[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 10374-10375]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF TRINITY 
                LUTHERN CHURCH IN SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. ROY BLUNT

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 9, 2010

  Mr. BLUNT. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Trinity 
Lutheran congregation of Springfield, Missouri, celebrating its 100th 
year of service to the community and God. Trinity Lutheran is honoring 
this milestone with a year of special services, events and history 
displays.
  Trinity Lutheran Church will welcome several preachers during this 
special year. Many who were integral to Trinity's 100-year history will 
honor and remember the congregation's growth, achievements and history 
of serving the Springfield area and bringing the word to worshipers.
  Former Pastor Manny Rodriguez, who left to develop Amigos de Cristo, 
a mission church in Sedalia, is joining current Trinity Lutheran Pastor 
Bill R. Marler and Pastor Eric Tessaro to celebrate this anniversary. 
The pastors are encouraging the congregation to honor their history and 
consider long range plans to keep the spirit, message and mission of 
Trinity Lutheran fresh.
  Like many churches 100 years ago struggling with finances, Trinity 
Lutheran began with a small group of households. Pastors from other 
congregations volunteered to minister in Springfield. Rev. A.F. Woker 
became the first pastor of Trinity in 1917. Soon, the congregation 
purchased property and constructed their first home. This building 
served them for three decades.
  Today's well-known location of Trinity Lutheran is the result of a 
need to expand beyond the restrictions of its first home. As if 
divinely inspired, Trinity Lutheran moved into the wilderness of Greene 
County. This decision proved to be a blessing, placing the church in a 
location that would easily accommodate phenomenal growth in the 1950s 
and 1960s. It is still the congregation's home today.
  Trinity's growth has also been guided by capable long-term pastors, 
each of whom were strong leaders and deeply rooted scriptural teachers. 
Such sound leadership and congregational support helped Trinity 
Lutheran create a number of new ministries, including campus ministry 
and a school.
  Trinity Lutheran is one of Springfield's strong moral pillars, 
committed to the work of God and compassion for those less fortunate in 
our community. My hope is that Trinity Lutheran continues its heritage 
of strong leadership in Springfield for many centuries to come.

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