EDITOR'S NOTE: Since becoming the clergy leader at Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn., in November 2017, I've written a monthly column for our church newsletter. This column originally published in the May 2019 FLC Newsletter.
By the time you will read this, if all goes as planned, Faith Lutheran will have held an installation ceremony to celebrate my change from being a synodically authorized minister to now being an intern pastor. … I am overjoyed by this next stage in our relationship!
So just what does this change mean for me, for you and for the church? I’ll do my best to explain.
For me, this next step is a milestone in my process to becoming a fully ordained pastor in the ELCA, and also for graduation at Luther Seminary. My internship here at Faith Lutheran will last two years, and I’ll continue to serve in a half-time capacity as I have for the past year and a half. Interestingly, my duties here won’t change much. I’ll still be in the pulpit on the first, third and fifth Sundays of the month, and on highly important days such as Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas and on Lenten Wednesdays. I’ll still continue to perform baptisms, funerals and weddings when they arise. I’ll still do my best to connect with our Sunday School and LYO (Youth) programs as often as I can. I’ll also still be sitting in on church council and Worship and Music Committee meetings. And lastly, I’ll still be making hospital and home visits when the need arises and I can make it.
Soooo … you might ask: What is changing?
First, there are a few more requirements for an intern pastor than there are for S.A.M.s. For instance, I’ll be meeting more regularly with Pastor Jill Steichen from the Comstock-Hoff Parish just to the north of us. She is my supervisor during this internship and will be reviewing services with me, offering critiques of sermons, and be a mentoring resource for me when needed.
Additionally, there are some official assignments along the way that I will have to complete to satisfy some synod and seminary requirements, that are not required of S.A.M.s. But all in all, I still will be doing really what I have been doing here for 18 months. … Maybe the most notable change to you all just might be the switch in my title from S.A.M. to “intern!” … And that would be fine by me!
But, for me personally, this new role is something that I am honored to take on. It’s taken literally thousands of hours to get to this point in my seminary journey, and so to actually be in the formal stage of internship, seems unreal. And I feel privileged to be practicing this internship here at Faith and among you all, learning how to become a skilled spiritual leader.
Now, what does this mean to you? … Well, the simple answer is that I hope that you don’t see a change at all. … At least, in the sense of what I do or do not do here at Faith. What I mean is that I hope you continue to see me as a valuable spiritual leader and that continue to value the work that I am doing in the pulpit, with the various groups here at Faith and in the community. And I hope that you continue to support me in this, and continue to engage with me as your spiritual leader.
But, what I also hope happens is that we can begin to have deeper conversations about what you want to see in your spiritual leader. I want you to know that I encourage you to approach me, and share with me your hopes and dreams about Faith Lutheran, to share with me what you think of our programming and the missions that we have in place and whether you think we can deliver services to you and the congregation in new or different ways. I also hope that you’ll take a moment once in awhile just to let me know how I am doing as your spiritual leader. These are important conversations to have, as I will now be with you for the next two years for sure. So we should begin to talk about the future looks like too. That is an invitation to one and all! I hope to hear from you!
And finally, what does this mean to the church? … Well, in some ways, I hope the simple answer to this question is the same as the answer to the previous question: I hope that you don’t see much of a change at all. … Now, don’t get me wrong: I don’t mean that the church and I won’t grow together and individually in these next two years, and that absolutely nothing will change.
What I’m trying to say is that I believe that we have a productive and positive relationship together as church and spiritual leader, and I hope that continues throughout the internship!
But that doesn’t mean that I’m not open to new and fresh ideas! While we continue to honor our faith roots, I do believe that it’s important to continue to monitor what we are doing so that all our members feel like they are being served. So, that being said, if you have ideas about some new things you’d like to explore regarding our worship or some new mission that FLC in which can participate, please let me know about it. And, even if you like how we are doing and you are pleased with your experience here at Faith Lutheran, then please feel free to share that with me as well! I think that as a leader it’s very important to listen, and I want you to know that my door is always open. If you’d like to talk some time, let me know and we’ll set it up.
I want to thank all of you for the support and encouragement that you have expressed to me and my family over these past 18 months. We are blessed to have found a faith family so deeply caring, generous and welcoming! … I can say without a doubt in my mind, that I couldn’t have found a better place to be an intern pastor. This experience so far has been rewarding beyond my wildest dreams, and I know it can only get better!
And thanks again for your kind words so far! … Now, let’s get ready to write this next chapter in Faith Lutheran’s history!
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