From the Interim Bishop

August 2011

Dear Friends in Christ,

We have a story to tell and to live.

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Rome he writes, “We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us; prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.” (Romans 12:6-8)

As I look back on almost 50 years in ordained ministry and 14 of those as a Bishop, I still get “goose bumps,” a “shiver down my spine,” a “warm glow in my heart,” when I think of serving the Lord Jesus Christ with people like you and your many different gifts for ministry in the world and in this church. I am extremely hopeful for our church because of the grace given to us in Christ Jesus and because of you and your gifts.

Let me say to all of you it is a privilege to serve as your interim bishop. I am looking forward to having a “ministry of presence” with you during this transition time. My wife Ann and I have chosen to live in Minneapolis during these months of serving. We decided immediately that if I was to be able to have this “ministry of presence” among you, we would move into the synod.

With all of the gifts in this synod that God has lavishly given, I have confidence and hope that God will grace us with love and compassion so that all people will know that the people of the Minneapolis Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are people who confess that Jesus is Lord and Savior and all people will know that we who are the ELCA have a wonderful story of God’s love and compassion to tell and to live.

Interim Bishop Glenn Nycklemoe