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Pastor Tom retires after 38 years of service
SNOHOMIC – Spending your life doing what you love sounds like a dream to most people, and Pastor Tom Rohde of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd did just that.
He spent nearly 40 years serving in this Church, but he closed that chapter on Sunday, September 26th.
Tom Rohde was born into this life: His father, Emery Thomas Rohde, was a pastor in Vancouver, British Columbia, then Wenatchee, Seattle and finally in Arlington.
Rohde was elected Good Shepherd pastor in 1983 because he is from the area and his father was also a local pastor. The Church was founded on Swan’s Trail in Snohomish in 1916 and has had many pastors over the years, and Pastor Tom soon wanted to leave his influence.
The life led by a small church did not bother him; he preferred it. As someone who likes to socialize, he felt that working in a larger church would remove the more personable and relatable aspects of the job. Guiding worship and sermon writing have always been one of his favorite memories.
“I think my personality is such that I interact well with the church, so leading worship has always been my favorite part of this work,†he said.
On a personal level, the baptism and confirmation of his two daughters was an emotional climax for him. When asked whether he would have done something different during his time as a pastor, Rohde said: “I would have liked to have better known the relationship dynamics that go on in the church or in people’s lives that might have helped me a better pastor. “
After attending Pacific Lutheran University and graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in comparative religion, Rohde eventually attended Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California, and graduated in 1982. He soon became a pastor at Good Shepherd in January 1983.
Originally, Rohde wanted to work alongside his studies as a teacher, basketball coach or in psychology. “I don’t know if I should be doing this all the time, maybe it only took me a while to realize it, but I think I did it well,” said Rohde.
However, retirement will not be just relaxation for him. Rohde will continue to represent pastors on leave and continue to participate in church life.
“For my next chapter in my life, I want a job without pressure. Not taking anything home at the end of the day without wondering if I could get a call from this person at the hospital I went to. â€He wants to spend more time visiting his daughter and son-in-law and Spending time with your grandchildren.
Regarding his career in an interview before his last service: “I think I did a job here that people value and that may have affected people’s lives more than I will ever know,” he said. “I hope I have touched people’s lives in a positive, divine way.”
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