Called to Deliver: By Rev. Rich Heinz
I
t was the spring of my 8th grade year. Our class was on a field trip to Chicago, and we concluded the day with a visit and tour of the campus of Concordia CollegeRiver Forest. That tour made such an impression on me that I never seriously considered any other college. Enjoying the visit and tour, I began to process several things. There were all the times that teachers in my Lutheran school had dropped hints. There was the great impact of vicars in our congregation —young men doing their “student preaching,” if you will. There was my pastor, who had (purposefully, I’m sure) said things in front of his son, who was a good friend of mine, that I should be a pastor.
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And then there was Mrs. Thrush. She was the classic “little old lady” in church, who had been friends with my great-grandparents. Every time I would acolyte, she would admire how I looked in the vestments. With a sparkle in her eye, she would tell me that I needed to give some thought to this! God gives each of us many vocations. Each vocation or calling is worthy of honor as long as it is lawful. Through our vocations, we serve our neighbor in love, living out the faith that the Lord has given. And while a vocation serving in Christ’s Church does not earn any more “points” with the Almighty, it is a joy and privilege to serve Him! I thank God that He has led me to the calling of the Pastoral Office. He has taught me, trained me, and used me to serve His Church and her members for over 20 years, in a variety of ways. That’s a beautiful aspect of the Holy Ministry—there are some basic regular tasks, and a broad spectrum of service that surrounds them. The preaching and
teaching of the Word of God are central to the pastor’s work. Serving the people of God with His Word can take many forms. While the most common is in the life of a parish, pastors can also be called to teach theology at a Lutheran school, university, or seminary. Or they may serve the Church at large in an organization such as Higher Things, Lutheran Heritage Foundation, the Synod, or in so many others. Delivering the sacraments can create some of the most joyful moments of a pastor’s life in the ministry. Giving new birth from above to the Lord’s children is an incredible and exhilarating event! So also is each and every celebration of the Eucharist! Of course, the serious task of hearing confessions, and the joyful result of proclaiming Absolution is a blessed and impactful event every time. A pastor has the unique gift of being brought into a family’s life at the moments of their most joyful celebrations, and during their deepest heartaches. From births and Baptisms, to hospital rooms and death beds, each is a place where he is called to bring the comfort of the soothing, healing Gospel to his parishioners. Arms loaded with his most trusted
