Pastor Karl Jacobson Letter

Dear friends in Christ,

I am writing to inform you of my resignation as Senior Pastor of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd.

This decision, which I have not come to lightly, is, I believe, in the best interest of the congregation, and of myself, my wife Angela, and our family.

Since my return from illness just over a year ago I have been working to build my strength and stamina, and to increase my time at work. This has been a slow, if steady process for the most part, and had been promising. At the beginning of this calendar year, I began to intentionally increase my time, arriving at essentially full-time towards the end of Lent and Holy Week. It had been my hope to return to full-time ministry with the arrival of Easter. As Holy Week approached, however, it became clear to me that I had hit a wall in my capacity, and found that I was increasingly fatigued. My conclusion is that, as of now, I simply do not have what it takes to fulfill the responsibilities of this call. Good Shepherd deserves more, and so does my family.

I am grateful for my colleagues on staff, and for our congregation’s leadership for their patience as I have been recovering and working my way back. I have taken that opportunity seriously, and am deeply, deeply appreciative.

Looking back on the past eleven years I must say that I am grateful as well for the time we have shared together. Thank you for your support not only in these past two years as I have dealt with leukemia, but for the ways in which we have lived and worked together for the gospel. This congregation has been a wonderful call for me, a refuge in many ways for my children, and a place—a people—where I clearly see a faith that works.

As of now, I do not know what will be next for me. I know that I am not done in terms of my work in the church, but as to what is next, we will have to wait and see. Whatever is next, for me and for Good Shepherd, is safely in God’s hands.

My plan is for my last Sunday in worship to be Pentecost Sunday, May 19th. I will do some work in the office to prepare to turn things over in the days that follow, and welcome the chance to say goodbye over the days ahead.

Thank you, once more, for everything. My time at Good Shepherd has been an honor and a blessing.

To paraphrase what the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome,

“Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to the gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of his mystery, disclosed through the prophets, and, according to the command of the eternal God to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen!”

Yours in Christ,
Karl N. Jacobson