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G ood S a in t N ikolaus
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The Rev. Mike Nikolaus looks forward to his stay in the Rose City
Nikolaus has a special interest in two organi
fter going more than half a year
zations: Second Harvest, a national food hank
without a pastor, Metropolitan
Community Church of Port that raises consciousness about the hunger prob
lem in the United States, and the Southern
land has named an interim
Poverty Law Center. He is especially attracted
replacement.
The Rev. Mike Nikolaus of M C C Los Ange to its “Teach Tolerance” program and its strate
gy of bankrupting the Ku Klux Klan.
les arrived May 1 in the Rose City, where he will
M CC Portland already has heard his opinion
stay for six months to a year until a permanent
of religious intolerance. His Easter sermon focused
pastor is found. His first visit to Oregon was at
on the prejudice against practitioners of Islam and
Easter, when he preached at the church.
how important it is to counteract bigotry.
He sees himself as “a leftover hippie from the
Nikolaus looks forward to his stay in Portland.
7 0s who grew up and became respectable.” An
avid jogger, he believes his fondness for enter “The limited time element,” he says, “allows one
to come in and do what they really feel needs to be
taining, especially brunches, is a result of his
done
without fear of long-term political fallout.” *
“Martha Stewart gene.”
During his visit here in March, he immedi
A native of Wheeling, W.Va., Nikolaus
ately fell in love with the city. He is impressed
refers to himself as “a cradle Catholic” who went
with the efforts of his predecessor, the Rev. Roy
through 12 years of Catholic school and left the
church not because of any specific grievance hut Cole, and hopes to use his own skills and exper
tise to aid the congregation in building on “the
because of “that doubting, skeptical stage that
great foundation that is already there” and set
many young people go through at a certain time
in their lives.” He attended University of ting “a positive course for the future.”
Nikolaus sees a challenge, as well, in the
Charleston, emerging with a bachelor’s degree
interim
position. “The duty of the interim,” he
in sociology in 1973.
says, “is to serve as a bridge between the past and
Two years later, while at a drag show, he met
the future and to prepare the way for the next
the Rev. John Gill of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who
told him about the Universal Fellowship of Met permanent pastor.”
He feels the interim person makes a differ
ropolitan Community Churches. He joined the
ence for the permanent replacement who fol
clergy 15 years ago.
lows, especially when the congregation loses a
Nikolaus served as senior pastor at Christ
long-term pastor. He says such churches have
M CC in Miami from 1987 to 1995 and at First
M CC in Atlanta from 1998 to 1999. At M CC of become accustomed to the former pastor’s style
and personality.
Boynton Beach, Fla., he served as interim pastor.
“If a new person arrives and makes even the
In 1997, he received a master’s degree in pastoral
slightest
changes," he says, “there is often an
ministry from St. Thomas University in Miami.
unconscious but tremendously strong resis
He recently wrote his first book, which will
tance.” The interim pastor’s job is to get people
he published this summer by iUniverse. He calls
his style “multifaceted,” describing Tugs of War thinking “outside the box" and “ in bold and
different ways.”
as “using the spiritual wisdom of the ages to get
And afterward? Nikolaus— along with his
centered when life is pulling us apart.” He wrote
two dogs, Ahby and Shelly— will return to Los
it “to assist the reader in finding middle ground
making more informed choices for the living of Angeles, where he hopes to establish a full-time
speaking and writing ministry, traveling to spe
his or her life."
cial
events such as church anniversaries and
A friend encouraged Nikolaus to produce the
other organizational gatherings.
book as an incentive to spur his speaking career.
His first official appearance behind the
In 2001 he completed the Toastmasters Interna
M CC podium will he May 5, and a special wel-
tional Communications Training Program.
“While [the btxik] is theological/religious in j coming event is being planned so the congrega-
nature, there is a stream of practical wisdom for i tion and community will have an opportunity
dealing with life’s everyday demands,” he says. “I to meet him. jn
tried to write Tugs of War using thought forms
and language which appeal to...people who are : P atricia L. M a c A odha is a Portland free-lance
writer. E-mail her at plmacandhal@hotrnail.com.
turned off by traditional religious jargon.”
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