KING OF KINGS WELCOMES NEW PASTOR WITH A "DAY OF CELEBRATION"
Sunday, April 13, 2008 was a huge Day of Celebration for King of Kings Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. Rev. Mark W. Halvorson was installed at a 2:00 p.m. Service of Installation. Festivities and celebrating began at the 8:00 AM worship service, with King of Kings member and vacancy pastor, Rev. Don Loesch as liturgist, and new pastor, Rev. Mark Halvorson preaching his first sermon at King of Kings. Following the 8;00 worship service, Pastor Mark Halvorson led the adult bible class. Immediately following the second worship service at 10:45, there was a congregational potluck at noon to welcome Pastor Mark Halvorson, his wife, Ann and their family. The potluck included a welcome from the congregational president and his wife, Jeff & Holly McDonald, and the presentation of a "Gift Card Tree".
The Service of Installation was held at 2:00 PM beginning with a processional to the hymn, "Lift High the Cross". Rev. Don Loesch served as liturgist, Rev. Daniel Q. Johnson, previous King of Kings pastor, preached, and IDE President, Rev. Gary Arp did the rite of installation for Rev. Mark Halvorson. Special music was provided by King of Kings, Director of Music, Kari Sicard, "Prays Twice", King of Kings Contemporary Worship Team, the Adult Choir, directed by John Lensch, and a Children's Choir led by Beth Fosse. Hymns included special accompaniment with brass, provided by two adult and two youth King of Kings members. Sixteen area clergy participated in the Service of Installation. The Service of Installation was followed by a reception in the Fellowship Hall.
Pastor Mark Halvorson was born in the Great Pacific Northwest in Seattle, Washington in 1956. He grew up in Seattle until moving to Northern California in Junior High school. A few years after graduating from Ukiah High School he married his high school sweetheart, the former Ann Clausen. Ann is an elementary school teacher with a Masters Degree from the University of Minnesota. Their marriage of thirty-one years has blessed them with five children and two grandchildren; Sarah (husband Kevin and children John and Kayla), David, Rachel (husband Josh), Laura and Emilie.
Pastor Halvorson graduated from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in 1985 and served at Peace Lutheran Church in Oelwein, Iowa. From Oelwein he returned to the west coast and for ten years was the Senior Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Oregon City, Oregon. In 1998 he accepted a call as Mission Coordinator for the Minnesota South District and after two years returned to the parish at Lord of Glory Lutheran Church in Elk River, Minnesota where he served for nearly eight years.
In addition to serving three congregations and district work, Pastor Halvorson has also been adjunct faculty briefly at Concordia University, Portland then for five years at Multnomah Biblical Seminary where he taught practical theology. He has also been chairman of the Oregon Pastors Conference and the Board for Missions and Congregational Outreach in the Minnesota North District. He has had the privilege of helping start four mission congregations.
Pastor Halvorson’s personal interests include reading, especially history; sports, outdoor recreation and anything having to do with his children and grandchildren.
