Trinity Lutheran School (Orlando, Florida)

For other institutions named Trinity Lutheran School, see Trinity Lutheran School.
Trinity Lutheran School
Address
123 E Livingston St.
Orlando, Florida 32801
USA
Coordinates 28°32′51″N 81°22′33″W / 28.547556°N 81.375764°W / 28.547556; -81.375764Coordinates: 28°32′51″N 81°22′33″W / 28.547556°N 81.375764°W / 28.547556; -81.375764
Information
Type Private
Established 1953
Athletics Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball, Cheerleading
Mascot Viking
Website http://www.trinitydowntown.org

Trinity Lutheran School is a Lutheran school in Orlando, Florida caring for children from infancy through 8th grade. The school is a ministry of Trinity Lutheran Church and has served the community in Downtown Orlando since 1953. Trinity Lutheran School is a fully accredited school as recognized by the National Lutheran School Accreditation of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.[1] and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Trinity's K-8 program prepares students in kindergarten through 8th grade to be successful in high school and beyond. The Trinity Child Development Center serves children 6 weeks old through VPK.

History

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 2004-2007. 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 served as Trinity’s Interim Senior Pastor from January through May of 2015. In June, 2015, Rev. Jim Martin was called to serve as Trinity’s Interim Senior Pastor.

As Orlando grew, so did Trinity. Acquiring land to the west of the sanctuary in the late 1940s, our school began in 1953 with Kindergarten and first grade, growing to sixth grade before 1960, and to eighth grade in the early 1970s. With the acquisition of the little red house to the north of the sanctuary came expansion in the other direction, and our Child Development Center began, serving younger children, starting in 1983.

Today Trinity Lutheran School cares for and educates over 300 children from six weeks old through eighth grade.

Athletics

Trinity Lutheran School offers many different types of sports programs, including basketball, soccer, and volleyball. The school has an indoor gymnasium with a regulation-sized basketball court with bleachers. The school has a soccer field and a playgrounds. The school participates in sports tournaments, both home and away, throughout the school year.

Music

Students can participate in a number of extracurricular activities, including band and choir. The school hosts several musical performances throughout the year, and has regularly partnered with City of Orlando Mayor's Office to produce the Christmas musical for "Downtown for the Holidays- Tree Lighting Celebration" event at Lake Eola Park

Special events

The school library hosts the Scholastic Book Fair once a year.

Annual Touch a Truck event Facebook.com/Orlandotouchatruck

The school attends annual field trips for the middle school classes. Destinations have included Washington, DC and Driftwood Education Center, and the Kennedy Space Center.

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
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