Our History
On Palm Sunday, April 15, 1973 the first Lutheran service was held in Land O' Lakes. Fifteen adults and five children attended the service.
On October 23, 1973 the congregation voted to purchase five acres of land from LeRoy and Dorothy Radtke who gave the congregation several favorable considerations. By the time of the first anniversary, (April 15, 1974), the congregation had grown to forty-nine adult members and ten children. Pastor Robert Eledge was installed as the first full-time pastor of the congregation
The church building was designed to accommodate three expansions. The first, to the south, was completed and dedicated on November 18, 1984. The second, to the west, included an addition to the entrance and a canopy and was dedicated on October 3, 1993. A kitchen renovation was completed in April of 1997. The final addition, to the east, was dedicated in 1999.
Pastor Eledge left Holy Trinity in May 1988. On Sunday, June 5, 1989, Reverend Ken Boehm was installed as the second pastor. After being with the church two-and-a-half years Pastor Boehm left in December 1991. The third pastor of Holy Trinity, Reverend Gilbert Kuehn, was installed on June 27, 1993. On August 6, 2007, the church installed Reverend Ross Engel as assistant pastor. He had been with the church a year as a vicar.
Throughout its history, music has been an integral part of the worship life of the church. The first organists were Martha Ahrens and Anne Marie Armstrong, followed by Lynda Katzenmeyer. Matt and Louise Ellrod have been the church organists since 1985. Matt also serves as choir director.
Sunday School was started with a few students by Dora Bean and Maxine Law. Presently, Maggie Patterson is our Sunday School leader.
All Saints Memorial Garden was established in 1986 for members and family. Currently eight loved ones have been interred there.
A new education building was dedicated in January 2004. It includes classrooms and a large activity center.
In January 1997, Little Lambs Preschool was established. Bobbie Ward was the first administrator, followed by Marsha Washburn.
As of May 2008 the preschool has grown to over 150 students. Presently, Dawn Bernicky is school director.
About Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
Holy Trinity is a member of the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church and is part of the Florida-Georgia District.
The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod teaches and responds to the love of the Triune God: the Father, creator of all that exists; Jesus Christ, the son, who became human to suffer and die for the sins of all human beings and to rise to life again in the ultimate victory over death and Satan; and the Holy Spirit, who creates faith through God's Word and Sacraments. The three persons of the Trinity are coequal and coetern
al, one God.
Being "Lutheran," our congregations accept and teach Bible-based teachings of Martin Luther that inspired the reformation of the Christian Church in the 16th century. The teachings of Luther can be summarized in three short phrases: Grace alone, Faith alone, Scripture alone.
Grace Alone - God loves the people of the world even though they are sinful, rebel against Him and do not deserve His love. He sent Jesus, His Son, to love the unlovable and save the ungodly.
Faith Alone - By His suffering and death as the substitute for all people of all time, Jesus purchased and won forgiveness and eternal life for them. Those who hear this Good News and believe it have the eternal life that it offers. God creates faith in Christ and gives people forgiveness through Him.
Scripture Alone - The Bible is God's inerrant and infallible Word in which He reveals His Law and His Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the sole rule and norm for Christian doctrine.
Meet Our Pastors
Pastor Gil Kuehn and Pastor Ross Engel
Reverend Gilbert Kuehn
A native of Milwaukee ,Wisconsin, Pastor Kuehn completed his college education with a BA in Sociology from Concordia Senior College in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He then enrolled at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri where he graduated with an M/Div degree in 1969.
While on his Vicarage in Elyria, Ohio he met his wife, the former Jean Koehn. The two were married on June 29, 1968. Returning to St. Louis for his final year as a married student, the couple was part of an extended five week European tour of Luther Land and the steps of St. Paul sponsored by the Seminary’s President.
Upon graduation and Ordination at his home church in Milwaukee, Pastor Kuehn was assigned to the Northern Illinois District as a Missionary At Large near the O’Hare Airport. He later served congregations in Beecher, Illinois, Detroit, Michigan, and Buffalo, New York before coming to Land O Lakes in June 1993.
The Kuehns have two children. Their son Andrew and his wife, Mary Ellen, live in Buffalo. Andy works as the television meteorologist for the NBC station. Their daughter Jennifer lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband David and has two children.
Holy Trinity was a small church with an average attendance of 88 people at a single Sunday Service when Pastor Kuehn came in 1993. The church has almost tripled in size in the last 15 years and today averages 240 in worship on a Sunday with three Sunday Services.
Contact Pastor Kuehn at gkuehn@holytrinitylutz.com
Pastor Ross Engel
Ross Engel was born on March 14, 1980 in the town of Chicago Heights, Illinois. He is the son of Richard and Nadine Engel. His Dad is a vice president of sales and marketing for Westinghouse Airbrake and his mom is a Lutheran Kindergarten teacher, church organist, choir director and musician. He has two brothers and one sister.
Ross attended Rich South High School. He graduated from the honors program and was the captain of the varsity soccer and varsity gymnastics team for all four years. He played the Euphonium in the concert and marching bands and was elected his sophomore year as one of Rich South's "Outstanding Students" as an award granted to only five students each year. As a senior, Ross received the highest sports award of the school, "Most valuable Senior Athlete".
He was accepted to the United States Naval Academy, however, due to his less than perfect vision opted instead to attend the "family school," the University of Illinois at Champaign. He graduated with a degree in sport and exercise physiology and psychology. During college he was a two-sport varsity athlete with the men's gymnastics team and the varsity cheerleading team.
Throughout both high school and college Ross remained very active in the church. He served as a youth representative to the Northern Illinois District and also was on the executive committee of synod's Lutheran Youth Fellowship Board. He helped plan multiple district youth gatherings, initiatives and Bible Studies.
After graduating from the University of Illinois, sensing the call of God and the gifts of the Holy Spirit in sharing his faith, Ross enrolled at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. He graduated with a Master of Divinity degree. He was called by Holy Trinity as their assistant pastor and was ordained and installed in August 2007.
On August 6, 2005, Ross and Alisha (nee Hoffman) were married in Illinois. They met while working with the Northern Illinois Youth Board. Alisha graduated from Valparaiso University in Indiana with a degree in nursing and a minor in theology. She works in a critical care unit here in Tampa. The couple resides in Land O' Lakes.
Contact Pastor Engel at rengel@holytrinitylutz.com
