Pastor ‘makes it work’ at St. Paul’s in Wittenberg, Birnamwood

Rev. Matthew J. Christians proudly points out his twin parishes have never closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.”We’re still preaching the word and administering the sacraments. We will do whatever it takes to administer God’s gifts in this difficult time,” he said.

“How do we make this work?” is the church’s central question in responding to the pandemic, Christians said, “The Lord gives us challenges. You can wring your hands and panic, or you can get to work.”

He said his church members were complying with safety guidelines and would continue to make all accommodations that don’t go against their faith.

Christians bases some of his conviction on recalling “ecclesia,” the Greek origin of the the word “ecclesiastical,” meaning “gathering together.” As he put it, “God designed us to be together,” and that includes church services.

He came to Birnamwood’s St. Paul’s Church in 2013 from Oregon and added the pastorship of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Wittenberg two years ago when the two congregations united.

Church membership has held steady during the pandemic, Christians said, although only about 70% of the congregation attends services in person.

That so many parishioners have chosen to avoid in-person services has prompted him to offer monthly communion to people in their homes. Christians added all vestments and articles used in the sacrament are sanitized between uses.

When gatherings were limited to 10 people under the now-expired state mandate, Christians responded by conducting as many as 15 services in a day, he said.

Christians acknowledged that some might find that kind of repetition difficult, but he said he found it reaffirming of his faith and ministry.

He acknowledged there is a personal cost in ministry, even in the best of times. “You can’t just empty (yourself ) all of the time.” The pastor also noted higher rates of depression among the clergy than some other professional groups.

Christians finds that in repeating his sermons, he does “preach a little more to myself” to find additional meaning in the words. But he hasn’t altered his style as he continues to employ a conversational tone to his services. “As long as you’re faithful to the word, it doesn’t really matter what your approach is.”

He also finds renewal in his daily devotions, both personal and those shared with his wife and six children.

Another source of “spiritual filling” is a monthly gathering with fellow Missouri Synod Lutheran pastors, saying there are no Lone Rangers in terms of being able to sustain their jobs alone.

He paused when asked if requests for prayers have changed during the pandemic. “The spiritual needs haven’t really changed,” he observed. “The physical needs have changed.” He called the response of the church amazing in accommodating health restrictions while maintaining the ministry without interruption.

He added his churches remain a fallback for members in need and that is similar across Lutheran synods.

Christians said weddings and funerals have changed during the pandemic. Funerals are comparatively low-key and limited to families and perhaps a few friends. He noted people are going to visitations but relatively few stay for the funeral service.

The pastor said 2020 was a quiet year for weddings as he presided over only two ceremonies, but both were “normal” in terms of size and format. He said he has quite a few weddings scheduled for late summer of 2021.