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2010 Faithfulness in Ministry Cross HonoreesBy John Klawiter, M.Div. Junior,and Luther Seminary staffThe Faithfulness in Ministry Cross awards are intended to lift up andhonor the ministry of the individual recipients but also of all graduates ofLuther and antecedent seminaries. The Council awards three Faithfulnessin Ministry crosses each year to individuals who graduated:• Within 10 years• Within the past 25 years (No 2010 recipient)• More than 25 years ago28More than 25 yearsNancy Winder, 1976Holden Village, Chelan, Wash.The Rev. Nancy Winder was apioneer of women pastors in theLutheran church and among thefirst in the Pacific Northwest.“Experiencing a very long wait for herfirst call in a church that was unfamiliarwith and sometimes prejudiced towardwomen clergy, Nancy was sustainedby her solid Lutheran theology,” saysthe Rev. Joan Beck. “She believesthat the office of ministry is givenby God, in the church, to all thosewho preach the Word and administerthe Sacraments and that our humandiversity does not diminish butrather enriches the incarnationalnature of our work and witness.”Winder served Faith Lutheran Churchin Seattle for nearly 29 years and isthe current pastor at Holden Village.Bishop Chris Boerger considers her“a colleague in the finest sense of theword. She is available to her ministrypartners in a variety of ways, herpassion for good liturgy and preachinghas established her as a mentor toothers, and her commitment to raisingup leaders means there has been amember of Faith Lutheran studyingfor ordained service every year ofher ministry there.”Faith Lutheran Church experiencedgrowth on many levels under Winder’sleadership. Beck says Winder measuresher success according to the communitythat has developed at Faith. Says KarlaPeterson, parish nurse and visitor, “Itis not Pastor Winder’s faithfulness toher ministry that should be celebratedbut rather her faithfulness to thespecific gifts God has given her, whichshe has used to lift up the ministrythat she leads all of us into.” ●More than 25 yearsRobert Hurlbut, 1971Robert Hurlbut has worn thehat of Young Life wrangler,youth pastor, colleague,support-group leader, synod staffmember, consultant, counselor andmore. He led a support group forwives of military personnel, servedas assistant to the bishop, helpedpublish the Lutheran Book of Worshipand had a hand in starting StephenMinistry. But one thread connectsthe pieces of his ministry: RobertHurlbut empowers others to pursuetheir calls in the world.“I have no idea how many pastors andlay people Bob counseled, enabled themto turn their lives around, and releasedthem into a new future to respond totheir calling, but I bet the numberswould amaze all of us,” says John Lee,who served with Hurlbut in Texas.Perhaps the role most fitting to Hurlbutis counselor, an innovative approachto ministry he deemed necessary.He helped students at Luther “workthrough issues they needed to addressin order to become healthy pastors,”said the Rev. Nancy Maeker, formerLuther Seminary dean of students. Oneof those students, the Rev. StephenFiksdal, ’95, continued his relationshipwith Hurlbut for a decade.“Ministry is hard,” he says. “Bob gaveme the tools I needed to continuewhen I hit a rough spot.”Hurlbut recently retired from full-timecounseling due to health problems,but his legacy is still working in theworld today.His nominator, the Rev. MelindaMelhus, says, “In every situation andcircumstance he was the consummatepastor, humble and gentle yet anincredible presence—his very essenceempowered by the Spirit.” ●STORY Fall 2009