FROM THE BOARD OF ELDERS
Dear Fellow Redeemed,
The Call Committee work continues as we seek the next man God has chosen to pastor the saints here at Trinity Lutheran Church. We have met with Pastor Mark Muenchow (2nd Vice President of the LCMS Oklahoma District) several times to review the detailed information each candidate, as a rostered clergyman, maintains with the synod. This information includes basic personal background, professional and pastoral background, and a set of questions and answers on various matters of doctrine and practice. During our committee meetings to review this information about each candidate, we identified eight men that we believed could be well suited to shepherding our congregation.
We reached out to each of those eight to set up meetings via video call, in which we will discuss the ministry of our church alongside their approach and thoughts on ministry. As of this writing we have held a meeting with one candidate and have learned one of the eight previously identified cannot be considered for a pastoral call at this time, leaving six more meetings on our calendar. We anticipate completing this initial round of discussions by the end of July. We plan to have a second round of discussions with some or all of the candidates. After that second round of discussions, we hope to be able to identify and place a slate of candidates before the congregation which contains men we believe are well-suited for equipping the saints of Trinity Lutheran Church for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4) and leading our ministry efforts here in Norman.
A congregational call meeting in which that slate is considered might take place as soon as August 23, though we cannot promise our hopes and efforts in pursuit of that timing will come to fruition. We persist in prayerfully asking God to grant wisdom and prudence during this process. And we request for your continued prayers and patience knowing that God has blessed this work in many ways and will surely continue to do so.
With Vicar Horn’s departure, the Board of Elders and many others have additional duties to attend to. We ask for prayers from everyone in this regard also, on behalf of all who work in this congregation, and we are grateful for the understanding, assistance, and spirit of brotherly love so commonly shown here. During the vacancy, our congregation’s work for the sake of the Gospel and of building one another up in love continues with God’s instruction and help.
In Colossians 3:16-17 the Apostle Paul says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” And in verses 23-24, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” Let us serve our Lord and each other with wisdom, with joy, and with grace and thanks in our hearts, because of the inheritance of salvation we have received from Him. Thanks be to God for the laborers He has called into our church, and for those He will call.
In the Lord Christ,
Seth Lemke, Chairman, Board of Elders
Interim LCMS U Coordinator Timothy Schmidt
CAMPUS MINISTRY TO CONTINUE
Dear Saints in Christ,
For the past few decades, our vicars have graciously served our congregation, and a huge part of their work was to lead and maintain our LCMS U campus ministry. With our location in a major college town, this has always been a high priority of our church. However, our time of transition to a new pastor has necessitated a pause on our reception of vicars.
In the interim, I have accepted an offer by the Board of Elders to carry on the campus ministry duties of the vicar in a part-time capacity. As such, I will be organizing events, communicating with and caring for our students, and, most importantly, leading the Bible study on Tuesday evenings. This latter duty will be done under the supervision of Pastor Bersche from St. John’s in Moore; the rest will fall under the supervision of the Elders. Concurrently, I will continue to serve you all as music director.
It is with great enthusiasm but also great earnestness that I assume this position. Some of you may remember that I went through the campus ministry as a student from 2018 to 2022, so I experienced firsthand the blessings that this ministry provides for its students. It’s a large part of why I grew to love this church!
Please pray for me, that God uses me to strengthen the faith and fellowship in Christ that the group already has. May His work continue to prove fruitful! And if you feel so called, I encourage you to get involved with our ministry. Sign up for a dinner, join us in fellowship on Tuesdays, or simply say hello to a college student on Sunday mornings. Truly, these gestures do not go unnoticed!
Blessings in Christ,
Timothy Schmidt, Interim LCMS U Coordinator
