+Bishop Dee Pederson

It has been said that change is the one constant in life. And part of the truth that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever,” is that Jesus is continually beckoning his beloved children into new callings. With gratitude to God for the gifts Sister Sarah Hausken has shared with the people of this synod for the past 21 years, we now bless her for a new calling, but one that will cause us to deeply miss the joy of her presence. Here are Sister Sarah’s words:

I am both joyful and sad to share that I will be resigning from my role as Synod Youth Ministry Coordinator. I have accepted a full-time position as the Director of Vocation and Education for the Deaconess Community of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.

I am able to serve in this role primarily from home, so our family will not be moving, and I’m glad I will still see you as we walk this discipleship road together.

I started serving as Synod Youth Ministry Coordinator at the Jr. High Youth Gathering in 2000. Pastor Larry Wohlrabe and Bishop Stan Olson saw gifts in this recent college graduate and asked me to join the synod staff.

During these past 21 years I have been exponentially blessed by the youth and adults with whom I have served. I have witnessed the Holy Spirit move in and through their lives. I have seen tentative youth grow into confident leaders in our church. I have seen the joy in youth’s faces as they experience God’s love through a youth gathering. And I have seen volunteer, lay and ordained youth ministers overflow with God’s love, resulting in others soaking in the transformative love of Jesus.

I have been blessed to serve alongside three incredible bishops, 10 amazing synod ministers/DEMs and eight phenomenal support staff members. They have shared their wisdom, love, and grace. I am disappointed not to serve longer alongside Bishop Dee. I admire her greatly and look forward to her warm, wise, and creative leadership in our synod.

It was not an easy decision to end one adventure to begin another. I have served as Synod Youth Ministry Coordinator for all my adult life. I started as a newlywed, welcomed two babies into the world and sent one child to college. I got to see my own sons come to youth gatherings and the oldest served on synod council and the LYO board. When the boys attended their first youth gatherings as participants, those were holy moments. I told them I had loved youth gatherings before I loved them, and it brought me such joy to bring these loves together. So this was not an easy decision, but I thank God that once God’s call was clear, I have confidently embraced this new path.

Some of you may be curious about this new role I’ve been called to.

- The Deaconess Community started in Germany in the 1800’s and is comprised of women who seek to love God and others by sharing God’s Word and serving others.
- Deaconesses serve in many different fields. We have nurses, chaplains, social workers, parish ministers, youth ministers, lawyers, and more.
- When a woman would like to join the Deaconess Community, as Director of Vocation and Education I will walk alongside them as they discern their call, further their education, and figure out if the Deaconess Community is a good fit.
- I will coordinate Formation Events for candidates as well as a J-Term seminary class.
- I will match candidates with seasoned Sisters for mentoring and help new Sisters integrate into the community.
- I will also nurture relationships with people in our seminaries, colleges, campus ministries and outdoor ministries to share the Deaconess Community as a potential way they can follow Jesus.

I’m excited for this new adventure and give thanks to God for the opportunity to serve in this way.

Once again, I thank you for your partnership in sharing God’s love. I am looking forward to seeing how the Holy Spirit continues to move through our synod.

In Christ,
+Sister Sarah Hausken

How we will miss the spirit and joy Sister Sarah brings to any meeting or gathering. Yet we can see how the strengths she has brought to our synod ministries with youth will now be shared on a churchwide stage and will bless the women with whom she will work and the communities they will serve.

There will be an opportunity to thank Sister Sarah for her ministry in the coming months. In the meantime, the LYO Board is well-equipped to lead the Jr. High Youth Gatherings coming up in November. Synod leadership will be evaluating and planning for the next steps in this ministry as the Holy Spirit calls forth a new leader.

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