Pastor Ioan Ittu is Recommended to the St. Paul Congregation
The Congregation Council has accepted the recommendation of the Call Committee to present Pastor Ioan Ittu to the congregation to be called as the next pastor of St. Paul. With excitement for our future, a special meeting of the congregation is set for Sunday, July 12, to present Pastor Ioan to you and to affirm and celebrate his call to St. Paul.
Pastor Ioan Ittu (pronounced you-wan e-too) is currently serving Trinity Lutheran Church in the Los Angeles, CA, area. He has ten years of experience as a Lutheran pastor and is looking forward to moving to Winterset to be close to his fiancee’s family who live in the Des Moines area.
Pastor Ioan immigrated from Romania with his parents when he was three years old. He earned his Master of Divinity at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN, after majoring in biblical studies and earning his Bachelor of Arts at Trinity Lutheran College, Issaquah, WA.
The Call Committee believes that Pastor Ioan embodies the description of our new pastor included in the Charge to the Committee from the Congregation Council (January 2020): “This congregation will welcome a pastor who loves the Lord, loves people, has an engaging communication style, and who will enthusiastically embrace this pivotal phase and opportunity for pastoral leadership in the life of the congregation.”
Here is a sampling of quotes from the Call Committee:
“Pastor Ioan exudes passion for spreading God’s love, and he does this through intentional relationship building and thoughtful preaching, which are the primary ways pastors make things happen.”
“Pastor Ioan is focused on people and their need to be loved. He is extremely easy to talk to and brings humor and fun into conversations and his sermons. Not afraid to think outside the box, he is capable of revitalizing St. Paul to become a vibrant and lively congregation.”
“During our time with Pastor Ioan, we witnessed both seriousness and humor, active listening and empathy, patience and leadership. In his interactions with children, he is engaging and relatable.”
We know everyone is eager to learn more about Pastor Ioan. Next Saturday, July 4, we will share highlights of Pastor Ioan’s leadership skills and energy. Saturday, July 11, we will focus on his skills in leading worship and preaching, including the children’s sermon.
In bringing Pastor Ioan to us, we thank God for His guidance, His wisdom, and His insight. The Call Committee is filled with gratitude for your prayers of encouragement, discernment, and support. Thanks be to God!
Ann Bartelt, Chair
Clarice Blanchard Lonna Nielsen
Don Darling Jerry Swanson
Alan Feirer Lisa Vossekuil
Church office email: StPaulLutheranChurch@hotmail.com
Pastor Brian Mortenson email: StPaulPastor1941@gmail.com
Pastoral Emergencies: 605-351-0867
Church office phone: 515-462-4270