Rev. Douglas Stapleton marks 25th ordination anniversary

CRESTON, B.C. - Rev. Douglas Stapleton was ordained in Chicago on June 23, 1996, by the Evangelical Covenant Church, but from his earliest student years he had encountered the life and writings of Martin Luther, who became a role model. As a young pastor, Rev. Stapleton soon learned that writing a sermon each week was not as easy as it sounded, and found a book of Lutheran sermon helps that taught him the practical way to preach Law and Gospel from the texts each week, an approach that has never left him. Through this, the Sacraments took on more importance to him, which was crucial to what would come next.

Rev. Douglas Stapleton

When his ministry ended at his former church, Rev. Stapleton and his wife were left with no place to go to church, and a friend invited them to attend Redeemer Lutheran Church in Creston. It was a church without a pastor and he was a pastor without a church, and he felt like he had found a place to belong.

Rev. Stapleton gave his resume to the then-District President, who recommended that he enroll in the Colloquy Programme at Concordia Seminary in Edmonton. After a year of study, both in person and online, he met the requirements for ordained ministry in Lutheran Church–Canada.

Rev. Stapleton retired in November 2019, but is still grateful for opportunities to preach, encourage, and be the church’s “guy with a truck.”

Rev. Douglas Stapleton