First Bellringer Article

My/Our Lutherville Sojourn

Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning.

 Psalm119: 54

Here I am, once again moving to a new place and finding out once again that where I have been God has been right there ahead and alongside me with every step along the way. I, like Abraham, have been called by God to leave the home of my family, although mine was a farm back in Minnesota. And I have been wandering around this world in God’s grace ever since.

My confirmation pastor, Rev. Donald R. Olsen, told me when I was a senior in high school that I should go to seminary. But I had no interest in higher education and was fairly certain that I didn’t want to milk cows the rest of my life either, so I did the logical thing and joined the U.S. Air Force (USAF), thus running ran as far away from both as I could. I was stationed in Texas, New Hampshire, South Korea, Okinawa, Hawaii, Florida, and Saudi Arabia.

While in New Hampshire I became life long friends with Rev. Earl Werdelin. When I asked him about ministry, his advice to me was to fight the call until you couldn’t fight it anymore! I finally gave in about three years ago. When I told him of my new plans, he asked, “What took you so long?” You see, I had planned to make my career the USAF. But a drunk driver ended those plans when he rear-ended my truck and sent me to the hospital. I was medically discharged from the USAF and in time, changed “my plans” for my life. With every change, though, my life was centered on God and the church and it was truly the only place I ever felt at home.

After “my plans” ended “I” pursued a job with the National Park Service working in Virginia and Montana. After working for the Park Service for 10 years I was told if I wanted to get promoted I had to move. So I thought to myself if I have to move, what do I really want to do with my life? Do I want to continue working for the park service? Or was there something else calling me for another purpose? I started talking with my wife Dee about this idea of going to seminary and she supported the idea. We ended up going to a special “seminary weekend” at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg. From the moment we got to Seminary Ridge, it just felt like home and the place God was calling us to be. I mean “us” because this whole experience wouldn’t be possible without the love and support of my wife Dee and our two beautiful daughters Elizabeth and Emily.

Once again I find myself in a new and different place here in Lutherville trying to make my way leaning on God’s providence for guidance and strength. I eagerly anticipate the work that this year will bring, knowing there will be many challenges ahead and abundant opportunities for learning the in’s & out’s of church life, business and ministry. I hope and pray this sojourn with you will be a fruitful time for me personally as a vicar and for the life of this church, St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran. I look forward to meeting as many members of the church as I can and getting to know you one-to-one because the one thing I have become certain of in all of my travels is there is something to learn from everyone!

Saving the best for last our family would like to thank all those from our new church family who welcomed us by volunteering to help us move into and set up our new apartment. The unloading of the truck was a breeze with all the hands at work. We are grateful for all the food, the yummy treats from the Maryland basket and the scrumptious apple cake!

Thank you for the opportunity for us to sojourn with all of you for the next year as we abide in God’s presence doing the work we are called to do trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us and the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to keep us mindful that we are all children of the same Heavenly Father.

Blessings as we sojourn together,

Vicar Paul