First Week on the Job!

       Greetings to you in the name of our Lord.  I am happy to say I have survived my first week as a vicar.  Monday I went with Pastor Naasz (the retiring pastor) on some visits and shut in calls.  It was a powerful day.  He told each one that this might be the last time on earth they would see each other, but then reminded them of the hope in the resurrection that we will all be together again one day on that last day.  The reason it was so powerful was because he got a little emotional with some of them.  It was powerful for me because it showed the deep and caring relationship he had with these people as their pastor.  It gave me the reassurance that being a pastor is so rewarding.  Even though the job comes with so many, many, many challenges and frustrating days; it also comes with so many, many, many rewarding days.  These deep, caring relationships between Christians is one of the most rewarding things, and the fact that it's hard to say goodbye because you do genuinely care so much, showed me how deep these relationships can be.  I also got to learn the history of the church which will help me very much and I wish I would have already known for one incident.  You have to know where someone has been to truly know who they are now.  So it was a great day.  Then Tuesday I spent the day rearranging my office and unpacking all my stuff.  I want to paint my office but am going to wait a while before I ask to do that.  It is a nice office.  In fact it used to be pastor's office, but Pastor Wurm (the new pastor and my supervisor) liked the traditionally vicar's office better so he took it and gave me pastor's old one.  Then the rest of Tuesday, all day Wednesday, and most of today I have been working in my office trying to figure out all the old files, programs, paperwork, and systems for the campus ministry.  I am slowly getting everything organized in the way that it makes sense to me.  I know there will be very few weeks like this one where the majority of my time will be in the office, so I am trying to enjoy it while I can.  I am trying to get as much as humanly possible done before the students actually get here for classes in August.  Once they come back, I know I will officially be swamped.  In fact I have had several people tell me if I make it to October, then I can sigh and breathe again.  However, I am not worried about it and no matter how busy it gets, God is still the one at work so I must praise Him for it.  You will see this theme again below.
     I have also been fed lunch and dinner every day this week by a variety of people.  Members have been taking me out for dinner or inviting me into their homes for a home cooked meal.  It is great because I not only get a good meal, but get to know a lot of people faster too.  Plus I am not spending any money!  The people here have been amazing to me and just so over welcoming.  I truly feel blessed here and know God knew exactly what he was doing in placing me here.
     This Sunday is Pastor Naasz's farewell reception and service.  Then Monday we will be helping him move all of his packed up stuff onto the truck so he can move out to his farm to retire.  It will be sad to see him go because in only a week I have been able to see he is a very faithful man and good pastor.  However, I have no doubt Pastor Wurm (who was a vicar under Pastor Naasz) and I will not only get alone great, but he will teach me many important things and be a huge positive impact in my formation.  Then Tuesday I will move into the upstairs of the parsonage, while they remodel a majority of the main level.  The family I am staying with right now is an amazing family.  They have two kids, Carl who is 10 and Johanna who is almost 7.  Carl is a very smart kid and we have been playing a lot of cards.  I taught him cribbage and he picked it up very fast.  Johanna is the cutest little blonde pigtail'ed girl.  She tells me almost every day, "I really like you Vicar Richter."  The second day I was there they came up with the tongue twister "Mr. Vicar Richter."  It is taking me a while to get used to everyone just calling me "Vicar".  But as I said everyone has been so kind and friendly.
      My thought for the day is going to be my August newsletter I had to write this week.  So you will actually get to see it before it comes out to the congregation.  I will normally wait until after it is out to put it on here but I wanted to make sure I gave you something theological this week.  So here it is, enjoy and blessings.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!  Serve the Lord with gladness!  Come into his presence with singing!  Know that the Lord, he is God!  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture” Psalm 100:1-3

            Greetings to you all in the name of our Risen and Triumphant Lord.  With summer rapidly coming to a close and the school year right around the corner, this time of year can be one of the busiest times for all of us.  However, as our Psalm for the first Sunday of the month reminds us, we are the people of God and we a have very important aspect of our vocation as His people that we must not forget.  Make a JOYFUL noise!  Serve Him with GLADNESS!  Come in SINGING!  We are His people whom He has made.  He formed us in the womb of our mothers, washed us of all unrighteousness in our baptism, and has made us heirs of His eternal life through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus.  He has freely given us His forgiveness and salvation through His grace and mercy.  We are His people and even in the busiest of times He gives us His Spirit to allow us to live a life of joyful noise, glad service, and loud singing.  I hope that the rush of life never causes you to forget this wonderful news or keep you from living a life of joy and gladness. 

            I am singing my songs of praise to our good Lord for the blessing He has given me in bringing me to Brookings and Mount Calvary.  I want to thank each and every one of you for making me feel so welcome here my first couple of weeks.  It means so much to me to have the opportunity to serve, grow, and learn in a church family that is as faithful and loving as this congregation.  My prayer is to faithfully serve both the congregation and the college students to the best of my abilities with the help and guidance of the Lord.  I look forward to working with both groups and hopefully bringing both groups together quite often.  Being the one body of Christ, I hope to see us all serving and worshipping together joyfully!  Again, I just cannot say enough how much I give thanks to Him and bless His name for the wonderful place He has led me.  The Lord is good and His steadfast love endures forever!

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!  Give thanks to him; bless his name!  For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5

In Christ,

Vicar Kevin Richter