New Lutheran pastor starts services this weekend

After a year and a half of searching for a permanent pastor, St. Paul Lutheran Church and School goers will attend the first Mass with their new pastor on Sunday morning.

Pastor Bill Northend chose to come to Merced because he saw the “passion, vision and heart” of the people. He said he’s “excited” to continue bringing a “light in the community and a presence where God’s word is talked about and loved.”

“They have a healthy attitude about making an impact,” he said. “I’m excited about the people here who have come to me and said, ‘Tell me how to do this better or tell us how we can work together to make an impact on the community.’ ”

Being able to work with students at the church’s school is another aspect that drew him to Merced, Northend said. Instilling good values to students while they’re young, he said, can have a big impact on helping them become “healthy adults.”

Janice Sorge, a regular volunteer at St. Paul’s, said it feels “wonderful” to have a permanent pastor after going more than a year with an interim pastor. She said their last pastor left because he wanted to start doing missionary work.

“We’re all excited about having someone who we know will be there every Sunday,” she said.

Sorge described Northend as “very personable, outgoing and full of energy.”

“(We’re) looking forward to them helping us encourage people to enroll people in our school,” Sorge said. “As well as attend our church services.”

Northend will be installed at St. Pauls on Jan. 8 at 3 p.m.

This story was originally published December 30, 2016 at 11:05 AM with the headline "New Lutheran pastor starts services this weekend."