The Call

Associate Pastor
St. Johns Lutheran Church (see all pics)
Des Moines, Iowa

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The Call Committee and church council have unanimously approved to call Bob as their associate pastor. On August 19 the whole congregation votes and then the call is officially extended. Bob has already told them that he will accept. I said that even if the call was not extended, the Call Committee ran such a first-rate process that it was healing just to take part. The Call Committee offered to continue to act as a support group for our family after we arrive if we wanted them to. We do. I got the impression that the group kind of bonded in this very long process. Bob first interviewed with them, I don't know, last April or May. They started working on their congregational profile almost a year ago.

I'm really trying to temper my excitement until the official vote on August 19, when it's truly final. But as you all know, the church is not a building, it's the people. And so I have to tell you why it took about 6 hours or so for my preconceived notions about Des Moines to *poof* vanish. And why I do believe that this is a spirit led process and that it's really, really the right thing.

Italian wine bar for dinner. Duncan Hunter for president.

So when Ed, a member of the call committee, and his wife Mary, toured us all around Des Moines we happened across a Middle Easten Restaurant. "We love Middle Eastern food!" I say all excitedly. Then of course we tell them about our two brother-in-laws from Egypt and how they're all there for the month or so.

Then Ed drove us by the Egyptian restaurant. And he told us how he is an engineer and goes to Egypt and Saudi a lot for business. Mary is an artist. In fact, I can't believe how many times the word "art" turned up in so many conversations with various people. You should read the bio of the organist. They have a writing team with published writers and university English professors. I love music. I love art. I love writing.

For lunch Jim, the Call Committee Chair Extraordinaire, took us to the Drake Diner. I think he planned this. It's true what they say about the presidential candidates politiking in diners in Iowa. On this day all the Republican candidates were in town for a debate. After my BLT I left the booth to powder my nose. Upon return the would-be first lady of Duncan Hunter was chatting with Bob and Jim right there as they finished up their plates. Her husband's platform is something like Pro Life, Pro Death, Pro Walls, Pro Hate, Pro God. Bob was so happy I was in the bathroom.

My platform is simple too. Pro What Would Jesus do.

Anyway, when we got to the church to chat with the whole Call Committee there happened to be a moving truck parked on the street in front of the church. The Call Committee hadn't even met me yet and they started laughing and joking that Bob and I had come with all our stuff. They were so kind and interesting and full of life.

Well, I guess this isn't all about me, but those are just some of my impressions. And I'm in week four of sans-thyroid and am crawling to the finish line. Next week is my radioactive iodine treatment, and then can start back up on the replacement pills. My doctor said that it will kick in fairly quickly. Good thing because I'm starting to operate like a kaleidoscope in shades of grey. It's really hard to pin down anything -- a decision, a task, a thought, etc. My doctor said that the thyroid is like a clock and without it the timing of all bodily systems go haywire. I've been OK but am noticing the haywire this week.

Anyway, we had a lovely, lovely time with the Call Committee of St. Johns Lutheran Church in Des Moines. They really know how to make a beaten down seminary couple believe that the Spirit is truly at work in the call process. They really know how to make a pastor's family believe that the Spirit is telling them that there is a place prepared for them in Des Moines, Iowa. They've even thought through my LWR office space.

Ed and Mary recommended an Italian wine bar for dinner. Bob and I made our way there, later after a quick rest. We basked. We just flat out basked. And ate Italian food that we couldn't pronounce and listened to a torchy singer croon in low tones.

But now, I am not going to write anything else about this call until after the congregational vote on August 19. Even though there is so much more I could say. Because you don't even know yet about Rachel Thorsen Mithelman, the Senior Pastor who will be Bob's supervisor and colleague. Ordination plans are underway. I'm bugging Bob to come up with a date, like quick, so I can tell you all, so you can come.

With love, T