October 24th, 2020
Reformation Sunday
Beloved in the Lord,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! On Sunday October 18th I received a Divine Call from Concordia Lutheran Church in Louisville, KY. What this means is that I currently have two Calls from God and His church to serve in the Pastoral Ministry, one being my current Call to Redeemer and another to Concordia. Part of the responsibility of our Synod’s pastors is to be open to God’s will and ask for the discernment of His Holy Spirit to consider the Divine Calls of our congregations. This is a normal process for our pastors and congregations, and provides us with an opportunity for reflection and prayer about the ministry of Redeemer.
Firstly, I recognize that this can create a mixture of emotions for the members of our congregation. I know the Lord will grant us His peace during this time, but it’s natural that some of us may feel strong emotions about it. I know that in Christian love we will be patient with one another.
Secondly, I want to reassure all of you that there were no negative reasons why I was open to discussing a possible Call to another congregation. It is part of my role and duty as a Minister of the Word to be open to considering Calls from congregations. My Pastoral responsibility toward our church body compelled me to speak with Concordia’s Call committee. I am grateful to God for every one of you and the ministry here at Redeemer. We have so much to be grateful for in you. You faithfully care for me and my family. I can’t thank God enough for the blessings of calling me to such a wonderful congregation.
Thirdly, everything at this time is preliminary. This announcement does not mean I will accept the Call to Concordia. Rather, my purpose is to let you know about this time of consideration. Jen and I will visit Concordia to meet with the congregation and leadership. We will prayerfully seek the Lord’s will and ask for our Father in heaven for discernment and guidance from His Holy Spirit. When we return, I will continue to give prayerful consideration as I hear from you and our congregation’s leadership. A final decision will likely be reached by or before mid-November.
Fourthly, this is an opportunity for us to reflect together about our congregation and our ministry. We have so many blessings here at Redeemer, we can thank God for them. We have opportunities to serve and love one another and our community. I desire your counsel and input. I also ask for your prayers for me and my family as we seek the Lord’s will. We can trust that the Holy Spirit will guide us to do what is best for all parties involved.
Finally, Concordia has sent a letter to our congregation to notify us of the Call and to communicate their encouragement and prayers. Our brothers and sisters at Concordia recognize how difficult this news and the call process can be for a congregation and they are praying for us. We can also pray for them.
If you have any questions or would like to give me your input, I will be glad to talk with you. I welcome your feedback as it will be helpful to me as I consider the Lord’s Call. Again, I thank God for every one of you and I am praying for us as we begin this process.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” – Romans 15:13
In Christ’s service,
Pastor Estes
Lutheran Church of the Redeemer 