A Story of the 1970's: Memories from Mary G. Langholz

Rev. Douglas F. Langholz, pastor 1970-1980

Mary Grace (Burke) Langholz, wife

Joshua B. Langholz and Joel F. Langholz, sons

Memories as written by Mary G. Langholz on January 23, 2024.

I wish Doug was still here to write his own HT memories as he was such a great, witty writer and would have shared many wonderful memories. Sadly, he was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) in January 2000 and died on October 24, 2002, at age 59. So, I will try my best on his behalf.

Doug and I graduated on the same day in 1969, he from Trinity Seminary and me from across the street at Capital University in Bexley (Columbus), Ohio. We were married the year before and living in seminary housing. In addition to his four-year Trinity master's degree, Doug wanted another master’s degree in pastoral counseling and Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). He chose Andover Newton Theological School in the Boston suburb of Newton Center, Mass.

Just before graduation in 1970, after nearly six years of seminary study, he was ready for a real job. HT's Rev. Bill Nies visited the campus to talk to Denny Kenny, a "son" of his former Detroit congregation where his father had been pastor, to inquire about his coming to Holy Trinity after Andover-Newton. Denny declined as he wanted to continue in CPE but said that his good friend Doug Langholz might be interested. Doug and Denny had been friends since attending Trinity Seminary together. It didn't take long for Pastor Nies to offer Doug the Associate Pastor position at HT, and he accepted. We packed the U-haul with our meager belongings and were off to Falls Church, VA...definitely the South for these Yankees.

Doug's father and grandfather were Lutheran Pastors as were/are many of his uncles and cousins. His dad had been receiving chemotherapy for colon cancer at that time. Even in his fragile state, he presided over Doug's ordination at his parish in Rantoul, Illinois, in May 1970, and was even able to attend Doug's installation at HT in September. He died the following May.

The new Associate Pastor and his wife moved into the then Cape Cod parsonage directly across from the church on Aronow Drive. It was so much fun to be in a real house with multiple rooms after living in a one-room studio apartment previously.

I taught middle-school science in Dedham, Mass. and was able to secure a similar job at Arlington County's Gunston Junior High on Glebe Road, teaching 8th grade Physical Science. HT congregation leader, John Pleacher, was the principal. I had no idea when I started there that this would be the first year of integration of the segregated schools in the state of Virginia. Quite an experience and John was amazing in his ability to smoothly assimilate all in his school.

Our sons were born in Fairfax Hospital--Josh 1971 and Joel 1974. Both were baptized by their father at HT. They attended Graham Road Elementary School. Son Joel was surprised to learn much later that his mother-in-law also attended Graham Road Elementary. I participated in the popular HT "mothers morning out" with the boys and was so thankful for that program.

Josh’s Baptism with Parents Mary and Doug

Joel’s Baptism with family at Holy Trinity

During the first 4-5 years, Doug led the huge youth group of over 35+ kids from 17 different high schools in the area. Lots of game nights were held at HT and "lock-ins" on holidays. The first couple of years, we all went on retreats to the mountains with League sponsors Orris and Anna Marie Herfindahl. I recall that "capture the flag" was the popular event. Later, we all took the HT green school bus to Rehoboth Beach and to Caroline Furnace Lutheran camp in the Blue Ridge mountains. Janard Allsman would drive the church bus and Barbara would help me with everything. On one such trip to Caroline Furnace, all the kids got food poisoning the night before at a HT event. They all began vomiting at the same time, so we all had to come home! Additionally, the youth group made overnight motorcoach trips to Ohio, Pennsylvania and other locations, sleeping in church basements.

A fun two-week Vacation Bible School was a summer event to look forward to for congregants and community children. Pr. Nies was quite the song leader. I taught middle schoolers in our parsonage basement. The basement was also used for Sunday School classes.

Congregation awaits Luther League “Godspell” Performance

I remember the fun YAMS group (young adults/married & single) and organizing a "Fondue" night, among many others, with them. The older-adults and their programs were always fun, too. The annual Bible Quiz was an anticipated popular event.

A key congregational member during our time there was Kay Slocum, musician extraordinaire. She played violin solos with LA orchestras as a child. Kay and her husband Jerry were league sponsors and Kay, a great music teacher, got those high school kids so inspired that they were able to create, produce, accompany, act and sing in a fantastic musical production titled "A Touch of Godspell" on the church's auditorium stage. It was wonderful.

At that time, a popular teenage prank was to "toilet paper" a house. One leaguer worked at the nearby motel so had access to TP. Of course, we were a fun target. It was a dilly to get all that paper out of our very tall oak trees! One such escapade resulted in a neighbor calling the police, and it was up to Doug to talk the police out of arresting the leaguers. That was the last time the parsonage was TP-ed.

After Pr. Nies accepted a call to a congregation in South Miami, the HT call committee interviewed several candidates, including Doug. They decided to call him as the senior pastor, and we moved to the parsonage at the top of Aronow Drive. Rev. Stephen DeGweck and Rev. Steven Swonger (wife Molly directed the children's choir) were called as Associate Pastors during the next few years. In 1980, Doug accepted a call to be senior pastor at Grace Lutheran in Clearwater, FL.

Pastor Doug on his First Day at Holy Trinity

Pastor Doug at Pastor Nies’s Send Off Party

I participated and helped with many family, women and catechism-class retreats that Doug led at Caroline Furnace and other local retreat centers. In the early 70s, I was invited by the American Lutheran Church national body to select a few other congregational women/girls to participate in a regional "Women's Consciousness Raising" retreat at Manresa in Annapolis, MD. So, Judith Baker, Ruth Stierna, high-schooler Liz Charron and I experienced an incredible event that ultimately changed our lives and outlook on the role women could and should be playing in all matters. My generation had one foot in the patriarchal 50s and one foot in the women's movement 70s. Quite eye-opening.

In September 1976, as part of the Bicentennial, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosted La Scala, the famous Italian opera company. HT member Eunice Larson was the administrator for KC's "Golden Circle" of donors. She was seeking people to help in the KC press office in getting La Scala information compiled and out the national news outlets. I decided that would be fun. It led to my being hired in the Public Relations office from 1976-1980. The KC Honors was started during those years. All the performances/events were quite exciting as was artist management, reviewer handling and press conference organizing. This experience led to my next job as Director of Communications for Ruth Eckerd Hall, a brand-new performing arts center being built in Clearwater, FL. So, I enjoyed a nearly 40-year career in the Communications/Marketing performing arts administration world, that concluded with a Director of Communications position with the Seattle Symphony where I led the full media coverage for the grand opening of Benaroya Hall, the orchestra's new downtown home.

Doug loved all the staff he worked with at HT. Coming to mind are Charlotte Brockman, Maria & Herbert Rothenberg, organists, choir directors, Sunday School and other church program leaders. He especially enjoyed the 10:00 a.m. staff "donut" breaks every morning! I would often bring the little boys over for that, too. The staff had such fun at the annual Christmas holiday party when Herbert would serve his famous German "May Wine" punch.

Inside the Parsonage (House on the Hill)

Organist Anna Marie Herfindahl with Pastor Doug’s Boys

The Sunday School Adult Forum was a wonderful opportunity for discussion by so many bright participants. These friendships led to regular monthly gatherings in homes to further discuss current topics or theology. He loved those discussions.

The talent, musicianship and planned music programs at HT was simply outstanding. It was such a pleasure to sing the choir and play in the handbell choir. One fall, Doug presided over the regional Reformation service in the Washington Cathedral and our HT handbell choir, under director Gretchen Shoemaker, performed during the service. We all had goosebumps!

Congrats Holy Trinity congregation on your 75th anniversary! Thank you for always being so forward-thinking and taking such good care of your pastors and their families. The Langholz family loved its 10 formative years with you. As the song goes..."Thanks for the memories!"