Thanksgiving and Prayer for the North Dakota District

     I am writing this final article to you 4 days after the North Dakota District’s 60th Convention held January 19-22, 2025, even though you first read it now in March.  At that convention, the delegates elected a new district president, Rev. Mark Chepulis.  He is a great pastor and theologian.  He will serve the district very well.  I say all of this because I had chosen him to be the 2nd vice president of the district about a year ago.  I had chosen him for this position because I believed he was good for the district and someone who I as the president of the district could work with.  As you read this he and I are working together for a smooth transition for the benefit of the district.

     I have been blessed and honored to serve you these past 8 years as the district president, and I thank my God and Savior for giving me this opportunity.  This was never a position that I yearned for or even thought I would be privileged with.  When I went into the ministry, I simply thought I would serve in a small congregation or congregations in a parish situation in the middle of a corn field or a wheat field.  I grew up in such a church in a rural setting and that was how I pictured my ministry.     

     Of course, the Lord had a different plan for me.  I started out in the congregation of St. John’s Lutheran in McClusky, ND.  It was a blessing with great people who loved the Lord Jesus Christ.  Then I accepted the call to St. Paul’s Lutheran in Minot, ND.  Again, I was blessed with great people who loved the Lord and they too, received my ministry of law and gospel preaching and teaching.  In both of those congregations there were great friendships made, and those friendships remain.  Using St. Paul’s words to the Philippians 1:3-5, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” 

     Some have expressed concern for me not being re-elected.  For the past year I have been telling people, “At this stage of my life, I am content with retiring or serving another 3-year term as president of the district.  Whatever the body of Christ (you the Church with Jesus as your head) decides is fine with me.”  That is why at the election of Rev. Mark Chepulis as president it was easy for me to say to the convention delegates and to you, “Thank you for retiring me.”  Because “I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.  It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace…in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:5-7)

     Doris and I will have more time to do things together along with our two daughters, their husbands, and our 5 grandchildren that live here in Minot.  Also, I will be able to enjoy more of the many things that I enjoy doing besides preaching and teaching (and I’m sure I will have plenty of opportunities to occasionally still do that).  I will do more gardening, fishing, hunting, and taking care of our home and property that we have been blessed with.  Yes, Doris and I have been very blessed all our lives no matter what and where we have been and are confident that God will continue to bless us in this next chapter of our lives here on earth and what is already ours for eternity, as it is for you too.  

     And so, “God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.  And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:8-11)

Blessings to you all,

Rev. Arie D. Bertsch