As time has come to turn it all over to Pastor Gorder, I do so with both sadness and joy. Sadness because I will no longer be part of your mission, joy because my work here is finished, and I will move on to other challenges. With God's help, with love and hospitality, the future looks promising. So I bid farewell and God's peace. There we grasp the mystery of creation and the nature of grace.
Beginnings are full of discovery and provide a fresh start.
The Call to be your pastor at Augustana is a new beginning for me. And although the congregation is familiar to you, my coming probably represents a kind of beginning, a fresh start for you as well. It is a beginning time for all of us. Beginnings are filled with expectation and joy. It is a time of celebration.