The President's Corner

Those of you who regularly read my column know that for months I focused on Parma’s places of worship. In part, due to COVID, I put the series on hiatus.  However, this month I bring it back. In fact, I recently met with Pastor Joel Dieterichs who leads the flock at Calvary Lutheran Church located at 6906 West Pleasant Valley Road, just east of Ridge Road. I was impressed as I walked into the “A” framed shaped church which seemed to reach to the heavens it is so high. I was kindly welcomed by Pastor Joel, Deacon James Hurst, and Office Manager Lisa Klein. Pastor Joel told me about his life growing up in the St. Louis area in a very spiritual family. After receiving a B.A. from Truman State, he was a copy editor.  “It was horribly boring and I made a lot of mistakes,” he explained. Then, one day, a tall colleague looked over him and said “go to the seminary already.”  “My entire life flashed before my eyes and I knew my calling,” Pastor Joel said. So, he entered Concordia Seminary and went on to serve churches in St. Louis, Springfield (Illinois), and Colorado Springs. He was called by the congregation at Calvary to serve them here in 2019. As I viewed Pastor Joel’s biography on the church’s website, the quote he selected from Ephesians 3:20-21 struck me as very appropriate for him on many different levels: “And now to God who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine. . .” 

Pastor Joel has three children and is happily married to his Indonesian wife Yanti. Interestingly, she was the daughter of his Pastor when he served in Colorado Springs. I joked that there are many country songs about dating a pastor’s daughter. He agreed and I got the impression that he can relate to them in some ways.

Unlike many of the churches in Parma that moved here during the 1950s and 1960s from Cleveland when Parma saw incredible growth, Calvary Lutheran began in Parma in 1955. In fact, the classroom building that is attached to the church was originally a hunting lodge and was where some of the first services were held. It was not until 1970, when the current church was completed. The church served the Slovak community. In fact, services were originally only held in both Slovak and English.

Weekly worship times at the handicap accessible facility include a casual Saturday service at 6:00 pm, Sunday education hour at 9:00 am, Sunday formal service at 10:00 am, and Wednesday at 10:00 am. Service is live streamed on their Facebook page @CalvaryParma. The church also collects food for a small food pantry in partnership with Immanuel Lutheran. They will be holding a car show on Sunday, August 22 from noon to 3:00 pm and a rummage sale on Saturday, September 18.

Before I left, Pastor Joel invited me to Calvary’s new Meditation Trail. Located in the woods behind the church, it is a beautiful setting. It is open to anyone who would like to take time from their day to meditate and pray on the themes of faith, grace, peace, forgiveness, and overcoming anxiety and fear. In fact, be sure to check the mailbox at the entrance of the trail to pick up a packet of cards that will help you focus on these topics.

Before leaving, I invited Pastor Joel to deliver the invocation before an upcoming meeting of City Council. Happily, he agreed. In closing, I want to thank Pastor Joel for his hospitality and service to our community. To find out more about Calvary Lutheran e-mail them at churchoffice@calvaryparma.org or call (440) 845-0070. Best wishes to you and your family for a blessed month of August.

Sean Brennan

Parma City Council President Sean Brennan

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Volume 13, Issue 8, Posted 9:37 AM, 08.01.2021