This is the One: St. John's Concord Calls Their Pastor

"God has sent us this one!"
We are more when congregations & leaders thrive together. In 2023, the synod staff walked with 25 congregations through the call process. By August, 30 congregations/organizations had connected with their new rostered minister in 2024. St. John’s, Concord is one of those communities.
St. John’s began their call process in 2021 with an intentional interim pastor and began interviewing candidates in early 2023. At the beginning of 2024, they were still waiting and discerning who God was calling to lead their community. Call committee member Sherryl Garfola shared, “We were frustrated. When is the end?” Despite the length of the journey, the committee continued to pray, share meals, and trust the Spirit.
In March 2024, they interviewed candidate Matt Hansen. After their first interview with Matt, Gerald Cline said, “You could feel it in the room. This is the one.” With fist bumps and cheers, they moved forward to call Matt Hansen as their pastor. Pastor Matt felt the spirit at work too and is hopeful for their future together, “Every morning, I’ll walk down across the campus, see the cows and crops, and think about what can happen in the future in this place-with trust and the work of the Spirit.”
The North Carolina Synod is one of 65 synods in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). As the NC Synod of the ELCA, God calls us to... cultivate & celebrate vital congregations; identify, equip, and nurture whole & healthy Leaders; embrace & engage in collaboration; & proclaim the promise of the resurrection with a prophetic voice... all for the sake of the world.
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St John's Lutheran Church was founded in 1745 and is considered one of the oldest churches in active ministry in North Carolina. St John's is located in eastern Cabarrus County about 7 miles east of Concord, NC. The congregational home includes a historic church and sanctuary, an education building that houses St John's Playschool, a fellowship hall, and the Heritage Center. St. John's community is centered on sharing God's love in their community. @stjohnsconcord www.stjohnscon...
Special thanks to ‪@AnkoSouth‬‪@ANKOSfilms‬ for creating this video on behalf of the North Carolina Synod.