When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ~ Galatians 4:4–5
Christmas has come (but hasn't yet gone), and another year is coming to a close. Where do we begin in recapping 2023? I suppose we start in Fort Wayne, since that’s where our 2023 began. Besides the usual—Seminary Women’s Association for Pamela, children’s choir for Logan, Trail Life for Logan and Camden—our winter activities included sledding at Rocket Hill near our house, YMCA basketball, an awesome afternoon with some local friends at the toboggan run at Pokagon State Park, and a Fort Wayne Mad Ants basketball game.
During spring break, we traveled down to Kentucky to visit the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter. It was well worth the trip, even if the sites incorporated some speculation and creative liberty. I hope we’ll be able to go back again someday when the boys are older and more interested in reading than running.
After a five-year battle with Alzheimer’s Disease, Pamela’s father, Herman, died on March 30. As difficult as it was, we were grateful that he had asked to have his funeral in Brookings, his childhood hometown. We were surrounded by beloved friends and were able to celebrate much of Holy Week at Mount Calvary. The other silver lining is being able to spend more time with Pamela’s mother now that she isn’t caring for her husband.
The big event of the spring was, of course, the vicarage placement service April 24. Iowa sounded like a comfortable place for us, and it’s definitely turned out to be (more about that later). The spring also brought swimming lessons, trips to the zoo, a weekly homeschool co-op day with seminary families, a day at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum sports complex, an Easter egg hunt on campus, and multiple playdates/gatherings with friends.
June was an eventful month. I taught a group of kids for VBS at my fieldwork church, Zion Lutheran, in Garrett, IN. Pamela attended a week-long organ workshop with the CTSFW cantors (i.e., music directors) and announced to me that she was pregnant! God willing, we’ll welcome our fifth boy in late February. We wrapped up the month by helping some seminary friends move to their vicarage in Cheyenne. Logan and Camden each enjoyed a ride in the U-Haul truck through Nebraska. On the way back to Indiana, we celebrated the Fourth of July in South Dakota and stopped at Pamela’s mom’s in Sergeant Bluff, IA.
As if getting ready to move (again!) wasn’t enough to do in July, Pamela hosted a day-long workshop with nationally-known homeschool presenter, Pam Barnhill. Most of our seminary homeschoolers had already left for their vicarages by that point, but Pamela was still very pleased. July 26 was the big day—the day we arrived in Cedar Falls…well, some of us. Logan and Camden were spending some more summer time at the farm, as is their annual tradition. I was installed at Peace Lutheran in Shell Rock on July 29, and at Our Redeemer Lutheran on July 30. After a week-long “settling in” period, it was time to get to work.
As one might expect of a vicar, my primary responsibilities involve preaching and teaching. I wrote and preached one sermon in August, two in September, and by this point I am preaching upwards of five separate sermons a month. I teach a youth Bible study on 1 Corinthians every Sunday morning, a topical youth study twice a month, an adult study on agricultural texts in the Bible twice a month, and a study on the texts for the upcoming Sunday whenever I preach. I lead all youth activities, which for the fall have been an afternoon at a local amusement park, a cornhole (beanbags) tournament, an overnight retreat, and a yard cleanup day. I make regular visits to some of our homebound members, prepare devotions for select meetings, and was a lead organizer of our recent festival of Christmas music.
Our experience at both churches has been amazing. The members have been extremely kind and welcoming from day one. They’re knowledgeable enough to keep me thinking with their questions yet understanding enough to avoid completely embarrassing me. I have flexibility in my schedule to be home for lunch or when needed (within some limitations, obviously). And my primary supervising pastor, Michael Knox, is an outstanding mentor. His practices are similar enough to my preferences and past experiences that I’m comfortable following his lead, but he’s also introduced me to new ideas and always explains his rationale which I appreciate. There’s Sunday school for the three oldest boys, and Pamela leads music for the kids and has been a substitute organist a few times.
Although it might seem like it on particularly busy weeks, our lives aren’t restricted only to the church. Pamela and the boys are happy with their new Classical Conversations group, and Logan and Camden like their new Trail Life troop as well. Pamela went to a retreat with a South Dakota friend in October. In November we visited the John Deere museum in Waterloo (Waterloo has been the home of major engineering and manufacturing plants for John Deere for several decades); I attended a Doxology conference for Lutheran pastors and laity in Mequon (Milwaukee), WI; Pamela and the boys went to the National Mississippi River Museum in Dubuque, IA; and a couple from Our Redeemer took Logan and Camden to a University of Northern Iowa football game here in Cedar Falls.
All in all, the Lord has blessed us with a good 2023, as he does every year. As we do every year, we thank those of you who have supported us with prayers and gifts during my seminary education, and we pray for God’s richest blessings to you and your families in the year ahead.
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