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By Narayan Mitra
STEVEN Herbert was recently welcomed and installed as
the pastor of St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Kamloops.
According to Herbert, he would have been the most
unlikely candidate for transition to a full-time pastorate. But
that’s what the burly 47 year old has been enjoying doing for the
last two months.
An Albertan from Cochrane, Herbert is married to
Melody; they have a son and a grandson. He has never been to seminary. He
did, however, have extensive experience in broadcast engineering and
wireless communication designing systems. For 25 years, he has handled
complex equipment – and worked as a trainer both in Canada and the
U.S.
Herbert managed operations in four Edmonton radio
stations, and worked for two years designing systems in Wichita, Kansas.
During the 9/11 disaster, FEMA used his expertise to help find cell phones
in the rubble of the Twin Towers.
Success in the business world brought spiritual
lukewarmness – and eventual drift from his Lutheran church
upbringing. Thankfully, a turning point came in 1994.
“God called me back through a Passion Week event
on Good Friday. I was asked to carry the cross in the parade organized by
the Cochrane ministerial.
“As soon as the cross hit my shoulders, I had a
vision of Christ dying for me on it – and me driving the nails
on his hands and feet.”
From that point onward, he said, “I dedicated my
life afresh to him, and started taking classes through the Institute of
Lutheran Theology – in order to become a volunteer leader at my
church.”
Moving back to Canada solidified his faith, and his
belief regarding the mission of his life. Putting his analytical mind to
use, he started looking at Christianity, and spending time in the word of
God. Mentoring by a senior minister in Cochrane helped as well.
St. Andrew’s Church member Don Setka finds
Herbert “very lively, exuberant and personable, in addition to being
friendly.” The technical skill of the pastor is in evidence, he
said, in Herbert’s extensive use of Power Point.
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Setka feels most members appreciate the fact that their
new minister uses the liturgical church calendar, continuing the tradition.
St. Andrew’s is a member of the Canadian
Association of Lutheran Churches, the evangelical branch which broke away
from ELCIC over two decades ago.
For Herbert, the transition into ministry has not been
without its struggles. For one thing, he finds the pace of ministry work
slower than that of the fast-moving business world.
But the three pillars upon which he has set his mind,
to keep him motivated, are: loving the Lord; loving the neighbours; and
understanding and accepting salvation by grace through faith.
“For me, everything else supports these three
points,” exudes Herbert.
St. Andrews is located in North Kamloops. It can be
reached by email at: standrewslutheran@kamloops.net.
January 2009
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