Published: April 25, 2008 09:36 pm      

NORTH TONAWANDA: Pastor celebrates ministerial milestone

With three college majors, an internship in the Virginia attorney general’s office and three years of commercial banking experience under his belt, Karl Haeussler was well on his way to a career in ... the ministry?

“My faith had always been important to me, but I never really considered the ministry as a career,” said Haeussler, who is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his ordination and 10th year as pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in North Tonawanda.

St. Paul Lutheran is marking the minister’s milestone with a celebration dinner at noon Sunday at Rescue Fire Co. No. 5 Fire Hall, 1241 Strad Ave.

Born in Toledo, Ohio, Haeussler, 49, grew up in the Pittsburgh area before moving to Falls Church, Va., near the nation’s capital. He started out as a music major at Longwood College, in Farmville, Va., then switched to a pre-law track while majoring in government, philosophy and history.

During his internship, Haeussler began to have second thoughts about a law career. He was actively involved in St. Paul Lutheran Church in Falls Church and, at the urging of fellow members, he considered joining the ministry.

“When enough people asked, I took it as a message from God that this is what I should be doing,” Haeussler said. Lacking theological background, Haeussler needed to obtain permission to join the Seminary of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. He was ordained at age 29.

Haeussler said that he was about five years behind the typical Lutheran pastor, but he has incorporated the “real world” experience he obtained before joining the ministry into his Sunday sermons.

“I always remember the perspective of someone sitting in the pew, because for so many years I was sitting in the pew,” he said. “I know how important my faith was to me as I tried to find peace in this world, so before I do anything on Sunday, I always try to remember the perspective of the people sitting in the pew, the things they’re wrestling with and their struggle to find peace in this world. I try to remember where I came from.”

Haeussler was associate pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Shalimar, Fla., before answering the call to come to North Tonawanda. He said Lutheran pastors are akin to “free agents” in that when they receive a call to head a church, it is up to each individual pastor to decide whether to make the move.

The NT parish was experiencing a rough patch when Haeussler became the 15th pastor in St. Paul Lutheran’s nearly 150 year history. The church did not have a pastor for some time, and ministerial activities were declining.

When Haeussler arrived 10 years ago, worshippers at St. Paul Lutheran numbered 800; it now has more than 1,300.

“It’s been 10 very good years,” Haeussler said. Nearly one year ago, the church completed a significant building project that made the church handicap accessible and also created a common area where parishioners now gather before and after Mass.

St. Paul Lutheran also has expanded its community outreach missions. Parishioners returned last weekend from a trip to New Orleans to assist Lutheran churches there and, three months ago, the church started its “Buffalo Burrito Project” that has members make and deliver burritos to Buffalo’s homeless population.

Although Haeussler was not among the camp of pastors who knew from an early age that they wanted to join the ministry, he says that as he reflects on the past two decades, he knows he made the right choice.

“When I look back at my life and my 20 years of ministry, I feel like I’ve done the right thing in my life,” he said. “You can’t put a price tag on that.”

Contact reporter David J. Hill at 693-1000, ext. 115.