by Garrick Moritz, Garretson Gazette
This past week Pastor Laura Phillips was ordained at Palisades Lutheran Church. About a year ago we did a story on Phillips, who was a Synod Appointed Minister (SAM), which means that instead of serving an internship with another Pastor and congregation, she was appointed directly by the Bishop and Synod to serve out her internship as an active Pastor. Having completed her course- work and having served as the pastor of the joint parish of Palisades Lutheran Church of Rural Rock County & First Lutheran Church of Valley Springs, she was fully ordained in a ceremony last Tuesday to a very full church.
More than thirty Lutheran Pastors were in attendance at Phillip’s Ordination, as well as the SD Synod’s Bishop, David Zellmer. Many of the pastors in question are friends and fellow class- mates from her seminary.
“Many of them were from my Luther House of Study fellowship group,” Pastor Phillips said. “We formed really great bonds with each other and it really was a blessing to have them all come!”
Pastor Phillips said that it was especially meaningful to her to have Pastor Jeff Eisele of Spirit of Joy in Sioux Falls as the Ordinand Presenter. (Continued on page 2)
