The church was full for Zoar Lutheran Pastor Daren Blanck’s ordination on Thursday, June 15. Pastor Blanck received prayers and blessings from a congregation of pastors who were on hand to witness and partake in his ordination.
There was some exciting news from Tofte Zoar Lutheran Church recently.
Pastor Daren Blanck received his ordination on Thursday, June 15. It came at just the right time, because two days later Daren conducted the ceremony for his brother’s wedding.
“I asked for my ordination to be speeded up a little so I could conduct my brother’s wedding,” Blanck said unapologetically.
Pastor Daren completed his Beyond the River Academy (BTRA) Pastoral Care class in June. Pastor Kent Wallace of BTRA, and Pastor EvaLyn Carlson, who delivered a brief message, conducted the ordination. Other pastors serving on the North Shore also participated in the service.
Blanck was no stranger to Cook County before moving here in 2015 to begin his ministry at Zoar. He worked as a guide/ counselor at Wilderness Canoe Base. A graduate of Bemidji State University and the University of Wisconsin Superior, Daren also studied at Wycliffe Hall-Oxford, Calvin College, and Trinity School for Ministry, and Beyond the River Academy, a ministry training program affiliated with Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ.
Above: After the ordination ceremony all of the ministers are smiling but the biggest smile of all is from Pastor Daren Blanck. Right: Pastor EvaLyn Carlson, reading to Daren, was one of the pastors who helped to conduct the ordination.
No moss has gathered under the Blanck family’s feet. Daren and his wife Michelle both taught for two years in Macedonia. They also spent five years teaching in South Korea and Daren now teaches 7th grade environmental science part-time in Silver Bay at William Kelley High School.
While in South Korea, Daren said, “We never felt threatened. We felt safe. The people were kind and loving.”
It was while living in South Korea the Blanck’s began attending the Community of Joy church. Pastor Yani Yoo asked Daren about his choice of career one day.
“She said to me, ‘Why aren’t you a pastor?’ And I answered, ‘Because God wants me to be a teacher.’”
“No,” she replied. “God wants you to a be pastor.”
That got him thinking and before long Daren was pursuing more involvement in the church and education along the pastoral lines.
One thing led to another and today Daren, Michelle and their children Elijah and daughter Sophia are glad to be in Tofte where Daren is both pastor and a teacher.
“We welcome people who have come from all types of religious backgrounds at Zoar. We have one service with traditional liturgy one week and one with a more contemporary service the next week,” he said.
Communion is held the first and fourth Sundays of each month and from Independence Day weekend through Labor Day weekend an informal worship service is held at Father Baraga’s cross on Lake Superior. Songs and a short message will take place on the shore in this service aptly named Church on the Rock.
As for Pastor Blanck, his educational studies are not finished. He plans on taking more pastoral courses from a small college in New Brunswick, Canada. “I can drive to Thunder Bay and fly from there. I might as well take advantage of the strength of the American dollar while I can,” he said with a smile.
“Zoar church has been such a welcoming place for us to continue this journey we are on,” said pastor Blanck. “We are grateful for the support of our congregation and this West End community. Our kids love having what feels like a big extended family.”
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