Pastoral Message

Dear Flock:

After forty years of being an officer of First Lutheran Church, Leona Peterson-Spear (a.k.a. Mother Spear from the pastor’s caricature) is retiring from active leadership in her roles as treasurer, chair of the finance committee, and chair of the property committee.


She’s held every office other than Pastor/President, serving as secretary of the council for one year and vice president for two years. Since then, she’s had a record-breaking thirty-seven year stint as treasurer, making her the longest serving treasurer in the history of the congregation. She’s served twenty-six years as chair of the property committee, which I’d bet also breaks a record. She’s executed her roles with professionalism, shrewdness, and style. It looked an awful lot like she was an employed administrator of the church, but, in fact, it’s all been volunteer.

She’s worked hard. I’ve always said, “When I go to bed at night, she’s sitting up dreaming up things for me to do.” It seems she’s always been ten steps ahead in laying plans for the directions we should go – and if she fell behind because of too much work, her trusty husband Don said, “Yes, Dear” to running errands and filling in the gaps. I’ve reflected, “from the bottom of the lowest sump pump to the top of the tower, to the back of every file drawer, there’s hardly a place that hasn’t seen her fingerprint. She has been the architect of financial plans, administrative policies, building projects, and visionary leadership. The number of things she’s taken on is legion.

I know for sure, she’d go another forty years if she could. Her attitude has always been, “Bring it on.” Fortunately, she’s still willing to guide when questions come up. Who do we call for this? Where is the electric box for this? This will be invaluable, too.

So, to honor her for all this record-breaking service, we’ll have a reception for her after church on Sunday, February 22nd in the fellowship hall. We’ll have some good snacks and a little program. Let’s shower her with an offering of cards and letters from you all to thank her, too. Well done, thou good and faithful servant.