Pastor Jack Way started at BLC in December, 2007. He writes, "Greetings favored One!... The Lord is with you." Luke 1:28

The angel Gabriel shared these words with Mary at the annunciation of Jesus' birth. And so, I begin my first communication with you, the members of Barneveld Lutheran Church in the same way. "Greetings, favored Ones! The Lord is with you."

My name is Paul Jackson Way, Jr. and as a "jr." I have been called Jack my entire life (except when I got into trouble). When working, I prefer to be called either Pastor Jack or Pastor Way. I grew up in a small town in northern Illinois of about 300 people. Valerie was raised on a grain farm nearby. We have known each other since high school. There is a longer story about our dating but that will be shared another time. We celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary in September.

We have three grown daughters. Cara is 34. She is married to Cory and they have Cory's son Nick, 11, and a daughter Ava, 2. They live in Sycamore Illinois. Sycamore is where we raised our three kids. Melissa is 29. She lives in Culver City California. It is a part of Los Angeles. She lives with her partner Lisa and their cat Pearl. They plan to share vows in the fall of 2009. Alicia is 24. She lives in Jefferson Wisconsin with her boyfriend Jason and her cocker spaniel Jax.

Valerie just began work at Hospice Inc. in Fitchburg. She is a CNA and is CBRF certified. Valerie has worked with hospice four years after being the primary care-giver for her mother when she was at home under hospice care. She is an amazing grandma!

I started work after high school trying to farm. I got my first college degree in Farm Management from a two-year technical school while Valerie and I both worked. I entered factory work when our second child was born. Benefits were also important back then. I tried with others to unionize the plant without success. However, over the years with diligence, time, and others supporting me, I worked my way into a supervisory position, and then a quality manager position. I worked on my Bachelors degree at night while working fulltime. I was trained to teach a specific form of problem solving. I was moving up the corporate ladder and into positions of greater responsibility. I turned down an offer to be a plant manager when I entered seminary in 1997.

Valerie and I grew up Methodist. Our families were active there. We married and had our older two daughters baptized in the Methodist church. When we moved away we landed at the Lutheran church with our kids, and mostly because our child-care person kept persistently inviting us. Valerie and I had always been active church members. This continued at the ELCA church we joined in Sycamore. The "call" story about being called to serve in fulltime ministry, the first call congregation and more will follow next month.

We are so blessed to join in your ministry here! May we all continue to be blessed that we might be a blessing to others!

Your brother in Christ Jesus,

Pastor Jack