Pastor Mary Iverson
By BARB FINSETH
Contributing writer
Trinity Lutheran Church of New Richland welcomed Pastor Mary Iverson on July 6 as their interim serving pastor while they complete the process of searching for a full-time pastor.
Pastor Mary is originally from Austin, MN, where her parents are still living, and she has two children. Her youngest, Rachel, is a graduate student studying International Affairs with a goal of working overseas for the State Department in an embassy. Her son, Sam, is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and works in Minneapolis as an engineer in the medical implantation device field.
After leaving Austin, she attended Concordia College in Moorhead, MN., and spent her college summers living and working at Zion National Park in southern Utah. After graduation, she studied four years at Luther Seminary in St Paul, MN to become a Lutheran minister.
Pastor Mary has been an ordained ELCA Lutheran minister for 31 years. She has served churches in Denver, Iowa; Sturbridge, Mass.; Rice Lake, Wisc.; Mankato, MN; Eagle Lake, MN, and most recently in Wells, MN. Trinity is her first time serving as Interim Pastor and she is currently receiving the specialized training for the Interim Ministry.
"I truly love being a Pastor as it gives me a front row seat to seeing the way that God is at work in and through the lives of so many people. I especially enjoy getting to know the kids and am surprised that teaching confirmation to middle school kids is still a favorite part of my ministry after this many years."
In her free time, Mary enjoys reading, movies, swimming, biking and traveling. Before the pandemic, she enjoyed traveling all over the world (Australia was her favorite.) and attending plays and concerts. (Prince and Adele are at the top of that list.)
Pastor Mary remarks that, "It is an honor to walk with people through the best and worst times of life, along with all the regular parts of life, and to see the ways that God sustains us." She adds that she welcomed the opportunity to come to New Richland to serve Trinity as Interim Pastor. "I have really enjoyed my first month here, and after visiting with many folks, I have found everyone to be kind and welcoming. I've enjoyed meals at the Red Leaf and The Willows, and I think that the New Richland Care Center is the best care facility that I've ever visited!"
While she is still figuring out the layout of New Richland, learning the worship flow at Trinity, and learning lots of names, Pastor Mary says she has been here long enough to say with certainty that she really likes it here. "I appreciate the warm welcome, the deep faith of the Trinity congregation, and really appreciate the staff and leadership with whom I work. I look forward to seeing where God's amazing grace takes Trinity in this next chapter of their life."