Leadership

Celebrate the Ministry of Pastor Kyle Jackson!

Sunday, July 11 – 3-5 pm
Great Hall

Program, refreshments and a time to gather in community as a time of joy and gratitude!  No RSVP necessary, no cost.  All ages invited.

Leadership News: June 23, 2021

Beloved St. Andrew’s Community,

The pandemic has had a profound effect on organizations of all sizes and in every industry – and the church is no different. Many pastors postponed plans to retire or to accept new calls in favor of helping guide their congregations through the challenges of the past 18 months.

As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, churches everywhere are experiencing significant changes in their staffs – and the same is true here at St. Andrew’s. Today we’re sharing bittersweet news: our Pastor Kyle Jackson is in the call process and will likely be offered, and accept, a call to be the lead pastor at another congregation in the Twin Cities.

Pastor Kyle has made a tremendous impact since rejoining our staff as Executive Pastor of Serve and Care five years ago. He’s one of the finest pastors in the ELCA, a fact that has been noticed by many other churches. Pastor Kyle has always wanted to lead a congregation, so while we’re incredibly sad to see him go, we’re thrilled that he’s getting this amazing opportunity to share his calling and gifts in a new way. Pastor Kyle will forever be a dear friend of St. Andrew’s, and we can’t wait to see how he helps further God’s kingdom in his new role. We’ll share more details next month, after Pastor Kyle’s appointment has been finalized, including opportunities for you to engage with him before he moves to his new church.

Please watch the video at right that shares more about what’s on Pastor Mike and Pastor Kyle’s hearts when it comes to this change.

This news, combined with the previously announced retirement of Pastor John Straiton and the decision by Pastor Jenny Sung to pursue a new chapter in her ministry, represents a lot of change for St. Andrew’s. While change creates temporary sadness and uncertainty, it also creates opportunities.

This is an opportunity to celebrate the furthering of our mission and vision: so that the whole world will know the healing power of Christ’s love. Many people outside our walls will benefit from the training and experience St. Andrew’s provided to our outgoing pastors and will witness the gifts that Pastor Kyle and Pastor Jenny bring to their new roles. That’s something to celebrate. This is also an opportunity for St. Andrew’s to pause and consider what will best serve our mission going forward.

Not only is our talent in high demand from other congregations – there are many gifted ELCA pastors who would love to be part of the dynamic St. Andrew’s pastoral team. We have assembled a Call Committee that is in the process of hiring a Teaching Pastor and we are prayerfully assessing roles and responsibilities for the next Pastor we will call.

Although we eagerly anticipate this next chapter in the St. Andrew’s story, we also understand change is hard and that there will be sadness and even grief for many of us during this time. Rest assured that St. Andrew’s will take one step at a time to live through these changes as a congregation, relying on the Holy Spirit to guide us throughout the entire process.

We’re here to support you with any questions or concerns you may have as we navigate these transitions. Please feel free to reach out to either of us anytime.

In Christ,

Jewelie Grape, Church Council President

Mike Carlson, Lead Pastor