Service, Community, & God’s Love

Before I graduated from United Lutheran Seminary in 2018, I thought it was a good idea to drive a Uhaul with all my belongings, minus one suitcase and two cats, to my new apartment in Cincinnati, Ohio. Then, I drove the same Uhaul up to Oxford, Ohio to move my then fiancé Randi down to the new apartment, just to get on a flight to Philadelphia for graduation. After graduation I packed up my 2003 color equal parts gold & rust Hyundai Elantra with one suitcase and two cats, drove to Cincinnati, Ohio, spent a few days organizing, and got on a plane to Montana to get married. After that wonderful experience, I swore to slow down and try to not do everything at once. It was going well until last month.

March & April, 2023 will go down in my personal history books. New call to St. Johns, new job at the Grand Canyon Synod, ordination service in Philadelphia, installation service in Glendale, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter. What a wonderful experience. Just as I graduated seminary in a fast & furious fashion, I wouldn’t recommend it or have it any other way. Time to get to work!

On April 15th, 2023, thirteen leaders of St. John’s gathered for the first ever Welcome & Outreach Summit! When looking at how to create a welcoming space and reach out to the community, it is often our first instinct to focus on the “what”. At the W&O Summit, we spent two hours strategically focused on the “why”, pinpointing St. John’s core values and mission that will inform all our work going forward. Here is what we found:

St. John’s W&O Core Values: Service, Community, & God’s Love

St. John’s W&O Mission Focus:

Ask our neighbors & Provide needed resources

Invite others into a community of Acceptance where they feel Included

Teach & Illustrate to all whom we encounter that God’s Love is for them through Grace

Now the work of creating a strategic vision, measurable goals, and inviting all of St. John’s into our ministry together falls on the Welcome and Outreach committee. If you feel the Holy Spirit calling you to serve in this way, please email me at PastorDan@stjchurchaz.org.

In Christ,

Rev. Dan Potaznick

Associate Pastor for Outreach

St. John’s Lutheran Church

Glendale, AZ