Pastor Search Team Update
Pastoral Call Process: Update
We received an approved Pastoral Call List from Indiana District President, Dr. D. Richard Stuckwisch, on Wednesday, July 10. This vetted list includes candidates our congregation submitted and others Pastor Stuckwisch added. The Pastoral Search Team (chaired by Tina Bennett and Bill Berning) and the Standing Committee of Elders (Steve Bolyard, Rick Neuhaus, Ed Rose, John Speckhard) will meet on July 29 with our Circuit Visitor, Pastor Herb Schumm, to review the list and receive instructions on proper protocol for moving into the next phase of the Call process. Please continue praying for this process and the people of the Search Team and Elders.
Pastoral Care and Coverage
We are blessed with a combination of experienced and student pastors who provide care and coverage for the Holy Cross community. Partnering with Senior Pastor Tom Ahlersmeyer (aka "Pastor A") are the following (listed alphabetically, full-time are bolded):
Pastor Don Henry is Pastor of Care and also serves St. Augustine (the African Lutheran Church). He presently is on medical leave until September 1.
Pastor Jerry Koch is a retired pastor who serves as a visitation pastor and as Pastor of Care during Pastor Henry's medical leave.
Vicar Jacob Koehler is our Shepherd of School who also provides regular congregation preaching and teaching. He will be ordained into the pastoral ministry in early 2026.
Pastor Lewis King is Pastor of Urban Outreach deployed to NINE (Northeast Indiana Neighborhood Engagement) and King's Community Outreach.
Pastor Larry Merino is a retired pastor who serves as Pastor of Missional Discipleship (i.e. Outreach). Along with lay volunteer Jon Crabill (Director of Missional Discipleship), he encourages and supports outreach efforts.
Pastor Mark Neubacher is a retired pastor who serves as a visitation pastor and counselor to various care efforts (e.g. "Jared Comfort Dog Team")
Vicar Chad Van Meter serves as student pastor through summer 2025 when he completes his pastoral training and becomes eligible for ordination into the pastoral ministry. A generous grant from The Lutheran Foundation (TLF) given by Concordia Theological Seminary (CTS) is funding a large percentage of his salary and benefits during the vicarage year.
A similar TLF/CTS grant will fund a deaconess intern for 2024-2025. Our intern, Stephanie Kinley, will practice traditional deaconess duties (https://www.lcms.org/how-we-serve/mercy/deaconess-ministry) with a special focus on counseling. We welcome Stephanie as she starts on Monday, June 15 in her new role here at HC. We are thankful for the past visitation ministry of Pastor Herb Gerken who now is completely retired.
For individual pastoral care and emergencies, please call the church office (483-3173). If you receive a recorded message, someone will return your call shortly. After-hour coverage is provided on a weekly rotating basis among four pastors: Ahlersmeyer, Henry, Koch, and Neubacher.