On Sunday, January 26, 2014 a joyful, but bittersweet service was held at the First Congregational – United Church of Christ in Grand Marais as the congregation bid a final farewell to Interim Minister EvaLyn Carlson (left) and welcomed Reverend Beth Benson as its new settled pastor.
On Sunday, January 26, 2014 a joyful, but bittersweet service was held at the First Congregational – United Church of Christ in Grand Marais. The congregation bid farewell to Interim Minister EvaLyn Carlson and welcomed Reverend Beth Benson as its new pastor.
EvaLyn came to First Congregational as its interim pastor in July 2011 to help with the transition between long time Pastor Peter Monkres and a new minister. And though the congregation knew her position was temporary, it was difficult to say farewell to the good-humored pastor who shepherded the diverse members of First Congregational as they prepared for a new pastor.
It is not really goodbye though. EvaLyn is retiring and staying in Grand Marais, which was the plan all along. Her interim position was meant to be her last. But the relationship with the congregation has changed, from pastor to friend.
In keeping with church conference protocol, EvaLyn will not attend First Congregational Church for a while, to allow Beth Benson time to get to know her new congregation.
Fortunately, both women are comfortable with that. They have the advantage of belonging to the same church conference. Beth served as the senior pastor for Zion United Church of Christ in Le Sueur, MN, as pastor at Prescott United Church of Christ in Prescott, WI and pastor at Peace United Church of Christ in St. Paul. Their paths crossed in the past and they worked in a clergy group together.
EvaLyn is willing to step away from the church for now, but also willing to share her knowledge of the church— and community—if asked.
“Knowing EvaLyn and knowing of her good work, will make it easier to follow in her footsteps. Following an intentional interim is good,” said Beth recently over tea, “It has been wonderful to have this transition, to know that I have her support.”
There may be questions, as she maneuvers the minefield of small town life, where everyone seems to know everyone’s business. However, having grown up as the child of a minister and a teacher, Beth said, “I’m used to living life in a fish bowl. And, as a preacher’s kid, I became aware of the need for confidentiality.”
And in her career before ministry— social work—she learned that sometimes lives depend on confidentiality.
For some people, more challenging than rural life is the weather. Beth and her husband, Lynn Wright, have made many treks up the North Shore in the very worst of weather. But Beth is not troubled by extreme weather, having spent much of her growing up years in North Dakota. “It’s part of the adventure. Here, the saving grace is the trees that shelter you,” she said.
She has wonderful memories of trees sheltering her as she grew up in a home with four brothers, one sister and numerous foster siblings. “I spent a lot of time climbing trees and hiding,” Beth said with a gentle smile.
The love of trees and all things wild is what drew Beth and Lynn to Cook County, which they visited often. They camped and hiked and wondered what it would be like to live here. On their latest visit, last summer, they attended church at First Congregational. “We noticed a wonderful balance at the service we attended. We were nourished by the service. The peace candle and prayer; the user-friendliness of the bulletin. We were so welcomed,” said Beth.
She realized that the church was in the midst of calling a new pastor. She prepared her profile—the church’s version of an application—and things just fell into place, leading to the signing of a covenant to serve as pastor for the First Congregational – United Church of Christ on December 8, 2013.
Since then, she and Lynn have been gradually making the transition to Grand Marais. They will be maintaining two households while waiting for their house in Le Sueur to sell and for Lynn to decide what direction his career will take. He currently works as a social worker in St. Peter, MN. “He’ll be here as much as he can,” said Beth.
Grand Marais already feels like home to both of them. Even the wildlife seems to be welcoming them. On one of their first mornings here they spotted not one, but two pileated woodpeckers and a downy woodpecker in the tree outside the parsonage window.
One of their children came to visit and noticed how at home they have already become. He said, “This is a place that is hard to leave.”
Beth agrees. While she was packing, she found a prayer she had once offered, tucked away in a drawer. In the prayer, she shared a vision of something she was longing for—a place of wood and water and home.
Again with that gentle smile, Beth said, “I realize I was describing Grand Marais.”
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