“I will pay my vows to the lord in the presence of all God’s people” (Psalm 116:14)
January 13, 1984, at St. John Lutheran Church in Norfolk, Virginia, I was ordained as a pastor. At that time I made a vow to serve the Lord, the Church, and its people. Since that time, I have tried to faithfully follow the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit both in parish ministry and now in retirement. I continue to honor that vow made nearly forty years ago. Because of God’s blessings, I have been honored and privileged to serve a variety of congregations across several states as full-time, or, more recently, in an interim capacity – including St. Luke’s.
As I’ve come to enjoy and celebrate the ministry here, I have also come to realize that God’s call upon my life continues unabated. While my primary call remains retirement, through the Holy Spirit I am being drawn into further ministry here. The opportunity to serve the Lord through the mission of St. Luke’s to the people who live, work, and visit downtown Lima has piqued my interest and reminded me of those vows I made to the Lord in the presence of God’s people long ago.
With that in mind, I approached the St. Luke’s church council at our July meeting about expanding my role at the church especially in the downtown Lima mission field. Graciously, the council accepted my proposal; and so, beginning in September, and for the next year, I will become a more visible feature of the ministry of St. Luke’s. Practically speaking, it means that I will leading worship three Sundays each month, working with our downtown ministry partners, and continuing to support others in their ministries of Christian education, stewardship, outreach and visitation. While this doesn’t cover all aspects of pastoral ministry, it does honor both the vow to serve the Lord and God’s call to retirement.
I look forward to our continued partnership in ministry. I truly believe that we have embarked on an exciting and fruitful mission following God’s call and vision for this congregation. I hope that you will continue to support me and the other leaders of our congregation as they reach out in mission and ministry to the people who live, work, and visit downtown Lima. Finally, I ask for your prayers. I, nor anyone, else can accomplish what God has called us to do unless the Lord is with us. Please remember those who serve in ministry at St. Luke’s, asking God to sustain, support, and guide us during this journey together.
May the Lord bless us and guide us always.
Pastor Dave