This is a letter that I sent out with my ordination invitations to congregations that I have been a member of and served along with the ordained pastors, youth workers, parish assistants and other who have help formed me in my faith life. Don't know why I didn't post it sooner:
To all the “Pastors” and Churches in my life
Thank you! In a few weeks I will be ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament but really I would never have gotten to this point without all of you ministering to me. I have learned many things about ministry from all of you, ordained, rostered and lay alike.
Pastor Strege you have indirectly taught me about stewardship and the importance of biblical study through the many adult forums and sermons that my parents heard but yet I was too young to listen to. I also learned from you the importance of a well timed fist pound on the pulpit. I believe one of the reasons why I was so comfortable in worship and the church was because of how welcomed I felt by Pastor Lohmen during children sermons. I have so many memories of running around Atonement and Good Shepherd whether with paper leaves on Palm Sunday, preparing for a Christmas Children’s Pageant or army crawling under the pews while playing underground church. Anyone who knows the good hiding places in the church must truly be welcomed.
That sense of being both welcomed and part of the church while still a youth was continued by Kirsten, Pastor Tom and both Pastor Pauls. I always felt like I was a vital part of the congregation and not a second class citizen that so many teenagers often feel. Due to encouragement from Kathy, Deacon Doug and Judy, I took on roles in the church sometimes considered only appropriate for adults, including teaching Sunday school to some of the youngest members of Immanuel and serving on multiple mission trips. There was hardly ever a time when I came to Immanuel and did not receive many hugs. I also learned from Pastor Tom how traumatizing it can be for a group of teenagers to discuss the Sixth Commandment with their pastor.
While in college, I was challenged theologically and spiritually by many conversations with Rachel and Pastor Don at University Lutheran and Pastor Cheryl via quite a few email conversations. University Lutheran became a haven in the midst of stressful work and class schedules and yet it was because of Don’s encouragement that I even considered attending seminary. It was during this time that I learned how to keep a service short but meaningful and from Cheryl, how to discretely fish a spider out of the communion wine on Easter Sunday.
During a time of transition, post-college, pre-seminary, Peace became the first church in which I was truly an adult member. From Pastor Rick I learned how to speak openly and honestly about personal situation with the congregation while still keeping your private life private. Pastor Maribeth has taught me so much about being a female pastor, balancing both career and family. And as the place where Bob and I were married, Peace will always hold a special place in both of our hearts.
During my time at seminary, UniLu opened my eyes to the joys and pleasures of ministry in the inner city; an idea this suburban girl never contemplated before. While Pastor Harte and Fred cautioned me of some of the trials of working in an inner-city parish, the joy of serving at Feast Incarnate and how natural it became to have a homeless person come in during worship are treasured by me. I had never before worshiped in such a diverse community, black, white, gay, straight, transgender, UniLu is where I saw all of God’s people gathered together to worship.
Over internship and beyond, St John’s became my church home. Through challenges in adjusting communion practices and corralling outspoken confirmation student, I became a church leader, not someone who sat in the pews. I learned so much from Linda about planning music in worship and the excitement, and commitment of Kate to having kids involved in all aspects of the church is contagious. From John I learned the importance of being connected to the greater church at the synod, national and international levels. From Clair, Jack and Rosger Borass, I learned how pastors are still pastoral even when retired or in special calls. The two years I spent at St. John’s gave me some of my more trying worship experiences but also many of the most uplifting, soul-enriching experiences as a ministry leader. I also learned the importance of a really good coffee hour.
Post seminary brought another time of transition and Bob and I found Bethesda not as a seminarian, pastor or future seminarian, but as someone who got to sit in the pew each week and maybe help assist in worship on occasion. During this experience I cannot begin to tell you the number of things I learned about being a perspective member and integrating into a congregation. And of course from Pastor Merkle I learned how wonderful a good talk in the pastor’s office can be.
These are just a handful of the many things I have learned from all my churches and “pastors,” I would not have enough space to write them all. Nor will I ever be able to properly thank you and repay you for all you have done for me. Instead I hope and pray that I will be able to pass these lessons on to others in the church and community where I have been called to serve and in the churches and communities that I will be called to in the future.
I also know that many of you will not be able to attend my ordination due to distance but please realize that you will be there in spirit for it is because of the Holy Spirit working through you that I will soon be a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ.
Thank you and may God continue to bless you in your ministries,
Becca
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