June 23, 2008
Dear Members of St. John’s,
Thank you again for all that you are doing to make me feel welcome. I enjoyed my recent visit and am even more excited about serving you and with you in the Decatur community. Among my highest priorities for my first weeks and months at St. John’s is to meet and get to know as many of you as possible. In similar fashion, I’d like to share a little about my background.
I was born in Chicago in January of 1972 and am the son
of Mel and Andrea Gauger. My father is a retired computer programmer and a
dedicated lay volunteer. My mother is a retired LCMS
English teacher and administrator, mainly at the high school level. Both
parents are thus excellent models of Christian service. I grew up in Park
Ridge, a suburb bordering the northwest side of Chicago. My first home
congregation was St. Andrew’s, Park Ridge, where I was baptized, confirmed
and graduated from the day school. My Lutheran education continued at
Luther High School North in Chicago.
After my graduation in 1990, I enrolled at DePaul University in Chicago. I graduated with a degree in accounting in 1994 and began my career in corporate finance. Some of the companies Iworked for include Prudential Insurance, BNSF Railroad and General Electric. After a few years, I enrolled in the evening MBA program at Northwestern University, completing my degree in 2002 with majors in Finance, Management, Technology, and Entrepreneurship.
In the later years of my corporate career, I felt that God might be leading me in a different direction. In 1996 a job change had led me to move a bit west to Itasca, and I joined The Lutheran Church and School of St. Luke, Itasca. It was at St. Luke that God especially provided me with many opportunities to grow by serving Him. My main focus was helping out in Youth Ministry (one of my passion areas), but I was also able to serve in other areas, such as Church Council and the Board of Elders. Through this service God Increasingly placed on my heart a desire to serve Him full-time.
Finally, in June 1994 I enrolled at
Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Seminary was in many ways challenging, but
also a great opportunity to grow both spiritually and in some of the skills
necessary for a pastor to have. I did my fieldwork at Mount Olive and St.
Peter’s Lutheran Churches in St. Louis, two historic congregations that are
currently in the process of merging. One memorable experience was seeing
God join together not only two different congregations but also multiple
cultures: mostly Caucasian and Vietnamese
people, but also some African Americans, worship and serve together. When I
began at Seminary, I never imagined that my sermons would be translated into
Vietnamese for bilingualworship! My vicarage congregation was Zion Lutheran
Church in Bismarck, North Dakota. I was blessed with a diverse vicarage
experience, including much emphasis in preaching, teaching (adults, youth,
and religion in the association day school), and visitation.
In a lot of ways St. John’s is similar to many congregations I’ve been part of in the past: a larger team ministry with members of multiple generations and a Christian day school ministry. There will certainly always be more for me to learn, but I also see God’s hand in preparing me for service at St. John’s.
In my spare time, I enjoy following professional sports and am a fan of the Cubs, Bears and Bulls. I also enjoy watching movies and playing board and card games. Many of you have heard that I’ve been blessed to find a condo in the South Shores neighborhood. I’ll be moving to 2622 Forrest Green Drive in late July. This will be my ninth move in 13 years and hopefully my last for a long, long time.
As I noted during my visit, you are invited to my ordination at St. Luke, Itasca on Sunday, July 13. The service will be at 4:00 p.m. with a light dinner following. St. Luke is located at 410 South Rush Street in Itasca. MapQuest indicates that it is three hours from St. John’s, but allow ample time due to summer construction. I suggest you consult MapQuest but here are summary directions. Take US-51-N to I-55 N. After being on I-55N for 104.9 miles, merge onto I-355N (portions toll) via Exit 269. Stay on I-355N for 19.4 miles and take the Lake St./US-20 exit. Turn right on US-20 E/Lake St. and almost immediately turn left onto IL-53/Rohlwing Road. After 0.6 miles turn right onto W. Bloomingdale Road. Take Bloomingdale for 1.3 miles and then take a slight right on Irving Park Road, a right on Cherry St., a right on E. Washington St., and a right onto Rush Street. There is street parking and lots on both sides of the church; usually there is also parking available at the public elementary school across the street.
I look forward to beginning my ministry among you around August 1 and being formally installed at St. John’s on Sunday, August 10 at 4:00 p.m.
In Christ,
Pastor-elect Bill Gauger