Last year at this time, you read my first Pastor’s Page, submitted even before I met you all. Looking back, this rookie pastor can report this was a learning and growing year for all of us. Looking ahead, I renew my decision to be your pastor and help you bridge to the ministry God is calling you (and me?) to. I believe I have found favor with you and with our Lord. You took a chance with a rookie pastor; I’m glad you did so we can we grew together. We’ve had help: Our team of elders pull more than their share of the weight; we’ve added Nancy Fonzen to teach the youth every other week; the adults likewise meet bi-weekly for Bible study on sermon-related Q’s.
We grew in our sense of our church’s history and God’s sense of humor. We celebrated 150 years of worship in one place with a service originally planned for April 15, but with ridiculous timing, God sent a snowstorm that cancelled that service. Re-set for June 10, over 100 people celebrated with us. Local church historian Barb Isham, with help from long-time First Presbyterian members, took us on as a months-long research project—and we took to her, as well. That history project had its fun moments of discovery: e.g., finding “MIA kids” on a growth chart on the wall of the upstairs Sunday School room; kids missing since in the 90’s identified themselves. Smiles all around. God’s sense of humor and timing is also evident as you enjoy my rookie mistakes; can’t recall specific examples just now, just the sense of ease being in worship with you.
We both grew in our approach to and understanding of Scripture. I learned to preach “among the people”—walking the aisle with you as we walked through Bible stories. Some very literally. Two cases in point: March 30, we walked eight Stations of the Cross for a Good Friday Service, with area clergy and members of FPC acting out the trial and crucifixion of our Lord. August 19, we acted out Scripture for a second time: my younger brother Bill Gruen (from DC) played to type as the Prodigal Son; I played the Elder Brother; John Van Roo played the Waiting Father, and Ellie narrated. Ever since, volunteers each Sunday read Scripture and take on the persona of various Bible characters.
We grew in our sense of hope and faith. I hope to bridge you to your next permanent pastor, whatever that takes. To that end, I dedicated an 11-week sermon series taken from Hebrews 11, that much-revered “Hall of Faith” chapter of the Bible. I preached from Isaiah this Fall to focus on restoring hope. Throughout 2019, I will follow the Church Lectionary and preach from Luke. Luke is concerned for the lowly and left behind and presents Jesus as the Great Physician & Deliverer that he is.
When learning that Bethany Presbyterian in Randolph—a sister church also of Welsh background, also small, also with 150 years of history—was losing its pastor of 21 years, our elders voted to share pastoral leadership (me, at the time) in order to bridge them to a hopeful future as well. Logistics are TBA for how our two churches might share a pastor. FYI, we’ve done this before—in 1983-91, when Rev. Jack Harle bridged the two churches quite capably—so we can do it again.
By faith, we will grow in 2019. We have two new confirmands—6th graders Hannah Dietzenbach and Nola Bornick. We also have two members—Eric & Kimberley Lukasavitz—our first in a decade. Eric & Kim will mentor Hannah & Nola, as we all go through 14 weeks of confirmation/new member classes, jointly held at the UMC-Columbus church, January through May of 2019. A mission trip to Superior/Duluth July 21-25 will also engage our youth in service-learning. Other outreach and ecumenical opportunities in the coming year include Lenten suppers & services, March 6—April 19. I’m grateful, as well, for writing opportunities to share our faith and call attention to our Lord Jesus.
On this journey of faith together, we follow Jesus the Carpenter, Jesus the Radical, Jesus the Rock upon which the Church is built, Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith—all in order to “run with patient endurance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1-2). Stay tuned to our new church website for more updates on that “race” set before us—a site up and running thanks to Matt & Josh Dietzenbach. I invite you all to join this Journey of Faith in 2019 and for years to come.