I have just returned from two months of pastoring a dual parish in Devils Lake and Lakota, North Dakota.  I had a wonderful time with these people.  It is surprising how after just two months I was able to connect with as many of them as I did.   As I was serving my Lord Jesus by serving the people and proclaiming the Gospel to them, I found something my vicarage supervisor said to me in 2008 down in Tennessee to be very true.  He said to me, "People won't care what you know, until they know that you care [about them]. 

Christ gave us the command to Love our Neighbor as ourself.  While any command comes through to us as law, we can't accomplish this love without the grace of our Lord and the help of the Holy Spirit.  In Christ, we are freed from our former hatred of God to love him with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength and if we are able now to love God, we are also able to love one another. 

It is hard for some Pastor's to go into a new parish and begin to minister.  Some go into a new parish and see what they believe is a lot of wrong and they try to make sweeping changes to quickly.  Usually its because they see the negative things as being something that will prohibit them from ministering as they think they should. 

One of the things I remember from my Seminary training is being told to go in and meet the people and get to know who they are.  Pastor's are shepherds and the only way they can effectively lead their flock is by getting to know them.  Sheep are needy of a leader to take them where the grass is lush and green and water is plenty.  Where they can lie down and rest without fear.   Sheep are not used to drastic changes.  They need slow changes that they can adapt to over time, but if the flock has been put in danger by improper leadership of a former shepherd, the new shepherd must then change the direction first and then proceed to teach them why it was necessary.

Those cases happen from time to time because Pastors are people who do sin just like everyone else.  Some follow the Lutheran Confessions rigidly and others very flexibly.  It is usually the more rigid follower who feels the need to tighten things up if he sees the flock splitting off in directions he feels may be dangerous to them.  However, he often finds the sheep are not likely to trust and respond if they feel he went too fast.

This is why it is important to go in and meet the people and get to know them and teach them scripture.  In getting to know them and build rapport with them, you earn their respect and they will want to learn from you because they know you care about their spiritual welfare and want only the best from them.  Of course not all of them will willingly follow even in the best circumstances.  There will always be one or two people who are rebellious against the Spirit of God and his will. 

I know that I am only speaking in regard to what I believe to be true and what I hope God will give me the opportunity to do should I receive a call this coming October.  I pray for a congregation to serve who is open to hearing God's word and going on a journey together that will be life changing. .

I pray that all Pastors going into their first call and for that matter any call, go in with a spirit of patience and a desire to love the people, get to know them and proclaim God's word in all they say and do.

In Christ,
AMEN

It has been eight months since my divorce and next Tuesday it will be the same amount of time since I finished my studies at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN. 

I did not receive a call this year because of a mandatory rule at the seminary which will not allow a divorced man to receive a call until 2 years after his divorce is final.  Some of the people I have told this too think it is rather harsh of the seminary, but I defend the Seminary because it is the authority that God has placed over me in this situation at this time.  The rule is not to punish me for allowing my marriage to end a failure, but to safeguard both me and the potential congregation I will serve.  They want to make sure that I am fit emotionally, spiritually and physically so that I will be able to serve as Pastor of one of Christ's flocks. 

While I may feel fairly well at the moment, there may be things I haven't experienced yet in mourning the end of the union that God put together and the both of us tore apart.  I can tell you that I am ready to move on in my life and see what the next chapter brings. 

I love my children dearly and look forward to the times when we are all together.  On July 8, I will be driving up to Grand Rapids, MI where they live with their mother.  I will bring them back to my apartment and spend the weekend around town preparing for another drive to Minnesota next Monday.  We will make a two day stop in Milwaukee, WI to visit their aunt, my Sister and her two boys. 

I am hoping our time in Minnesota will be very relaxing and enjoyable as it will be a whole year before they will get to see any of their relatives again. 

When we return to Fort Wayne at the end of July, the girls will be with me for two more weeks.  Hopefully we will have a chance to further work on the Father/daughter relationships that suffered during my divorce with their mother.  I give thanks to the Lord for He is good and his mercy endures forever. 

We trust in him because of his gracious love for us in that he sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take on our sins and be crucified with them and in turn giving to us his righteousness.

Keep us in your prayers
Amen