My former wife, Lois, & I joined as charter members. It happened because Pastor Kerekes had paid us a personal visit and was even prepared with the proper paper work to make our transfer! In reviewing the 50 years since then, I firmly believe that this was a life-changing event for us regarding the Church. We had been members of the more traditional Lutheran church that simply required "maintenance" to keep it going instead of applying the principles that create a growing & vibrant church. Pastor K. was definitely the man for that task. He was truly an Eph. 4 pastor who believed in "equipping the saints." Maybe a story might illustrate the point.

We were still in the 4H building and it was there that he shared with us that he had received a call. I know we were all shocked. After worship, Scott Daymond and I had a confab. We concluded that we could not continue without him. We further decided that we must meet with him and let him know that he can't possibly give this call any consideration. I went home and called him for a time to meet at the parsonage that afternoon. We had our "ducks in a row" presentation to help him see the light. He carefully listened to all that we had to say before responding. When we gave him his turn, he made this statement... "It looks to me like I need to take this call." "What?" we responded. He said, "I can see that my ministry here is failing." Shocked again, we asked why! He went on to explain that he had focused on us, the laity, to be able to run the church. If we didn't think we could do it, he had failed. Scott and I looked at each other and were speechless. We knew it was time to humbly depart and did so "stunned," but seeing a new light at the same time.

I've had the privilege to share that story with many congregations, leaders, & pastors around the country. This business of realizing that the laity have their gifts of ministry and are called by God to use them was the new revelation that Pastor K. passed on to us.

Lois, directed the choir (for her first time) in the years we were there and continued for 12 years of the same in Hutchinson. I was blessed to become involved in congregational, district work, stewardship work while continuing a personal career. At age 55, I went into a full time ministry as Minister of Spiritual Gifts at Trinity in Mission, KS. That lead to spending 7 years in development work with L.S.S. of Texas. After retiring from that, I was happy to work another six years for Capital Funding Services of L.C.M.S.. I know for sure, that it was the foundation laid at Ascension that permitted me to do that.

In those early days, we had more jobs than people. I served as chair for stewardship, taught 3rd & 4th graders in S.S., did some superintendent work, building committee, was treasurer and, at Pastor's request, taught catechism to 5th and 6th graders. It was a common thing for many of us to spend three and four nights at meetings. God, under Pastor K's leadership, was really equipping the saints! Thanks be to God!! E.L. Van Laningham