After a quarter century of serving you as your pastor, I am regretfully saying farewell to you as members and friends. It just seems like yesterday that we were raising our two boys Matthew and Nathan in the parsonage and going to their school concerts in North Branch. Now they are adults and are happily married.

When I began at the end of August 1986, the church was excited about the centennial celebration of both the church and township in 1987. This was a good time to begin and got me excited about the past history of the church and the area I was to serve. At the time of the centennial I met many people who came back to Almelund to renew their friendships and to celebrate the 100 years.

During the past 25 years I have seen many changes in the church and community. As I look back over these years I am grateful for the privilege of baptizing 285 people of all ages from adults to infants. I have officiated at 181 funerals at Immanuel, each being harder to conduct because I have gotten to know that person personally. It always has been a joy for me to see our young people affirm their baptisms at the Rite of Confirmation which happens to 175 in 25 years. Pre-marital counseling for couples contemplating marriage at Immanuel takes many hours and has hopefully benefited most of the 89 marriages that I have officiated at during those years as well.

Being aware of the changing community in which Immanuel is sitting, the leadership of the church saw the need for expanding our facility. The Long Range Committee was formed and we took five years to plan for a new addition. We listened to you and voted at special congregational meetings to move ahead and eventually build a beautiful, practical addition that serves our ministry needs at this time. Our indebtedness is very manageable and many of us are grateful that we built when we did. That has certainly been one of the highlights of my ministry here at Almelund.

I’ve tried to keep this farewell short, but that’s not easy for any pastor. It has never been easy for me to say good-bye to the churches I’ve served. Particularly now after serving you for 25 years it is doubly hard because of the good friendships that have taken place between many of you and me. I’ve laughed and cried with many of you and have gotten to know you through those meaningful experiences. You have been very supportive of me and my family, and I am so grateful.

However, we must all move on and I regret that I will never be your pastor again, but will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. You will be served well, I know, with your interim pastor and also eventually by a permanent pastor in the years to come. This should be an exciting time as well for you as members as you will begin to chart a new course and direction to the ministry here in the future.

I will certainly miss you and the fun I had serving you at Immanuel. God’s Richest Blessing to you always!

“The Blaster Pastor”