Reverend Dr. Kathryn Love has served on staff at the ELCA, and at the National Church as Assistant Director for Evangelism and Director for Prayer and Renewal. She initiated the process of igniting revival in the ELCA by organizing its first revivalist network.
As a wife and mother of three sons, Dr. Love established a successful business as a real estate broker/owner in her hometown of Chicago. She graduated from Chicago Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity and completed the required courses at The Lutheran School of Theology to become a Lutheran pastor.
While serving as Associate Pastor in Ohio and later a senior pastor at Martin Luther Church in Mobile, AL, Pastor Love received her Doctor of Ministry Degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH.
For 2 years Dr. Love served as Interim Pastor for Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Frederiksted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands. She also served the Caribbean Synod as Assistant to the Bishop for the District before returning to Mobile as Pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
Dr. Love's "metaphor" is one of a bridge builder who seeks spiritual renewal and discipleship. Her goal is to reach the church laity with the messages of evangelizing and prayer. She will continue to give form to the model of evangelism, which calls all to discipleship. She's also a poet.
POEMS & LETTERS
The Hurricane Season
The hurricane season often has a profound impact on those who live in tropical regions. The following prayer, from the Danish Lutheran missionary manual, has been used for decades in parts of the Caribbean.
Prayer for the Beginning of the Hurricane Season
O Lord God, Heavenly, Father, in this perilous season of the year our Island/
The Coastal States is often visited with tempests and gales, calamities and distresses by land and by sea. From such evil spare us, we pray.
But if you loosen the wings of the gale and the earth trembles at your bidding—
your will, O Lord be done. Almighty Creator and Heavenly Father, keep us in your mercy through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and rules with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one true God, forever and ever. Amen
From sea to shimmering sea, our prayers lift up to thee.
In the time of calm, we fear no harm, because you
walked the sea. From mountain-top you bless your flock
with faith with daily grace. You created us strong
to endure the storms, and rise unharmed. There is no
other God like thee, so blessed are we!
From pews, music, and the word, to outside grasses land,
communion in hand, with green books on seat, in summer
heat we praise. Parked in drive-in movie style, sun visors over
head, the sound from speakers fill our ears, dear Lord we
love you still. Someone mumbles is God outside; I dare not let
that notion ride, so I replied, Yeah, God is everywhere.
Pandemic everywhere, six feet, wash hands, mask-up
the calm we seek comes through the clouds from He who
made flesh and walked the earth, hung on a tree. The Holy
Spirit breathes, moving objects large as trees to rest on God’s
human being; filling our needs. Let's make the Holy Spirit dwell, can we!
Yes, willing to go home with thee. Where love and calm abide and
foolishness lives outside.
Katherine Love
(C) 8/5/2020
He Reigns
Let's take a new look as Summer approaches
outside of my window, there is no fear
the birds are tweeting, trees standing still
blooming flowers of every kind, most of all,
no suggestion of rain only a fog in the
the atmosphere, the sweet smells of
summer rushing from the sky, God’s creations
enjoying everything, still despondent looks from
human beings.
Even the dogs enjoy their walk, tails wagging high,
brown lizards move swiftly across my sidewalk,
red ants busy building their danger mount,
wasps making cone all about, who thought
they would know there will be no snow.
A gray siamese cat with large glaring
eyes staring as if to say what's going on outside
where have you been, yes you and all
of your friends, no warm car to find
while I hide in the cold waiting for the chase!
Everyone is so different, what is wrong,
why is the human race staying at home?
I thought out loud; the fresh air remains the same
and so does other everything, as far as eyes
can see, how can this be, why are activities halted
for you and me. We're washing our hands, masking
our face, remaining at least six feet away.
Whatever you do, please don't sneeze
publicly; all heads will turn towards you, eyes
hurrying you away. Thank goodness you cannot
see the fear you incite inside their shrouded face,
it would give rise to sneezers to run and hide.
An accident occurred, that impacted the
world, now the scientists, work both night and day
but the virus refuses to go away,
so we wait for data to announce our fate.
We were robust and well, until this shift in our world.
Earth's, plants, animals, and insects remain the same,
are we to blame for this grievous change, that's reaping
habit on humankind? It's an invisible war they say,
so many swept away.
Did we answer the call when told, ”it's going
to rain, ” Noah said it you know, pray-tell there is
no place to go, except to the ark of the risen King.
If we look we will see something extraordinary,
fog disappear a burst of brilliant sunlight overshadowing
the luminous sky, translucency is here,
then the rainbow appeared. Could it be our sign, like when
Noah was alive.
I know not the day this virus will pass away, but
do not resolve to disbelief, the testing, and tracing
will bring temporary victory, yet we will never be
the same, so they say, believe Jesus, who will vanish
this virus away!
Kathryn Love
(C) 5/12/2020