Pastor David Irgens is a native of Minnesota and the son of the late Dr. Lawrence and Patricia Irgens. His grandparents, the late Ted and Margaret Litsheim, lived in Eau Claire, and his mother attended school here.
He received Bachelor's degrees in English and psychology from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and his Master of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary in St. Paul. In 1998 he was inducted into the Luther College Athletic Hall of Fame for his accomplishments in swimming and contributions to the college. He holds a couple of swimming records at Luther and competed nationally.
Pastor Irgens was Associate pastor at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights, Ill., where he also was lead pastor for 1½ years while the congregation sought a new senior pastor. He previously served churches in Brookfield and South Milwaukee.
He was previously involved with small group ministries and evangelism, and will continue to focus on those areas. “I look forward to working side by side with the members of Grace to invite, inspire and involve others, to make Christ known.”
Our Associate Pastor writes:
1:3-5 “3 In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 4for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel.”
(Colossians 1:3-5)
Is prayer just for kids? Do we grow out of it like a pair of hand-me-downs? What does it mean for us? These are the questions we may ask ourselves at different times in life. Does prayer really make a difference? Augustine grew up with a Christian Mother and a pagan father. At the age of 16 he left his home town of Tagaste (modern Algeria) Africa, to devote himself the study of rhetoric at the University of Carthage in preparation for studies in law. He abandoned the Christian faith, took a mistress, had a son, and after experimenting with many philosophies, he became a Manichaean, teaching about the great struggle between good and evil, while featuring a lax moral code. Augustine summarized his philosophy in these words, “God, give me chastity and continence – but not just now.” (Confessions, Augustine). He became a prominent professor in Milan and accepted the chair of rhetoric in Milan. He returned to his home in Africa in 387 at the age of 30. He returned/converted to Christianity and was baptized on Easter Eve 387. Three years later his mother Monica died. He studied and founded a monastery in his home town and became Bishop of Hippo five year later.
It’s quite a story, but it’s just a story, if you don’t know what happened behind the scenes. Augustine’s mother, Monica prayed her whole life for Augustine’s father who was a pagan and converted on his death bed, as well as Augustine who for half of his life pursued other things, but Monica kept praying for him. When he came back to his home town he converted to Christianity, three years before his mother died. She told him at that time, she never stopped praying for him all of those years. God had a hold of Augustine. God had plans for him and used his expertise in rhetoric in the realm of Theology and leadership, all because of one person who prayed. Prayer has the power to change what we know and see into what Christ desires.
So, I’m going to be praying for every singer member of the congregation, going through the directory. I will be praying, using Paul’s prayer to the Colossians as a guide. I will also be sending you a letter in the mail so, you know when I am keeping you in my prayers. My prayer for you during this next year is that you may “be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. 11May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.” It’s a simple prayer, but a prayer that reminds us of what is really important in this world. Prayer makes a difference.
May Christ bless you this year as he guides you to grow in the knowledge of God to His Glory.
