Planes, trains, automobiles, and ferries

Over the past month and a half, my frequent flyer miles card has been filling up as I attended several events for LAMP. While I didn’t actually travel by train, I did use the light rail to get to my gate for a flight home.

My first trip as a pastor–it’s still weird to say–was to attend the ABC (Alberta/British Columbia) District Pastor and Deacons’ conference in Calgary (pronounced ‘cow gary’). Having attended the Pastor & Deacon conference last fall, I recognized a few people but was also able to connect with many others I had previously seen in newsletters. This conference not only provided a great opportunity to network with other pastors, but the presenter also shared helpful information for church workers. Rev. Dr. Stephen Pietsch from Concordia St. Louis Seminary spoke on a subject highly relevant to our time: The New Age of Melancholy and other psychological effects people are experiencing in the post-modern world following the COVID pandemic.

After a day off, I headed over to Osoyoos, B.C., for the LWML rally at Grace Lutheran. I presented on my work with the First Nations in B.C. with LAMP and answered several questions.

On Sunday, I preached at both Grace Lutheran Church and later that day at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Osoyoos before making my way back home to Oregon.

After a few days at home, I repacked and headed south to preach at a classmate's church in Ontario, California. I went from cool afternoons in Canada to summer-like weather in southern California. Since I was in the area, I was able to teach three classes at Orange Lutheran High School, one of the teams that serves in Old Masset. Since this was the time of year when kids began to choose which mission trip they would like to attend, I shared about LAMP’s ministry and provided information on the Haida people.

 

That Sunday, I was able to both preach and present on LAMP at Edgewater Lutheran, as they will be partnering with LAMP this coming summer. Please pray for wisdom and guidance as Pastor Joel Held recruits members for their team. Pictured are Joel’s two sons and future daughter-in-law leading the worship music.

 

I returned home for a couple of days before leaving for our staff retreat and LAMP joint board meetings in Cincinnati, Ohio. Our staff spent a day together to discuss what went well in summer ministry and where we might need to focus for success next summer, assuming half of Manitoba is not on fire. Then we toured the Creation Museum in Kentucky. No, we did not have time to go through the Ark, but the museum was very well done. 

        I spent the remainder of my time in Ohio attending meetings and taking an intensive tour of Madisonville. After that, I returned home for a brief 18-hour stop before heading back to California for MAP (Ministry Applied Practices). This program is intended for all new pastors, regardless of their age or years of ministry experience. Its goal is to bridge the gap between the academic training received in seminary and the practical knowledge needed for the effective parish ministry.

While I am not serving in parish ministry, I chose to attend the program to build connections with other new pastors as a partner with all three west coast districts: CNH (California, Nevada, and Hawaii), PSD (Pacific Southwest District), which serves southern California, southern Nevada, and Arizona, and the NOW District, which serves Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska. The bonus of attending was that four of my CMC cohorts were there.

 

After returning from MAP, the following Saturday I presented at the LWML Mt. Hood district, which my home church hosted. It was a nice way to end all my business-type trips before heading north for my fall community visits. 

        I was home for just over a week before heading north to catch the ferry from Prince Rupert to the island of Haida Gwaii. Because of the ferry schedule, O was required to stay on the island for four days. While it was enjoyable and my hosts, Pastor Jim and Deaconess Judy Wally, are truly wonderful people, the extended stay limited my opportunities to visit other communities. Pastor Jim served on the LAMP board many years ago and volunteered to help during a few summers. 

    In addition to my long stay on the island, I was only able to spend about an hour with Pastor Lilly from the Anglican church we use during our summer mission trips. Now, that might seem like a lot for a short visit; however, the value of building relationships cannot be overstated. It turns out that Pastor Lilly has been dealing with a lot of family issues. At the start of our visit, Pastor Lilly was quite anxious, but by the end of our conversation and after we prayed together, she thanked me for my time and said, "This was good."

 

The view from Pastor Jim & Deacon Judy’s house.

Once back on the mainland, it was a matter of visiting most of the communities. In one day, I had four visits before heading back to Terrace, where I was staying. Along the way, some visits had to be canceled, which allowed me to visit with other people.

Despite the lateness of my trip, I never had to deal with snow. When the clouds cleared from the mountains, their stunning beauty reminded me of God’s masterpiece in creation. More importantly, we are His masterpiece, being shaped into His restored image of Christ. We are loved by Him. May we always be drawn to praise and glorify God in all we do. 

 It has been a while since I last updated my blog, and a lot has happened. Normally, I focus on ministry, but for this blog, I will spend a bit more time updating on my life events. 

My final year of the CMC program was the fullest yet, having to complete my language requirements and take a full load. On top of all the school work, I was also trying to get my new ministry start going. Despite my workload, I was able to drive up north and drop off items needed for the summer. After a quick trip, is was back home to work on finals and preach at the youth & family conference for the northwest district. In between these events, I was also guest preaching at a couple of churches. Finally, one of the big days for my path in becoming a missionary pastor happened: Call Day at the St. Louis Seminary. 

I was blessed to have my wife, Tina, come; two of my classmates, my boss, and my aunt and uncle were also in attendance to see who their new pastor would be at the church in Iowa. (Pictured are my classmates with their spouses and Dr. Thormodson, who oversaw all our new ministry start projects.)

As classes finished up I began to get ready for my last summer intensive at Concordia Irvine. Just as I was getting ready to leave, my father fell from the ladder in the garage. He had a few injuries and was sent home from the hospital to rest at home. My final summer was 

However, as I was getting ready to head north for the summer, life threw a curveball.

On June 25th, my mom called to inform me that I needed to head to the hospital in Tacoma because my dad was not doing well. While he was initially improving, some complications arose. Ultimately, he developed Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). He was placed on a ventilator several times, which meant he had to be sedated. During the moments when he was alert, I was able to visit with him. Although he was very weak, he could still talk. We shared with him about me finishing school, the foster grandkids, and, of course, one of our favorite topics: the Seattle Mariners baseball team.

Unfortunately, his oxygen levels continued to drop. He was put on the ventilator for the third time, but his lungs could no longer expel the CO2 that was building up in his body. At 1:40 a.m. on July 7th, while holding his hand, my dad took his last breath. This is the last picture taken of my dad. While it might seem out of place with my dad holding a drink; for me it serves as a reminder of how he enjoyed life especially when the family gathered together. Months before we passed, he shared how it reminded him of his father and the times they would gather as a family and the laughter they shared around the table as they told stories and drank beer. I will miss my dad, he served as a mentor for me especially as I was studying to be a pastor and I always enjoyed our time when we did things together.

After a few weeks off to help plan my father’s funeral and take some time to grieve, Tina and I headed north to help with the last two mission groups serving in B.C. There were three other teams that served earlier in the summer that I was not able to participate with. One was a new team to Old Masset on Haida Gwaii, which was in June, while I was at my summer session. The other two teams were in July, during which my father passed away. 

During our first week, we joined a team that has been going to Witset for the past four summers. Last summer, Tina joined me in helping teach Vacation Bible School (VBS) as part of a summer daycare program. This year, the daycare requested that we run the VBS program for two hours instead of the one hour we had the previous year. While the team was a little nervous about extending the VBS program, it went by quickly and was a true blessing. Many returning kids remembered us from last year, and because of that, everything went smoothly. Several team members even received artwork from the kids to take home.

The evening programs for the adults and youth also went well, though the afternoon water slide saw fewer kids participating. One factor was the wet weather, as did the fact that another kids' program was running at the same time. Despite the water slide being bigger and better than last year, sometimes you have to work with what’s available.  However, the morning activities were undoubtedly a blessing.

 

During the second week, we joined a team that was returning for their second year in Gingolx. The previous year, the group had been short-handed, but this year, they brought along three additional new members. It was a fantastic week of VBS and reconnecting with the community. Typically, first-year mission trips can be challenging as the team learns about the community, so when the team leader mentioned how much easier this year was, I wasn’t surprised. With each passing year, the team becomes more integrated into the community. Every day, the team conducted their prayer walks and connected with more residents. As a result, the team had an excellent turnout for the evening meal on Friday.

 

After the two weeks with the mission teams, Tina and I returned home to prepare for my ordination and installation as a missionary pastor with LAMP. Before that could take place, our granddaughter was born on August 27th to Caleb and Brianna. We are very excited to welcome our first grandchild, adding her to our two foster grandchildren.

 

On August 31st, the four-year journey of becoming a missionary pastor was completed. It was a very exciting day, filled with the presence of many family members, colleagues, and friends who gathered at my home church, Christ the Vine, for my ordination. I felt truly blessed to have my dad’s older brother and his son–both of whom are pastors–attend the ceremony.

 

The question I often get asked these days is, “Now that you’re a pastor, what are you doing?” I want to assure you that my work with LAMP continues, and now that I have more time, I look forward to embarking on more trips to both the communities that I serve and visiting churches to share about LAMP. I also have new business cards with the title, “Missionary Pastor.”

 Fall Newsletter 2024

May you be free of any major rain, wind, or snowstorm. I’ve often heard stories from my uncles and aunts about their experiences driving home for American Thanksgiving during snowstorms. They would sometimes drive through five feet of snow with only half a tank of gas, all while driving rear-wheel drive vehicles without tire chains, or so the stories go.

As always, this fall has been rather busy with school work. Between studies, I have been keeping busy with trips up north and engaging with my community contacts around the northwest. 

This fall, I attended the B.C. Church Workers Conference (Lutheran Church-Canada) in Kamloops with Deacon Michael Gillingham, our newest missionary with LAMP. Not only was the topic relevant and very informative, but I also enjoyed getting to know this group and hearing their stories. Another blessing was being able to share alongside Michael in a panel discussion the work of LAMP with the B.C. church workers. 

A few weeks later, I attended the NW District All Workers Conference (LCMS) in Seaside, Oregon. The keynote speaker was Tod Bolsinger, the author of “Canoeing the Mountains.” The sessions I was able to attend spoke about how the church is leading in a time when we no longer have a map to nowhere to go in reaching today’s culture. It was also a great time to connect with colleagues and have a table to share about the ministry of LAMP.

As a member of the NW District DCE encourager team, I was asked to serve communion at the evening worship service. The only problem is that I have never served the common cup before, but after a few tries I got the hang of it.

I was home for a few days before heading out on an elk hunt with my youngest son. My older son joined us for the weekend when Isaac bagged his first elk, which turned out to be the largest one in the family.

It was a fantastic hunt–one that will be shared around the campfire for years to come.

I headed north to visit several of the communities I serve. Lisa Bearman of Orange Lutheran High School joined me on one visit to check out arrangements for next summer when a group of high school students will conduct a kid's program in Old Masset. Pictured is Pastor Lilly who serves at St. John Anglican Church in the community of Old Masset (Haida Gwaii). Pastor Lilly has called the LAMP office over the past few years asking us to return to share Jesus with her people as she witnesses hopelessness and a declining belief in God.

Following Lisa’s return to the U.S., Dr. Thormondson joined me in three LAMP community visits, including a visit with my two Gitxsanimaxx language teachers. As part of my final year of the CMC program, a facility member has to visit on-site. On our travels, we connected with many people that I knew. It was a fruitful experience.

While visiting with people in Hazelton, I was able to give the rest of the donated quilts I had received to the area food bank, where a friend of mine, Alex, helps out part-time. I know that Alex will see to it that those in need receive a quilt. Thanks are extended to the women who contributed their time and energies to create a hug of love for these folks!

Part of my other connections in the Hazelton area was visiting with Pastor Doug Anderson of Khya Fellowship, who is the community contact for Witset. We plan to invite First Nation pastors from the area to attend a prayer summit at Rock Nest Ranch in Houston, B.C. this spring. Pastor Doug is part of The 6:4 Fellowship and has also received training to teach other pastors to help members of their church develop a healthier habit of praying together. Dr. Thormondson was able to provide some insight as we started the planning process.

 

My final visit was with the new pastor at Redeemer Lutheran in Kitmat, Pastor Daniel Cunningham.  Pastor Dan is hoping to help out the church in nearby Kitamaat Village as they have been asking for more Bible studies at their church. This would be a great opportunity to learn and support one another in God’s Word and build relationships.

 

I have started my final year of schooling in the CMC program. If everything goes as planned, I should be at the call service in St. Louis on April 30th, 2025 with my ordination at Christ the Vine at the end of August in 2025. This year will be the most challenging year since I will be working on starting my new ministry, taking language classes, and completing my portfolio.

 Summer Ministry 2024

Like every summer spent up north, it is a blessing mixed with difficult moments. It is a blessing to serve with each of the teams who volunteer their time, money and resources. This year was another gift for me to only have a few teams and spend most of the week with them.

The first week was really exciting as the team from Arizona had all their group returning from last year, plus one veteran, Ms. Becky. The group picked right up from last year with the connections they made with the kids and were able to build stronger relationships. The group was blessed with good weather and a great turnout of kids.

The following week, my home church, Christ the Vine came with many veteran team members and two new members. It was a fantastic week. Not only did we have a lot of kids, but the amount of knowledge of who God is was evident in how they responded to the lessons. 

The following week brought a team containing some members of a previous team to Gingolx. One member couldn’t attend, but the rest of the team picked up her role and did an amazing job. They are already discussing plans for what they would like to do next year.

I returned home for a couple of weeks and helped with my home church’s VBS program, which is something we have not held for a few years. I truly enjoy assisting with it. 

Then it was back up to B.C. for a week in Witset. My wife Tina was able to come and help. This year we helped at a kids' program in the morning with a one-hour VBS. Then it was an afternoon of hosting a water slide at the lake with an evening program for adults and youth.

 

The days were long, but it was fantastic to make connections with many different people in the community, including attending a men’s dinner hosted by the community. The only negative was a nearby fire that closed our waterslide early on Friday so the water-dropping helicopters could get water from the lake.

The summer went very well, and I look forward to next year when more teams join in helping spread the word of Jesus’s love for all people. 

I am struggling to write this part of my newsletter, but I want to share this with you. While in Gitanyow, I talked with a friend named Matthew whom I have known for a long time. Despite struggling with many challenges in his life, he has always been helpful to me and taught me about the costumes and customs of Gitanyow. Tina and I once gave him a ride from Terrace, and during the journey, he talked with us the whole time. Matthew has two beautiful daughters, one of whom recently graduated from high school.

A week after I returned home, I received a message informing me that Matthew had passed away. Facebook was inundated with shocked messages from people in Gitanyow about his passing. There is still no information on how he died, but when I saw him, there were no visible signs of any health issues. 

Matthew's death serves as a reminder that every day is a gift from God. We never know when it will be our last, nor when the people we know may no longer be with us. May we always live each day for God, giving Him the glory and telling others about Jesus and His love for them.

This week, I started my final year of schooling in the CMC program. If everything goes as planned, I should be at the call service in St. Louis on April 30th, with my ordination at the end of August. This year will be the most challenging year, as I will be working on starting my new ministry, taking language classes, and completing my portfolio. However, since it does not look like the Mariners will make the playoffs, once again, that will be one less distraction.

A Successful Spring Fling

This spring marked the fourth Spring Fling trip, and as always, I was blessed to serve with some wonderful people. Nadine Lung from Sherwood Park, AB, came along with Josiah Schultz and his youth Cody from Yuma, AZ.

We were grateful to be teaching the same two girls as last spring in Kitamaat Village. We even heard that the mother took time off work to ensure her daughters attended.

Later that evening, we held a tea social, but due to a death in the village, only two teenage girls attended. It was a great evening of fellowshipping with them.

Our next event was visiting with Alex Stoney, a youth worker for the Salvation Army in Hazelton. Alex had connected with another minister in the area who set up a BB gun range in his backyard. The group joined with several of Alex’s youth and took turns shooting at targets. We also joined them for a hotdog feed.

That evening, we had dinner with most of the women leaders at the Anglican church that the Yuma team uses for their summer program. It was a great evening of hearing about the history of their church, the community, and where the church is at today.

Additional Visits

After the Spring Fling volunteer group left, I preached and led services in Kitimat for Redeemer Lutheran Church and their mission church in Terrace.

A couple of days later, I picked up our executive director, Steve Schave, and executive director for the Canadian Lutheran Bible Translators, Pastor Mohr. We visited Gingolx, Gitanyow, Hazelton, Witset, and Kitamaat Village. We visited with Pastor Bart Metcalf, Dr. Jane Smith (pictured on the right), and Pastor Doug Anderson. When not stopping to take pictures of mountains and waterfalls, Pastor Mohr asked some of LAMP’s community contacts about the Bible being translated into their language. There is the thought of having a Bible translated in Nisga’a, where we serve the communities of Gingolx and Lax̱g̱altsʼap. 

Orange Lutheran High School (CA) & Donor Visit - April 20, 2024

I had the pleasure and privilege to attend Orange Lutheran High School’s Mission Celebration. It was fantastic to see how many students attended worship services, led the music ministry, and learned how to serve Jesus and others in different ways through outreach and on-campus ministries. The OLHS has an excellent program that offers opportunities for students to share God’s love and grow in their faith in the process. I look forward to helping support a mission team from OL in 2025.

Staff Retreat, Team Meetings, and Installation Service (Edmonton, AB) - April 25-29, 2024

It was a whirlwind and a packed trip to the Arctic (as our executive director calls it) for a staff retreat on Friday to plan our summer ministry.  The night before, I participated in my last online class for the CMC program. 

I used my visit to Edmonton as an opportunity to meet with the LAMP mission team from Stony Plain and present a LAMP Sunday to their church. In addition, I met with the volunteers going to Kitamaat Village and those from Barrhead. 

On Sunday evening, the 28th, all of the LAMP staff with many in attendance, celebrated the installation service of Michael Gillingham as a Missionary Deacon for LAMP at Bethel Lutheran Church in Sherwood Park, AB. 

Donor Visits

I recognize how important it is to have faithful partners in the ministry and am very grateful you also understand the need for the gospel to be taken to God’s people up North. I enjoy staying connected over coffee or whatever works for you, and receiving your comments on my newsletters and blog posts too. Please feel free to contact me.

My VBS Dates this Summer

Please pray for open hearts and minds of the children and youth, (and any adults who might be in attendance) and for strength, patience, and God’s love to overflow via the volunteers leading VBS on the following dates:

Old Hazelton- July 1-5

Gitanyow- 8-12

Kincolith- 15-19

Kitamaat Village- 15-19

Witset- August 12-16

 The Northern Quilter Picker Upper

Last October, you might have heard about my attempt to cross the border into Canada with a small SUV filled with quilts. The second the border agent asked me to roll down the windows, I knew this wasn’t going to work.

Nine months later, after invoices were created, importer ID obtained, and duty paid on each item, I was cleared to continue my route up north to pick up more quilts.  The first stop was in Kamloops, then on to Hazelton, where there is a bounty of quilts waiting to be passed out when the weather gets cooler. By the way, you can watch the Bounty commercial here.

 

I would like to thank the quilters of Christ the Vine Lutheran in Damascus, Oregon, Redeemer Lutheran in Spokane Valley, Washington, and Lord of Life Lutheran in Kamloops, B.C., for making and donating close to one hundred items of quilts, lap blankets, pillows, and knitted pot holders.

Some of the quilts were handed out to community contacts this past summer. Willard and Carolyn from Laxgalts’ap were very appreciative of their quilt.

Virginia from Gingolx was also delighted to receive the gift of the quilt and so was her daughter.

While these quilts are made, given, and received in love, let them serve as a reminder that Jesus' love goes beyond anything we can ever imagine. The gospel message can penetrate any heart that needs hearing the deep love of God, shown through His Son’s death and resurrection on the cross. Pray that hearts will be open to receive this message and that God continues to call all people to share that message with others, especially people in the north. 

 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, the sound of a low whisper. (1 King 19:12)

When I was a DCE doing youth ministry, the moments when ministry really happened was not in the big programs or the well thought-out Bible studies, but in the small moments such as driving a kid home from youth night or waiting for an event to start. The youth would often share or ask faith-related questions.

It’s no different in the mission field. This past summer, on two occasions I was caught off guard when the kids made comments about faith or an opportunity to share about Jesus transpired.

While watching over the sign-in table in Old Hazelton during the VBS program, a young boy, who was very active (by moving around and avoiding what he ought to be doing) sat down next to me. Out of nowhere, this young boy asked me, “Do you like Jesus?” Taken aback, I could tell the boy was being very serious. I replied, “Yes, I do. Especially knowing how much He loves me and what He has done for me.” The boy sat there thinking for a second and responded, “I like Jesus too.” and then he left to play games with the rest of the kids. Wow, I thought to myself, what testimony of God at work in this community.

A week later, I was in Gitanyow with my home church. My wife is the team leader. For whatever reason, the kids did not know that we were married but found it amusing. As we were cleaning up, some young teenage girls who had been hanging around with us asked how long Tina and I had been married. I answered, “Twenty-six years.”

The response from the teens was, “Wow, that’s a long time.” Then one girl commented that she doesn’t really know where her parents are. She explained that her dad just left one day, and no one knows where he is.  Her mom went to get milk at the store and did not come home for a couple of years. When she did, she was a very mean person. I could tell the girl was trying to make light of her parents not being around, but I could see the hurt in her eyes. Before I could say anything, the two girls left.

Putting effort into a large program is important, but it is also key to recognize that ministry often happens in those still quiet moments when you least expect it. Pray that God will be with us in those moments to share of His great love for whoever we are talking to.