Pastor Walther, Pastor Packer Transition Plan 2024

Special Voter's Assembly Calls Pastor Packer to Senior/Administrative Pastor
Sunday, February 4, 2024

On Sunday, February 4, 2024, we had a well attended special voter's assembly. It was on the first Sunday in February in 2023, that we held a potluck dinner for Pastor Packer and his family since they were visiting Good Shepherd to consider the divine call that we had sent!

Joel Italiano gave a report from the Transition Committee. He explained the interview with Pastor Packer, the recommendation to call him, and the recommendation to apply for a seminary graduate to serve as the next associate pastor. Pastor Walther explained that there is a 50/50 chance of getting a graduate from the seminary since this is a great need for new pastors. But this is an opportunity that only comes up in February of March each year. One of the reasons to call Pastor Packer to the senior position now is to have this question settled before we make the application to the seminaries. 

Pastor Walther also gave a report explaining the transition plan. Pending approval by the voters, from February to July, he and Pastor Packer will work together. Pastor Walther will do everything he normally would do (prepare reports and plans for ministry), but these he will give to Pastor Packer for editing and final publication. Carol Walther, will also be resigning her call as Women's and Children's Ministry Director. Her duties will be divided up among volunteers. Pastor Walther will begin a six month sabbatical in July. During this time he will not be at Good Shepherd for preaching, teaching, or worship. He can work remotely on technology, a history of Good Shepherd, and shut-in calls if needed. He will also use this time to send Pastor Packer timely documents for ministry at least two months in advance to help him will planning. This is a time for the congregation to get more used to Pastor Packer and less use to Pastor Walther. By January of 2025 Pastor Walther will probably have some idea about how he will continue serving the Lord. This could be at Good Shepherd, if that is what the leadership desired, or it might be in another ministry. 

The voters approved the call of Pastor Packer for senior pastor, the application for a seminary graduate for an associate pastor, and the transition plan and sabbatical. Pastor Packer accepted the call, and the installation will be in all services on Saturday & Sunday, February 10 & 11. We will have a reception later. 

Information for Special Voter's Assembly February  4, 2024

In December 2023 the Call Committee, which recommended the call for Pastor Packer to be associate pastor last year, reconvened as the Transition Committee and interviewed Pastor for the position of senior/administrative pastor. The committee recommended to the Board of Elders and Church Council that Pastor Packer be called to the senior/administrative pastor position. We will have a special voter's assembly on Sunday, February 4, 2024 to consider this recommendation. 

In addition to this, Pastor Walther presented to the Board of Elders and Church Council a timeline for the transition. Should the congregation vote to call Pastor Packer to the senior/administrative position, we recommend that Pastor Packer be installed the following Sunday, February 11, 2024. Pastor Walther would then become the associate pastor. From February to July Pastor Walther and Pastor Packer would together transitioning the duties of both positions. In July, Pastor Walther would begin a sabbatical until December. During this time he would step back from the in-person ministry at Good Shepherd while still providing support and help as needed (technology, shut-ins, history of the congregation, advice, etc.). In December, Pastor Walther would resign as associate pastor. After that Pastor Walther would continue serving God depending on the opportunities He provides. Whether that would be at Good Shepherd or in some other place will have to be determined. 

The Board of Elders also recommends that the special voter's assembly also vote to submit a designated call to the seminaries for a new full-time associate pastor. This is how Good Shepherd called Pastor Hoft and Pastor Hemenway. This opportunity only happens once a year between January and March as the seminaries prepare for graduation and placement. The Board of Elders and/or a new associate pastor call committee would review and update the associate pastor job description. They would also interview a candidate or candidates from the seminaries and make the final designated call. Should we receive a seminary candidate, he would probably be installed sometime during June to August. If we didn't receive a seminary candidate, the congregation would continue in a vacancy with Pastor Engfehr assisting Pastor Packer. The congregation would then continue a regular call process for an associate pastor from the field. 

Newsletter Article January 2024

Dear Members of Good Shepherd, 

At the November Voter's Assembly (11/19/23) I announced my plan to retire from the administrative pastor position here at Good Shepherd during the next year. There are two important reasons for this:

First, I came to Good Shepherd when I as thirty-three years old, and I've served Good Shepherd for thirty-three more blessed years. Half of my life has been here. God has blessed this time, and I seek His continued blessings for the future. As I consider the last phase of my life, I think it would be wise to hand the labors of administrative pastor on to another servant.  An administrative pastor has to be close to his congregation. Even a two-week vacation can be, and sometimes was, interrupted by much needed ministry. I often declined going to conferences or serving on any committee that would take me away from Collinsville. I always wanted to be here and needed to be here. But there are other ways to serve God and His kingdom. As my family has grown and moved away from Collinsville, I need to be more flexible so that I can be with them and help them. In the future I plan to continue serving God by helping other pastors and churches. With the help of technology much of this can be done remotely wherever I might be, and I Iook forward to doing that. 

Second, this is a good time in the life of Good Shepherd to pass the administrative pastoral work on to another faithful servant. We made it through the COVID crisis. Our school enrollment, which was declining for several years for reasons beyond our control, has begun to increase. There are no major building programs underway, and we are getting close to paying off the debt on our last one. When Pastor Adle left to serve in Nebraska, we decided to call an associate pastor who had the capability of becoming the administrative pastor. We looked and prayed for someone who would fit in here and who had some experience serving a church with a school. Pastor Packer was God's answer to those prayers and that search. 

This past November I asked the Elders and Council to start planning for this transition. They have begun that work, and soon you'll hear more about that. Right now it is very important that we all pray about this. Change is never easy, and I'm sure the devil always sees change as an opportunity to cause trouble. So keep me, Pastor Packer, and Good Shepherd in your prayers. Ask that God would lead us in through this change always remaining faithful to His word and continuing to grant us His blessings. 

"Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews13:8  Pastor Walther

Announcement to Voter's Assembly November 19, 2023

Dear Members of Good Shepherd, 

Last year, during the call process for Pastor Packer, I said we needed to plan for my replacement. We specifically set a goal to call an associate pastor who would be able to transition to the senior pastor position. We didn’t make any promises or set any definite timeline for that. 

Since then I’ve been thinking and praying about this, and I’ve decided that the best time for this transition would be next year. I will propose to the Church Council next Monday that we have a Special Voter’s Assembly in January of 2024 to start that process. I would like the Board of Elders and the Council to work on this and to prepare for that meeting. I also wanted to announce this now so that everyone can be praying about this and that it wouldn’t be a surprise.  

I’ve been blessed beyond anything I could have imagined to serve here at Good Shepherd all these years. We’ve been through many good times and hard times. But God has always faithfully guided us and strengthened us to carry out this ministry. 

I hope that my service here at Good Shepherd would conclude by the end of 2024. Where God leads me from there will be in His hands. I will leave the Elders, Council, and Congregational Assembly to figure out the details of this transition. Please make this a part of your prayers. I want the best for you, for Pastor Packer and for all the staff of our church and school. 

Thanks and God Bless

November 19, 2023