastor Mueller. The Rev. John Mattek, of Belvidere, Illinois, accepted the call and was installed on September 4, 1983. To house the pastor and his family, a home was purchased on Cottonwood Drive for $78,500.

Late in 1984, Pastor Mueller bid farewell to Trinity. He had received and accepted a call to teach at the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin. During the vacancy, Pastor Mattek was aided by two congregation members, the Rev. Wayne Borgwardt, Superintendent of Wisconsin Lutheran High School, and Rev. Duane Tomhave, the Executive Secretary of WELS Board for World Missions. The associate pastorate team was again complete when the Rev. Daniel Koelpin, of Cincinnati, Ohio, accepted Trinity's call and was installed on March 5, 1985.

Perhaps as a prelude to the Centennial observance, and certainly in response to the Lord's blessings of growth, the congregation carefully studied major church and school expansion in the early 1980's. The church communicant membership had passed 1500. The day school enrollment exceeded 200. The Sunday School included over 100 students. Organizations, boards and committees vied for precious meeting space. Day School classes were held in the fellowship hall, church office addition, church balcony and tower room.

Upon the recommendation of the Coordinating Committee which had been assigned to study this matter, the congregation went ahead with a $1,300,000 project that included major church and school expansion and remodeling. The old Wolf house on 1014 Oak Street, which had so conveniently housed many vicars, was torn down to make room for classrooms. Groundbreaking took place on April 27, 1986, with dedication on December 7, of the same year.

No record has been found of when the Sunday School was started. Yet its presence in our congregation has been invaluable in the Christian training of our children. The work of faithful teachers who volunteered their time for this necessary work has borne fruit in the many members of Trinity who today are leaders and faithful supporters of our church. Special mention could be made of Mr. Fred Katzner, who dedicated at least 25 years in this work as the superintendent of the Sunday School in the earlier years of this century.

The ladies of the congregation have also provided invaluable service throughout Trinity's history. The first of the women's organizations on the scene was no doubt the Ladies' Aid (Frauenverein). Its main purpose centers around service to those in our congregation who are in need of aid or visitation.

Another women's service group is the Dorcas Society. In 1974 it celebrated its 50th anniversary. It began in 1924 when the younger women expressed the need for a women's group tailored more for them. Charter members of this group included Mrs. Martha Hoppe and Mrs. Meta Rauman. Keeping the hymnals in repair and seeing to it that flowers are on the altar each week are among he services they provide.

The Women's Guild was organized in 1959. It sprung from a Mother's Club, organized by Mrs. Violet Peters, which kept records of the children of our congregation from birth to the time they were ready for Sunday School. Maintaining Cradle Roll records and organizing the annual Cradle Roll graduation are still among the important services they offer their church.

The Altar Guild was formed in 1956 when Pastor Krug, after a few weeks into his ministry here, saw the need for regular care of the altar, sacristy, and communion ware. With the help of Mrs. Agnes Rauschke and other women whom she contacted, this service group began to take care of the week-by-week needs of these important items connected with our worship services.

The congregation has participated in the vicar program of our Seminary for the past 20 years. The prime purpose of this program is to provide practical experience for these third-year seminarians in preparation for the public ministry. At the same time, the blessings which God had showered upon our congregation through these dedicated "student" preachers are immeasurable.

From its very beginning Christian education of the children has been stressed at Trinity. The beginning of our Christian Day School can most certainly be described as humble and its facilities as primitive. But maintaining a day school in which the lambs of Jesus could be nurtured in the Word of God is one of the most important heritages our generation has inherited from our Christian forefathers. What a special joy it brings to see the beautiful school building God has given us to carry out this task!

Nearly one hundred and fifty years have passed at Trinity. But Jesus' injunction to his Church remains the same: "Go and make disciples of all nations." It was in response to this that Trinity was founded by Pastor Johannes Brockmann and that unnamed woman. It is also in response to this that the members of Trinity continue to have a mission zeal over a century later. All this is by God's grace. May it always be so, for the sake of our Savior Jesus.