Pastor Snyder’s Call Decision Announcement

The announcement below was shared by Pastor Snyder following worship services on January 21.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

After prayerful consideration, it is with confidence in our Lord’s promises for each and every one of us that I tell you today that I have accepted the call to serve at St. John Lutheran Church in Lewiston, MN. I understand that this may be disappointing news to you, but it should not be despairing news. While it may not seem to you that this is a good time or the right time for me to leave, our Lord promises his grace and blessing in all things. He is the Lord of the church, who so often makes situations that seem impossible and defeating into blessings we would have never dreamed of. And this is not an impossible or defeating situation.

Many of you recall when I came here. The Wonewoc congregation had been through some difficult times. In fact, there have been many difficult times in our history that go back long before many of us were here. Yet God brought us together, and while things have never been and will never be perfect, God has blessed our time together. He has done so because his Word has remained at the heart of our ministry. While we may have hoped for certain particular blessings, I think we can agree that we saw some wonderful and unexpected blessings together. As God states through the prophet Isaiah,

Certainly my plans are not your plans,
and your ways are not my ways, declares the Lord.
Just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways,
and my plans are higher than your plans (Isaiah 55:8-9).

While we can’t always see or understand God’s ways and plans, he tells us in the very next verses on what his ways are centered:

Just as the rain and the snow come down from the sky
and do not return there
unless they first water the earth, make it give birth, and cause it to sprout,
so that it gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
in the same way my word that goes out from my mouth
    will not return to me empty.
Rather, it will accomplish whatever I please,
and it will succeed in the purpose for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:10-11).

While ministry is about people, I hope that you understand and could see that my service here has not been about me. If I ever gave that impression, I apologize and ask forgiveness. I pray you could see that this ministry is about Jesus. And this ministry has been ours together. It will continue to be yours, along with all those that you have called to serve here.

I will give you encouragement from God’s Word when I preach for the last time as one of your pastors, but for now my encouragement is that you keep fixing your eyes on Jesus, your Savior, Lord, Brother, and Friend. He will bless and keep you and provide you with what you need individually and as a congregation.

Know that I love you, I appreciate you, and I will pray that God provides you with the pastor you need to join Pastor Limpert and our faculty and staff in the gospel ministry here.

I will say much more before we move, but I pray that what I have said now will be an encouragement to you.

In the love of Jesus,

Pastor Snyder