I am very excited about being your interim pastor. After retiring from 40 years of ministry I have been serving as an interim pastor at various churches for the past three years. I find this type of ministry to be very energizing. It is fun to get to know a new church and a real privilege to walk with a congregation through a time of transition. It is my goal to help make this period of change and growth as smooth and positive as possible. This does not mean that there will not be challenges, but I believe we can face them together and find positive ways to move forward.
I will be serving on a three-quarters time basis. This means I will work full time for three weeks and then take a week off. Of course, this schedule may vary to meet the needs of the church’s schedule.
Someone asked, “how is that a Lutheran pastor can serve in an Episcopal church?” This is a very good question. In 2000 the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Episcopal Church reached an agreement known as Called to Common Mission. This agreement recognized how much the two churches had in common and decided that they could cooperate more closely in ministry including being able to share clergy. This is how I have the privilege of serving St. George’s with the approval of the Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota.
As I get acquainted with the church, I certainly want to be made aware of pastoral needs and concerns. I ask your help in letting me know about any needs you may know about such as illness, tragedy, death, life transitions, etc. where I can be of assistance. Thanks!
As we move forward together, let this prayer be our guide:
O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the
ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to
go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand
is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Interim Pastor Steve Sathre
