Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ!

Below is the biographical pages about each pastor. THIS IS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. Do not share with people outside of our congregation. 

I'd also like to draw your attention to a difference in the biographical information. The bottom portion of the biographical pages contains comments from two different District Presidents who reside in different regions of the country and may use different phrases or evaluation terms.


The call committee will be presenting additional information about both pastors at the voter meeting.

Please contact me or other call committee members if you have questions you would like us to address in our presentation.


-- Kathleen Brade

-- brade@umich.edu

-- (734) 944-2856

Pastor Joseph Polzin

Education

  • Miami University, Oxford Ohio B.S. 2009
  • Concordia Seminary — St. Louis, Missouri M.Div. 2016

Present Congregations (serving dual parishes for 4 1/2 years)

  • Trinity Lutheran Church, Gaylord, MI
  • 205 baptized members, 178 confirmed members, 87 weekly attendance
  • Mount Hope Lutheran Church, Grayling, MI
  • 112 baptized members, 103 confirmed members, 74 weekly attendance

Family Information

  • Wife: Married 11 years to Jennifer (Stoll) Polzin (vocations: Homemaker, Teacher)
  • 4 children (ages 2-8 years old)

Clinical Pastor Education

  • Stephen Ministry Leaders’ Training Course (2015)
  • Post-seminary Applied Learning and Support (PALS) (2017 and 2018)
  • District Reconciler for Michigan District (2020)

Service beyond the congregations

  • Hurricane relief efforts
  • Involved with pro-life events and pregnancy crisis care center events
  • Planning Worship Services at nursing homes (post-COVID)

Personal and Pastoral Skills according to Michigan District President:

  • Pastor Joseph Polzin is an outstanding pastor. He is one of Michigan’s most promising young pastors. He is well suited for any ministry context. He is rated as outstanding in sick and shut-in visitation. COK desired skills from pastor profile


Comments from Michigan District President:

  • Lay Leadership development: (this skill not addressed in comments)
  • Preaching: He is a well read and educated evangelical pastor/preacher.
  • Family Ministry: He is rated as outstanding in family ministry.
  • Outreach: He is rated as outstanding in personal witnessing and initiative. He has taken the initiative to build a preschool / childcare facility on the property of one of the parishes. He helped the congregation to see the need in their community and how it can be a source of outreach to their community.
  • Leadership: He is rated as outstanding in leadership.
  • Teaching: (this skill not addressed in comments)
  • Senior Adult Ministry: (this skill not addressed in comments)