Dear Friends,  

Annie, the kids, and I would like to thank you so very much for your many kind regards, generous gifts and thoughtful well-wishes as we left our home and friends in Utah for my new call at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Winterset, Iowa. It was a painful good-bye for the whole family, and you come up repeatedly in our thoughts and conversations.  Our trip to Iowa was a rather uneventful drive through Wyoming, Nebraska, and Iowa, with a short stop in Lincoln to visit my internship site, the Lutheran Student Center at the University of Nebraska. Annie and I enjoyed visiting old haunts and reminiscing about our pre-kids days-and about the birth of Sam toward the end of that year. On arriving in Iowa, we moved into our rental home without much effort. Now we’re settling in for a few months stay, without getting too comfortable, while we look for a new house.  The people of St. Paul have been very welcoming and are ready to get to work on the fall program. So far the transition has been smooth, and I’m looking forward to the work and challenges of serving as a solo pastor.  

Which is why I would like to thank you all for helping me get to this place in my development as a pastor, and for your support and encouragement over the years. I especially would like to thank Pastor Steve for modeling a gracious and hospitable leadership style, which makes space for everyone. His ministry inspires deeper engagement with the “principalities and powers” for the sake of justice rooted in God’s shalom. I believe he has a unique, prophetic calling. He is a dear friend, and I’m hoping he, Norma, and family come to visit Des Moines sometime for an Iowa Cubs game! You are blessed to have him as your pastor, and I thank you for supporting his ministry, indeed as you did mine when I was on staff at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church.  I also would like to thank Ronda Harrison for organizing my farewell brunch on August 2. It was a great surprise, and a great time. I appreciated the opportunity to say good-bye in person. Thank you!  We are blessed to know you and to have had eight years to share with  you for the sake of the gospel. Our prayers will be with you as you  continue to live out your calling to  invite your neighbors to the  table of grace. May Zion continue  to be a blessing, just as you have  been a blessing to us!  

Christ’s Peace,  Pr. Joel Nau