William Trexler, Interim Senior Pastor
Karen Kahill, Parish Secretary
Weekday School Director
Melody Nettnin, Education Minister
David Lail, Organist
Celia Sexton, Chancel Choir Director
Communications Secretary and
NewSong Music Coordinator
Music Minister
Custodian of Buildings and Grounds
Church Hostess
WCN Coordinator
Youth and Family
Faith Formation Minister
A native North Carolinian, Pr. Trexler graduated from Duke University in 1966 and Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in 1970. Following his ordination in 1970, he served parishes in Miami, Florida; Greenwood, South Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; and Norfolk, Virginia; represented the Lutheran Church in America Division for Parish Services in its southeast region; and in 1995 was elected second Bishop of the Florida-Bahamas Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Pastor Trexler’s 1991 doctoral thesis was, “Church Architecture as Communicator of Incarnational Theology.” In 1995 Southern Seminary awarded him the John Benjamin Bedenbaugh Alumni/ae Award for Distinguished Pastoral Leadership. In 1997 Newberry College conferred an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters on Bishop Trexler, and in 1999 he received an honorary Doctor of Sacred Theology from the South Florida Center for Theological Studies. Pastor Trexler retired in 2009 as Senior Pastor of First Lutheran, Norfolk. He continues to chair the board of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary.
In 1973 Pastor Trexler married Karla, a career middle school science teacher. They have three grown children and four grandchildren and live at Lutheridge in retirement. Pr. Trexler enjoys yard work, classical music, and architecture. Reconnecting with backpacking and keyboard skills has been put on hold due to the decision to enter interim ministry. Due to responsibilities in assisting Karla’s dad and Pastor Trexler’s mom (both parents are 89), Karla will not be able to accompany Pr. Trexler during the interim at Holy Trinity.
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, Duke University, 1966
Master of Divinity cum laude, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, 1970
Doctor of Ministry, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, 1991
Ordination
June 1, 1970
Specific Training
Interim ministry certification by the Center for Congregational Health, 2010
Professional History
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Miami Florida, Associate Pastor, 1970-1975
Division for Parish Services, LCA, Deployed Staff, 1975-1976
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Greenwood, South Carolina, Pastor, 1976-1979
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Jacksonville, Florida, Senior Pastor, 1979-1995
Florida-Bahamas Synod, ELCA, Bishop, 1995-2001
First Lutheran Church, Norfolk, Virginia, Senior Pastor, 2001-2009
William Trexler
Interim Senior Pastor
547 6th Street NW | Hickory, NC 28601-3503 | Phone 828-322-2536 | FAX 828-322-3014