WEBVTT 00:00:00.810 --> 00:00:03.930 Hello, friends. You're about to listen to a conversation 00:00:03.930 --> 00:00:06.669 that I think is going to turn into a bit of a 00:00:06.669 --> 00:00:10.970 series, and it's just kind of a post from the 00:00:10.970 --> 00:00:15.130 road. I'm loosely calling this Journeying Together 00:00:15.130 --> 00:00:18.710 in Christ podcast, and this is a conversation 00:00:18.710 --> 00:00:21.929 that happened between pastors just a little over 00:00:21.929 --> 00:00:26.149 a week ago on the fourth Sunday of Advent in 00:00:26.149 --> 00:00:30.850 2025. This conversation is with the pastors of 00:00:30.850 --> 00:00:34.770 First Lutheran Church in Clare City, Faith Lutheran 00:00:34.770 --> 00:00:38.109 Church in New Effington, and Our Savior's Lutheran 00:00:38.109 --> 00:00:41.310 Church in Veblen. And if you're watching the 00:00:41.310 --> 00:00:43.869 YouTube version of this video, then there's a 00:00:43.869 --> 00:00:47.030 little musical interlude towards the end, which 00:00:47.030 --> 00:00:51.429 includes photos of these congregations in their 00:00:51.429 --> 00:00:57.320 full regalia of Christmas. sent in by their pastors. 00:00:57.920 --> 00:01:01.640 The music that's behind that photo montage in 00:01:01.640 --> 00:01:06.739 the YouTube version is the old Slovak hymn, ČAS RADOSTI, which is, Come Rejoicing, Praises Voicing. 00:01:11.379 --> 00:01:15.200 And that's in the Lutheran Book of Worship, the 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:19.540 green hymnal, hymn number 66. Thanks for listening. 00:01:20.060 --> 00:01:25.840 And here's the conversation... That canicle, I 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:28.140 liked it. Right? We've got to do that one again. 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:30.920 Oh, Canicle of the Turning, that was new for you all? 00:01:31.079 --> 00:01:33.939 Yes. I love that. I know. It's lovely, lovely. 00:01:33.980 --> 00:01:40.299 It was. Well, happy advent. Thank you. Happy 00:01:40.299 --> 00:01:44.879 advent to you. So, this is my first time. Up 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:50.200 here in New Effington. And I was here for the 00:01:50.200 --> 00:01:53.379 installation service for Pastor Pat. And so because 00:01:53.379 --> 00:01:58.060 it's the fourth Sunday in Advent. And they just 00:01:58.060 --> 00:02:00.480 changed out the paraments for Christmas. Because 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:04.659 the next service is Christmas Eve service here. 00:02:04.859 --> 00:02:08.060 And so I figured we'd have a little conversation 00:02:08.060 --> 00:02:14.090 among pastors. Just to ask a few questions. of 00:02:14.090 --> 00:02:18.870 these fine pastors up here. So, deep questions. 00:02:19.169 --> 00:02:25.729 Well, first here, let's... Yeah, okay, so let's 00:02:25.729 --> 00:02:28.370 introduce ourselves. So I'm Joel Pakan, I'm the 00:02:28.370 --> 00:02:30.349 Director for Rural Ministries in the South Dakota 00:02:30.349 --> 00:02:35.270 Synod, and... I am Pastor Pat Schubert, and I 00:02:35.270 --> 00:02:38.889 am the pastor, associate pastor, assistant pastor, 00:02:39.030 --> 00:02:42.210 whatever you want to call it, of... The three 00:02:42.210 --> 00:02:44.569 churches here in the northeast corner. Excellent. 00:02:44.629 --> 00:02:47.330 And newly installed. And newly installed today. 00:02:47.409 --> 00:02:50.830 I was ordained on November 1st. Excellent. And 00:02:50.830 --> 00:02:53.669 it was amazing. Pastor Pat has a nice ring to 00:02:53.669 --> 00:02:55.889 it. Yeah. It does, right? It does. Yeah, yeah, 00:02:55.889 --> 00:02:58.990 yeah. Good. All right. And? Pastor Karie Geyer. 00:02:59.090 --> 00:03:01.689 So I am the head pastor at these three churches, 00:03:01.789 --> 00:03:04.449 these fine churches, so Faith Lutheran and First 00:03:04.449 --> 00:03:07.030 Lutheran in Claire City and Our Saviors in Veblen. 00:03:07.090 --> 00:03:10.689 All right. Excellent. So first question, hard 00:03:10.689 --> 00:03:14.150 -hitting questions here. In this holiday season, 00:03:14.490 --> 00:03:18.590 hot chocolate or eggnog? Oh, that's a no -brainer. 00:03:18.729 --> 00:03:21.879 Oh. Hot chocolate. Really? Yeah. Hot chocolate. 00:03:21.979 --> 00:03:26.360 Okay. Okay. Do you have any thinking or reasoning 00:03:26.360 --> 00:03:30.000 for that? It's just your preference. It's just 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:31.860 my preference. Yeah. All right. I like that. 00:03:31.860 --> 00:03:33.500 Do you like to do anything special with your 00:03:33.500 --> 00:03:35.780 hot chocolate? Just some whipped cream. All right. 00:03:35.780 --> 00:03:37.939 Okay. And maybe a little peppermint stick. All 00:03:37.939 --> 00:03:40.800 right. There it is. Yes. Okay. Yep. I like marshmallows 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:43.319 with a little hot chocolate. So it's like 90 00:03:43.319 --> 00:03:47.240 % marshmallows. Oh. Yes. Yes. So I am totally 00:03:47.240 --> 00:03:51.400 hot chocolate. I just was thinking when you asked, 00:03:51.479 --> 00:03:54.620 I've never tried eggnog. You haven't? What? I 00:03:54.620 --> 00:03:57.580 know. Oh, man. Hard -hitting journalism right 00:03:57.580 --> 00:03:59.599 here, everybody. Don't hold that against me. 00:04:00.379 --> 00:04:05.199 Okay, so I think it's eggnog for me. Now, I'm 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:07.939 not anti -hot chocolate. Yeah, we're not judging. 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:12.620 But I think it's eggnog for me because it's seasonal. 00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:15.460 It's not like you're going to go pick up a carton 00:04:15.460 --> 00:04:19.500 of eggnog in February or March. Right. July, 00:04:19.560 --> 00:04:22.500 right? Right. So, yeah, for me, I think it's, 00:04:22.500 --> 00:04:25.079 and I like doing like, you know, like having 00:04:25.079 --> 00:04:27.600 like the nutmeg and all those kinds of other 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:31.800 flavors there. Yeah. But, oh, never had eggnog. 00:04:31.800 --> 00:04:34.319 I know my tune might change if I tried it. Yeah. 00:04:34.500 --> 00:04:38.019 All right. Talk to us again next year. All right. 00:04:38.199 --> 00:04:41.480 So then one of the other questions I have for 00:04:41.480 --> 00:04:46.660 you is favorite Advent or Christmas hymn? And 00:04:46.660 --> 00:04:48.399 you don't have to pick one because I know that's 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:51.379 hard. But just this morning, what comes to mind? 00:04:51.579 --> 00:04:54.100 Well, we sang my favorite this morning. O Come, 00:04:54.180 --> 00:04:59.019 O Come, Emmanuel. Rejoice, rejoice. I love that. 00:04:59.100 --> 00:05:01.620 Yeah, I know. But you're right. There's a lot 00:05:01.620 --> 00:05:04.300 of really good ones. Yeah, yeah. Good. All right. 00:05:04.339 --> 00:05:06.800 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. We can do that. Hark 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:10.660 the Herald. But also another fun fact, Pat and 00:05:10.660 --> 00:05:13.040 I sang in the Concordia Choir together. Well, 00:05:13.240 --> 00:05:17.160 not together, but we sang together. So you're 00:05:17.160 --> 00:05:19.339 both graduates of Concordia. We're both Cobbers. 00:05:19.459 --> 00:05:23.439 Okay. But one of the songs that we don't often 00:05:23.439 --> 00:05:26.420 sing, but Lo How a Rose. And I remember singing 00:05:26.420 --> 00:05:29.680 that in choir together with Harmony. It's so 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:32.100 awesome. Are you familiar with the Concordia 00:05:32.100 --> 00:05:37.660 Christmas Concert? I am. So here's a little bit 00:05:37.660 --> 00:05:42.660 of history for me. I actually did a tour and 00:05:42.660 --> 00:05:45.000 got a scholarship at Concordia Moorhead. Really? 00:05:45.019 --> 00:05:48.180 But didn't attend, partially because I visited 00:05:48.180 --> 00:05:51.939 in February. And for this Wisconsin kid who grew 00:05:51.939 --> 00:05:54.639 up in the trees where you had windbreakers. Yeah, 00:05:54.639 --> 00:05:57.759 yeah, yeah.... So you both 00:05:57.759 --> 00:06:00.699 participated in that Christmas concert? Those 00:06:00.699 --> 00:06:03.319 holiday concerts, I mean, the college I went 00:06:03.319 --> 00:06:06.490 to had that too. That's amazing. They're so fun. 00:06:06.649 --> 00:06:09.389 So you were both singers? Yep. Oh, that's awesome. 00:06:09.629 --> 00:06:12.870 Soprano, alto. Yep. Awesome. Okay. See, man, 00:06:12.930 --> 00:06:15.889 we need to get like a clergy choir figured out. Oh, 00:06:15.889 --> 00:06:18.589 wouldn't that be something? Oh, man. All right. 00:06:18.589 --> 00:06:21.769 Okay. All right. So. Side note. Yeah. You know, 00:06:22.089 --> 00:06:25.069 one of my, this is a new favorite hymn. So there's 00:06:25.069 --> 00:06:28.209 two favorite hymns. One of them didn't make it 00:06:28.209 --> 00:06:32.920 from the LBW to the ELW hymnal. And it comes 00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:36.480 from my Slovak Lutheran history, so my dad's 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:38.240 side, they're Slovak Lutherans. And so my dad 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:41.680 remembers singing Come Rejoicing Praise's Voicing 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:46.319 in Slovak as a kid. And I remember going to Slovak 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:48.459 Lutheran church services around the holidays 00:06:48.459 --> 00:06:50.480 where the whole service was still in Slovak. 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:53.860 So that's an old one that's no longer, it's not 00:06:53.860 --> 00:06:57.259 in the Red Hymnal. But the one that I really 00:06:57.259 --> 00:07:00.220 love out of the Red Hymnal, an Advent hymn, is 00:07:02.540 --> 00:07:06.019 He Came Down. Oh, that's a great one. Isn't that 00:07:06.019 --> 00:07:09.180 a great one? And it comes out of the Lutherans 00:07:09.180 --> 00:07:12.600 in Cameroon, which is one of our sister denominations, 00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:17.300 right? What do we call our... Companions is it? 00:07:17.379 --> 00:07:19.579 Yeah, Companion Synods. Is that what it is? Yeah, 00:07:19.779 --> 00:07:22.040 Neighbors in Solidarity. Yeah, look at that. 00:07:22.779 --> 00:07:28.300 Sorry, Pastor Aaron Matson. We're failing. But 00:07:28.300 --> 00:07:30.360 we know what it is. Yeah. We know what they are, 00:07:30.399 --> 00:07:33.459 who they are. Yeah. I love singing that hymn. 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:36.720 So that's kind of my new favorite as far as Advent 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:40.959 hymns. All right. So let's see. What else did 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:44.620 I ask here? Oh, okay. Favorite holiday tradition. 00:07:45.939 --> 00:07:48.040 Could be family tradition. Could be church tradition. 00:07:48.420 --> 00:07:50.899 Do you have a favorite? Or one that comes to 00:07:50.899 --> 00:07:54.459 mind, right? Yeah. I do. Okay. My family grew 00:07:54.459 --> 00:07:58.069 up eating lutefisk. Really? My mom would get 00:07:58.069 --> 00:08:02.610 like 25 pounds. For the family? Yes. There were 00:08:02.610 --> 00:08:05.910 seven kids, and every single one of us loved 00:08:05.910 --> 00:08:09.569 it. And some of the grandkids love it. I've tried 00:08:09.569 --> 00:08:13.670 to incorporate it into my family, and they don't 00:08:13.670 --> 00:08:16.730 like it. But I love it. You still get it? Oh, 00:08:16.730 --> 00:08:19.610 yeah. I already have it in my refrigerator. My 00:08:19.610 --> 00:08:23.050 brother, Ed, who is here today, Ed loves it. 00:08:23.089 --> 00:08:24.930 And he's coming to my house for Christmas Eve. 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:29.199 So he and I have got about two pounds. We'll 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:32.720 each get a pound. All right, so you're hearing 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:36.799 this now, folks. If you have a lutefisk shortage 00:08:36.799 --> 00:08:39.820 in your holiday season, you've got a source. 00:08:40.379 --> 00:08:44.220 I will eat it, but I don't love it. I went to 00:08:44.220 --> 00:08:47.480 the NeSoDak lutefisk feed. 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:49.639 I went to that. That was wonderful. Okay. So 00:08:49.639 --> 00:08:52.200 did you grow up with lutefisk also? I did. Okay. 00:08:52.259 --> 00:08:53.860 All right. So that was something that we would 00:08:53.860 --> 00:08:57.500 eat, my grandma and [we had] lefse. And a fun fact about 00:08:57.500 --> 00:08:59.899 me, so everybody talks about lefse, but we made 00:08:59.899 --> 00:09:02.899 lard or milk lefse. Oh, wow. So that's different 00:09:02.899 --> 00:09:05.720 than potato, right? So I don't know what fjord 00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:10.639 my people came from. Yeah, no kidding. I didn't 00:09:10.639 --> 00:09:13.840 know that was a thing until I was older. I thought 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:20.580 everybody had. Okay, milk or lard lefse. So how 00:09:20.580 --> 00:09:23.840 do you make it if you don't have that potato? 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:27.240 If you don't have potatoes. Does it have a grain 00:09:27.240 --> 00:09:31.840 in it? Flour. It has that. Flour, milk, and lard? 00:09:32.340 --> 00:09:34.460 A little bit of salt in it. Yeah, of course. 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:37.840 It's leathery. I mean, it's good. I mean, it's 00:09:37.840 --> 00:09:40.419 a different texture than potatoes. There's got 00:09:40.419 --> 00:09:42.980 to be a connection there with what area that 00:09:42.980 --> 00:09:45.570 was. Yeah, it's probably. Maybe didn't have potatoes. 00:09:45.889 --> 00:09:49.070 Maybe. Cool. All right, so that's a family tradition. 00:09:49.149 --> 00:09:53.809 Yeah. So do you get together and, like, have, 00:09:53.850 --> 00:09:56.990 like, the making of the lefse? We all have jobs. 00:09:57.129 --> 00:10:00.549 Yeah. I have not graduated yet to be most important 00:10:00.549 --> 00:10:03.169 as far as the making. Rolling. Yeah, the roll. 00:10:03.210 --> 00:10:05.870 I roll in, like, states. Yeah. Like, mine aren't 00:10:05.870 --> 00:10:09.029 really round. And so I'm getting there. I'm a 00:10:09.029 --> 00:10:12.809 flipper. There you go. That's awesome. Oh, good. 00:10:13.509 --> 00:10:16.690 I'm a roller. See, that's a big job. All right, 00:10:16.789 --> 00:10:18.990 so you had lefse too. Oh, yes. All right, so 00:10:18.990 --> 00:10:21.769 lefse and lefse. Yeah, my grandma started making 00:10:21.769 --> 00:10:25.090 it and made it until she pretty much died, until 00:10:25.090 --> 00:10:29.110 she was old. And then my dad, and it wasn't his 00:10:29.110 --> 00:10:32.129 side of the family, my grandma, but my dad started 00:10:32.129 --> 00:10:35.950 making it. And then my dad lived with us after 00:10:35.950 --> 00:10:39.929 my mom died. And so then I started making it. 00:10:40.350 --> 00:10:43.070 And the first few times, I kind of, you know, 00:10:43.090 --> 00:10:45.210 you've got to know what you're doing. It either 00:10:45.210 --> 00:10:50.710 stuck to my roller or it was too thick or, yeah. 00:10:51.049 --> 00:10:54.769 And so now I make it often. Awesome. Okay. Yeah. 00:10:55.049 --> 00:10:59.070 Well, for me, it's interesting, right? How many 00:10:59.070 --> 00:11:02.610 of our traditions are around food? Right. So, 00:11:02.830 --> 00:11:08.110 again, my… mom's side, they're Germans. They 00:11:08.110 --> 00:11:11.129 had a tradition of oysters on Christmas Eve that 00:11:11.129 --> 00:11:14.750 she tried, but never got installed in the family. 00:11:15.289 --> 00:11:17.590 We do that too. You do oysters too? Yes, because 00:11:17.590 --> 00:11:20.190 I have German background too. And is the German 00:11:20.190 --> 00:11:21.950 background, are they doing oysters? Yeah, well, 00:11:22.029 --> 00:11:24.409 somebody, every year we do on Christmas Eve, 00:11:24.470 --> 00:11:27.549 oysters too. Yeah, right. Okay, that's so fascinating, 00:11:27.590 --> 00:11:29.350 right? So you can morph all the different cultures 00:11:29.350 --> 00:11:32.529 together. Right. But then the, because my Slovak 00:11:32.529 --> 00:11:34.610 side is new to the United States and they're 00:11:34.610 --> 00:11:36.799 still, doing everything in Slovak, the language 00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:41.340 of the kitchen was Slovak, there was all of these 00:11:41.340 --> 00:11:44.139 traditional Slovak foods that were part of the 00:11:44.139 --> 00:11:48.580 holiday meals. There's a story that at the Slovak 00:11:48.580 --> 00:11:51.659 Lutheran Church that my grandfather helped plant 00:11:51.659 --> 00:11:55.000 in northern Wisconsin, they kept the recipe for 00:11:55.000 --> 00:11:57.759 the klobasa, which is kind of like a spicy kielbasa. 00:11:57.980 --> 00:12:01.419 But the church kept the recipe in the church 00:12:01.419 --> 00:12:04.750 safe. They would take the orders at Thanksgiving. 00:12:05.110 --> 00:12:08.269 They would then take the full order from the 00:12:08.269 --> 00:12:12.610 church families to the butcher in town who would 00:12:12.610 --> 00:12:15.529 make the sausage and they would take the recipe 00:12:15.529 --> 00:12:18.049 back. We're going to need a sample. Next time 00:12:18.049 --> 00:12:20.230 you come, we're going to need a sample. It's 00:12:20.230 --> 00:12:25.389 so good. Oh, man. That's crazy. Well, thank you 00:12:25.389 --> 00:12:27.970 for sharing some of your family traditions. So 00:12:27.970 --> 00:12:32.720 this is really the question that. Well, I'm just 00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:36.899 fascinated because you're newly installed. Pastor 00:12:36.899 --> 00:12:39.779 Karie, how long have you been here now as the 00:12:39.779 --> 00:12:43.799 pastors of these congregations? Let's see. I 00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:50.100 was ordained in 2021 and started seminary in 00:12:50.100 --> 00:12:55.559 2016. Right. So that's been serving as a student 00:12:55.559 --> 00:12:58.200 . Ah, you were. So these are your internship 00:12:58.200 --> 00:13:00.080 congregations also? Internship congregations. 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:01.600 All right, awesome. So we morphed into that. 00:13:01.700 --> 00:13:05.240 So yeah. That's very cool. Well, I didn't realize 00:13:05.240 --> 00:13:06.759 that we would have so much in common because 00:13:06.759 --> 00:13:09.919 that's when my spouse Aimee and I went to seminary. 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:13.059 started in 2016 too. And so we started here in 00:13:13.059 --> 00:13:16.460 the South Dakota Synod in 2021. So we have those 00:13:16.460 --> 00:13:18.100 connections too. It's an awesome place to be. 00:13:18.220 --> 00:13:21.840 It is, it is. All right, so this is the question 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:25.500 kind of as you look forward into the next year. 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:28.600 And we just heard right in the liturgy for the 00:13:28.600 --> 00:13:30.899 installation about how the congregation calls 00:13:30.899 --> 00:13:35.100 the pastor to the work of this congregation and 00:13:35.100 --> 00:13:38.059 in these communities. And so when you think about 00:13:38.059 --> 00:13:41.019 the coming year, what are you looking forward 00:13:41.019 --> 00:13:44.029 to? What's one thing? There could be lots of 00:13:44.029 --> 00:13:45.830 things, of course, that you're looking forward 00:13:45.830 --> 00:13:48.450 to. But what would be one thing that you're really 00:13:48.450 --> 00:13:50.730 looking forward to now as this newly installed 00:13:50.730 --> 00:13:56.929 pastor? Wow. I think I am looking forward to 00:13:56.929 --> 00:14:02.509 more responsibilities. Okay. Yeah. And just the 00:14:02.509 --> 00:14:06.889 idea of being pastor has made a huge, I don't 00:14:06.889 --> 00:14:09.830 know, it's made kind of a difference. How I feel. 00:14:10.230 --> 00:14:14.269 And I think, and the people are very receptive 00:14:14.269 --> 00:14:17.669 about me being pastor. And I was a teacher for 00:14:17.669 --> 00:14:21.490 34 years. And so then went into seminary. So 00:14:21.490 --> 00:14:23.809 I've known a lot of the people in this area. 00:14:24.070 --> 00:14:29.690 And so I'm just looking forward to some new things 00:14:29.690 --> 00:14:33.330 and new responsibilities. There's some ideas. 00:14:34.509 --> 00:14:38.370 Things I'd like to do. I have felt God calling 00:14:38.370 --> 00:14:43.370 me to, it's not church necessarily, but I want 00:14:43.370 --> 00:14:46.529 to host it in the church, is have an AA group. 00:14:46.789 --> 00:14:49.950 Oh, sure. Yeah. You know, I'm seven years sober. 00:14:50.370 --> 00:14:55.730 And that is such a need in this community because 00:14:55.730 --> 00:14:59.649 there really isn't one. And I found that really 00:14:59.649 --> 00:15:03.710 helpful for myself. And so for a long time now. 00:15:04.110 --> 00:15:07.009 I know God is calling me to that. But I wanted 00:15:07.009 --> 00:15:10.889 to get through the ordination installation and 00:15:10.889 --> 00:15:12.929 then move forward with that. So that's one of 00:15:12.929 --> 00:15:15.549 the things. I'm really happy to receive that. 00:15:15.590 --> 00:15:18.070 I don't know if this plants the seed, right? 00:15:18.289 --> 00:15:20.169 You never know where the seeds are going to get 00:15:20.169 --> 00:15:22.669 planted. And so maybe someone hears this and 00:15:22.669 --> 00:15:24.769 thinks, oh, I've got to reach out. You know, 00:15:24.769 --> 00:15:28.009 I have mentioned it to a number of people. And 00:15:28.009 --> 00:15:30.870 just in talking to our colleagues, there's a 00:15:30.870 --> 00:15:36.429 lot of pastors. A lot who are recovering alcoholics. 00:15:36.429 --> 00:15:39.970 Sure, sure. And I would like to carry that on, 00:15:40.049 --> 00:15:44.769 you know, AA with alcohol, drugs, gambling, you 00:15:44.769 --> 00:15:46.970 know, any kind of addiction, whatever it is, 00:15:47.090 --> 00:15:50.129 you know. And get it started, and I've had a 00:15:50.129 --> 00:15:52.669 lot of, I've talked about it. Okay, good. So 00:15:52.669 --> 00:15:57.889 I've had some positive feedback. All right, excellent. 00:15:58.049 --> 00:16:00.870 Wow, good. Yeah, that's one thing I'm thinking 00:16:00.870 --> 00:16:05.389 of. What do you think, Pastor? No pressure. Well, 00:16:05.389 --> 00:16:07.250 it could be just one thing, right? I am blowing 00:16:07.250 --> 00:16:12.029 in having, you mentioned it today during worship, 00:16:12.090 --> 00:16:15.450 two pastors in these congregations and that energy. 00:16:15.610 --> 00:16:19.049 And so you being ordained, you have all the things, 00:16:19.090 --> 00:16:24.870 installation, and just working with you. And 00:16:24.870 --> 00:16:27.909 so that's my 2026, that's my, we just, we get 00:16:27.909 --> 00:16:29.149 to work. We work together really well. We get 00:16:29.149 --> 00:16:31.110 to preach, teach, and minister the sacraments 00:16:31.110 --> 00:16:35.200 together. And to, so my thought, I was thinking 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:38.120 in my head, just very simply to continue to make 00:16:38.120 --> 00:16:42.639 those connections in our congregations, as well 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:44.679 as in the community, whatever that may be, and 00:16:44.679 --> 00:16:47.360 see where it goes. Like, plant the seeds. But 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:50.799 yeah, it just feels like, whew, we just, you 00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:55.679 know, the marathon's over. I mean, right, I would 00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:59.460 imagine that, has there been a history in these 00:16:59.460 --> 00:17:01.019 congregations where they've had two pastors? 00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:05.220 There has been a history. Okay, all right. So 00:17:05.220 --> 00:17:10.440 they might even be primed to start moving forward 00:17:10.440 --> 00:17:12.799 in really lovely new ways, right? Yes, yeah. 00:17:12.859 --> 00:17:16.980 We haven't had two in a long time, two ordained 00:17:16.980 --> 00:17:19.579 pastors. And we've had some empty pulpits, just 00:17:19.579 --> 00:17:22.140 like a number of congregations have been in transition. 00:17:22.299 --> 00:17:25.559 And we've gotten through that. And so it's fun 00:17:25.559 --> 00:17:27.539 to just see where we're going to go this year. 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:30.380 What are we going to do? Right. I came on board 00:17:30.380 --> 00:17:33.289 right after COVID. Okay. Because she was doing 00:17:33.289 --> 00:17:35.970 churches every other Sunday. Okay. So you would 00:17:35.970 --> 00:17:37.950 have church only every other Sunday. Sure. Right. 00:17:38.009 --> 00:17:41.269 Yeah. And then I came on and. I called the fort 00:17:41.269 --> 00:17:45.029 for a while. Yeah. No, that's great. Yeah. Well, 00:17:45.130 --> 00:17:46.650 it's just so interesting, right? I think one 00:17:46.650 --> 00:17:48.250 of the things, one of the reasons why I wanted 00:17:48.250 --> 00:17:51.269 to have this conversation and to share this with 00:17:51.269 --> 00:17:55.430 the whole synod is because sometimes we get so 00:17:55.430 --> 00:17:59.430 myopic in, and it's important that we. stick 00:17:59.430 --> 00:18:04.269 to the ground that we're planted in. And yet, 00:18:04.329 --> 00:18:06.569 at the same time, there's such growth happening 00:18:06.569 --> 00:18:09.990 in the Synod, in all kinds of places. And sometimes 00:18:09.990 --> 00:18:12.609 it's helpful just to know, for others to know, 00:18:12.690 --> 00:18:15.730 the growth that's happening. And that's one of 00:18:15.730 --> 00:18:17.009 the things that I'm looking forward to this next 00:18:17.009 --> 00:18:20.569 year, too, is how we're going to grow this world 00:18:20.569 --> 00:18:22.650 ministry. Because we have growth happening in 00:18:22.650 --> 00:18:25.230 all kinds of places, but we don't always know. 00:18:26.009 --> 00:18:28.609 when our neighbors in other places are growing. 00:18:28.849 --> 00:18:33.009 And here's an example, right, of things coming 00:18:33.009 --> 00:18:35.710 to fruition. So much positive out there. There 00:18:35.710 --> 00:18:38.470 is. It's really, really lovely. And we're really 00:18:38.470 --> 00:18:42.069 active in the community, so people see us. And 00:18:42.069 --> 00:18:45.910 if they don't know who we are, they'll be like, 00:18:45.910 --> 00:18:48.009 who is that? Especially if we're wearing a collar. 00:18:48.210 --> 00:18:52.950 Who's that? Where does she preach at? Yeah, that's 00:18:52.950 --> 00:18:56.710 great. Good. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank 00:18:56.710 --> 00:18:59.390 you for this time and for sharing your stories. 00:18:59.609 --> 00:19:03.210 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from First 00:19:03.210 --> 00:19:06.509 Lutheran Church in Claire City, Faith Lutheran 00:19:06.509 --> 00:19:09.710 Church in New Effington, Our Savior's Lutheran 00:19:09.710 --> 00:19:12.849 Church in Veblen, and the South Dakota Synod. 00:19:13.710 --> 00:19:16.730 I think that was good. Nice. Yeah. Nice try. 00:19:16.869 --> 00:19:17.990 Good. Wow.