Head of The AALC Comes to Watseka

(This is an announcement I'm going to try getting posted in the local paper.)

Pastor Franklin Hays, Presiding Pastor of The American Association of Lutheran Churches, will be in Watseka on Sunday, September 25, for the installation of Pastor Dave Spotts at Faith Lutheran Church. The Presiding Pastor is a position in The AALC equivalent to that of a bishop in many denominations. As the head of the denomination, Pastor Hays' presence suggests the importance of a pastoral installation. In a phone interview on September 21, Pastor Hays said that the installation of a pastor is an important event not only for the local congregation but also for the community. "It signifies that there is a recognized pastor in town, that sacred conversations are ready to progress. This is a sign to the community that God is still active in the very place where we live, that there is no burden we have that God cannot bear, no sin that God cannot forgive," said Hays. Pastor Spotts has been serving at Faith Lutheran Church since June and looks forward to the installation. "This is an important opportunity for the congregation and the community to see that what we are doing, we are doing in public, for the good of our community and the glory of God," said Spotts. Everyone is welcome to the installation service at Faith Lutheran Church, 425 E. Lincoln Ave., in Watseka, Sunday at 9:00 a.m. After the installation Pastor Hays will host a question and answer session, to be followed by a potluck dinner.