On Sunday, October 4, at 4pm, the Trinity family shared its great joy and thankfulness for our new Senior Pastor, Rev. Doug Kallesen. The Service of Installation was a time of great celebration! The Sanctuary was overflowing with more than 400 in attendance, with every pew and extra chair filled, and only standing room available, while many were also seated in the gym to view the live-streamed service.
The Trinity family was joined by friends, family, neighbors and nearly 30 visiting pastors! The music was absolutely amazing and included special selections by Parish choir, VPK Choir, and the K-8 choir, as well as the Bell Choir, instrumentalist Jaron Kallesen, vocalist Jen Byce Kallesen, and the beautiful music of David Ludwig both on the organ and piano.
Pastor Kallesen’s “Armour Bearers,” three men who have been close brothers in Christ throughout Pastor Doug’s ministry, shared the readings of the day with us.
Pastor Milan Weerts, who once served a pastor at Trinity, shared the Sermon message. The sermon text was chosen by Pastor Doug because it is a verse which speaks to his heart and which he hopes will speak to your heart as well and will become a guideline for your ministry and life together as the people of God: Hebrews 12:1-2.
Pastor Weerts shared that the reminder from that great cloud of witnesses is that “we are not in this enterprise alone.” Later in the sermon, he shares with the congregation — when Pastor Doug asks if one of his sermons moves you, he’s not asking if you felt “a little pitter patter,” he’s asking if after listening to that sermon if God sent you somewhere, or put you into action somewhere. He cautioned, “You shouldn’t judge your new pastor by how hard he works or how skillfully he preaches but by how well he trains YOU as the body of Christ, to go out and serve.”
In a special lesson at the end of the Sermon, Pastor Weerts held up a potato and asked Pastor Doug, “How many potatoes do you see?” Pastor Doug responded that he saw a whole field of potatoes! Right Answer! Pastor Weerts goes on to explain – A cook sees one potato and uses it for one purpose. But if you look at it as a farmer, see that potato as a plant that grows more plants, then, yes, one potato can turn into a field and the field can be even more. Pastor Weerts encouraged Pastor Doug, “So don’t be a Pastor-Cook, be a Pastor-Farmer who plants and let’s the people grow and serve!”
Rev. Greg Walton, The LCMS FL-GA District President, presided over the rite of Installation, during which all of the visiting pastors shared in reading the scripture passages. All pastors participated in praying over Pastor Kallesen, and Circuit Visitor Rev. Ken Green lead the congregation in prayer and rejoieced with us in finalizing the call process and welcoming Pastor Kallesen to the Trinity family.
The music was beautiful, and focused on fixing our eyes on Jesus, giving all glory to God, rejoicing in servant leadership and a God-directed ministry, welcoming the entire Kallesen family into the Trinity family, and rejoicing in our ability to answer the Lord’s call “Whom shall I send?” with “Here I am, Lord!”
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will do, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.
Welcome to the family, we’re glad that you have come to share your life with us, as we grow in love, and may we always be to you what God would have us be, a family always there, to be strong and to lean on.
May we learn to love each other more with each new day, may words of love be on our lips in everything we say. May the Spirit melt our hearts, and teach us how to pray, that we might be a true family.
What an amazing service of worship! Guests were then invited to share a wonderful meal and a time of fellowship afterward, which ended the evening beautifully. If you weren’t able to attend, the Installation service can be viewed on the Facebook Live post from Oct 1 on Trinity’s Facebook page.
Welcome to the Family Pastor Kallesen! We’re looking forward to what comes next!
