Being a Kid at First Trinity

In this year's Advent newsletter, youth representative, Roxy Mendez shared three things that she likes about First Trinity.  Roxy attends elementary school, practices the piano, and leads lemonade stand and bracelet fundraisers at the church.

We also heard from Barbara Egan, who returned to First Trinity recently.  We are so happy she is here!  Barbara attended Trinity Lutheran School in the 1950s and shared some of her experiences.

Read the full newsletter here.


What I Like About First Trinity

Roxanna Mendez

There are 3 things I like about First Lutheran Church of the Trinity.

The first thing I like about my church is meeting new friends. I found 8 new friends in 2 weeks. Also some of them are brothers and sisters. This would never happen if there was no church, God’s Closet and school because that is how we all met.

The second thing I like about my church is that it has lots of events. The event I really liked was the Halloween party. What like about the halloween party is that when people party, they party. Also that makes people come to church more.

The third but not least thing I like is to welcome people. I welcome people because I was welcomed to this church. I want everybody to be welcomed just like me. Welcoming people feels like you are going to know everybody.



First Trinity 1954
Barbara Egan

In 1954, my name at the time was Barbara Jean Newsom. I went to first grade at First Trinity Lutheran School. We had five grades in one room and one teacher. .We walked home for lunch then walked back. No matter rain, snow, or sleet; we did it.

Every Saturday we would clean the school bathrooms downstairs: sink, toilets, drinking fountain. Upstairs we swept the floor, took out garbage, washed down the desk. We never complained or even asked why we had to do it.

On Sundays we had Sunday School. Mrs. Marie Fashing was my Sunday school teacher; I loved her. She enjoyed being a Sunday school teacher. We would go over to the church at 10:30 AM until forever. I mean, the pastor would preach until 12:30! We had organ music.

I liked to sit upstairs in the balcony with my friend Mary, and her twin sister Cherie. One time we took our money for collection and went across the street and got chili cups and ate them upstairs. We did not know our pastor could see us and he stopped the sermon, and told us no eating in the church, unless we had enough for everyone! I was a very shy kid never talked to anyone.

One Saturday Mary and I were at the church. My father was fixing the furnace, so we decided to ring the bells. Well I went first and I went up in the air and Mary tried to grab me and we were both in the air. My daddy came and saved us both. We could have gotten killed. Then there was the time we decided to light the candles and have our own communion. The candle fell out of the holder when we lit it. No damage to the altar was done, but I had to scrub the church on my hands and knees for a month. One time we put jellybeans in the silver collection plates behind the altar. The pastor made us eat them all! Ha ha!

I was always at church bake sales, Christmas pageants, dinners, school. My mother made lemon merengue pies. People would order them, sometimes 50 pies! I would bring the egg whites and pour them on the pies. You had to bring your own pie tin to the church. My mother would bake the pies and then you would pick up your pie after church. We would put tape on the pie tin with the name of the person. We would bring all the pies in my daddy's Chrysler. They would be all over the backseat front seat and trunk of the car.

My aunt Alice would make the spaghetti for church dinners and help with Halloween parties.We all helped, no complaints. I won the costume contest one year at the Halloween party. My sister Shirley made me a witches costume and made the hat.When I won I was so excited that I started to cry!