With Gratitude and Prayer: An Open Letter from the President Emeritus to LCC’s New President

by Rev. Dr. Timothy Teuscher

Dear David,

As I leave the office of President of Lutheran Church–Canada, I find myself reflecting with gratitude on the past eight years and on the privilege of serving Christ and His Church in this way. I also find myself thinking about you as you prepare to take up this calling.

You are stepping into the presidency at a different point in the life of LCC than I did. When I became president, the Synod was in the midst of restructuring, and shortly thereafter we faced the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. There were certainly challenges, and I am sure there are things we could have done better. Yet, through it all, I saw God’s faithfulness.

One particular blessing was the unity that emerged among the regional pastors and the President’s Ministry Council as we faced difficult questions together. I believe that unity came, in large part, from returning again and again to Scripture and our Lutheran Confessions. Circumstances change. Challenges change. But the purpose and task of the Church do not.

In fact, COVID-19, difficult as it was, provided an opportunity to remember something fundamental: the Church is about the preaching and teaching of God’s Word and the administration of the Sacraments. Whether congregations were large or small, whether they could gather in person or were temporarily separated, the gifts of Christ remained at the centre. The recorded services and devotions that emerged during that time were one expression of this conviction.

The Christian life, however, is not lived only within the walls of the church. We are called to live faithfully in the vocations and stations in life where God has placed us—in our homes, our workplaces, and society. The Church equips us through Word and Sacrament to live there faithfully.

David, one of the blessings you bring to this office is that you are not coming to it directly from a parish. Your service as a regional pastor and your involvement with the President’s Ministry Council have already given you an understanding of many of the issues facing our congregations and pastors. Much of what was new to me when I entered the presidency will not be new to you. The international responsibilities will bring new challenges and opportunities, but you will not be starting from scratch.

There are, however, some things about this office that cannot fully be understood until one is sitting in it. One of them is the sheer number of meetings! Meetings are a necessary part of organizational life, but we must never allow the processes and procedures of an organization to become more important than the reason the organization exists. We are here to serve.

That is also one of the lessons I would emphasize as you begin. Keep the main thing the main thing.
The whole purpose of Synod, its regions, congregations, seminaries, boards, committees, and every other structure exists to serve the Church’s central task: to give the gifts of Christ to His people through the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments. We must continually return to that centre.

As I look ahead, one area where I believe we have an opportunity for greater attention is visitation. Regular visitation of pastors and congregations by regional pastors and circuit counsellors is not merely an administrative responsibility. It is an important part of how the Church cares for its pastors and congregations and remains attentive to their needs.

There is a reason visitation has such an important place in our Lutheran heritage. Martin Luther’s Small Catechism itself arose, in part, from what he encountered when visiting congregations and discovering how little people—and even pastors—knew about the faith. Visitation can reveal needs that meetings and reports simply cannot.

Keep Christ and His gifts at the centre. Keep the main thing the main thing.

I hope we can find ways to strengthen this ministry so that pastors and congregations are not simply contacted when there is a problem or when a meeting is scheduled, but are regularly accompanied, encouraged, taught, and cared for.

You can’t do it all alone. I would encourage you to continue fostering the spirit of collaboration that has developed among the regions. The restructuring of Synod has helped us move beyond separate regions operating largely on their own and toward greater cooperation and a more unified voice. There is still work to do, including in our relationship with the seminaries, but I believe there has been meaningful progress.

On a personal note, there is one other piece of counsel I would pass along. Don’t take yourself too seriously.

I remember a professor telling us on the final day of seminary: “Don’t take yourself so bloody serious.” His point was not that our calling was unimportant. Quite the opposite. The calling is important precisely because it is not about us.

You will have difficult decisions to make. There will be meetings that seem endless, expectations that compete with one another, and occasions when you will wonder whether something could have been handled differently. When those moments come, remember whose Church this is: It is His Word, not our word. It is His task, not our task.It is His Church, not our church. That is both humbling and freeing.

I will not be far away. As I return to parish ministry, I hope to have the opportunity to assist with visitation and to remain available to you. I offer that not as someone who has everything figured out, but as a brother in Christ who has had the privilege of walking this road for a time and who wants to see you succeed in the calling God has entrusted to you.

As you begin this new chapter, remember the words of St. Paul: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Your strength will not ultimately come from your experience, your abilities, your plans, or your leadership. It comes from Christ.

So, keep Christ and His gifts at the centre. Keep the main thing the main thing. Serve His people faithfully. And when the burdens of the office become heavy, remember that you are an unworthy servant of a gracious Lord, and that the Church you have been called to serve belongs to Him.

May the Lord give you wisdom, courage, humility, patience, and joy. May He strengthen you through His Word and Sacraments, surround you with faithful brothers and sisters in Christ, and grant you grace to serve His Church faithfully.

And above all, may you always remember that the Lord is faithful, His promises endure, and His Church is in His hands.
With gratitude for the years we have served together and with prayers for the years ahead,

Your Brother in Christ,

Rev. Dr. Timothy Teuscher is President Emeritus of Lutheran Church–Canada.

Print this article