Meet Pastor Goodenough: A Humorous Look at Life in the Parish
Lyle L. Luchterhand
Mankato, MN: Into Your Hands LLC, 2016
ISBN 13: 978-0-9857543-5-8 / ISBN 10: 0-9857543-5-4
120 pages / $12.95
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Overview
Little does young Pastor Willie B. Goodenough expect the challenges awaiting him at his first call: All Sports Lutheran Church in Cadaver, Wisconsin. There he meets Betty May, the gossip; Erv Klipstein, the treasurer who is determined not to spend people’s offerings on the Lord’s work; and I. C. Coldshoulder, the greeter who makes sure church visitors never return. Countless other curmudgeons take turns whisking away their unsuspecting pastor on a whirlwind of unforeseeable, unforgettable, and nearly unforgivable antics. Again and again we’re reminded that scoundrels never get past God—or the minister’s wife. In this humorous parody of a pastor’s life, real-life Pastor Lyle Luchterhand leads his readers from one laugh to another, while Willie’s faithful wife Missy reminds us that no matter how crazy the ministry gets, no congregation is ever quite so God-forsaken as it may seem.
Endorsements
Dr. Walter Andrus, D.D.S. (Minocqua, Wisconsin):
“Who said pastors lack a sense of humor? This book is funny! Belly laughing, rib-tickling, giggle and grin funny! The whole family will enjoy.”
Dr. Michael W. Dietz (Christian Giving Counselor, Mankato, Minnesota):
“Who but Willie could place his beloved outboard motor in the trunk of a car as gently as one would handle a crate of cracked eggs? You will thoroughly enjoy this book! But watch out! With oxymorons, exaggeration, and clever misdirection the author plays with your mind.”
Pastor Paul Lindhorst (Director of Mission Advancement, Great Plains Lutheran High School, Watertown, South Dakota):
“This light-hearted gem shares some of the everyday challenges of the ministry and demonstrates how we can still survive and even laugh at them. Required reading for all those thinking about or already in the parish ministry!”
Willie’s Mom, Shirley B. Goodenough (1949–2016):
“I really love my son. He’s not perfect, but like his father he married up and he’s good enough. Read this and you’ll love Willie, too.”
About the Author
Pastor Lyle L. Luchterhand entered the parish ministry in 1970. He holds a Master of Sacred Theology degree from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin, and has served congregations in both Illinois and Wisconsin. Aside from the present volume of humorous fiction, Pastor Luchterhand has published several works of serious theology: Man: From Glory to Ashes and Back (1998); The Lord’s Anointed: Advent and Christmas Devotions for Young and Old (2009); His Hand among the Nations: Seeing God’s Control in the Old Testament World (2013); and Joseph: Forgiving Brother (2015). He and his wife of fifty-two years, Jean, have raised two sons (both now in the ministry) and two daughters.
Ordering Info
This book is available for purchase at Amazon.com. To request bulk orders for resale, please contact Into Your Hands LLC.
