Sending Them into the World

by Pastor Wade

Go into all the world…and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to observe all that I have taught you…and I am with you always!” Matthew 28:19-20

Well, high school graduation has come and gone – an emotional time for youth and parents – and a wonderful celebration of what has been accomplished and what is opening up before our youth in the years to come…

Well, high school graduation has come and gone – an emotional time for youth and parents – and a wonderful celebration of what has been accomplished and what is opening up before our youth in the years to come. I want to thank you for your kind thoughts and support on behalf of my family and the graduation of my daughter, Kelsey. Being a part of First Lutheran’s ministry during those formative years of Middle School and High School has been a blessing to her and to us. She has been nurtured by our confirmation ministry and youth group, has made wonderful friendships with her peers and with the adults who interact with the youth – Angie and Eric, of course, but also those who teach and mentor and give an encouraging word or greeting when they see the young people involved. She has had opportunity to sing for worship and serve with VBS and on Servant trips to Mississippi and Montana and has had other youth trips that have been life-changing. Thank-you for your encouragement and your support, not only at graduation time, but throughout her “growing up years.”
Kelsey has decided to attend Concordia in Moorhead – and although some you may believe that was a given, please believe me when we say “it wasn’t because she had no choice.” We visited six or seven other colleges and while I will admit that I have a bias for our Lutheran colleges and the combination of learning and integration with faith that they offer, I told her she did not have to choose Concordia! Our Lutheran schools offer scholarships that make the cost of attending very comparable with state schools. (And not because I am a pastor, as some might suppose. Scholarships are based on scholastics and need. Concordia and most of the other Lutheran colleges offer no special deals to Pastors’ kids. The one exception is Capital University in Columbus, OH, but she didn’t choose that one!) Close is nice, but we promised to leave her alone! Anyway, thanks again for your prayers.
And thanks for your prayers for all of our youth venturing off to new learning and serving. It was exciting to see the other twenty some seniors and their families gather for breakfast and recognition on our Senior Recognition Sunday and to bless them on their way. These are our youth. They are the ones we have prepared to “go into the world in Jesus name.” These are the ones that First Lutheran has a direct hand in shaping for the world – that they might re-present Jesus and His love. They are in fact “our missionaries!” I’m not sure we are always aware of that as we teach and nurture and encourage our youth. We are preparing them for “outreach” on Jesus’ behalf. One by one they will go out and as followers of Jesus make a difference in our world. That is a high calling for them to be sure and one they may not often think about themselves. And it is a high calling for us as we go about our ministry with children and youth. The truth is that in the day and age in which we live we are preparing very few of our youth to “stay at home.” Some of them will eventually come back. That will be wonderful. But in the meantime, we are sending them out – hopefully prepared to live faithfully and fruitfully as followers of Jesus. Please keep these young people in your prayers, even as you pray for those who have gone before!

Learning and growing with you,

Pastor Wade

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