St. Luke s Lutheran Church The Tower 1 THE TOWER St. Luke s Lutheran Church August 2017 Growing in Grace Volume 10 ISSUE 8 OUR MISSION To worship, learn and grow together in the knowledge of God and His Word. We are then sent into the world to share God s love, teach His Word, and serve those in need. FAMILY POOL PARTY AT JCC Sponsored by St. Luke s Evangelism Team 6665 Sylvania Ave. Sylvania, OH 43560 August 12th from 1-4 PM RSVP: PG 1 Family Pool Party/ Evenings Under the Stars PG 2 Partners/ Special fund PG 3 Pastor Robyn s Page PG 4 Congratulations & Thank You PG 5 Wellness/ Salvation Army/ Flat Jesus/ Lawn PG 6 Flat Jesus on Location Mary Jo price 419-283-9687 PLEASE BRING A FRIEND (Please note, there is a 40 person limit) Bring your own snacks and drinks. EVENINGS UNDER THE STARS PG 7 Calendar /ladies lunch TSO Fundraiser / baptisms Worship Life will be hosting four Evening Under the Stars events on our north lawn at church this late summer season as fundraisers for S. Luke s ministries including the TSO concert series and Stumbling Up recording a CD. The dates are as follows: PG 8 VBS Fun Photos August 13 we will have praise bands from the local area, including Stumbling Up. PG 9 Birthday/Anniversary/ Flowers/Tables / Women s Bible Study August 27 we will have a youth variety show PG 10 H2H/LYO/ Young Adult Ministries/Volunteers PG 11Worship Participants WELCOME NEW COUNCIL REPS! September 10 we will have praise bands from the local area, including Stumbling Up September 24 we will host choirs from the local community It is our hope that these events also help build community between the churches and the residents of Bedford/Lambertville. Come and enjoy music and entertainment while supporting ministries of St. Luke s. We are also looking for people to sign up as hospitality greeters for each event to welcome people, give directions around our building, and oversee our table with information about St. Luke s. Please sign up in the narthex or contact the church office.
St. Luke s Lutheran Church The Tower 2 DEAR PARTNERS, When I first came to St. Luke s in November of 1984, St. Luke s was enduring some challenging times. Pastor Leppien had been suffering from a pretty severe case of fibrosis in his lungs. Over several months, as his absence put several things on hold, some had become impatient and left the congregation. The Church Council which basically oversaw property and worship support was concerned, but it was a band of people I came to call the everything committee that kept the good ship St. Luke s afloat and heading in a good direction. When I came, they were overseeing a Pony Express stewardship campaign, so they called themselves the Stewardship Committee. But in the absence of other standing committees, they took the ball and ran with whatever needed to be done fellowship education evangelism. Without committed people like that everything committee, St. Luke s would certainly not be the congregation it is today. I hesitate to name names because you always leave people out but despite that risk and with my sincere apologies for those not mentioned as I prepare to conclude my pastoral ministry here I lift them up with thanksgiving for their committed work and acknowledge the essential role they and all the others who have served with similar spirit over the past 33 years have enabled this pastor to have a fruitful ministry. So here goes Those I recall serving on that committee were (based on my faulty & frail memory) John & Lynn Warren (John was congregational president then), Denise (Arndt) Spohler chaired the call committee. Nancy Patton was holding down the Church Office, Merlin & Eileen Edwards, Jack & Ruth Thompson, Roy & June Hawkinson, Norm & Phyllis Snyder, Fred & Jan Burton, J.P. & Natalie Jones. Other very active members in those early months of my ministry (not an exhaustive list) include Bill Winson, Rob Leppien, Margie Ann Leppien, Doc Ayers, Dick & Ginny Halter, Doug & Linda Olrich, Ed & Lena Strable, Dick & Donna Lennex, Erv & Dorothy Galdeen, Cliff & Dot Galdeen, Marty & Jayne Kaemming, Jane Chase, Roy & Judy Gephart, Harold & Carol Heiden, Art & Marie Marquardt, Jerry & Sharon Merickel, Jake & Ann Myers, Katie Never, Les & Ginny Nieman, Pat & Jan Sugrue, Sharon Tipping, Dick & Sonnie Rosswurm, Bob & Billie Sass. Well that s probably only about half the list. Others know who you are (& so does God!) I lift up this memory because I want to acknowledge the great partnership I have experienced as pastor of St. Luke s over these past 33 years, and I want to encourage all members of today s congregation to take up the tasks that will support Pastor Robyn and other leaders of St. Luke s. The people are the church and the work of the church is supported and facilitated by the pastor but accomplished only by the Spirit of God working in and through you all!! Thanks for your partnership in the gospel from day one until now. You have been a blessing and I thank God for you!! Dear Partners in the Gospel of Grace, I say with much love...carry On!! A SPECIAL FUND has been established by contributions given to the church for the purpose of supporting Pastor Robyn Kistemaker and her husband Pastor David Hively in the process of adopting another child. This was done in recognition of the fact that adoption costs can be significant and are not covered by health insurance as would a hospital delivery. If you would like to contribute to that fund, please make your check payable to St. Luke s Lutheran Church and note on the envelope or memo line that it is for the Kistemaker Adoption Fund. (FYI - According to the IRS, these are not tax deductible since they are considered given to an individual.)
St. Luke s Lutheran Church The Tower 3 Greetings friends in Christ! The summer continues and planning for the fall begins. The week that I am writing this has been one this is filled with rainy, dreary days. It has made me realize how much impact things can have on our mood and our productivity that we don t always notice immediately. I found that my days, starting out with the grey skies, didn t feel as energized as normal, but then, every once and a while the sun would break through and I felt like a flower stretching up to gather every bit of sunshine I could. It took me til about Wednesday of the week to realize what was going on. It had been three days of this routine but I hadn t put my finger on the cause of my down feelings. The same is true when we go through times of change or transition. We might start feeling a bit down and not know why, or we might miss those moments where the Spirit shines down on us stretching us to grow in new ways. It might take us a little while to understand where we are, who we are, and where we re going. But the beautiful thing about transition time in a congregation is that we don t go through them alone. If one of us starts to feel down we have a community of faith gathered around us to chase away the clouds and offer us some Son-shine. Those rays of Spirit filled goodness can come in many different forms but we rest assured knowing that it is the same God who provides all of them. I continue to value the time that I have to share in this ministry with Pastor Frank. He is a valued colleague and I appreciate this time that we have to show him how loved he is and how grateful we are for the ministry he has shared with us. At the same time, I am grateful to be working alongside the fantastic leadership of St. Luke s council as we plan for the intentional transition time that is upcoming. We have some extraordinary leaders that have been elected who will provide solid, faithful leadership through this time. It is an exciting opportunity to be given a time as a congregation to earnestly reflect on ourselves, our ministry, and our mission, to vision for the future, and to actively and prayerful listening for the movement of God among us. I give thanks for each of you here at St. Luke s and the beautiful, wonderful, and unique gifts the you bring to our ministry here. We are a strong community of faith because of your presence among us. Thank you for your continued partnership in the living, breathing Gospel of our Lord! Blessings,
St. Luke s Lutheran Church The Tower 4 CONGRATULATIONS! A big congratulations to Ramsey Bristol, who is the 2017 Endowment Fund William E. Winson Scholarship recipient for $2,000. Best of luck in school, Ramsey! CONGRATULATIONS!! Amy Hammer shared with us some terrific news that she is officially a registered nurse! Nice Job! BEST OF LUCK! Louise Hafemesiter has good news to share! She was accepted into the University of Cincinnati Marching Band in the fall! All that hard work has certainly paid off! THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! The front men s bathroom, near the office, has had a complete overhaul!!! Denzil and Mary Jean Bell were the facilitators and donors of this great upgrade!! We thank them very much!!! The Congregation Dear Friends, We give thanks to God for you and your kindness and generosity in what has been a frustrating time with the flooding of our basement earlier this summer. The gifts of toys, office supplies, and money are very much appreciated. As we are getting back to normal, these gifts have been helpful in the process, especially for Joseph and Eleanor, who took the bulk of the loss with their toys. May God continue to bless you all and the work you do to spread the good news of the Kingdom of God. In Christ's Peace, Pastor Jen, Chris, Eleanor, and Joseph Kiefer Thank You, St. Luke s From the bottom of our hearts, Chuck and I thank everyone at St. Luke s for the wonderful cards, the many casseroles, the comments on Facebook and the visits from Pastor Robyn. We also had a nice visit with Pastor Frank and Diane at the same doctor s office during this very ever-changing journey with Chuck s broken ankle. It has been a comfort to lean on so many shoulders. Chuck & Judy Schreiber TO MY ST LUKE S FAMILY- I recently had the opportunity to attend a month long Christian Camp in the Upper Peninsula called Intervarsity Leadership Institute (IVLI). At this camp, I will further develop my evangelical stills, as well as continue to grow in my relationship with God. I m so blessed to have my church behind me and supporting me on this journey. Thank you for all of your warm wishes prayers, and assistance in helping me to attend IVLI. I can t wait to share what I learn with St. Luke s evangelism team. Hopefully this experience will enable many more people to experience God. Again, thank you for all of your help and feel free to ask me about my experience when I come back at the end of July. I pray that the Lord will be with you all! Love, Natalia Di Ciacca THANK YOU!! A heartfelt thank you to all the ladies in The Comforters Ministry. They were so willing and gracious to offer 20 comforters to be taken to Guatemala. The poor in the cool mountains will be so blessed with the gifts sent. This quote summarizes it all. Those who sleep under a quilt, sleep under a blanket of love. Every stitch, every square of fabric, every hand tie, every inch of the comforter has love as its core. That is a message that will be shared with the people of Guatemala. Jesus loves you! Jesus te amo!! There are other generous hearts at St. Luke s also. The week long mission trip in September with Dr. Jeff Chapman will include Andy and Sue Nieman, Judy Bock, Denzil and Mary Jean Bell. They have been preparing eyeglasses to give to those in need. Gifts are also shared. Many of you (individuals as well as our Pre- School) have given Beanie Babies, small stuffed animals and Matchbox cars for the children. MUCHAS GRASIAS!! Dr. Heidi Bell s mission trip to Guatemala took place July 21-29. Thank you for cash donations, prescription drugs, diabetic supplies, etc. You never cease to amaze with your thoughtful and needed donations. Your prayers are always a top priority.
St. Luke s Lutheran Church The Tower 5 RECENT EPIDEMICS OF WHOOPING COUGH (Pertussis) Whooping Cough is on the rise, and there have been recent outbreaks in different parts of the country. It is caused from a highly contagious bacterium called Bordetella Pertussis, affecting the lungs. Symptoms will start with a common cold, and develops into a severe cough, along with vomiting, fever and fatigue. Thick mucus in the airways cause a cough with a whooping sound as you inhale, and can lead to pneumonia and seizures. This disease can affect all ages, and people may easily spread the disease with a mild cough when they are not aware they have whooping cough. Infants under 6 months old are at a great risk, especially when they are too young for vaccinations. Babies who have Pertussis need to be hospitalized and are isolated. Their condition can be very serious and even fatal. Pertussis can be diagnosed by the Dr. with an examination, throat culture, or blood test. It is treated with antibiotics which makes the symptoms less severe. Immunity from the vaccine or just having the disease wears off after about 10 years. It has been recommended that if you have a new grandchild on the way, or if you will be around an infant to be updated on you vaccines with a booster shot. The Tdap vaccine is given together for diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough at your Dr. s office or pharmacy. Have a good rest of the Summer, Judy Diener R.N. SALVATION ARMY & SOCIAL CONCERNS BOOK BAG SUPPLIES COLLECTION Social Concerns is working again this year with the Salvation Army to provide supplies for book bags for local students in need The box will be in the back narthex through August 6th. Watch the store ads for sales to help us out. We need paper, notebooks, folders, scissors, rulers, Kleenex, 3x5 notecards. mechanical pencils, erasers, binder clips, paper clips, staplers, staples, etc. If you can help, please bring your supplies in by August 6th. We appreciate your help! BRING US YOUR FLAT JESUS PICTURES! Flat Jesus is on location...with You! Near and far, he goes where you go. Pick up a copy of Flat Jesus in the side narthex or on our Facebook page to color design and cut out. While on vacation, or out and about, take a Flat Jesus Selfie and post it to our Facebook page to show us where all he has been sighted. We will then plot him on our world map in the hallway! LAWN MOWING SPOTS NEED FILLING Our property team has some spots available for lawn mowing and maintenance that need filling. With the summer rain storms, our grass is going to start growing a lot faster. If you can, please sign up for one of the following weeks.: August 21st, September 18, 25th, and October 2nd, 9th/, or 16th. If you have any questions, please contact a member of our property team for details.
St. Luke s Lutheran Church The Tower 6 FLAT JESUS ON LOCATION Mary Jo Price Kayaks Julie Eaton & Family Comerica Park, Detroit Tigers Flat Jesus/ Frenchtown Flat Jesus/ Albion College Flat Jesus/Rust Belt Coffee Toledo Martin Luther, Dresden Germany Black Cloister, Toledo Flat Jesus/ Sauder s Village
St. Luke s Lutheran Church The Tower 7 August Calendar of Events Tuesday August 1st Wednesday August 2nd Thursday August 3rd 6:30 LYO Adult/Youth Visioning 7:30 AA/Al Anon Friday August 4th Saturday August 5th Sunday August 6th 8:30 & 11:15 Traditional Worship 9:30 Coffee Fellowship 9:45 Adult Bible Study 10:00 Family GiG Worship Monday August 7th 10:00 Comforters 6:00 God Works! Meal Tuesday August 8th 6:00 Executive Committee 7:00 Ministry Team Meetings Wednesday August 9th Thursday August 10th 2:00 Evangelism Team Meeting 7:30 AA/ Al Anon Friday August 11th Saturday August 12th 1:00 Evangelism JCC Pool Party Sunday August 13th 8:30 & 11:15 Service of the Word 9:30 Coffee Fellowship 9:45 Adult Bible Study 10:00 Family GiG Worship 7:00 Music under the Stars praise band Monday August 14th 10:0 Comforters 6:00 God Works! Meal Tuesday August 15th 6:30 Church Council Wednesday August 16th Thursday August 17th 7:30 AA/ Al Anon Friday August 18th Saturday August 19th Sunday August 20th 8:30 & 11:15 Service of the Word 9:30 Coffee Fellowship 9:45 Adult Bible Study 10:00 Family GiG Worship Monday August 21st 10:0 Comforters 6:00 God Works! Meal Tuesday August 22nd 7:00 Technology Ministry Wednesday August 23rd 10:00 Luther Haus Bible Study 11:00 Luther Haus Communion Thursday August 24th 7:30 AA/ Al Anon Friday August 25th Saturday August 26th Sunday August 27th 8:30 & 11:15 Traditional Worship 9:30 Coffee//Blood Pressure Checks 9:45 Adult Bible Study 10:00 Family GiG Worship 12:30 3rd Yr. Confirmation Meeting 7:00 Music Under the Stars Youth Monday August 28th 10:0 Comforters 6:00 God Works! Meal Tuesday August 29th Wednesday August 30th 7:00 H2H Parent/Student Kick-off Thursday August 31st 7:30 AA/ Al Anon July Baptisms Congratulations on becoming children of God! Tyler James O Shea July 23rd Gabriel Mason Goliver July 23rd Kyla Rachel & Maci Lynn Anastasoff July 23rd Kelsey Jo Horn July 30th ******************************* LADIES LUNCH GROUP The ladies did not meet in July due to the 4th celebrations, but are back at it for August. They will be meeting August 2nd at Judy Nieman s Cottage in Brooklyn, MI. If you are interested in coming along, the ladies will be meeting in the large church parking lot at 11:00, should you like to carpool. It is a potluck meal please bring your favorite dish to share. Plates, plastic ware, and beverages will be provided. The ladies are also going to do a white elephant gift exchange. Bring a wrapped gift to include in the fun. If you have questions on directions, please meet with Linda Olrich or Marilyn Bexten. You can also call Judy Nieman s number at 734-856- 3848. They look forward to seeing you! -Nan Brushaber ******************************* TSO FUNDRAISER PIZZA PAPALIS, Downtown September 17th, 3-9 pm % of order will go towards TSO fundraiser 519 Monroe St. Toledo, OH
St. Luke s Lutheran Church The Tower 8 VBS MAKER FUN FACTORY 2017
St. Luke s Lutheran Church The Tower 9 HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! AUGUST 1ST Scott Goliver, Deb Manor, Megan Brew, Joshua Ondrus AUGUST 2ND Lynn Warren, Joyce Begg, AUGUST 3RD June Hawkinson AUGUST 4TH Kyle Hudgin, Donna Lennex AUGUST 5TH Ann Myer, Jennifer Ondrus, Trent Sloan AUGUST 6TH Carl Hallstrom AUGUST 7TH Barbara Frye AUGUST 10TH Sophie Ressler, Scott Thompson AUGUST 11TH Becky Arndt AUGUST 12TH Brynn Marie Horn AUGUST 15TH Joe Cornprobst, Lynne Henzler, Jacob Ondrus AUGUST 16TH Seth Beard AUGUST 17TH Blake Theodorou AUGUST 18TH Jake Giesige AUGUST 19TH Siggi Deckman AUGUST 20TH Judy Sengstock, Jessica Sloan, David Ziemke, JoAnn Thompson AUGUST 21ST Cole Crouch, James Shuherk, Beverly Johson, Don Yockey AUGUST 22ND Nicholas Lennex, Sally Georgeson, Erin Beard AUGUST 23RD Mahjida Steffen AUGUST 24TH Kim Giesige AUGUST 25TH Anastasia Williams AUGUST 26TH Amelia Majerski AUGUST 29TH Leah Hafemeister, Judy Gephart AUGUST 30TH Jeff Weiss AUGUST 31ST Ruth Thompson, Michael Greeley Aug 2 Joseph & Terri Lykowski Aug 8 Steven & Holly Leverton Aug 15 Ryan & Pamela Bristol Aug 16 Denzil & Mary Jean Bell Aug 18 Richard & Carol Schoch Aug 20 Jerry & Sharon Merickel Aug 21st Andrew & Sue Nieman Aug 23rd Ron & Kathleen Ressler Aug 24 James & Chris Shuherk Aug 28 Tom & Jeannelle Hart Aug 28 Dan & Kathy Shaw AUGUST ALTAR FLOWERS 6 August In honor of Donna Lennex s 90th Birthday!!!! 13 August In honor of Seth Beard s 4th Birthday! 20 August Sally Georgeson s Birthday! Andy and Sue Nieman s 41st Anniversary!!! Jerry & Sharon Merickel s Anniversary! 27 August Kathleen & Ron Ressler s 48th Anniversary! In celebration of Ruth Thompson s Birthday by Lynn & John Warren MISSING TABLES We are missing about 5 of our long rectangular tables. Please contact the church office if you have them or know where they might be located. Thank you! Women s Fellowship AND BIBLE STUDY Our women s Bible study which meets at Abby Holmblad s will resume in September. We will begin a new book study using: Fierce: Women of the Bible and Their Stories of Violence, Mercy, Bravery, Wisdom, Sex and Salvation by Alice Connor. If you have any questions, contact Pastor Robyn.
St. Luke s Lutheran Church The Tower 10 H2H KICK-OFF Our confirmation classes will be starting up again soon. We will have our kick-off informational meeting for all parents and students on Wednesday, August 31 at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. This is primarily for students entering 7 th and 8 th grade. Please contact the office or Pastor Robyn with any questions or if you will be attending. CONFIRMATION ON THE ROAD Our third year confirmation students and parents are invited to an information kick off session on Sunday, August 27 following our 11:15 worship service. Light snacks will be provided. Come and hear about our upcoming year. LYO LYO VISIONING MEETING On Thursday, August 3 we will be having our visioning meeting for parents and students in LYO. This is a time where we will discuss the upcoming year and what our students hope to get from LYO. LYO is open to any youth grades 9-12. We invite you to attend so you can hear about what we ve done in the past, meet our leaders, ask questions, and offer your insights and hopes for the coming year. If you have any questions please don t hesitate to reach out to Pastor Robyn, Erica Lehr, Mary Lingle or Kaitlyn Scurlock. LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS We are taking applications for young adult assistants for LYO. If you are between the ages of 18 25 we would love to have you submit an application to be one of our assistants for LYO. Duties would include: attending LYO meetings/ events as your schedule allows, facilitating conversation, helping Pastor Robyn and Erica Lehr as needed, etc. Please see Pastor Robyn, Erica Lehr, or Kaitlyn Scurlock for an application. YOUNG ADULT MINISTRIES YOUNG ADULT (AGES 18-25) FELLOWSHIP NIGHT: Attention all young adults ages 18-24. We will have a fellowship bonfire on Sunday, August 6 at 7:00 pm. YOUNG ADULT ONLINE BIBLE STUDY We will be starting a Bible study that is run through Google groups for young adults (ages 18-25). If you are interested in being included please let Pastor Robyn know. ATTENTION COLLEGE STUDENTS (and parents): Please make sure you turn in your year in school and mailing address for the coming school year to the church office, Pastor Robyn, or the Shepherding Team so that we can be in touch and send care packages during the year. If you could include any relevant dates that would be appreciated (start of classes, end of terms, etc.).
St. Luke s Lutheran Church The Tower 11 DATE/TIME GREETER USHER SACRAMENT LECTOR COUNTER COFFEE ACOLYTE 6 August J Schmidt S Fye/A Stahl S Tipping B Skiver 8:30 B Hendershot Folgers J Warren Georgesons Kathleen Blake P Yockey Ressler Theodorou 10:00 Mayo Family Mayo Family ************ Weiss Dawn Wright 11:15 A Crammond A Crammond J Mayo G Crammond R Gephart Owen Freker YOU? YOU? K Crammond YOU? 13 August S Tipping *********** S Harasta Cooks 8:30 Halters J Waidelich K Watkins Grant Yeager Moodys R Watkins 10:00 Hallstoms Hallstroms YOU? YOU? Neumeyers 11:15 J Sengstock R Bristol *********** J Schoch D Chase Cole Crouch N Bowlin J Sengstock 20 August Erdmanns K Ressler C Bell S Tipping C Moody 8:30 S Ressler/J Fair J Waidelich S Emerson S Tipping Leah Jackie Fair S Trevethan C Halter Hafemeister 10:00 YOU? YOU? N Bowlin ************ D Chase Sue Manore 11:15 B Steinman J Gephart A Crammond J Sengstock L Bourn Ana Williams J Gephart K Crammond K Crammond YOU? 27 August C Halter G Heigel 8:30 Merickels A Stahl/S Fye J Bock Georgesons Chuck Jackson Lexi & Mandi YOU? Cindy Jackson Hammer 10:00 YOU? YOU? YOU? YOU? YOU? YOU? B Cook 11:15 E Beard E Beard S Fleeson E Beard R Gephart Ryan Scurlock A Crammond A Crammond A Crammond D Paine
St. Luke s Lutheran Church The Tower 12 St. Luke s Lutheran Church 1690 Sterns Road Temperance, MI 48182 Frank Paine, Pastor frank.paine@stlukeschurch.net Robyn Kistemaker, Pastor robyn.kistemaker@stlukeschurch.net *Or Email* pastor@stlukeschurch.net www.stlukeschurch.net office@stlukeschurch.net Phone 734.847.8275 Fax 734.847.1454 Worship Schedule 8:30 am Regular Traditional Service Weeks 1, 2, 4, and 5 The Majesty of liturgy, pipe organ, and choral music Week 3 Joyful worship with a contemporary feel 9:30-10:30 am Coffee Fellowship 9:45 Sunday School 10:00 am the FamilyGiG Contemporary praise, worship, and children s time. 11:15 am -Regular (Informal ) Traditional Service Weeks 1, 2, 4, 5 The Majesty of liturgy, pipe organ, and choral music Week 3 Joyful Worship with a contemporary feel
Dear friends in Christ, One of the most significant times in the life of a congregation is during a change of pastors. It is a period, which produces considerable anxiety, confusion, ambiguity, and uncertainty about the future, as well as excitement about new possibilities, vision and new life in the congregation. During this transition period, persons grieve for the pastor who is leaving and have a sense of anticipation for developing relationships with an incoming pastor and family. New leadership often emerges in the congregation while at the same time others feel cut off. When managed well, it can become a time for growth in the congregation. We are receiving GREAT support from the Southeast Michigan Synod as we enter into this time. They have pledged their support to help us navigate this time of transition faithfully and healthfully. In order to help ease anxiety and proceed with full transparency, the following Pastor Transition FAQ will be available to all St. Luke s members and parishioners on a dedicated bulletin board in the side narthex, with regular Tower updates, included with our midweek e-mails, pinned to our Facebook page, and on our website. If you have any trouble accessing this document please reach out to myself, any member of council, or Pastor Robyn. This document will be updated as the process continues and additional information is available. This FAQ will guide understanding of the pastoral transition process, the exit process for the departing pastor, and the call process for an incoming pastor. I look forward to taking this journey with you all and to serving in this time of transition. In Him, Julie Sanderson Council President
St. Luke s Lutheran, Temperance, MI Pastoral Transition FAQ Q1 - Why is Pastor Frank leaving St. Luke s? After a faith-filled and faithful forty years of following his call to ordained ministry, Pastor Frank has decided this is the time he is being called into retirement. Pastor Frank will continue in his co-pastor role with Pastor Robyn until September 30, 2017. Q2 - What does Pastor Frank s resignation mean for St. Luke s? Although a change in pastoral leadership can be unsettling, we trust that God has good plans and direction for St. Luke s Lutheran Church. The staff, church council, and the Southeast Michigan Synod staff are working together collaboratively to support the church through the transition period in leadership. We are engaged both in implementing a transition staffing plan and searching for a new pastor. We continue to affirm our church s mission to worship, learn and grow together in the knowledge of God and his Word. We are then sent into the world to share God's love, teach his Word, and serve those in need. While we anticipate that our new pastoral team will bring new ideas and fresh experiences to our church, our theology remains constant. Q3 - Can Pastor Frank come back to conduct special services such as weddings, funerals, baptisms? We all form attachments to our pastors, just as pastors form attachments to us. While it s natural to draw on the strength of those attachments, relying on attachments with a former pastor hinders the chance at forming new attachments with remaining or new pastors. Therefore, Pastor Frank will not be returning to perform weddings, funerals, or baptisms. A separation covenant will be presented in the coming months with more information. Q4 - How will Pastor Frank s retirement impact the existing staff? Due to the faithful planning and forward vision of Pastor Frank and the leadership of St. Luke s there will be minimal impact on the existing staff. Pastor Frank and Pastor Robyn have worked together as copastors for the past two years and Pastor Robyn will continue on in the role of pastor. Our office staff and music staff will remain the same. Q5 - When is Pastor Robyn s last day? Not for a long long time! Pastor Robyn s call to St. Luke s is as a co-pastor, not associate, and therefore is not contingent upon Pastor Frank being at St. Luke s. Pastor Robyn will remain pastor and continue to lead the members and parishioners of this congregation in greater relationship with Christ, our Savior. If you have any further concerns or questions please speak with her directly. Q6 - Will we call another Pastor / will we be a multi-pastoral staff? This is not a question that we can answer at this time. The intention when the process began to call Pastor Robyn was that St. Luke s would remain a dual pastor congregation. Yet, in order to make sure that this is the call God has placed on St. Luke s we will enter into a time of intentional transition where we will take a concentrated and prayerful look at ourselves and where we see our ministry heading. Updated 7/27/17 1 P a g e
St. Luke s Lutheran, Temperance, MI Pastoral Transition FAQ Q7 - Would a new pastor be a senior pastor? This is not a question that we can answer at this time. Pastor Frank and Pastor Robyn have served as copastors for these two years. Part of the discernment of both the transition team and the call committee, along with the entire congregation, will be to listen for the Spirit s movement as to what form our pastoral team should take. Q8 - What is next for St. Luke s? We begin a period of intentional interim ministry under the guidance of a synod recommended intentional interim consultant. We are in a unique situation as Pastor Robyn will remain on as our pastor so we will not be without pastoral guidance during this time of transitional ministry. Q9 - What is Intentional Interim Ministry? Intentional interim ministry is normally distinguished from interim ministry. Interim ministry involves providing pastoral coverage for congregations that are temporarily without a pastor. The purpose is to fill a gap and provide pastoral coverage. Intentional interim ministry has a different goal. Intentional interim ministry sees the interim period as a positive opportunity for the congregation to determine who it is and what its mission is. Typical questions to be addressed are: What is the Holy Spirit calling this congregation to be or to do? What problems need to be addressed? What opportunities challenge us to reach out with Good News? What changes need to be made to prepare the way for the next pastor to join us? The trained intentional interim consultant is well-qualified to guide a congregation through this period and to assist the congregation in determining its mission and making any necessary changes. Q10 - What is a Transition Team? A transition team is a group with six to eight members that reflect the wide diversity of the congregation and community. The committee needs to be balanced, that is, women and men, newer and long time members, with various ages and ethnic/language backgrounds. Our transition team will be guided by an intentional transition consultant recommended by the synod. This team will look at the past, present a vision for the future of St. Luke s through various methods of interaction with members of the congregation. This team and this time of discernment together is important in the life of a congregation especially following a long-tenured pastor s retirement. This team helps the congregation prayerfully discern the mission to which we are being called following Pastor Frank s retirement and under Pastor Robyn s continued leadership. Q11 - So then what is call committee? The call committee is usually a group with six to fifteen members that reflect the wide diversity of the congregation and community. The committee needs to be balanced, that is, women and men, newer and long-time members, with various ages and ethnic/language backgrounds. This committee differs from the transition team in that they use the information gathered by the transition team to prayerfully assemble our Ministry Site Profile (MSP), review potential candidates, and Updated 7/27/17 2 P a g e
St. Luke s Lutheran, Temperance, MI Pastoral Transition FAQ eventually make a recommendation to St. Luke s Council for the next member of our pastoral care team at St. Luke s. The Council recommendation will be voted on by the congregation. Q12 - What is the process for bringing a new pastor to the church? Step 1: Pastor Frank announces his retirement. Step 2: Leadership meets with synod staff to discuss the future. Step 3: A transition team is appointed. Step 4: Pastor Frank retires. Pastor Robyn continues on. Step 5: The transition team begins their work through the intentional interim ministry process. The congregation will be kept informed as to the progress of their findings. Step 6: The transition team completes their work and presents to the congregation. Step 7: The congregation elects a call committee. Step 8: The transition team presents their final document to the call committee Step 9: The call committee begins their work. They will post a timeline once their work has begun. Q13 - What is the anticipated timeline for the process? While every pastoral search process is unique and dependent on God s timing, we can expect the entire process to take anywhere from 18 months to 3 years with the transition study taking about 18 months of that time. Due to our unique situation with Pastor Robyn remaining on staff it will be important to discern that God is calling both Pastor Robyn and the candidate we will interview to work together in this part of God s vineyard. Due to this discernment, the anticipated time line could be longer to ensure a solid, faithful connection between St. Luke s, Pastor Robyn and any pastor we call to join our ministry team. Q14 - Where does a synod find intentional interim pastors? The wisest course for a synod is to develop its own intentional interim pastors. Then the synod has intentional interim pastors it knows and trusts. There are other sources for obtaining intentional interim pastors. The most common sources are from other ELCA synods or from full-communion partners. There are several interim ministry organizations that provide intensive training for this ministry specialization. Q15 - How can the congregation stay involved? Most importantly, we covet your prayers throughout this process and welcome any insights that come from your time spent with God. Participate in the work of the transition team (i.e. welcome them during cottage meetings, attend whole-congregation events, provide feedback when requested, etc.). Prayerfully discern whether you are called to put forth your name for consideration to be a part of the transition team or the call committee. Celebrate Pastor Frank s many years of service to Christ and the Church! Respect Pastor Frank s covenant of separation. Updated 7/27/17 3 P a g e