On Saturday, August 30th, Pastor Christopher Maronde, director of the Lutheran Institute of Regenerative Agriculture, was installed as the sole pastor of Saint John Lutheran Church outside of Hastings, Iowa, and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Oakland, Iowa. He will serve this congregations while continuing to live in the Shenandoah area, where the work of LIRA continues (many more updates this week!)

The Lord of the Church is truly gracious to His people! At the same time that St. John and St. Paul Lutheran Churches were anticipating a vacancy, the Lord brought Rev. Maronde to SW Iowa at just the right time to begin work at LIRA and eager to serve the Church in any other way that He provided. As He always does, Christ brought pastor and people together, and we pray that the Lord blesses Pastor Maronde’s service among the saints in Hastings and Oakland!