2005 - A Year of Transition in Review!

by the Lutheran Ministries Staff

The New Year of 2005 for the Partnership of Lutheran Ministries actually began in October 2004 when Pastor Geis took a call to La Grange, IL and Ronald Boelte was installed as our new senior pastor. The New Year began with a flurry of organizational, budget, voters and Advisory Board meetings. The goal of these meetings was to better determine the direction of our individual congregations and the Partnership as a whole. Resources and programs were assessed and better directed toward our congregational core values.

Individually, this was an exciting year for Pastor Ronald as he was ordained in October as Reverend Boelte by the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Also, Pastor Ronald has intentionally worked to transition from a supporting pastoral role to one of leadership. This included evaluating a Partnership-wide survey and leadership of the congregational meetings.

Our Partners have participated in a variety of revitalized worship opportunities including Advent services in 2004 & 2005, a special Easter Evening Celebration at Quartz Mountain State Park, a CSI (Christ Seen Investigation) themed Festive Hope series, community sing-a-longs, and a Lone Wolf community-wide youth Worship Wednesday service. Over the summer, we were blessed with the talents and service of two DCE interns, Shannon Hunter and Bethany Hilgendorf. Our computer network has also undergone major transition as Kevin Graumann has worked many hours to update and secure our system.

New efforts to reach into our communities have consisted of a monthly Saturday Bible School in Elk City, Scrapbooking Saturdays, Wednesday Bible breakfast in Altus, Women's Lunchtime Bible study in Altus, Confirmation Camp that included community youth in addition to our members, and increased publicity for all of our ministry opportunities.

Our Partners have been faithful in financial and spiritual support of the efforts of each congregation and the Partnership staff. As we began this year with uncertainty, we have seen evidence of God's faithfulness and mercy. We have gone forward in the work He has called us to do. As we move into 2006, let us pray together the prayer Paul prayed for the workers in the church in Ephesus: "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:16-19.