Trinity Lutheran School (Orlando, Florida)
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| Trinity Lutheran School Child Development Center | |
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| Address | |
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123 E Livingston St. , 32801 United States | |
| Coordinates | 28°32′51″N 81°22′33″W / 28.547556°N 81.375764°WCoordinates: 28°32′51″N 81°22′33″W / 28.547556°N 81.375764°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private elementary school |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Lutheranism |
| Denomination | Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod |
| Established | 1953 |
| Website | www |
Trinity Lutheran School is a Lutheran Child Development Center in Orlando, Florida, in the United States. Founded in 1953, the school now serves students from infancy through VPK-4 and is a ministry of Trinity Downtown. Trinity Lutheran School is a fully accredited school as recognized by the National Lutheran School Accreditation of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.[1]
Trinity's Child Development Center serves children 6 weeks old through VPK-4.
History[]
 | This section does not cite any sources. (April 2021) |
When Orlando was a small town, a group of mainly Midwestern people of German heritage were attracted to the central Florida area and gathered together with Pastor George Trapp to form Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1919. By 1921 they had built a small sanctuary on Hughey Ave and Pine Street, where the Orlando Police Department is now headquartered, but that building was outgrown and sold in a very short time. After renting space for worship for several years, Trinity's current sanctuary, on Livingston Street and Ruth Lane was built in late 1926, and the congregation began worshiping here in 1927.
The Great Florida Boom turned into the great Florida Bust in the late 1920s, followed by the Great Depression, and many of Trinity's members moved back to the Midwest. Those who remained struggled mightily to preserve their fellowship and sanctuary. Trinity weathered that storm but remained a small group until the post-World War II expansion of Orlando brought many Lutherans to live and work here.
After the death of Pastor Trapp in 1946, Pastor Albert Besalski arrived and served during Trinity's explosive growth during the ‘50s and early 1960s. When Pastor Besalski accepted a call to serve a church in Alabama in 1964, Pastor James Kunze, his assistant and a son of the congregation, served as senior pastor. A number of assistant and associate pastors, and a few vicars, served here during Pastor Besalski and Pastor Kunze's tenures, including Pastors Ed Trinklein, Gerald Seaman, Milan Weerts, and Lloyd Goetz. In 1989 Pastor Ronald Fink arrived, serving here until 1999. He was assisted by Pastor Kunze until his death from cancer in 1994, followed by associate pastors Mark Joeckel and Scott Heitshusen. When Pastor Fink retired, Trinity was served during a three-year vacancy by Pastor Bill Reinhardt. Associate Pastor Jon van Sliedrecht served here from 2004- to 2007. Pastor Jeff Moore served Trinity as Senior Pastor from 2003 through December 2014. Pastor Billy Brath served at Trinity from 2009 through June 2015 as Trinity's Urban Missionary and Associate Pastor. Rev. Dr. Thomas R. Zehnder, Rev. Jim Martin, and Rev. Larry Schaefer each served Trinity well as Interim Senior Pastors for select periods of time from January 2015 through September 2017 when a Call was issued to & accepted by Rev. Doug Kallesen. On October 1, 2017, Rev. Doug Kallesen was installed as Trinity's Senior Pastor.
As time passed and the local community and economy changed, the demand for Trinity's K-8 school program declined while the demand for exceptional Christian child care increased substantially. Trinity was quickly approaching its 100th anniversary, and while reviewing its first century of ministry and seeking wisdom on what opportunities the second century may bring, it became evident that the time had come to retire the K-8 school ministry at the end of the 2018-2019 school year. Trinity now moves boldly into a second ministry with a fresh perspective, trusting that we are guided by God’s will for Trinity’s future, as we adjust our course and move into Trinity’s second century of ministry.
Today Trinity Lutheran School cares for and educates 300+ children from six weeks old through PreK-4. The worshiping congregation of Trinity Downtown averages about 300 people per weekend, with many opportunities for Christian witness and service in reaching out to downtown Orlando and the world. Trinity's 100th anniversary was celebrated in September of 2019. With more than 100 years of history behind us, Trinity is excited to be charging forward into a second century of sharing Jesus with those around us.
Extra curricular activities[]
Special events[]
Special Community events such as Touch-a-Truck, the Downtown Orlando Pumpkin Patch, Okotberfest, and Downtown Orlando Christmas Outreach events are held annually.
References[]
External links[]
- Lutheran schools in Florida
- Schools affiliated with the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
- 1953 establishments in Florida
- Educational institutions established in 1953
- Child development organizations