Pastor Thomas' Retirement

Read Pastor's letter to the congregation | St. Paul's senior pastor, Rev. Dr. Glen D. Thomas, has announced his October 2024 retirement. 

Call Committee for Senior Pastor Seeks Congregational Input

St. Paul’s is forming a Call committee for our next senior pastor, and we would like your input! Watch your email inbox for a member survey being sent next week. Per our bylaws, the church council proposes Call committee members, and St. Paul’s voters approve the Call committee. We are hoping to get suggestions from church members on possible Call committee members. Paper survey forms will also be available at our information center starting next week.

Recommend Members to Serve on Call Committee

We are now gathering recommendations for committee members to serve on the Call committee for our next senior pastor, and we value your input. Submit names online or via paper survey forms at our info center. (Per our bylaws, the church council proposes Call committee members, and St. Paul’s voters approve the Call committee.)

Voter's Meeting March 3 • Noon • Sanctuary

Attend the voters’ meeting to approve the call committee for a senior pastor. Church Council is reviewing congregational suggestions for the committee, with proposed list available on the church website (Member Portal > Rosters & Documents) on Feb. 26. Per our bylaws, the council proposes a call committee, and the voters approve the committee. Please join us and keep this process in your prayers.

Pastoral Call Committee Seeks Your Input

The Senior Pastor Call Committee invites the congregation’s input in two important ways: candidate suggestions and sought competencies. Official Missouri District nomination forms will be available in paper format starting this Sunday at the east lobby information counter. Additionally, an online survey will be launched to gather congregational feedback on the characteristics and skill set sought in our new senior pastor; survey link will be posted on our website’s Member Portal > Rosters and Documents page. Watch for additional details to follow.

Submit Names of Pastor Candidates

The Senior Pastor Call Committee invites the congregation to submit names of pastoral candidates. Nomination forms are available at the east lobby information counter.

Congregational Survey on New Pastor • Extended Survey Closes May 19

An online survey will gather congregational feedback on the characteristics and skill set sought in our new senior pastor. All members age 12 and older are encouraged to respond; responses will be tabulated by the LCMS Missouri District and will inform our search. The survey may also be accessed on our website’s Member Portal; paper surveys are available at our east lobby information counter.

Call Committee • Senior Pastor Search Update

President Hagan has provided our Call committee with 38 potential candidate names, along with their Pastor’s Information Forms (PIFs) and Self-Evaluation Tools (SETs). Of these, 12 names were recommended by Rev. Dr. Hagan, and 26 by St. Paul’s members. Our committee meets weekly, reviewing each candidate’s PIFs and SETs, with the goal of narrowing the list to 7-10 pastors for Zoom interviews, then finally, inviting two pastors to St. Louis for in-person interviews. Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Voters’ Meeting: Vacancy Pastor • Sept. 29 • noon

With Pastor Thomas retiring in late October, as the senior pastor Call committee continues its work, St. Paul’s is considering having a vacancy senior pastor in place for a period of time, beginning in early November 2024 and running through May 2025.

Missouri District President Hagan recommended Rev. Mark Schudde as a possible candidate for this role. The elders met with Pastor Schudde a few weeks ago, and the meeting went very well. The Board of Elders and the Church Council have both approved Pastor Schudde as Vacancy Senior Pastor, pending St. Paul’s voter approval. 

This Vacancy Senior Pastor would support and manage our existing pastors and staff; lead meetings and administrative matters; and preach and lead worship. He would not be in place to make changes to our ministry, but rather would provide stability. The Missouri District recommended this as a contracted rather than a called position. If we call a senior pastor prior to May 2025, Pastor Schudde would move out of this role at that time.

Please join us for this meeting to consider this matter and keep Pastor Schudde and St. Paul’s in your prayers. This is an exciting time for our congregation as we look to the future, knowing God will provide for His people. Please review the meeting agenda and Pastor Schudde’s bio on our website.

Pastoral Candidate Visits

The Call Committee is continuing its work to seek who God has in mind to be St. Paul’s next senior pastor. The committee interviewed a number of pastors in October and November by video and identified three men who we believe God has gifted for this position. These three pastors will be visiting St. Paul’s in the next few weeks, meeting with our call committee, pastors, staff, and church leaders. Please keep this process in your prayers. Feel free to direct questions or feedback to committee chair Desmond Kittelson or one of our pastors. We know that God has plans for St. Paul’s and look forward to seeing His plans unfold.

Tentative Voters' Meeting • Sun., March 9

Three pastors have recently visited St. Paul’s in person, meeting with our call committee, pastors, staff, and church leaders. The committee has identified these pastors as ones we believe God has gifted for the senior pastor position, and we are hopeful to select finalists to recommend at a voters' meeting. Please keep the Call process in your prayers and feel free to direct questions or feedback to committee chair Desmond Kittelson or one of our pastors.

view video

Des Kittleson, Call Committee Chairman

Congregational Email

Members and friends of St. Paul's,

On Sunday, we heard the news from the Call committee. Thus far, and at this time, God has not clearly raised up a candidate to place before the congregation voters to serve as St. Paul's next senior pastor.

In addition, the committee requested that we join in prayer, so we are announcing:

A Congregation Prayer Service

Thursday, February 27 at 6:15 p.m.

St. Paul's Sanctuary

All are invited and encouraged to attend this service, which should last approximately 45 minutes.

If you are unable to attend in person, we ask that you spend time in personal prayer for:

• Our congregation
• Our Call committee
• The Holy Spirit's guidance
• The pastor whom God will reveal

In Christ,

The pastors and ministry leaders of St. Paul's

_________________

Newsletter Announcement

Service of Prayer • Thurs., Feb. 27 • 6:15pm

Join us tonight for a congregational prayer service this Thursday. The specially-scheduled evening worship will include versicles, hymns, petitions, and time for silent prayer. During the service, which is expected to last approximately 45 minutes, we will collectively pray for our congregation, the Holy Spirit's guidance, our Call committee, and the future pastor whom God will reveal. We look forward to coming together in prayer and community.

Submit Names of Pastor Candidates by March 23

As our senior pastor Call committee continues its search for our next senior pastor, we once again invite the congregation to submit names of candidates. Nomination forms are available at the east lobby information counter.