1. Look for the St. Paul Worship Service opportunity coming to you first thing this Sunday morning in Epistle #91. Pastor Dirk Stadtlander will be our guest preacher, bringing us a message from Matthew 16:21-28. The title of his sermon will be: “LOVE: A Life Sentence.”
About Pastor Stadtlander: Pastor Stadtlander is pastor of our Southeastern Iowa Synod’s FreeIndeed Prison Congregation at the Anamosa State Penitentiary. He was born in Iowa, baptized at Christ the King, Iowa City, and affirmed faith at Zion, Iowa City. After high school he studied at Luther College and Wartburg Theological Seminary (including a year of internship in Sacramento, California). Pastor Stadtlander and his family served as ELCA Missionaries in the country of Senegal (West Africa) for eight years before returning to the United States. After serving as pastor in southern Colorado (where he met Pastor Brian Mortenson) and working as an Interfaith Staff Chaplain at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Pastor Stadtlander was recently called as pastor to FreeIndeed Prison Congregation at the Anamosa State Penitentiary. He’s married to a high school science teacher and they have two daughters….their entire family is learning what learning is like in the midst of “Pandemic Life.”
2. Reminder: For pastoral emergencies through August 31, call Pastors Kevin & Sue Blader (First Christian Church of Winterset) at 515-468-1941.
3. Dalene’s Office hours next week only: Tuesday, Noon-3; Wednesday 9-Noon; Thursday 9-Noon; Friday Noon-3.
4. Thank you to the canteen workers and cookie bakers for this week’s Blood Drive, as well as to those who donated blood! 47 pints of blood were collected, we had one new donor, and saved 141 lives. Our next Blood Drive will be Tuesday, September 15. Call 800-287-4903 to schedule your appointment!
5. Semi-Annual Meeting – September 13 – Stay tuned for time!
6. Bible Study resumes Tuesday, September 1, 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. at the church. Join us as we begin a new series. (We will be practicing social distancing guidelines.)
7. Welcome Pastor Ioan Ittu! After a unanimous vote on July 12 to call Pastor Ittu, we are pleased that his first day with us is Tuesday, September 1. “His energy, enthusiasm, and engaging communication style is a perfect fit to lead our congregation,” says church president Dan Nielsen. Pator Ittu’s first services at St. Paul will be held outdoors on Saturday, September 5, at 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, September 6 at 10:00 a.m. Parishioners are asked to bring lawn chairs and blankets for gathering on the church lawn. During a time of meet and greet after the worship services, we are all invited to bring our own picnic lunch to enjoy a time of fellowship. Health and safety protocols, including social distancing, will be implemented during worship and fellowship.
Pastor Ioan Ittu (pronounced you-wan e-too) has ten years of experience as a Lutheran pastor and is looking forward to living in Winterset where they will also be closer to his fiancee Deb’s family who live in the Des Moines area.
He immigrated from Romania with his parents when he was three years old. He earned his Master of Divinity at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN, after majoring in biblical studies and earing his Bachelor of Arts at Trinity Lutheran College, Issaquah, WA.
“Pastor Ittu exudes passion for spreading God’s love,” said Call Committee member Alan Feier, “and he does this through intentional relationship building and thoughtful preaching, which are the primary ways pastors make things happen.”
Please join us in welcoming Pastor Ittu!
Church office email: StPaulLutheranChurch@hotmail.com
Pastoral Emergencies Contact: Pastors Kevin & Sue Blader
Pastoral Emergencies Phone: 515-468-1941
Church office phone: 515-462-4270