Is it true? Can God be trusted?
Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 10:30PM 
This is how our new pastor, Tuula Van Gaasbeek, began our conversation about the relevance of the church in the 21st century. With the decline of church disciplines and the proliferation of social service agencies, this Karl Barth question is really the only essential call to come to church. Pr. Tuula went on to affirm that our Lutheran theology offers so many wonderful answers to these questions of spiritual hunger. Here are some other soundbytes from our conversation that may just help to provide a sense of who she is, as we await her arrival.
Q: What is Christian community? It has to be more than a handshake and a cup of coffee. It has to be an embrace in the arms of God
Q: What do you try to achieve in your preaching? I want to make people think. I want to stir them, give them something to take home. It’s not giving answers.
Q: What do you hope for in a new congregation? I’m looking for a willingness to take a risk, progressiveness, inclusiveness and open minds.
Q: What does it mean to be a leader? It means having a vision and being a catalyst for getting people to take the next steps
Q: What will you do in the first 100 days or the honeymoon period? It will be focused on building relationships and building trust
Q: What is church about? It’s about equipping Christians to find their place and do their work
We await her arrival in great expectation and pray for an inspired beginning.
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