Farewell Max and Liz Franks
Max and Liz Franks adopted their first dog, Charlie, when they arrived in the Quad Cities two years ago. At that time, Charlie was so small he couldn’t even jump over the makeshift puppy fence in the Franks’ backyard. But a lot can change in two years. While Charlie can now jump higher, Max and Liz are ready to make the next jump in their life as Max’s two-year pastoral residency ends.
The Franks’ will soon relocate to Overland Park, Kan., where Max has accepted a call as a pastor at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. Church of the Resurrection is a large, multi-site congregation with more than 24,000 members, robust community outreach, and compelling worship. The church has six campuses, all located in the Kansas City Metro area. Max will take the position of pastor of care and connection at the church’s Leawood Campus.
Max and Liz are familiar with the area. Before his time at St. Paul, Max completed an internship at Holy Cross Lutheran in Overland Park, Kan. The move also brings the two close to Max’s family as they look toward the next chapter of their lives.
During his time at St. Paul, Max said he’s learned many skills to carry with him into his next call.
“It takes time and real-life experiences to fully develop a pastoral identity. I was fortunate to have the support and guidance of the staff and members of St. Paul, who helped shape me into the pastor I am today,” Max said. “I’ve learned to walk alongside people in their times of grief as well as celebrate with them in moments of joy. It’s a role that requires flexibility and openness to the diverse ways God works through life’s challenges and blessings.”
A few bits of wisdom Max says he will carry with him are the impact of remembering a person’s name, the gift of imaginative leadership, the importance of words, and the joy of being a pastor in a loving congregation.
“Being a pastor is about more than just delivering sermons and creating programs. It’s about cultivating a deep love for the people you serve and helping nurture their faith. I’m immensely proud of the relationships I’ve formed during my time in this community. Liz and I are excited to be close to family as we start planning to start our own.”
“We love the way that Max leads worship. He delivers meaningful sermons and communicates with individuals in the congregation on a personal level. He always has time on Sunday morning to chat before or after the service. We will miss his friendly greeting and smile!
He is gifted at connecting people. He is serious about spiritual matters and wise for his years. He also has a wonderful sense of humor and knows how to have fun! Max has been a catalyst for creating personal relationships among different groups of people within the church.” – Ron and Kristy Fuller
“Max has always been open and willing to learn and grow. I was delighted when I read that he would be coming to St. Paul, having connected with him in the early years of his vocational discernment. His sense of gravity is apparent. Max has grown to be more comfortable and more confident in the pulpit over these past two years. His authenticity has grown and will continue to grow. He’s learned inestimably from his colleagues here at St. Paul and he’s better for it. Max is perfectly suited for his next call at Church of the Resurrection.” – Duane Larson
Saying farewell to Max also means saying goodbye to Liz. Liz Franks has served as the St. Paul Youth Coordinator for the past two years. Liz facilitates youth events, mission trips, and Sunday Night Live (SNL), and has been the touchpoint for youth engagement.
Amy Thoreson is a regular youth volunteer and mom to 17-year-old Emily, an active youth program member.
“Liz’s youth ministry time was grounded in faith, love, and service. All St. Paul values! She honored beloved program traditions and created new ones, making lifelong memories for the teens involved,” Amy said. “Liz is a child of God, wholly and dearly loved. Jesus loves her and so do we.”
A few favorites
Favorite Quad Cities discovery
Max: Sports Fans pizza (and ranch)
Liz: The people of St. Paul
Favorite walking/hiking trail
Max & Liz: Crow Creek bike path
QC food you’ll miss most
Max: Fareway potato salad, Whitey’s, Los Primos Burritos, and Smash Pizza
Liz: Whitey’s, Twin Span’s life-changing pretzel, Monarch
Favorite place(s) to go with friends
Max: R Bar on Tuesday nights to watch Brian and Cooper Schou play live music
Liz: Me & Billy, Homes of our friends – It’s more the friends we’ll miss though!
Pastoral residency program
The pastoral residency program continues under the mentorship of Pastor Mark Niethammer. Pastoral resident Mac Mullins continues his final year, and an incoming pastoral resident is expected to join early next year.
The St. Paul Pastoral Residency Program is a two-year program for new pastors. It’s designed to sharpen vocational identity and shape wise pastoral practices and habits in the context of a healthy congregation and supportive multi-staff setting. St. Paul is privileged to be the only ELCA congregation to host a residency program for first-call pastors.
Rolla Lucas
You will be sorely missed.