Pastor Appreciation Month

According to the flyers I’ve been getting in the mail the past few days, October is supposedly “Pastor Appreciation Month.” (One Christian bookstore offers pastors an additional 20% off any already sale priced book. I’m just waiting for pastor appreciation day at Shiner brewery!)

So, I wanted to take this month’s Messenger article to express my appreciation to some pastors whom I have known and who have been important to me in my life and ministry. At the risk of naming names, and forgetting others in the process, I want to mention a few by name with you.

Although I didn’t know him well, my Dad’s father was a pastor. He was ordained in 1937 – I have a print in my office that was given to him to mark that day. He was the first of many in Dad’s family who entered church work as Lutheran pastors and teachers, or who serve in volunteer capacities – like most of you – at their churches. Grandpa Meyer died in 1983, long before I ever started down the road toward ministry, so I was never able to talk with him about this vocation that we share.

When I was born in 1974, I couldn’t keep anything down. After two days of rapid weight loss, the pediatrician told my parents that they should call their pastor – they weren’t sure how much longer I could make it. He baptized me because he knew the importance of the gifts God had in the water and Word. My mom can’t remember that pastor’s name (he was their vacancy pastor) but the Lord knows, and I thank him for his faithful service to two scared parents that cold February morning in rural Iowa.

Pastor Maynard Brant, at Holy Cross in Emma, MO,  was the first pastor I remember. I remember Pastor Brandt’s big, booming voice and lambchop sideburns. We lived next door to him and his family. I remember I was riding a terribly squeaky tricycle one afternoon and he came outside to oil the wheel for me. It seemed a small thing, but he taught me about being a good neighbor in a time of need. I was able to see him a final time at my brother’s Seminary graduation – he was there to see his own grandson graduate – and thank him for that early guidance. Pastor Brandt fell asleep in Christ a short time later.

When we moved to Walburg, Pastor Lowell Rossow was serving there. He became an early mentor to me, along with my dad, teaching me about service in the church. I helped him hang confirmation banners, read in worship services, served as his “acolyte-in-chief,” and he taught me the Catechism. When my dad was badly burned one night by a spilled tea kettle, Pastor was at the house in minutes, loaded Dad into his van, and took him to the hospital. He was judicious about taking care of the sick and shut-ins. I learned from him the importance of making sure that these brothers and sisters in Christ didn’t get overlooked in the life of the church. Pastor Rossow is retired, now, in Southwest Missouri. He’s still a family friend, and he recently covered a Sunday at my brother’s church when he was gone. 

Two pastors I greatly admire: Pastor Rossow and my brother, Joel

I have three uncles who were ordained in the LCMS –Bill Meyer, Tom Spahn and Rich Dinda. Uncle Rich spent most of his ministry as a college professor and taught me the importance of faithful study of the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. He also told me over and over, “Love your people.” Uncle Bill, who spent most of his ministry in Synod-level administrative roles, lived in St. Louis when I was at Sem and I spent a lot of evenings talking about setting aside personal interests for the sake of the Church, managing conflict and how to listen to people with whom there may be disagreement. Uncle Bill and Uncle Tom are both retired, now, and Uncle Rich fell asleep in Christ in the spring of last year.

In eight years of undergrad and Seminary, dozens of pastor-professors taught me the truths of Scripture, church history, how to preach, pastoral care, and more. Pastor Paul Puffe and Dr. Mike Middendorf taught at Concordia College in Austin and they both listened to me patiently when I wrestled with whether I should be a pastor. Pastor Jeff Gibbs and Pastor Hal Senkbeil taught me more about pastoral care from their own demeanor and witness than any textbook.

When I was fresh out of Seminary and began to realize how much I didn’t know, Pastor Red Etzel and Pastor Dave Bergman were friendly voices of encouragement in East Texas. When my congregation had troubles, Pastor Raymond Van Buskirk listened and offered wise counsel and care for me and guidance on how to proceed in a faithful, pastoral way. When Alyssa went off to college, Pastor Dave Sawhill – whose daughter had recently graduated from college – wept with me, reminding me to trust the Lord’s baptismal gift given to my own child. When I received the call to Zion, Pastor Randy Ledbetter helped me walk through the call process and prayed fervently for the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and guidance. I stay in contact with these good friends.

April, 2000 --- a lot of hair ago.

I’ve known my pastor and best friend, Pastor Scott Schaller, for over 25 years. We graduated from Austin together, then the Seminary together, and even served in our first churches in the same circuit. He’s been a faithful voice of the Lord for me in times of personal and ministry struggles. He’s wept with me, rejoiced with me, corrected me and absolved me when I erred.

I am deeply appreciative of each of these faithful pastors who have served God’s people. Each of them, in their own unique way, helped guide and shape me, teaching me in ways that can’t always be fully measured. It’s a humble privilege to follow in their footsteps, or to walk alongside them in service to the Church.

Finally, I appreciate the congregations the Lord has given me to serve: Grace, Crockett, Our Shepherd, Crosby, and now Zion, Mission Valley. This pastor appreciation month, I am especially thankful to be here, in this place with you. I thank God for His guiding me here, and I pray His continued blessing on this congregation and you, His people, as we serve this community in His name.

Appreciatively yours,

Pastor Meyer