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It is the practice of the MNO Synod Convention to recognize rostered ministers who are celebrating special anniversaries of their ordination this biennium. Please join the honourees at the dessert reception following the opening worship of Convention Thursday evening, April 22nd at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. A donation of $100 in their name will also be made to a ministry of their choice.
REV. GORDON PALMER HENDRICKSON
60th Anniversary
Graduated University of Saskatchewan, May 20, 1949 with a BA degree
Graduated Luther Theological Seminary of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on May 20, 1949, with BD degree as a Candidate of Theology. [updated by LTS, Saskatoon to Master of Divinity, May19, 1972]
Ordained at the General Convention of the Canada District of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, June 12, 1949.
Ministries served
Active in Lutheran Marriage Encounter for 25 years
As I reflect on my ministry, I give thanks to God for the gift of my life partner, Grace. Her diligent and enthusiastic support, as mother to my four children, and home maker for more than sixty years have been my constant inspiration.
My family shares in my ministry by…. Grace was an active partner in work of the Church, both locally as organist in many rural congregations, and Sunday School teacher. She was active regionally with the WMF, ELCW, LCW (Synodical). She served as the first National ELCW Education Secretary of the ELCIC. She continues as Co - LCW president. She is active as organist, choir member, handbells choir, Art Club secretary, and as president for Starview Manor Auxiliary Seniors housing.
I offer these words of encouragement for rostered ministers today from the words of Paul to the church of Ephesus from Acts 20:28 ”Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.”
Donation designated to: LUTHERAN URBAN MINISTRY
REV. LEON C. GILBERTSON
50th Anniversary
Graduate of LTS, Saskatoon, Bachelor of Divinity Degree, May 20, 1960
Graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO, STM Degree, May 1963
Graduate of LTS, Saskatoon, SK, Doctor of Divinity Degree honoris causa, May 2002
Ordained Zion, Saskatoon, SK., May 22, 1960
Ministries served:
As I reflect on my ministry I give thanks to God for the privilege of being a pastor and for the partners in the faith in the congregations I have served and for fellow servants in the ministry who encouraged me.
My family has shared in my ministry by offering love, encouragement and support. My wife, Helen, was active in ELW in all of the parishes we served and lead Junior Choir in Torquay and Vancouver. She still travels with me on our 200 kilometer trip to Waldersee every two weeks .
I offer these words of encouragement for rostered ministers today with the words of St. Paul “Let us not be weary in well doing for we shall reap if we do not faint (Galatians 6:9).”
Donation designated to: CANADIAN LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF
REV. INGTHOR ISFELD
50th Anniversary
Graduated from Theological Department of the University of Iceland in Reykjavik, with a Cand. Theol. degree, in the spring of 1959.
Ordained on June 22, 1959 at the Reykjavik Cathedral, Iceland,
Ministries Served:
As I reflect on my ministry, I give thanks to God for my wife for her unfailing support and for taking on herself a lot of extra work in the family, which I should rightly have performed, for lay leaders in the Y.M.C.A., who mentored me in my youth and for two of my professors who gave me the theological foundation for my work.
I offer this prayer for the rostered ministers today: May the Lord strengthen you and bless you and reward you for your dedication.
Donation designated to: LUTHERAN URBAN MINISTRY
REV. DONALD JACOB ENGEL
40th Anniversary
Master of Divinity from Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon, 1969
Ordained June 7, 1970, Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Yorkton, Saskatchewan
Thanks be to God for giving me a measure of the Spirit equipping me for ministry.
Thanks be to God for giving me love for ministry, teaching, people, presiding and preaching the Good News.
Thanks be to God for giving me a compassionate heart to advocate for the poor and persecuted and underprivileged.
Thanks be to God for giving me a loving spouse who enriched my ministry with the gift of music.
Thanks be to God for giving me a faithful spouse who helped me through the difficult times.
Thanks be to God for giving me children and grandchildren who supported my ministry and gave me pride and joy.
Thanks be to God for the rostered ministers with whom I worked and worshiped, prayed, played and partied.
Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Donation designated to: TRINITY FOOD PANTRY
Graduation from Seminary: June 5, 1970 Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
Ordination: June 18, 1970 Elim Lutheran Church, Hooper, Nebraska
Ministries served:
As I reflect on my ministry, I give thanks to God for …
The privilege of working with and serving the people of the congregations, synods, and national church I was a part of through the years;
The leaders of the Church;
The many gifts God has provided for the Church in its people;
The patience, flexibility and forgiveness of the people of the Church;
Our Church’s foundation on Grace;
God’s guidance in the use and honing of my gifts for ministry.
My family shared in my ministry by:
Nancy helped set a tone of joyful acceptance of people. She participated in the congregations with a fun loving spirit. She helped me know the people by getting to know them herself.
Martin, Nathan, Amy and Heidi participated in the activities of the church.
Everyone graciously accepted the fact that sometimes plans had to change or that I could not be somewhere because of the work of the Church. They pitched in to help with things that needed to be done at home. They reminded me to take recreation time, too.
I offer these words of encouragement for rostered ministers today:
God judges our value by grace not by what we accomplish or do not accomplish;
Nothing is so important that it would call for suspending grace;
It is still God who gives the growth. We are to do our work the best we can and leave the outcome in God’s hands.
God cares for you. Remember to rest.
Donation designated to: CANADIAN LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF (HAITI APPEAL)
REV. LANNY D. KNUTSON
40th Anniversary
Graduation from Seminary: May, 1969; Luther Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota
Ordination: July 27, 1969; Our Saviour’s, Canby, Minnesota
Ministries served:
As I reflect on my ministry, I give thanks to God for … the grace to grow continuously in my understanding and practice of ministry, including the study and application of theology in preaching, teaching and interacting with parishioners through the joys and sorrows of their lives. I thank God for being invited into peoples’ lives, particularly in times of great crisis, and finding that I had become, for them, an agent of God’s grace even through the personal powerlessness I’ve felt. Leading worship and proclaiming the word of God’s wisdom has been an ever-renewing and profound joy.
My family shares/shared in my ministry service by … being there for me in the times of weariness, disappointment and conflict inherent in parish ministry and being ready to encourage me along the way and to celebrate that which has gone well. Their continual challenge and critique of the balance (or lack thereof) in my roles as husband, father and pastor have helped bring to focus the many-faceted aspects of ministry at home and in the parish and community.
I offer these words of encouragement for rostered ministers today …. be open to the presence of God’s everrenewing grace. You can never know where it leads as you journey in ministry and life itself within the enlivening presence of God in Christ. To paraphrase a prayer: May God’s hand lead you and love support you as you go forth in good courage through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Donation designated to: LUTHERAN URBAN MINISTRY
REV. RON LONG
40th Anniversary
Graduation from Seminary – May 29, 1970 – Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo.
Ordination – June 28, 1970 – St. Mark’s Lutheran – Choiceland, Sask.
Ministries Served
As I reflect on my ministry I give thanks to God for the various gifts reflected in the “Body of Christ” and various people who have mentored and supported me in my vocational call of pastoral ministry.
My family shared in my ministry by making significant adjustments as I made a number of charged in my vocational career. Judy, my wife, has been involved with a number of volunteer ministries within the church.
I offer these words of encouragement for rostered ministers today to not neglect the vocational call of family/marriage and to develop a spiritual life that nourishes your personal relationship or journey with God.
Donation designated to: LUTHERAN URBAN MINISTRY
REV. AL MAIER
40th Anniversary
Graduation from Seminary: May 23, 1970; Wartburg Seminary, Dubuque, Ia.
Ordination: Sept. 06, 1970; Christ Lutheran Church, Chilliwack, B.C.
Ministries served:
As I reflect on my ministry, I give thanks to God for his immeasurable and constant grace and patience manifested through Christ.
My family shares in my ministry service by their constant forbearance and understanding.
I offer these words of encouragement for rostered ministers today. In all things ‘fight the good fight, holding on to faith [in Christ].’ In all things give God the glory.
Donation designated to: LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
REV. LYNN GRANKE
Graduated from Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, May 29, 1983
Ordained St. Mark’s, Winnipeg – (home congregation) September 19, 1984.
Ministry
As I reflect on my ministry I give thanks to God for an ever deepening experience of the body of Christ, for their patience, generosity, forgiveness and indeed, the experiences of grace, love and acceptance. I give thanks for mentors and guides, Arnie Weigel, Delton Glebe, Larry Denef, Bishops Lee and Richard, Ruth Blazer and Diane Doth, Ron Long and so many others….my life has been a rich journey of discovery with tears and laughter.
My family shares/shared in my ministry service by offering their love, support and encouragement and insisting on self-care.
I offer these words of encouragement for rostered ministers today: ministry is always about relationship. That’s what the incarnation is all about and it is our model for ministry and life together. Always find time to laugh and play!
Donation designated to: CANADIAN FOUNDATION FOR PASTORAL PRACTICE & EDUCATION; and KAIROS