Pastor’s blog 8/09/10 Transitions
August 9, 2010
Pastor why is Pastor Mike leaving American Lutheran Church and the ministry? Why would he not want to be a pastor anymore? These and other questions like these have been asked of me several times since I returned from vacation. I have had many conversations with Mike as he has searched his heart considering what he wants to do with his life at this time. Mike has told me that he is torn because he has enjoyed being a Pastor. He loves many things about ministry but he also has another love – computer programming and systems analysis. He has been out of that field for more than a dozen years and has felt a growing yearning to go back to it. The timing for change was right forMike and Nancy as both children are now in college. Now seemed to be the best time to make a change Mike said and the perfect job situation came along. Mike knows that he will miss many things about the ministry but he considers his new job to be an opportunity to minister in another way. Yes, being a pastor is a special calling but so is computer programming, stay at home parenting, bricklaying, managing, teaching, farming etc. Martin Luther said that our jobs are our vocations for spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that a Pastor’s calling is no more or less important in doing that than any other job.
Transitions are difficult. I and many others will miss Pastor Mike a great deal. He has shared many special and unique gifts with American Lutheran and the larger community. Mike is a dear friend and I would rather he stay in Worthington. I have enjoyed the many hours we have spent together. He is funny, intelligent and Christ-centered. His leaving will take me sometime to get over but I know that the choice he is making will be a blessing to those many people he will encounter in his new profession. He will always carry the loving message of Jesus Christ in his heart. I am grateful for his many years here and I am confident that God will do something exciting and new with American Lutheran. I believe as I am sure many of you do that God will provide what American needs. I wish Pastor Mike God’s peace and blessing in the days, weeks and months ahead.
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