A Message from Pastor Jon Anderson

Acts 20:32
“And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified.”

When I was in high school, we lived in Joshua Tree, California, where at the time there was no Lutheran church, so I attended the local Baptist church-solely at first, but after while we did begin attending the Missouri Synod church in nearby Yucca Valley. That service was at 9 and the Baptists in Joshua Tree met at 11, so I could attend both services and continue seeing my friends who were at the Baptist Church. Often when we had Communion at the Missouri Church, our pastor would dismiss each group of communicants with the above verse, and I too commend you all to God as I prepare to conclude this ministry and move into retirement. This isn’t my last column-I will prepare one for the July newsletter before I leave in June. In this column I wanted to announce formally what I have been announcing informally for some time. Effective July 1st, I am resigning as pastor of Prairie Faith Shared Ministry and retiring from active ministry in the ELCA. On July 1st, I will still be your friend and will still hold all of you in my prayers-but I will no longer be your pastor. Synod rules prohibit me from accepting any invitations to perform weddings, funerals, or services of any kind at Prairie Faith churches after June 30th-the only exception being a special event such as an anniversary. If the need arises, and you do not yet have a pastoral leader, you will need to contact the Synod, and they will assist you. I’ll be honest-there are things I won’t miss-but I will miss my regular contact with all of you, on Sunday mornings and at other events. Laura and I will be moving to the Ellis Estates in Hays. We have selected an apartment, but it’s possible we may get a different one. By the end of June everything should be finalized, and I will print our new mailing address in the July newsletter-our phone numbers and emails will remain the same. I am sure that after June 30th our paths will cross-Hays isn’t that far away-and I ask that you keep us in prayer as we move and settle in to our new home. May God’s peace be with you.
 ~Pastor Jon