Growing leaders
A new year often brings both new beginnings and thoughtful reflection. As I complete my first year serving as the Pastoral Residency Program Administrator at St. Paul, I’ve had the opportunity to reflect on the program’s impact and success. With that in mind, I’d like to share a bit of the history of how the Pastoral Residency Program began here at St. Paul.
In 2005, St. Paul submitted—and received—the first of multiple grant requests from The Lilly Endowment, Inc. through its Transition-into-Ministry grant. The purpose of this grant was to nurture a new generation of talented pastors. What began as a desire within the St. Paul community to teach and support emerging pastors has grown into our strong and ongoing Pastoral Residency Program.
Since its inception, St. Paul has graduated 18 resident pastors from the program, including Pastor Katy Warren, with our 19th resident, Pastor Maddy Tyler, scheduled to graduate in July 2026. We are grateful to report that most of our past residents are now serving in pastoral roles in various capacities across the United States.
Reflecting on the strength and longevity of this program also invites us to look ahead. Today’s pastoral landscape is changing, with a noticeable decline in the number of individuals pursuing pastoral ministry. Seminaries are adapting their educational models in response, and St. Paul is evolving as well—continuing our commitment to support pastoral formation and nurture future leaders. With that in mind, we are excited to announce an expansion of our program to include seminary interns.
Beginning in February, we are blessed to welcome our first intern, Sarah Yotter. Sarah will spend a year at St. Paul completing educational requirements for her Master of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. During her time with us, she will observe, learn, and participate in many pastoral responsibilities while receiving the support and care of our generous community.
Expanding our program to include interns, while continuing to develop resident pastors, is a meaningful expression of St. Paul’s CORE values and one way our community continues to share hope through Jesus with the world.
