In January 2021, Pastor Mike sent the following letter out to congregation members and friends

Dear Friends of Holy Spirit Lutheran Church,

The story of life is composed of many chapters – childhood, school, family, work. I have enjoyed immensely all the chapters of my life, especially the one called Holy Spirit Lutheran Church. Serving as pastor of such an active and healthy congregation has been the greatest of privileges and I have felt the deepest love and admiration for you who are part of HSLC. This congregation has accomplished incredible things to further the mission of Christ and we have truly lived out our mission statement to: “Proclaim and Embody the Compassionate, Challenging, and Inclusive Love of God revealed in Jesus Christ.”

Now, however, is the time for me to turn the page to the next life chapter, and so I have informed the church council that I plan to retire from my position as pastor as of July 1, 2021. I am announcing this six-months in advance in order to give Pastor Katy, who will remain as your lead pastor, and other church leaders the time needed to call an associate pastor and prepare a staffing scenario for the next chapter of our congregation’s story. Our church has weathered this pandemic well and is poised for a strong and vibrant ministry in the future. At the same time, the post-COVID world will be different from the past and that is true also for the church. The next few months will be a perfect opportunity to begin writing the next chapter of ministry at HSLC and it is an appropriate time for me to step back to allow others to plan for that future.

Although I have energy and enthusiasm for ministry and I will continue to embrace the church mission statement as my own, I have realized during the pandemic how important family is to the life story and, to be honest, Patty and I have not been able to spend quality time with our Minnesota parents during our entire careers which have been spent here in the Pacific Northwest. All four of our parents are now in their nineties and both sets have been married more than 70 years! Now is the time for us to be with our parents in this the final chapter of their lives and so we intend to live in Minnesota for a few months each year. With that said, I am also planning to continue to serve part-time at HSLC in the area of pastoral care and teaching. Details regarding my future work with the church are now being discussed and more information will be available at the congregational meeting on January 24. At that meeting you will also hear plans regarding a call process as the congregation prepares for ministry in a post-COVID world.

Please know I have loved serving as pastor of HSLC and I am looking forward to doing new things with you on a part-time basis.

The Peace of Christ be with you always…

Pastor Michael Anderson