Lutheran Church Welcomes New Pastor

The Reverend Elizabeth Purdum will begin serving as the Pastor of The Lutheran Church in the San Juans – Contributed photo

Effective May 15 The Reverend Elizabeth Purdum will begin serving as the Pastor of The Lutheran Church in the San Juans. a unique multi-island congregation with a presence on Orcas, San Juan and Lopez Islands.

Pastor Purdum, a native of Seattle, is returning to familiar territory after acquiring over twenty-five years of experience in the pastoral ministry in ELCA congregations in Colorado and New Mexico. Since 2003 she has served as Senior Pastor at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Pastor Beth Purdum recalls childhood vacations in the San Juan Islands and flying over the islands while earning her pilot’s license during her college years in Bellingham. She is looking forward to becoming part of the island community.

An energetic individual with diverse interests, Pastor Beth referees and plays soccer and enjoys kayaking, bicycling, sailing, and travel. Last year’s major vacation found her crewing as part of a 5-person team on a 38-foot sailing vessel in Croatia. Study of the Journeys of Paul took her to Turkey, and a brief study of Choral Evensong found her in English cathedrals. Having earned her Masters of Divinity in Lutheran Studies at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California, she also holds a BA from Western Washington University with a major in Biological Anthropology and minors in Chemistry and Education.

Pastor Purdum will step into the pastoral role at the Lutheran Church in the San Juans recently vacated by Pastor Anne Hall. Hall served as interim pastor for a little over two years and has retired, remaining in the islands. The Lutheran Church in the San Juans, which began as a mission church on Orcas Island in 1975, has become a “flying ministry.” Each Sunday, weather permitting, the pastor takes to the air in order to conduct Sunday Services on Lopez, San Juan, and Orcas Islands. Ferries and creativity fill the gaps caused by high winds or fog.

Like Pastor Purdum’s previous congregations, the Lutheran Church in the San Juans is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), but she will be moving from the Rocky Mountain Synod to the Northwest Washington Synod. She will hit the ground running. The day after she steps into her pastoral role here she will join other delegates for two days at the annual Synod Assembly. For more information on the Lutheran Church in the San Juans see: http://www.lutheransanjuans.org/

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