The Last 4 Months

After a four month break it’s time to get posting again. In the past four months a few life changes have occurred. Aaron and I graduated in May, led a mission trip to North Carolina in June. We were ordained, moved to South Dakota and installed shortly thereafter. It’s been an amazing summer to say the least. I have been moved to tears over excitement and joy as well as fear and doubts.

I am already falling in love with the members and staff of, Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, the congregation where I’ve been called to serve. I never pictured myself in a large place, yet there are over 3000 members and I have been repeatedly amazed by the relationships I’ve begun in a place this size. I never imagined I’d live in a town of 200, but I live in Toronto, South Dakota a town so small it doesn’t even have a traffic light yet I live in a house with 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and over 2400 sq. feet. Size is definitely juxtaposed from what I had imagined. At this time last year I envisioned I’d be serving a small congregation and living in an apartment in a city, and I currently have a call at a large congregation and live in a large house in eastern South Dakota.

So far, my biggest joys have come during my hospital visitations. There’s something about walking into a hospital room, introducing myself and connecting with a member in a way that would otherwise take years. Something about the stress, uncertainty and boredom of hospital stays helps folks reach out and open up. At some point these past four months someone told me that it’s amazing when you walk into a hospital room and realize you’re only one of the pastors walking in…there are others from days gone by, good ones and bad ones, but all called to ministry and they’re there in the room with you. I’ve felt that amazing presence numerous times.

Some of my biggest anxieties come from being a member of pastoral team of three. I only preach about once a month and fall programming isn’t underway yet, so there’s a lot of office time without a lot of interaction with people. Also, the other two pastors have been handling things they had already planned on. My first wedding isn’t until November and my first baptism was this past Sunday. On the flip side, it is helpful and a privilege to work with the other two pastors. They are opposites in many ways, but both have been called to walk in this place at this time and both reach different members of the congregation with their styles and beliefs.

Overall, I’m doing well. It’s about the time for homesickness to be settling in and I can feel it coming on already. I can’t wait for the fall to begin. I’ll be teaching 6th grade confirmation, as well as an adult study focused on the catechism and Lutheran history plus youth groups will be up and running and we’ll begin another worship service. Life outside work is good too. It’s great to have Audra
(Aaron’s sister) and her family so close and we’ve been able to see our friends in Sioux Falls a few times. Most nights Aaron and I kick back and watch tv – we finally have cable so we’re watching way too much tv. Well, it’s time to get to another meeting, the fifth one today.

Letter from a Pastor for the September Newsletter

When the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his chariot drivers went into the sea, the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them; but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. And Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.” – Exodus 15.19-21

In the early days as intern pastor at Augustana College in Sioux Falls my supervisor asked me to pick a passage of scripture to guide me through the year. I choose the Exodus 15:19-21. These days I find myself echoing Miriam’s song of praise. Thankfully, God has brought me through four years of seminary and a move over 1000 miles to Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer where I sing and dance full of praise for God’s protection and guidance.

The account of the Israelites and Egyptians has always intrigued me. One of my earliest childhood memories involves my family gathering in the family room with bowls of popcorn to watch the annual broadcast of the Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston as Moses. Later, Disney’s Prince of Egypt peaked my interest enough to reread the story in Exodus where I discovered a good deal inconsistencies between the scriptures and the films.

This began my interest in the dynamics between popular culture’s presentation of the Bible and the scriptures themselves. The journey has been interesting to say the least. In my experience “God helps those who help themselves” seems to be the most common misquoted saying. It is actually quote from Ben Franklin, a deist, even though it is often attributed to the Bible. In fact, the Bible turns this so-called wisdom on its head. The Israelites were freed because God intervened on their behalf. They were powerless against their Egyptian captors and could not free themselves. Does this sound familiar? Have you ever admitted that you’re in bondage to sin and cannot free yourself? Again and again, God acts to free those who cannot free themselves. God frees the Israelites, and God frees you. Go, sing and dance.

Peace be yours!

Check out Exodus 1-15 and Romans 5:6-8 for more thought provoking verses.

Another Move to South Dakota

It’s official; we’re headed to South Dakota for first call! Last week we even heard about congregations we might be serving. A few days I’ve woken up asking myself, do we really have the names of congregations we’re going to interview with? Yes, is the answer I keep coming up with.

I can’t wait to be closer to the nieces! The picture in the upper left corner is Keira Grace on her two week birthday! We had the privilege to be her first babysitters after we sent her parents out to dinner. The bottom left is Ava Joyce. She’s bouncy and full of giggles.

As we prepare for yet another transition I realize that I’m making extra efforts to see family and friends in Ohio these days. This afternoon I picked up grandma from the airport and I wanted to spend all evening catching up, but she was tired from traveling and I thought I should get home to Aaron. When I checked my voice mail I saw that Mom had called. When I returned her call I learned that she was with Jack at Chad’s track meet only 20 miles from the apartment so I went to watch his last three events. I’m proud to announce he took second in the 200 meter and won the 4 by 4! Just before we parted Mom said before I go we have to do another girls night at grandmas. She also has a standing gift request, one round trip plane ticket a year for Christmas/Mother’s Day/ Birthday. As excited as I am about moving back to South Dakota it will be hard to leave Columbus.

Again I come to the hard realization that life will always be bitter sweet for Aaron and I. We are blessed with amazing families, but they will always be 1000 miles apart. We will never move to a place where our parents and siblings live. Then again, whenever we get sick of being around one side of the family we can always run to the other.

The Cabin

Before the Spring Semester began Aaorn and I ran away to Southern Ohio for a week. Here are a few pics from our week at Rustic Ridge Retreat.

When we arrived the innkeeper had baked a cake and purchased a bottle of wine for us.



More pics...I have never seen so many widows with such amazing views!

Once We Sang and Danced

Once we sang and danced with gladness;
once delight filled every breath;
now we sit among the ashes,
all our dreams destroyed by death.

All the willows bow in weeping,
all the rivers rage and moan,
as creation joins the pleading:
“God, do not leave us alone.”

God who came to dwell among us,
God, who suffered our disgrace,
from your own heart, grieved and wounded,
come the riches of your grace.

Come, O Christ, among the ashes,
come to wipe our tears away,
death destroy and sorrow banish;
now and always, come and stay.

This is the text from closing hymn at the Ash Wednesday service Aaron and I attended last night. I sobbed through the hymn as I thought about Jessica Marie Larson, Aaron’s 25 year old cousin who lost her battle with cancer at 5:05am that morning. The hymn has become my prayer.

I'm Sorry

I don’t have class until February! This extra time translates to more time for seeing the awesome friends and family around the Columbus area. Recently I’ve noticed a trend. The three women I’m closest to, Mom, Grandma and Mel are constantly giving Aaron the ‘I’m sorry’ comments or look.

Last night it came from Mel. While she was picking up her youngest daughter she asked if I’d like to come over because she had a pan of double chocolate brownies in the oven. I picked up Aaron and headed over. We were all standing in her kitchen when Aaron and I said we should get back to grandmas to so Aaron could work on laundry. Mel chimed in, “he does all the laundry, what do you do?” The more distant women in my life say that it’s great the man does the laundry, but not Mel. She’s concerned. Her concern was somewhat abated when I informed her that I do the grocery shopping, but she still had that poor Aaron look.

After noticing the trend I decided to ask Aaron about it. He denied it at first, but then he chuckled and said that yes, they do this. I began thinking, what am I doing to illicit this response. Am I that hard to be with? Why the looks of sympathy for Aaron? Aaron shot back that in his words I am a ‘force of nature.’ I’m not sure if I’m confident I know what he means, and I am less sure that I am comfortable with that title. Aaron continued that I’m a force of nature because when I set my mind to something I am really set on it and I will not let anything stand in my way. There has to more to it though. For now I’m off to do the same thing I do every night, Pinky - try to take over the world.

Christmas Pics

Here are the photo highlights of Christmas.
1.The Friday before Christmas Mom, Jack, Raven, Grandma, Tina, Aaron and I went to Cincinnati for a night away. We saw a fun Christmas cabaret and partied a little too much.
2.The Sunday before Christmas the Wernicke’s gathered to celebrate. Todd and LA got no-bake cookies from Mom as part of their gift.
3.Bryon’s gift from Santa.
4.Todd and Grandma listen to “T’was the Night Before Christmas”
5.Elyse learns her fate from Santa’s Good Children – Bad Children Book
6.The Wernicke great grandgirls
7.Christmas Day at Mom’s
8.Katelynn and her ‘real’ cat
9.Freezing fog. There was no mist or rain, but we drove through crazy thick fog. I had to turn the defrost on as high as it would go and open the back windows, but we made it!
10.Parry’s Settler’s Wonder Tower.
11.Boys will be boys. Mike, Aaron and Parry at Giggle Bee’s. Non – South Dakotans think Chuck – E – Cheese from the 80’s.
12.Quilts made from Grandpa and Grandma Matson’s clothing for the siblings.
13.Audra, Ava and Becca
14.Ava, her grandpa and her uncle
15.Becca at Chuck – E – Cheese
16.Me at work ice skating with Bethel’s youth and Santa!