Welcome Pastor Ellen!

Pastor Ellen Accepts!

August 12, 2022

Dear Council, Call Committee and Members of St. John’s Lutheran Church,

It is with gratitude, joy and excitement that I formally accept the call to serve as your next pastor! I see at St. John’s a deep commitment to live out your faith in Jesus Christ across generations. Worship is what brings everyone together, creating a faithful community. You have a strong tradition of serving others in the community and beyond, reaching out to those most vulnerable and in need. The staff is talented, loyal and engaged as they creatively support the ministries of the congregation. Leadership is ready to develop a vision for ministry and eager to invite others to join them in living it out. I am grateful for the abundant ways God has already blessed St. John’s.

I am also thankful for opportunities God is calling us to explore as we begin our journey together. My conversation with the call committee revealed a longing for deeper relationships both within the congregation and with people in the greater Oregon community. We will work on this by being even more intentional about the way we welcome people to St. John’s as well as how we care for one another. We will develop a small group ministry that addresses who we are as we do what we do.

It is an exciting time to be at St. John’s. The Holy Spirit is clearly moving among you as you have remained steadfast, faithful and active in your ministry through unprecedented times. Let’s begin our time together eager to see what God has in store, ready to serve where the Spirit leads, confident of God’s faithful presence with us.

I look forward to work with you and see you in worship soon!

In Christ,

Pastor Ellen Stelzle

The meet and greet with Pastor Ellen on July 30 was very well attended, as many enjoyed delicious treats and coffee during this social time. Following the 9:00 service, there was a Congregational Meeting. We voted yes to extend the call to Pastor Ellen (the vote needed to be 2/3 majority).