May 2015, Duane Wrote
DCHS AND A CAREER IN RELIGEOUS MINISTRY
I believe that I am the only one in our 1955 class to go into full time religious ministry. How has the community of Dallas Center and the class of 1955 influenced my decision to become a pastor in the Lutheran Ministry?
The rural life of growing up on a farm left me feeling that I didn’t want to live on the farm my entire life. My parents were disappointed in that decision but my parents supported me all the way.
I did not feel any pressure from the churches in Dallas Center to become a pastor. There were several churches of the Brethern in Dallas Center and 1 Methodist church and 1 Presbyterian church. I had the most influence from my family and the members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at Bouton, IA where I belonged to become a pastor.
I took the indirect way to become a pastor. Following my graduation from DCHS, I went to Wartburg College
in Waverly, IA. I had no other college in mind except to go to Wartburg. I majored in music education and piano was my declared instrument.
Following my completion of my four years at Wartburg in which I earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree I was left with a decision of what to do next. It didn’t take me long to figure out that I would teach music in the public schools in IA.
I applied for a music teacher’s position at Dumont, IA and taught there for 5 years, teaching all grades from kindergarten through high school. I then applied for a teaching position at Clarion, IA where I taught Jr. High School. I taught there for one year and at that point I was unclear where my life would lead me. My parents lived close to Woodward, IA and in Woodward was a school and hospital for mentally challenged children. During the year of working there I felt a strong urge to go to the seminary to become a pastor. I enrolled in Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, IA. My third year was internship where I and my wife went to Lincoln, NE to the University of Nebraska where I served at the Campus Lutheran Church.
During the summers when I was teaching I went to Drake University in Des Moines and received my Master of Music Education Degree. I took courses in school administration also. During the time that I was teaching, I played organ for worship services and directed choirs. I also taught Sunday school and confirmation and gave piano lessons.
I felt the Lord guided me into the ministry and teaching and working with the mentally challenged. When I was called as a minister at a Lutheran Church in Council Bluffs, I got involved in the ministry to the mentally challenged using my musical talents.
I joined the Kiwanis club in Council Bluffs and became very active in the club as secretary, president two terms and Lieutenant Governor. During this time our Kiwanis club started an Aktion Club which is a club for mentally challenged students.
You can see by my life that the Lord had given me direction and purpose. It was the Lord who directed my life and I am certainly grateful to God.
