This winter season the congregants at both Grace Lutheran and Lutheran Church of the Redeemer have been preparing for the coming of our Lord and Savior. Preparation has shown itself in many and various ways whether that be decorating our individual worship spaces or that be gathering food and clothing to further our ministry to those in needy.
As intern, my time here in Beaver county is a time of personal preparation and it is an opportunity to grow into my pastoral identity. Part of growing into this pastoral identity is learning the practical side of ministry, that is – learning where the proverbial rubber hits the road.
School has its benefits, – no doubt, but schooling only goes so far in the real world. It is one thing to learn about Scripture and theological terminology but is quite another when you are asked to put what you’ve learned into use.
In the short time I have been here I have learned a great deal in working with Pastor Clagg and Pastor Strobel I have been given the opportunity to visit parishioners, sit in on meetings, lead Bible studies, attend and help lead funerals, visit hospitals and nursing homes, prepare sermons, learn the political landscape of ministry, interact with youth, and most importantly, hear where God is calling me and my gifts for the growth and edification of both congregations and the wider church.
My time here in Beaver County has just begun and I am eager to see what the new year has in store for me as I continue to learn from you all and continue preparing and living into the call of ordained ministry in our Lord’s church.
– Intern Pastor Wesley Smith, III