The 28th of August 2023 is a special day for our pastor
The 28th of August 2023 is a special day for our pastor. It marks the 40th Anniversary of his ordination into the Holy Ministry, which occurred at his first Call as Assistant Pastor at Lutheran Church of the Redemption in Bloomington, MN.
Present that evening with The Lutheran Church of the Redemption Congregation and Pastor Boelter were Pastor Boelter’s parents Cliff and Fran Boelter; his Seminary Field Work Supervisor The Rev. Dr. Roy G. Moeller, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church St. Louis, MO (one of C.F. W. Walther’s four original congregations in the St. Louis Lutheran General Geminde) who preached for the occasion; also Pastor Boelter’s home pastor, The Rev. Melbourne F. Helling, Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, S.D. who officiated the Rite of Ordination. Pastor Norman Schramm officiated the Rite of Installation. Today our pastor remembers all of these saints with gratitude to God, including The Rev. Dr. Joseph P. Fabry, his vicarage supervisor at Christ the King, GPW. All of these saints of God made holy in Christ Jesus were a part of Pastor’s faith formation for the Holy Ministry.
Three very special women from Zion Lutheran Church, St. Louis attended Pastor’s ordination that warm August evening. They are especially remembered with love and thanksgiving to God: Mrs. Mary Barron, Parish Worker Elda Lucht, and Miss Iola Barron. These friends in Christ traveled from St. Louis to Minneapolis for the Ordination and Installation Service. Mary (Grandma) Barron presented Pastor Boelter with his red, ordination stole, with which he continues to celebrate our various festivals.
After spring graduation exercises in 1983 at the St. Louis Seminary, Seminary Candidate Boelter had two more courses to complete prior to receiving his first Call. After 8 years of college and seminary course work and now financially stretched at the “finish line” with student loans, a decision had to be made. Pastor could either finish his course work without room and board, or secure room and board that summer in St. Louis, work and complete his academic requirements at a later time. Hearing about Pastor’s dilemma, Mary, Iola and Elda generously offered Pastor Boelter room and board at their home in the St. Louis “Hill” area, enabling him to have a safe place to stay where he could commute each day to the Clayton Seminary and finish his course work. For 8 weeks these friends opened their home and shared their blessings with him…a gift in a time of need given by God’s people that he has always remembered.
In the 40 years that have transpired since his ordination, our pastor has continued to face challenges in life’s sunshine and storm. Nevertheless, he has joined us all in seeing Christ Jesus faithfully keeping the promises that He makes to all believers in His Word: “ goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forevermore.” The LORD’s grace and mercy, visible in Christ through so many people and on so many occasions, makes today, August 28th, an incredible day of remembrance for our Pastor. +++ Soli Deo Gloria!+++
