Pastor Rich Schwerin was called to his heavenly home on Monday, September 2, surrounded by his wife Donna and other family members. Visitation will be held Wednesday from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at St. John’s, Stillwater, where Rich last served. Christian funeral will take place Thursday, September 5, at 11:00 AM at Salem Lutheran Church, Woodbury. The funeral is being held at Salem instead of St. John’s for space accommodations, and as a central location for those from Crown of Life who may wish to attend. A luncheon will follow the service.

Rich served his entire ministry in the MN District, and much of it in the St. Croix Conference. He began his ministry at Peace in Echo, MN in 1978. He also served St. John’s and St. Matthew’s (dual parish) in Stillwater Township, Trinity in St. Paul before the merge with Emanuel, along with Crown of Life in West St. Paul after the merger, until he retired in 2015. Since 2017, Rich had been serving again at St. John’s in Stillwater in a semi-retirement capacity.

For those pastors who will be attending the funeral, if you wish to be part of a pastors’ choir, please let Jon Hackbarth know (revhack@msn.com). Thank you!

“Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.’” (Revelation 14:13)

Pastor Dennis C. Klatt
President, Minnesota District