The Specific Ministry Pastor program is a new path to ordination for the LCMS. I am one of 23 enrolled in the first cohort at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne. There are 35 guys at the seminary in St. Louis. Most of the education comes from using on-line technology under the supervision of a local mentor, mine is Pastor Joe. We get the benefit of the seminary education system and don't have to move our families or stop our ministries. It is a four year program with ordination occurring after two years. This allows the person to perform all the pastoral duties requiring an ordained Pastor. This is important since there are over 300 vacancies in the LCMS. Most of the guys are still working a regular job and very active in the ministry of their congregations. Please keep us all in your prayers as we grow in our service to God and the church.
 
Vicar Lance Irey
CHRIST Lutheran Church & School

 

Lance Irey, Assistant Pastor

Pastor Lance serves Christ Lutheran in the areas of Care Ministries, Senior Ministries, and our Recovery Ministry.

He works with us as a "worker-priest." This means he earns his income through other employment and serves Christ Lutheran in a part-time capacity.

We are very proud of Lance as he has made the move from member to pastor – having completed the Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) ordination track through Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Lance's ordination and installation took place on January 22, 2012.

Meet Lance A. Irey – more importantly, Janet & Robin too
Lance was born and raised in the Lutheran Church; attending St. Paul’s Lutheran in Northville Michigan from K-8 grade.  He then graduated from Northville High School 1979.  It was in High School that he discovered a love for Architectural drafting and has been employed in the construction industry for over 30 years (his day job).  He met Janet during his first semester of college at Lawrence Institute of Technology in Southfield Michigan, and they have been together ever since.  They moved to Houston Texas in 1981 in search of real jobs, and attended Christ Memorial Lutheran Church, and were married in 1984.  The Lord then moved them to Southern California in 1989 where they worshiped at Faith Lutheran in Huntington Beach for 13 years. 

After the birth of their daughter, Robin in 1998, they transferred to Christ Lutheran Church and School, wanting Robin to have a connection between the school and church growing up, something Faith didn’t offer.  Almost immediately Lance & Janet become active in the Christ Care small group ministry as Christ Care leaders.  God then lead Lance to the Lay Leadership Training Program, available through our church’s district.  After completing an extensive course of study, he was commissioned as a Deacon on Father’s Day of 2005.  When the Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) program became available, Lance applied and was accepted into the first group of men to go through the program.  While completing his on-line studies through Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN, he functioned as the Vicar [Pastoral assistant and intern] here at CLC-S, assisting in ‘Connecting people to Jesus.’ On January 22, 2012 Lance was ordained and installed as your newest Assistant Pastor here at Christ.  He is a Specific Ministry Worker Priest, with his ministry focus on Care giving and senior ministry.  As Lance settles into his new role of balancing ministry with his day job and family, he asks that you keep him, Janet and Robin in your prayers as they trust in God and follow the path He has laid out for them.

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