From Interim Pastor Larry Klinker

I want to take this opportunity as your Interim Pastor to help us begin to move us to some normal rhythms and practices since Pastor Bill retired.  Each congregation is a unique expression of the people of God gathered around Word and the Sacraments.  Each congregation has their own unique way of expressing themselves through their rituals, practices, and liturgies even while identifying with a larger identity of being Lutheran and western catholic Christian.  I want to learn some of the ways that you at Living Lord Lutheran Church practice forming Christian disciples of Jesus through Worship, Catechesis, and Individual prayer.

Part of the task of an Interim Pastor is to assist the congregation to identify and reflect on what ways they need to close their chapter in their ministry of the previous minister.  What are the ways we still need to celebrate the ministry of Pastor Bill and what was accomplished to strengthen the congregation and together to share the gospel with the community.

The second concern of an Interim is to help the congregation identify what are the current issues facing the congregation, like the effects of the COVID-19 virus on the life of the congregation.  What new missional questions must we ask ourselves to prepare us for the next chapter in the ministry of Living Lord, like what will be the role of virtual worship and education events?  How will we reflect on questions like:  Why is the congregation of Living Lord called to be here by God?  What are the elements of our faith tradition that will be used to help describe the important aspects of being people formed to be Christ for our neighbor?  How will we practice our faith together?  We will be reflecting together on the Why, What, and How of being Lutheran Christians together.

The third task of being the Interim Pastor is preparing the congregation to call the next Pastor.  The Interim is to help point the congregation and its members to what the next chapter in their ministry will be in an open way.  In this task, the Interim is to help the congregation to prayerfully listen to the call of the Spirit as to the future call and direction of the congregation by God.

As your Interim Pastor, I will attempt to carry out these three tasks to the best of my ability all the while carrying out Pastoral ministry and leadership with the constraints of limited time.  We are negotiating difficult times as we move through this pandemic of the COVID-19 virus.  We will treat this virus as real and dangerous.  We will require safety protocols like the taking of temperatures, mask wearing. social distancing, and hand sanitizing, knowing this will have an effect on our ministry together.  My commitment is to having a congregational response to God’s gospel in Jesus Christ that is faithful and growing.

Pastor Larry’s Bible Blog…Pastor Larry offers you an opportunity to read your way thru scriptures with him each day at his Bible Blog.  The readings alternate between reading from an Older Testament book and then a Newer Testament book.  We are just finishing reading the book of 2 Kings from the Older Testament.  Then we will begin reading the Newer Testament book of 2 Thessalonians on Pastor Larry’s Bible Blog online at:  http://klinkerld-pastorlarrysbible.blogspot.com/.  Join us online.  When we complete these two planned books, we will start the Older Testament book of Ezra.