Rev. Otto Eisfeld (1853-1854)
The first pastor called to Trinity was Rev. Otto Eisfeld, an 1853 graduate of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO. He was ordained and installed at Trinity on Trinity Sunday, May 22, 1853 by Rev. O. fuerbringer of Freistadt, WI. Rev. Eisfeld lived in Sheboygan and served as the sole pastor of the triple-parish formed by Trinity, Howards Grove; Trinity, Sheboygan and Trinity, Town Wilson. Unfortunately, Rev. Eisfeld died of sunstroke while attending a Synodical convention in St. Louis on June 28, 1854.
Shortly after Rev. Eisfeld was called to his eternal rest, Trinity called Rev. John Beyer who was the first resident pastor. While here, Rev. Beyer also served congregations in Maple Grove and Morrison. He served Trinity until 1861 when he accepted a call to Caledonia, WI.
Rev. Kolb had been pastor in Dodge County before accepting the call to Trinity. He was installed in April 1862 and served for six years before resigning due to health problems.
Rev. Aulich was an 1868 graduate of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO. He was ordained and installed at Trinity on the Ninth Sunday after Trinity, 1868 by Rev. A.D. Stecher. After six years, he accepted a call to Luxemburg, WI.
Rev. J.E. Wuebben (vacancy pastor, 1874-1879)
Rev. Wuebben, pastor from Town Mosel, served as vacancy pastor for Trinity from 1874 until his resignation in February 1879.
Rev. Hild accepted Trinity’s call and was installed by Rev. C.M. Zorn of Sheboygan on the Fourth Sunday after Easter 1879. He served until the summer of 1885 when he accepted a call to Altamont, IL.
Rev. Ferdinand Karth (1885-1898)
Rev. Karth was installed on the Second Sunday in Advent 1885 by Rev. F. Wolbrecht of Trinity, Sheboygan. He served thirteen years before accepting a call as Superintendent of the Orphanage at Wittenberg, WI. He would return to Trinity from time to time with the final time being December 26, 1910, when his mortal body was laid to rest in the church’s cemetery.
Rev. Voit was installed on the Fourth Sunday in Lent 1899 by Rev. G.J. Burger from Sheboygan. During his ministry, the church was renovated and an addition was built onto the parsonage. He served until he resigned on September 17, 1916, and moved to Milwaukee.
Rev. Ottomar Schmidt (1917-1924)
Rev. Schmidt was installed in early 1917 after having served a parish in Texas. In the fall of 1924, he accepted a call to Arcadia, IN.
Rev. Walter Kitzerow (1925-1948)
Rev. Kitzerow was installed on the First Sunday after Easter, April 19, 1925, by Rev. E. Krause from Sheboygan. He served for nearly a quarter-century. During that time, he never missed a service or confirmation class because of illness. However, in late February 1948, he complained of not feeling well and the Lenten midweek service had to be cancelled. Less than two weeks later, he was called to his eternal rest on March 11, 1948.
Rev. John Portratz (1949-1973)
Rev. Portratz was called on August 22, 1949. At the time, he was serving the congregation in Town Easton, WI (near Wausau). he was installed on October 2, 1949 by Rev. Erich Keller. He served until he retired around his fiftieth anniversary in the ministry in 1973. As a retirement present, the congregation presented him with the money for a trip to the Holy Land.
Rev. William Lewis (1973-1977)
Rev. Lewis was called on July 1, 1973. He was serving Bethlehem, Milwaukee at the time. He was installed at Trinity on August 26, 1973. After graduating from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO, Rev. Lewis served the dual parish of Trinity, Millersburg and Calvary, Deep River, IA, then St. John’s, North Prairie, WI, Bethlehem, Wales, WI and finally Bethlehem, Milwaukee. While he served Trinity, several Bible study groups were organized, including Ongoing Ambassadors for Christ. In the summer of 1977, he submitted his resignation to accept a call to Brookfield, WI.
Rev. Darrel L. Bergelin (1979-2021)
Upon Rev. Bergeliln’s completion of his Seminary training, he was called to serve as pastor of the dual parishes of Grace Lutheran Church, Uniontown and Zion Lutheran Church, Longtown, MO. He was ordained on June 13, 1976 in Hilbert.
Pastor Bergelin was installed as Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Howards Grove on June 10, 1979. During his time at Trinity, Pastor Bergelin has served as Pastoral Advisor for the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML), Circuit Counselor for Circuit 13 and chairman of Sheboygan Area Lutheran High School. He has also been on the district board of directors for the South Wisconsin District (SWD) of the LCMS. Pastor Darrel Bergelin retired on August 31, 2021.