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From the Desk of the Senior Pastor

From the Desk of the Senior Pastor

November 2024

As I write this, I am only in my second week here at Advent. Even so, there have already been many meetings, new faces, and questions about what I think about one thing or another. A few times, people have made a remark like “you’re in charge”. So, I think that it would be good to introduce to you how I understand the role of pastoral leadership from the outset of our ministry together.

As your new senior pastor, I am not interested in trying to tell people what to do. I think it is vitally important for me to listen and understand your church, your history, your various viewpoints, goals, and so on, and to work alongside you. Christ calls us to care for one another and to recognize that none of us are called by God to get our own way or to lead the church as we see fit. When the disciples were upset with James and John for trying to put themselves in positions of authority above the others, Jesus told them, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 43 But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:42 – 45, NRSV). And prior to that, at the Transfiguration, God spoke to the disciples, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” (Mark 9:7, NRSV). The one in charge, the one we are all to follow, is Jesus Christ. That never changes.

So, in whatever I do or say as a pastor, I strive to do or say it in a way that points to Jesus Christ and his words. In some ways, pastors are more like sheep dogs. We are simply trying to keep the flock together and on the path that the shepherd has laid out for us. I hope to work alongside of Pastor Andrew and all of you so that Advent Lutheran Church continues its long history of proclaiming the love of Christ in this community. I have a lot to learn about all of you and how things work here. To do that, I will be doing a lot more listening and reflecting before I speak, especially in areas where I have very little knowledge. At the same time, I hope that the spiritual gifts that I bring to Advent will be helpful for this congregation to grow spiritually and that, together, we will move forward on the path Christ is calling us to follow. 

New beginnings are exciting, and I am excited to be serving with you at Advent. May God bless each of us in this ministry together.


Peace,
Pastor Brad

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