Mountain View, So. San Francisco Bay —
St. Stephen celebrated thirty-five years of God’s grace by dedicating a parsonage. It was four-plus years abuilding, mostly by volunteer labor under the direction of project managers Donald Drews and Richard Dick. The dwelling was received with joy as a gift from God, for the real estate costs in the area allowed for no outright purchase. Benevolent financing by the CLC Church Extension Fund was a major factor in the undertaking.
The second part of the anniversary events was the retirement (for the second time) of Rollin A. Reim, who had served as pastor of the congregation for twenty-nine years. The Rev. Bruce Naumann served for six years from 1990.
The third part–and much cause for thanksgiving–was the ordination/installation of David Povolny as pastor and Amanda (nee Ude) Bailey as second full-time called teacher in the Day School. Both had finished their professional training at Immanuel Lutheran College this spring. More gifts from the Lord, as Ephesians chapter four advises us.
Povolny seems especially well-suited for gospel ministry in materialistic, overly prosperous Silicon Valley. He opted to leave behind a very successful business career for the privilege of kingdom work, qualifying for that with four additional years of intensive graduate studies in theology and biblical languages at ILC. This kind of commitment is understood anywhere!
In her own way Amanda Bailey brings luster to the gospel teaching ministry, continuing the family tradition of serving Christ in that work. Her mother, a trained day school teacher, is the daughter of Prof. Roland Gurgel, former president of ILC. Her father is Pastor John Ude, son of the Rev. Ruben Ude, a CLC founder.
Hayward, East San Francisco Bay —
Recently this St. Stephen celebrated its thirtieth anniversary, returning again to the status of self-support and clearing the mortgage on their parsonage. They have established a preaching station in the Central Valley at Stockton and have begun a careful search for a favorable site for their expanding ministry. They have been long-time tenants of the beautiful land-mark Pioneer Chapel built in Civil War time but find the location unsuited to their mission.
On August 6 the congregation expressed its gratitude for the five years of faithful pastoral care which the Rev. Michael Sprengeler provided. Recently he found it necessary, for personal reasons, to resign from the pastoral ministry and has moved to the Denver, Colorado area where he will doubtless be much engaged in supply ministry.
California Southland —
Under the direction of the Bay Area pastors, the efforts of contact and outreach continue. Currently a group meets regularly with Mr. Garrett Frank for Bible study and fellowship in North Hollywood. As funding allows, St. Stephen ministers come to provide pastoral functions for widely scattered CLC move-ins throughout the greater southland area which is home to more than ten percent of the U. S. population. Referrals? E-mail: Povolny@usa.net or RAReim@aol.com.
–Rollin A. Reim, Reporter