Pastor Jim Erickson will be retiring on May 31 of this year. He has served as a pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church for 43 years. As a member of Immanuel, his retirement causes me to think about the many things he has done that have benefitted both our church and our community.

In our church, the most important thing that Pastor Erickson has done is to continually use the Words of God from the Bible to teach us how we should live as Christians, both individually and as a congregation. His countless sermons and Bible Studies over the years have served as building blocks for each of us in our faith life. As our church has used Biblical principles to make decisions, our church and school have grown. Teaching children and young people about Jesus has always been a passion for Pastor Erickson. He has always been very active in Immanuel School, the Sunday School, Confirmation Classes, and Vacation Bible School.

Pastor Erickson has helped our congregation to use Biblical principles to make Godly decisions over the years, whether they be big decisions such as building a new church building in 1994, expanding Immanuel School, working to develop a Lutheran High School, or the many smaller decisions that are just as important in the life of a church. He sees the “big picture”, and has always been able to help us have the right priorities and stay focused on what’s most important. He has a calmness about him that is based on his absolute trust that God knows exactly what’s going on, and that God is in control. That sense of calmness rubs off on the entire congregation.

He has always used his excellent people skills to constantly build relationships with church members. I suspect that almost every member of our church feels that he knows them personally. He has always been very welcoming to new members of the congregation. He also has been a firm believer in making visits to members of the congregation that are in need.

His presence as a pastor for 43 years in our congregation has provided a strong sense of stability. This stability in our pastoral leadership has allowed our church and school to take on new projects and continue to develop and grow.

Pastor Erickson is also a recognizable figure in the Alpena community. He has regularly worked on sermons at McDonalds for years, and has always been approachable while doing so. He’s held outreach services for community members unable to attend church regularly, in places such as nursing homes and places where Senior Citizens live.

He’s always had a passion to tell the story of Jesus to the youth of our church and community. He was very active in the Youth Group of our church for many years. He coached youth

basketball teams for many years. He took many groups of young people from our church or from the community to backpacking trips in National Parks throughout America and Canada. He’s always been an active and visible supporter of youth and high school sports in Alpena.

Pastor Erickson did not plan or work to become a recognized figure in Alpena. He worked to do the things he thought he should do as a pastor in the community, and in doing so he became a very recognized figure. When I’ve told people in the community that I attend Immanuel Lutheran Church, I can’t tell you how many of them have responded “Oh, that’s the church where Pastor Erickson is.” In 2017, he was named the Outstanding Citizen of the Year for the Alpena community, to which he responded, “I thought there had been a mistake.”

So why has Pastor Erickson done all these things? With his many talents and abilities, he could have been successful in many different professions. I believe that he became a pastor and did all these things because he realized that the most important thing for him to do in life was to do what God wanted him to do. He felt the calling to become a pastor, listened to that calling, obtained the proper training, jumped into the pastoral profession with both feet, and never looked back. He’s spent his career as a pastor working diligently to try to determine what God’s plan is for him, always re-evaluating what that plan is for him now. When he determined what he should be doing, he went and did it, no matter how much time or effort was involved. He certainly didn’t do things for recognition. He simply did what he thought he should be doing as a pastor. When he someday slows down enough to reflect on what he’s done, and considers the magnitude of some the accomplishments, I suspect he’ll say “I’m surprised that all happened. I just tried to do what God wanted me to do as a pastor. To God be the glory.”

So now, please go back and read the title of this article again. Pastor Erickson really has taught us some important lessons. He has shown us how to do it right. Each of us has a purpose in life, something we should do. Those of us that believe in God know that God has a plan and purpose for each of us. Not all of us are to be pastors. The world needs teachers, business people, farmers, policemen, and many other professions. Imagine what this world could be like if we all did like Pastor Erickson did, and simply tried to do what God wants us to do without any concern for recognition, money, or power. Let’s each learn from what Pastor Erickson has taught us, and diligently do what it is that we’re supposed to do.

Thank you, Pastor Erickson, for all you’ve done for Immanuel Lutheran Church and School, and for the Alpena community. Thank you for showing us how to do it right.

Mark Puls is a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, and is a retired general surgeon.