That Some Would be Pastors

Summary

I thought I would start by introducing myself for those who may not know me. I’m from Iowa, went to a private college in Iowa before coming to Associated Mennonite (now Anabaptist Mennonite) Biblical Seminary in Elkhart where I met and married my wife, Missy Kauffman Schrock – who, now works for AMBS. Since seminary I have done two years of Clinical Pastoral Education – one in Iowa where I grew up, and one in Charlottesville, Virginia where Missy is from, I’ve served as a pastor in three congregations – one in Illinois, one in Ohio, and one in Indiana, and I also worked for a year at the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center – something I have in common with Dan Schrock and also with Melba Graber of this congregation who was helping out in the office during my time in Lombard. For the past year I have worked as a chaplain with Harbor Light Hospice, a for‐profit hospice that serves five counties out of our office in Mishawaka. I also work with my cousin in his art business, which means travelling to arts and crafts shows many weekends, which unfortunately means that I am often unable to worship with you here at Berkey.

In addition, since 2009 I have been working on a Doctor of Ministry program through Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. In January I defended my Doctor of Ministry dissertation on a cold and stormy day in Holland. The defense before a committee happened in the morning. This was supposed to be followed by a public presentation in the afternoon, but with near blizzard‐like conditions outside—do we remember last winter or have we repressed it now that spring is here—the director of the program decided to postpone the public presentation. There was talk at that about rescheduling the presentation on graduation day – which is tomorrow. But they then decided there were too many other things already planned so the presentation won’t happen. In a way, this sermon is something of my dissertation presentation in the form of a sermon, although what I have to share this morning is much different than what I had prepared to present in January.