Letter to Good Shepherd re: departure and plans for a new pastor

This letter, slightly redacted, was sent to the members of Good Shepherd to alert everyone of a change in ministry at Good Shepherd and the plans as the congregation says "Goodbye" to one pastor and makes plans to welcome another.

Dear Members of Good Shepherd,

            On March 10, St. John’s Lutheran Church of Lake City, Minnesota issued a Divine Call to me to serve as their pastor.  On Sunday, April 19, I announced that I have accepted that call.

            Lake City is a city of about 5,000 on the Mississippi River.  St. John’s is a congregation of about 550 baptized members.  They have a Lutheran elementary school of about 70 with a preschool of about 30 children.  They have been without a pastor for almost two years.  The school has been working for the past three school years with a principal who had planned retirement but held on while they waited for the principal Call to be filled.  As of this writing, they are still waiting, and the current acting principal is retiring for good.  My installation at St. John’s will be Sunday, July 12.

            St. John’s had also called Laura to be a 4^th-5^th grade teacher.  For various reasons, especially that she feels this grade level is outside of her area of ability and interest, she has declined her Call to serve as teacher.

            So, what comes next for Good Shepherd?

            While plans continue to be addressed and updated, there are a few plans in place.  My final Sunday at Good Shepherd will be on June 14.  I anticipate that we will be moved out of the parsonage just a few days after that.  A definite date for the move is still to be determined.

            Good Shepherd will have an open house farewell on Sunday, June 7.  More details will come soon.

            Ken R., the church council president, has contacted  the president of the Michigan District of WELS to arrange a pre-call meeting.  This meeting will advise the District President about what particular strengths Good Shepherd hopes to find in their next pastor.  It will help him to draft a list of candidates from which Good Shepherd will extend a Divine Call.  Further inquiries about this meeting and any other input you might have can be addressed to Ken or to one of our elders, Tom B., Mark C., or Ron R.  The date for the pre-call meeting will be announced when it is set.  The meeting for actually issuing a Call will likely not take place until July. 

            While we are looking forward to our move to Lake City and the opportunities at St. John’s, we will be forever grateful for the friendships, encouragement, support, and the love that we have received from Good Shepherd over the past thirty years.

            We will continue to keep the members and acquaintances of Good Shepherd in our prayers as you make plans to receive your next pastor according to our Lord’s timing and mercy.

            God bless and keep you.

 In Christ,

Pastor Thomas E. Schroeder