by Kendra Whittle

The call into the pastoral office is one that comes with a prescribed set of responsibilities — serving a congregation in Word and Sacrament ministry and overseeing the needs of Christians in their care. These duties are amplified in times of trauma — such as in a man-made or weather-related crisis. Such times require a pastor to step forward as a spiritual leader and humanitarian to serve both his congregation and the affected community.

“At all times pastors and others involved in intense ministry contexts need to keep their own needs and limitations in mind,” said Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs, professor of Exegetical Theology. “Burnout and exhaustion can become serious problems in the aftermath of a major crisis or disaster. Even as pastors seek to shepherd others and lead them to the love of Christ, they themselves will need to take refuge in that same love of their Good Shepherd.”

Serving after a hurricane, school shooting

Rev. Rob Bailey (’17) has only been a pastor for about a year. But what a year it’s been. When he was first called to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Houston, Texas, the plan was for him to lead a church-planting effort in nearby League City. And while he remains faithful to that effort, two uniquely different mass tragedies have struck the community he serves — Hurricane Harvey in fall 2017 and the shooting at Santa Fe High School in May 2018. Bailey jumped into action to minister during both crises.

“I’m ready for service,” Bailey told his Senior Pastor Dan Schepmann on the phone the day after Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc in Texas. “Look out your window,” his senior pastor responded. Bailey did so. The entire parking lot was flooded and he was trapped in his apartment until the water receded. It was an admittedly slow start to what Bailey describes as months of relief efforts and humanitarian care.

Gloria Dei partnered with several organizations within the Houston community to help citizens in need. One such group was Fuller Center Disaster Relief, a group assisting with emergency home repair and restoration. Bailey was able to venture out and go door-to-door in a subdivision where 99 percent of the homes were flooded.

During Harvey, Bailey visited a city-constructed shelter. “I walked and talked with people and I prayed with them,” he said. “These were people who had been evacuated from their homes. Some said they had lost everything. But they were alive.”

Relief efforts went on for months, and Bailey said full restoration is far from over. He is now often called to bless new homes that have been rehabilitated. Looking back, what stands out to him the most is how willing people were to help total strangers.

“You saw the love of our Lord in all the people who stepped up with no hesitation or complaining,” he said. “You saw what the body of Christ looks like as they shared the love of God in a time of need. I am thankful to serve with the staff and members of Gloria Dei.”

Months later, the Texas community was affected by the school shooting in Santa Fe that left 10 people dead. League City is about 20 minutes from Santa Fe. Bailey was asked by Clear Lake Regional Hospital to come and sit with family and fellow classmates of those injured in the shooting while they waited outside the emergency room. At one point he ministered to a couple who later discovered their child had died. “My job was to be a presence in their time of tragedy, reminding them that Jesus doesn’t abandon or forsake us,” Bailey said.

As a recent graduate, Bailey said lessons he learned at Concordia Seminary provided clarity as he served those who had suffered great loss.