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.”