Biblical, Missional, Compassionate
- Our Mission: To Be and To Make Disciples of Jesus Christ
- Our Vision: to be a Christ-centered Bible-based Church, equipping disciples with Scripture to share the good news of God’s reconciling love with conviction, courage and compassion while responding to the needs of others in our community and the world.
- Our Core Values: Biblical, Missional, Compassionate
Our Story
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church is a congregation that hears and speaks the Gospel of Jesus Christ as we worship together. We believe that Jesus is the Word of God, revealed by the inspired words of Scripture. In the Bible we encounter Jesus Christ, the Word of God, who is the source and measure of our faith.
What We Believe
Confession of Faith/Common Confession?
Holy Trinity is a congregation of the North American Lutheran Church. The NALC is a fast-growing, Christian church in the Lutheran tradition, uniting Lutherans in congregations across North America. The NALC embodies the theological center of Lutheranism in North America and stands firmly within the global Lutheran mainstream.
Learn more about the NALC here.
We are a church family committed to the authority of the Bible as the inspired Word of God. In keeping with the Lutheran Confessions, we believe all doctrines should and must be judged by the teaching of Scripture.
Our Staff & Council
Pastor Kathy Pennington began her call with us November 2021 and has been enjoying life in North Central Ohio ever since. She spends her free time with her husband, Dan, who is the pastor at Trinity Lutheran, Monroeville, and her furry Goldendoodle attachment, Barclay. Free time activities include hiking, cooking, reading, playing the piano and organ, knitting, and taking care of their house and yard. Pastors Kathy and Dan have been married for 22 years, and they have an adult son who lives in Baltimore, MD with his fiancé.
Pastor Kathy has been actively serving congregations since her graduation from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 2006. Her previous calls were in Moorhead, MN and Amery, WI. Pastor Kathy volunteers her time serving as Dean for the North Central Ohio Mission District, NALC and is a volunteer for Prison Fellowship at Richland Correctional Institution.
Michael Smith
Michael Smith, Jr., has served as the church organist and choir director since 2011. First and foremost, Michael is a musician who loves sacred music and feels it is a gift to serve and lead the congregation in praise and worship of the Lord Jesus Christ. Michael began with piano lessons and then moved to the organ. He played at his first official event (a wedding!) when he was only 15 years old! He began filling in for the organist at St Matthew Lutheran Church in Mansfield, and took more intensive organ lessons through Ashland College with Dr. John Gilbert. He became organist at Mt Zion Lutheran Church in 1979 and remained there for 39 years. He began as a part-time organist at Holy Trinity in September 2011, while continuing to play for Mt Zion. In 2015 he became full-time at Holy Trinity. And we are so glad he is here!
He lives in Mansfield with his wife, Joan, to whom he has been married for 44 years. Michael retired from a 40 year career in healthcare, which he says does NOT “define” him. Michael and his wife have a few “adopted” daughters, and has been known to take care of Barclay, the church mascot, upon request.
Debbie Taylor
Steve Flockenzier
Debbie Taylor is the Office Administrator. She married Greg, her college sweetheart, in 2003. They currently live in Crestline, Ohio, with their 3 children, 3 dogs, 2 cats, and a variety of backyard poultry. She spent over 30 years working in various industries, including insurance, education, and mental health, and has worked for Holy Trinity since 2019.
Debbie enjoys spending time in nature, visiting her mom in Florida, going to Lake Erie with her family, crocheting multiple “works-in-progress” at one time, collecting purple pens and drinking iced coffee.
Barclay is the four-legged church greeter and “mascot”. He loves to show off his pearly whites as he rapidly wags his tail to greet you. Then, he likes to hang on to you by grabbing your shirt sleeve or scarf. He wants to be everyone’s friend. Ladies are warned to keep their purses closed or he may snag that loose tissue you have in there (or possibly your wallet).
Barclay is at church whenever Pastor Kathy can be found there. If he is not in one of the offices, he can be found in the sanctuary balcony supporting our organist, unless someone kidnapped him to go for a walk or do a home visit. Barclay gladly welcomes any and all treats as long as they are safe for dogs.
HOLY TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH COUNCIL
- Bonnie Elias, President
- Doug Thrush, Vice-President
- Shelley Barber, Secretary
- Donald Karger, Finance Chair
- Linda Friedline, Parish Education
- Barbara Fraifogl, Worship & Music
- Jerry Unruh, Property
Holy Trinity Committee Chairs
- Linda Boltman, Outreach Committee
- Dick & Nancy Collier, Altar Guild
- Carol Bertholf, Staff Support
- Mary Steude, Holy Carers Group