The Beginnings

The church that would become Trinity Reformed Church began on Leap Day, 1988, when three couples and one single met to discuss establishing a Reformed witness among the English-speaking community in the Kaiserslautern area.  Having contacted the PCA's MNA and MTW to request guidance as to how to plant a church in Germany, the group came together, and thus Kaiserslautern Reformed Presbyterian Fellowship (KRPF) was born – adding to their number almost every month.  The name was chosen to reflect both the theology and the location, the latter primarily so those going to Germany would know where to find the church. 

Shortly thereafter, a weekly Lord's Day Bible study began, using the Shorter Catechism as a guide.  In January 1989 a monthly worship service was added to the scheduled Bible study. Worship was at 4:00 p.m., the same time our mother church met in Alabama (9:00 their time.)  In September 1989, weekly worship began in Schrollbach's community center.  The first officers we ordained in July 1990 through Southeast Alabama Presbytery.

God Continues to Provide—Our First Pastor

In January 1991, the congregation moved to the Pfarrheim in Spesbach where they added Sunday School classes for children and adults.  The following year, a challenge gift was given that prompted the group to earnestly begin fundraising toward the goal of calling a full time pastor.  The goal was realized in October, 1993 when the first pastor, Doug Hudson, was called. During those early years, many were introduced to the Reformed faith.  The Lord has richly blessed the work He established in and through what is now known as Trinity Reformed Church.

From Spesbach to Landstuhl—We’re Landowners with a new Pastor

The church continued to meet at the Pfarrheim in Spesbach until we  purchased the “Rancalli Haus” in Landstuhl from the Roman Catholic Church in 2007. Through the blessing of God and the faithful giving of the saints at Trinity over the years, we were able to purchase the building without the burden of a mortgage.  

TRC’s second pastor, Brent Sadler, was called in 2008 when Doug Hudson returned to the U.S. to establish and head up Ministry to the Military International.  TRC was involved in assisting the planting of Okinawa Covenant Church in Japan and has financially assisted the establishment of Christ Church in Wiesbaden Germany and Covenant Church in Stuttgart, both of which are in their early stages of ministry.

Glancing Back, but Keeping Our Eyes Fixed Ahead

We ought to remember God's blessing of the past.  Those who helped plow the field were among those most delighted to learn the TRC has continued to prosper; that the Lord has continued to bless her through solid pastoral teaching and now even with a building.  The Lord has built upon a solid foundation – one that He established.

Twenty-five years later we find ourselves searching for another pastor, and wondering what the next 25 years will bring to Trinity.  Hundreds of saints have worshiped, studied and fellowshipped here over the years.  From the initial vision God gave a handful of individuals, God’s people have thrived here, the Gospel has been proclaimed, and families and individuals have taken this experience with them as they have moved on to other locations and other churches. ”But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”’—1 Corinthians 2:9.

The First Years...1988 and following

The first meeting of Trinity was when seven people (PCA Chaplain Dave and Kathy Crocker, Rod Haferkamp, Jim and Cindy Becraft and Chester and Karen Replogle) met at the Replogle home at Schoppstrasse 3A in Obermohr on 29 February 1988.  The group talked about the potential of having a Reformed fellowship that would meet together regularly.  The stated hope was that not only would we have Bible Study, fellowship and eventually worship, but that we would be able to return in 10 years and see a church fully functioning in the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC).  We agreed to call ourselves Kaiserslautern Reformed Presbyterian Fellowship (KRPF).

The group agreed to meet again in a couple weeks to decide if we would want to pursue a Reformed body in the KMC.  Another family—the Jacksons—responded to a classified ad in the Kaiserslautern American newspaper and met when the group met again.  The group agreed to meet on Sunday evenings at 6pm for Bible Study starting with the Westminster Shorter Catechism.  We also agreed that since we needed be realistic about 3-day Holiday weekends in Europe, we would not meet on those weekends.  Chaplain Crocker agreed to lead the study.  The next family to respond was the Paulson family.  Carol Paulson’s first question was “Have you called a pastor yet?  Over the next several months there were a few others who joined the fellowship.  The Catechism study continued through the rest of 1988.

Bruce and Claudia Fitch had met PCA missionary Will Traub before moving to Germany and were aware that Pastor Traub was living in Heibelberg.  Several KRPF families went to meet with Pastor Traub in November 1988 and discussed the idea of having a church and asked Pastor Traub if he would be able to come to the KMC to conduct a monthly worship service.  Pastor Traub agreed and beginning in January 1989 we met for monthly services at the Replogle home in Obermohr.  The first worship service had 27 people, including a “children’s church/nursery”.  

Being Presbyterian-minded, we thought it would be prudent to be under authority—although at first we just looked at finding a place to keep us financially accountable.  One of the PCA peculiarities is that an overseas work that is geared to Americans fell neither under Mission to North America (MNA), nor Mission to the World (MTW).  But several PCA leaders—including Rev Kennedy Smart and PCA Chaplain endorsing agent Rev. William Leonard encouraged us to be under authority, thus we worked with Faith Presbyterian of Montgomery, Alabama and they agreed to take us on as a mission-work of their church—not just a place to hold us financially accountable, but to hold us accountable as to the direction of the church.  

Through most of 1989 there was monthly worship.  Beginning in September we began weekly worship.  We met at the Schrollbach Burgerhaus.  The ad in the KA described the location as “The building with the bell”.   Various men of the congregation, missionaries, and PCA and OPC chaplains preached on Sundays.  We met at Schrollbach until a new Burgermeister did not want us there any more, so in August 1990 we had to find a new location. 

One of the men in the congregation was the Director of the Vogelweh Recreation Center (next door to the Vogelweh Chapel).  He agreed to let us meet in the Recreation Center, starting at 11:45am.  From September 1990 until January 1991 we met at the Recreation Center.  There were distractions at the Recreation Center—such as the sound of the pool balls, music, and general noise in the Recreation Center.  But we were very thankful for a place to meet.  

In January 1991 our group was faced with two difficulties.  First, the KMC senior chaplain would not allow us to meet anymore on the base, thus we needed to find a new place to meet.  Second, the Persian Gulf War—Desert Storm began on 17 January 1991.  Thus we were confronted with increased hours for many in the church, plus the general unease due to increased force protection requirements.  This was a time for prayer.

One of the women in the church, Toni Lee, was outside her home and found a purple glove on the sidewalk.  She asked a German neighbor about the glove.  In the course of conversation, she mentioned that we needed a place for our church.  The woman was part of the Catholic community of Spesbach and she knew the local Pfarrheim was generally available on Sundays so she inquired on our behalf if it would be possible for us to see the Pfarrheim and maybe come into an agreement with the local Catholic Community to rent it.  When we walked in we were amazed at the facility as it had a hall that could easily seat over 100 people, and first rate kitchen, rooms for nursery and the potential to have Sunday School classes.  The best part for us, however, was in the front of the “sanctuary” there was a cross hanging, vice a crucifix.  In Germany there are many Protestant churches with crucifixes, but here was a Catholic fellowship hall (although it was really built to be a local church) that had a cross vice crucifix.  

Thus, on 3 February 1991 we began to meet at Schulstrasse 7—the Pfarrheim in Spesbach.  Many months later we started Sunday School classes.  We started with one adult class, one children’s class for those up to age 12 and a nursery, and we also had children’s church for those up to about age 8.   As a body, we kept desiring to have a Pastor, but we did not have the resources.  As most of the sermons were given by KRPF men, we had to pay little honorarium.  We did provide honorarium to visiting pastors and missionaries.  We would ask visiting PCA or OPC pastors (usually chaplains) if they would administer the Lord’s Supper.  

As with any fledgling church, times were not always easy and we had disagreements (as sinners are prone to do).  But some things seemed to be consistent is KRPF was known as a church which stood firmly on the Word, and the people were very loving and hospitable to newcomers and one another.  

There were a few articles in the old PCA Messenger magazine about KRPF.  There were some inquiries about the church by some pastors, but no one seemed to want to come pastor the church.  Over time, Faith Presbyterian in Montgomery stepped away from oversight of the church and the SE Alabama Presbytery Missions Committee agreed to help the body.  A pastor in Minnesota, Doug Hudson, a Chaplain in the Reserves saw articles about Trinity over the years and wondered why no one would take the call.  

Through many prayers, Pastor Hudson answered the call and in November 1993, he came as a church planter/evangelist under the auspices of the SE Alabama Presbyery.  

In June 1994 we left KRPF and headed to the United States on assignment.  We greatly missed our church in Germany.  We were very thankful to be involved with its founding, but we know that the prayers of many people were answered.  

We were blessed, however to come back to Trinity in 2001.  Chester was now retired from the Air Force and was a contractor with SAIC and had a job at HQ USAFE.  We were able to be there from early 2001 until February 2005.  This time it was different as we had our 3 sons with us.  What was special for us was looking back on that first meeting in 1988 we stated we wanted to be able to come back in 10 years and see a Reformed Church.  Not only were we able to come back, but we had a place for our sons to be able to hear God’s Word faithfully taught, to be with a body that exuded in love, and to be in a church body that was desiring to reach the world for the Kingdom.

Over the years we have prayed often for Trinity and we have seen it blossom into a fine congregation faithfully proclaiming the riches of God’s grace.  Now, thanks to the efforts of Pastor Hudson, there are four Reformed PCA works near overseas military bases.  Worship, teaching and the fellowship of the saints is being conducted with a couple hundred people being fed every week by Godly men who are faithfully bringing the Word to the military community.  We trust that this work will continue to boldly and faithfully proclaim the message of God’s salvation of His people for many years to come.

Chester and Karen Replogle

KRPF February 1998-June 1994

Trinity Reformed Church January 2001-February 2005