Little could I have known what it would mean when one day on the River Walk in San Antonio Beth Maeker and Mark Warp asked me if I would assist with their wedding preparation. Mark was serving as associate pastor at New Hope Lutheran Church in Missouri City, and Beth was awaiting her first regular call in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Beth was busy teaching at Texas Lutheran University and helping with interim work in several congregations. I was happy to help with the pre-marital counseling. As it turned out, they married at Christ the King Lutheran Church on August 1, 1998. It was a great celebration. I thought that my work was finished with the new Warpmaeker family. I was wrong.
By the time winter had arrived, I had been asked to serve as senior pastor. It suddenly dawned on me that we would need help around here. The search for an associate pastor began soon after the new year. I was already desperate for help and thought of Beth who was gaining a good reputation in her pastoral work in interim situations. I called Bishop Blom and asked if Beth could be assigned to our congregation while we were searching. His response was that he thought Beth was a good match for the associate position. That set me to thinking about Beth as I had come to know her through the wedding preparation. The possibility seemed good.
When Bryce Linsenmayer, chair of the search committee, requested a list of candidates from the bishop, one name came back: Beth Warpmaeker. The interview process went well, and the congregation overwhelmingly voted to call Beth. On May 1, 1999 Beth was ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament and installed as associate pastor and campus minister at Christ the King Lutheran Church.
When I think about the marriage preparation, the wedding, the ordination, and the installation, I realize how much Pastor Warpmaeker has been a part of our congregation and our lives. That makes it particularly difficult to anticipate the loss that I feel as she is leaving. The only antidote to grief is gratitude.
I am grateful to Pr. Warpmaeker for over four years of collegiality and solidarity during one of the most intense phases of this congregation's history and my own ministry. Even though her tenure at Christ the King Church was her "first call," she has conducted herself competently, compassionately, and creatively. During the transition to new pastoral leadership, the construction of the new ministry building, the expansion of congregational care and campus ministry, Pr. Warpmaeker brought energy and resources to these efforts.
Pr. Warpmaeker "hit the ground running" as she began organizing for campus ministry, service and care and witness and assimilation. Her most outstanding gift is the ability to recruit, delegate, and coordinate the work of ministry groups. One can see the effect of this gift throughout her areas of responsibility. The work of campus ministry is carried out by many volunteers who have trained for the ministry under Pr. Warpmaeker. One pastor cannot minister to all the students. It takes a welcoming congregation and good pastoral leadership.
In January of 2000 we came to the conclusion that we needed an alternative liturgical style to offer to our members and to the community at large. I asked Pr. Warpmaeker to buy a ticket and travel to Taizé, France where she could explore the possibility of adopting this faith community's music and way of worship. She went to France in May. By summer she had recruited musicians and leaders and set them to work for the new Saturday evening service. The effect of Taizé has been far-reaching. Numerous members of our congregation have even traveled to Taizé.
The congregation renewed Pr. Warpmaeker's call after the "first call" of three years had concluded. Her new challenge was to organize the congregation for more intentional congregation-wide effort at faith formation. I especially requested that Pr. Warpmaeker help us to connect with leaders in the youth and family ministry network. Now we are clearly connected with the Milestones program, Youth and Family Institute, Godly Play, and our own Synod Partnership for Youth and Family Ministry.
There are many other examples of Beth's talent and ability. These examples simply serve to make concrete the reasons that we can be grateful for her ministry among us. She has been gracious and caring and has thereby altered the way we conduct ourselves as we serve the same Lord.
Oh yes! One other event binds our congregation to Beth and Mark. Their son, Nathaniel, was born during this time and has spent the first year of his life in our congregation and at New Hope Lutheran Church. Wedding, Ordination, Installation, and new life. Memories like these will keep us bound together in the faith that we share. A lot can happen in four years. Much will happen in the years to come. We send Beth out with our blessings and will do so formally in the services on October 25 and 26.