About Holy Trinity · Exira, Iowa
Holy Trinity is a small Catholic parish in Exira, Iowa, partnered with nearby St. Patrick Parish in Audubon. Together the two parishes form a single faith community in rural Audubon County under the Diocese of Des Moines, sharing one pastor (Father David Nkrumah), office staff and a combined schedule of daily and Sunday Masses. Holy Trinity itself hosts Mass on Wednesdays and Fridays at 8:30 AM, with a Sunday rotation between the two churches, and offers religious formation, an active Altar & Rosary Society, finance and pastoral councils, and a music ministry rooted in two centuries of farming-community Catholic life.
- Established
- 1879
- Patron
- Holy Trinity (the Most Holy Trinity — Father, Son and Holy Spirit)
- Rector
- Father David Nkrumah (reassignment scheduled for July 9, 2026, when Father Thomas Dooley is announced as his successor)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Des Moines
Why belong here
Holy Trinity offers the rhythms of a true rural Catholic parish: a historic 1902 brick church at 218 N. Kilworth Street in Exira, weekday Masses on Wednesdays and Fridays at 8:30 AM, and a fair share of the weekend Mass schedule with sister parish St. Patrick in Audubon. Parishioners are sustained by a working Altar & Rosary Society, a five-member parish finance council and a joint pastoral council, music ministry for Holy Week and May, and sacramental preparation — including RCIA — coordinated by Father David Nkrumah. Religious formation for children from the parish is provided in cooperation with St. Patrick, Audubon, so families can plug into the wider Audubon County Catholic community while still keeping their small-town parish home.
Mass times at Holy Trinity
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM at St. Patrick, Audubon (per combined parish schedule)
Welcome to Holy Trinity
Holy Trinity Catholic Church serves the small farming community of Exira, Iowa, and is partnered with St. Patrick Parish in nearby Audubon. The two parishes share Father David Nkrumah as pastor, share office staff, and share one combined bulletin and Mass schedule. Together they form a tight-knit rural Catholic community under the Diocese of Des Moines.
- Combined parish website: stpatrickholytrinity.org
- Pastor: Fr. David Nkrumah (cell 712.304.5966)
- Office phone: 712-563-2283
- Office email: [email protected]
History of Holy Trinity, Exira
The parish was organized in 1879 as St. Boniface Church by five charter members: John Mertes, William Bintner, Peter Tharnish, John Rieff and Frank Dorr. Their first church, a wooden structure, was built the same year. By 1902 the original frame building had been outgrown, and the present brick church — eighty by forty feet in size, built at a cost of $10,000 — was erected. A parish school had been connected to the church but was temporarily discontinued by 1915, when membership stood at about 170 souls in roughly 45 families.
- 1879 — Parish organized as St. Boniface Church
- 1879 — Original wooden church built
- 1902 — Present brick church (80 × 40 ft) erected for $10,000
- 1915 — School temporarily discontinued; ~170 members in ~45 families
Father John Mayer (Pastor 1913 – c.1915+), A Pioneer in Context
Father John Mayer, the pastor whose tenure stabilized Holy Trinity in the early 20th century, was born March 18, 1883, in Goldshoefe, Germany, to Michael and Rosena (Klopfer) Mayer. After attending state schools in Hofen and Ewangen, he emigrated to America in 1905, eventually studying at Vincent College (Pennsylvania), Holy Ghost College, St. Meinrad's College (Indiana) and Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He was ordained July 17, 1911, at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport, served briefly at St. Ambrose in Des Moines and at Rosemount, Iowa, and was assigned to Holy Trinity on September 18, 1913.
Parish Staff
Holy Trinity and St. Patrick share a single staff across the combined parishes. Office hours are split across weekdays at the Audubon parish office.
- Priest: Father David Nkrumah (cell 712.304.5966; [email protected])
- Director of Religious Education: April Brand
- St. Patrick Secretary: Kathy Kerkhoff (2–4 PM Thursdays)
- St. Patrick Secretary: Jennifer Mosinski (10 AM–2 PM Wednesdays)
- Business Manager: Linda Blomme (8 AM–4 PM Tuesdays)
- Holy Trinity Bookkeeper: Judy Bintner
Parish Councils & Trustees
Lay leadership is organized through a Holy Trinity Finance Council, a joint pastoral council, and elected parish trustees representing Holy Trinity alongside those of St. Patrick.
- Holy Trinity Finance Council: Judy Bintner, Jean Madsen, Mark Richards, Hugh Rossell, Vernie Venteicher
- Pastoral Council: Bob Blomme, Lynda Best, Aaron Kerkhoff, Ben Hansen, Brooke Klocke, Jennifer Brabham
- Holy Trinity Trustees: Vicki Richards, Russ Crawford
- St. Patrick Trustees: Scott Hansen, Virginia Mennenoh
Altar & Rosary Society (Holy Trinity)
The Altar & Rosary Society is the principal women's organization at Holy Trinity, Exira. It gathers members of all ages for service to the parish and for fellowship.
- President: Lynda Best
- Vice President: Julie Vais / Sheri Irlmeier
- Secretary/Treasurer: Judy Bintner
- Meetings: 9:30 AM on the third Sunday of every even-numbered month
St. Patrick's Catholic Women (SPCW)
St. Patrick's Catholic Women is the combined women's group serving both parishes. It puts on parish fish fries and other events and maintains a member booklet and work schedule.
- Annual dues: $10
- Dues/donations mail to: Ann Carter, 1006 N Division St, Audubon, IA 50025
- Publishes Fish Fry Work Schedule
Music Ministry
Music ministry serves both parishes, with special music for Holy Week and the month of May. The parish is always looking for new songleaders and accompanists.
- Holy Week — special music prepared each year
- May Music — devotional music for the month of May
- St. Pat's Choir — based at St. Patrick, Audubon; contact Linda Blomme at 712.304.0092
Religious Formation & RCIA
Religious formation for children and teens from Holy Trinity is held jointly with St. Patrick, Audubon — a practical setup for a small rural parish. Adults interested in becoming Catholic or returning to the faith are invited into the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) program.
- Children's RE — held at St. Patrick Parish, Audubon
- Director of Religious Education: April Brand
- RCIA — contact Father David Nkrumah at 712-563-2283 or [email protected]
Sacraments
The parish office coordinates preparation for the sacraments of Baptism, Marriage and others. RCIA inquiries should go directly to Father David Nkrumah.
- Baptism, Marriage — coordinated through the parish office
- RCIA — for adults entering or returning to the Catholic Church
- Reconciliation — Saturday 4:30 PM at St. Patrick, Audubon (and by appointment)
St. Patrick Parish Center
Just across town in Audubon, the St. Patrick Parish Center at 102 Market Street (directly north of Audubon Foodland) hosts parish fish fries, parish events, and is available for rent. Maximum occupancy for the building is 300 people.
- Address: 102 Market St, Audubon, Iowa
- Entire building capacity: 300
- North room: 50; main dining room: 100
- Rental includes kitchen (dishes, dishwasher, stove) and bar
- Does NOT include convection oven, prime rib oven, grill, or deep fat fryers
Diocese of Des Moines — Atlantic Deanery
Holy Trinity is part of the Diocese of Des Moines, sitting within the Atlantic Deanery, which covers parishes in Adair, Audubon, Cass, Dallas, Guthrie and Pottawattamie counties. Holy Trinity belongs to Parish Family #1 in the deanery, sharing clergy and resources with sister communities at Ss. Peter & Paul (Atlantic), St. Mary (Anita), St. Timothy (Reno/Cumberland), St. Patrick (Audubon), St. Mary (Avoca) and St. Patrick (Walnut).
- Diocese: Des Moines
- Deanery: Atlantic (Dean: Very Rev. Philip Yaw Bempong)
- Parish Family #1 includes: Ss. Peter & Paul (Atlantic), St. Mary (Anita), St. Timothy (Reno/Cumberland), St. Patrick (Audubon), Holy Trinity (Exira), St. Mary (Avoca), St. Patrick (Walnut)
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the combined parish office at the phone number and email below; Father Nkrumah can also be reached on his cell phone. The Holy Trinity church itself sits at 218 N. Kilworth Street in Exira.
- Holy Trinity Address: 218 N Kilworth St, PO Box 153, Exira, IA 50076
- Parish Office Phone: 712.563.2283
- Parish Office Email: [email protected]
- Father Nkrumah's Cell: 712.304.5966
- Father Nkrumah's Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Father Gaulpre-1894
Traveled in from Atlantic
- Rev. Father P. Daleypre-1894
Traveled in from Atlantic
- Rev. Father P. J. Morin1890s
- Rev. Father Bernhard Jacobmire1890s
- Rev. Father J. J. Moran1890s
Traveled in from Audubon
- Rev. Father H. J. ZaiserMay 1894 – August 18, 1898
First resident pastor
- Rev. Father Julius FarlenschmidAugust 18, 1898 – 1902
- Rev. Father S. F. Wieland1902 – 1907
- Rev. Father Charles F. Hundt1907 – 1911
- Rev. Father James McDonald1911 – 1913
Resided in Audubon
- Rev. Father John MayerSeptember 18, 1913 – at least 1915
Born 1883 in Goldshoefe, Germany; ordained July 17, 1911 at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Davenport