Dear Friends in Christ:
It is my great joy to greet you as the new pastor of Grace Church. Grace has been without a regular pastor for what must seem like a long time, especially to those who bore the burden of leadership during the vacancy. But all things happen in God's time, and God's time is the very best time. I am looking forward to our time together which begins now. Please join us for a celebration on Friday, June 26th at 7:00 p.m., when I will be officially "installed" as pastor. The Rev. Leo Longan, who served so well as vacancy pastor, will be the preacher and representative of the synod at the installation.
Let me tell you a little bit about myself so that you can get to know me. I am a "P.K." - a pastor's kid. My father is a retired pastor living in Kansas City, Missouri, where I was raised. My mother is a former Lutheran school teacher. I was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1963 , where my parents were serving as missionaries of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. I have two sisters and one brother scattered around the country. I attended Lutheran elementary school, public high school, and Dartmouth College. During college I was active in the Lutheran campus ministry and began to discern a call to ordained ministry. I entered the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and received my M. Div. in 1989. My first call was to Augustana Church in East Elmhurst, just down the road from Grace, and I served there for eight years. In 1997 I was called to serve Grace Church and School of Malverne, on Long Island, where I have been for the last eleven and a half years.
My decision to leave Malverne and come to Astoria was not an easy one. I have been very satisfied and comfortable there, but sometimes God asks us to leave our comfort zone to take on a new challenge. That challenge has come to me by way of our Metropolitan New York Synod. Bishop Robert Rimbo and our synod have made a significant financial commitment to this place so that we can maintain and grow a visible Lutheran presence in Astoria, especially in the Christian education we provide to children and families from Nursery through Eighth Grade. I am passionate about the ministry of Lutheran schools, and I am excited to welcome our school families into this community of faith in Jesus Christ.
I want to honor the work of those who have come before me in this office, and I especially thank all the loyal leaders of Grace who have kept the faith in trying times. Together we will remain faithful to the Lord of the church, and through the power of the Holy Spirit God's work will be accomplished through our hands. God's Work, Our Hands - the mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
I look forward greeting you in church!
Pastor James Klockau
Grace Lutheran Church,
31-20 21st Avenue,
Astoria, New York 11105-2022
It is my great joy to greet you as the new pastor of Grace Church. Grace has been without a regular pastor for what must seem like a long time, especially to those who bore the burden of leadership during the vacancy. But all things happen in God's time, and God's time is the very best time. I am looking forward to our time together which begins now. Please join us for a celebration on Friday, June 26th at 7:00 p.m., when I will be officially "installed" as pastor. The Rev. Leo Longan, who served so well as vacancy pastor, will be the preacher and representative of the synod at the installation.
Let me tell you a little bit about myself so that you can get to know me. I am a "P.K." - a pastor's kid. My father is a retired pastor living in Kansas City, Missouri, where I was raised. My mother is a former Lutheran school teacher. I was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1963 , where my parents were serving as missionaries of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. I have two sisters and one brother scattered around the country. I attended Lutheran elementary school, public high school, and Dartmouth College. During college I was active in the Lutheran campus ministry and began to discern a call to ordained ministry. I entered the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and received my M. Div. in 1989. My first call was to Augustana Church in East Elmhurst, just down the road from Grace, and I served there for eight years. In 1997 I was called to serve Grace Church and School of Malverne, on Long Island, where I have been for the last eleven and a half years.
My decision to leave Malverne and come to Astoria was not an easy one. I have been very satisfied and comfortable there, but sometimes God asks us to leave our comfort zone to take on a new challenge. That challenge has come to me by way of our Metropolitan New York Synod. Bishop Robert Rimbo and our synod have made a significant financial commitment to this place so that we can maintain and grow a visible Lutheran presence in Astoria, especially in the Christian education we provide to children and families from Nursery through Eighth Grade. I am passionate about the ministry of Lutheran schools, and I am excited to welcome our school families into this community of faith in Jesus Christ.
I want to honor the work of those who have come before me in this office, and I especially thank all the loyal leaders of Grace who have kept the faith in trying times. Together we will remain faithful to the Lord of the church, and through the power of the Holy Spirit God's work will be accomplished through our hands. God's Work, Our Hands - the mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
I look forward greeting you in church!
Pastor James Klockau
Grace Lutheran Church,
31-20 21st Avenue,
Astoria, New York 11105-2022
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Queens Lutheran School
(Elementary - 1st - 8th grade)
31-20 21st Avenue
Astoria, NY 11105
Tel: 718-721-4313 Fax: 718-721-7662
www.queenslutheranschool.com
info@queenslutheranschool.com
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Queens Lutheran School
(Elementary - 1st - 8th grade)
31-20 21st Avenue
Astoria, NY 11105
Tel: 718-721-4313 Fax: 718-721-7662
www.queenslutheranschool.com
info@queenslutheranschool.com
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