Wednesday, OctOber 13, 2021
NEWS
New Lutheran minister
has famous connections
Patrick Hall is
helping Hermiston
church discover itself
By ERICK PETERSON
Hermiston Herald
Patrick Hall, new pas-
tor at Hermiston’s Trin-
ity Lutheran Church, made
a long journey to get to the
area. Now here, he regales
people with his interest-
ing history, while he helps
the church find a long-term
replacement for himself.
Hall was serving as pas-
tor in Ohio, before driv-
ing to his home in Minne-
sota. That was a 12-hour
drive. The next step of this
trip, going from Minnesota
to Hermiston, was 24 hours,
driving with his wife.
As a happy father and
grandfather, he misses his
family. Still, the 67-year-old
interim pastor is enjoying
Hermiston; his early impres-
sions are positive. And he is
glad to have stories to share
with local residents.
Hall tells people of his
past experiences, including
his past career as a banker,
an educator and a salesman.
He did not have a calling for
the ministry until he was in
his 30s. So he got around,
and he learned a lot, he said.
He said he witnessed a
man drop a load of hot dogs.
The story of this accident
was spread and retold by
Garrison Keeler, radio per-
sonality and host of “A Prai-
rie Home Companion.”
Celebrity
encounters
include run-ins with Prince.
When he was in high
school, Hall was YMCA
president. He welcomed
a young Prince and other
musicians to audition for a
dance. Prince, playing sev-
eral different instruments,
performed at Hall’s dances.
Hall would later see Prince
perform, still early in The
Purple One’s career.
“He was a really nice
kid,” Hall said of Prince.
Hall also met Jesse Ven-
tura, former professional
wrestler and former Min-
nesota governor. Ventura
played football with Hall’s
brothers. At a class reunion,
Hall ran into Ventura and
confronted the wrestler on a
comment he made in Play-
boy magazine.
Ventura had said dispar-
aging comments about orga-
nized religion. Hall asked
him about this comment,
bringing up examples of
strong Christians. Ventura,
Hall said, backed away from
his earlier comment.
Still, Hall said Ventura is
“a nice guy.”
While he has other celeb-
rity-related stories, includ-
ing ones involving hockey
player Mike Ramsey, Hall
has other stories about his
faith. His experience get-
ting “the call” in dreams
is among those stories.
Though a Christian, he was
not the sort of person who
might become a minister, he
said. He was enjoying suc-
cess in business after all.
Changing careers, then, did
not make much sense. He
only accepted the call after
he felt pressured by God.
As a minister, he said he
is more “theological” than
“political.” He focuses on
God, rather than political
messages that may alien-
ate one side or another, with
few exceptions.
He said, these are tumul-
tuous times. People need to
know God is real and lov-
ing. He does not want this
message lost in political
discussions.
His stay in Hermiston is
set to be no more than 18
months, he said. He will
help the church find a new
pastor, before leaving and
returning to Minnesota.
“Life is too short to work
all the time,” he said.
He said he is not sure
what he will be looking
for in a replacement. He is
working with the church,
helping church members
discover the church’s true
identity. Then, they can
find the person to lead them
going forward.
Renee Johannesen/Contributed Photo
Patrick Hall, new pastor at Hermiston’s Trinity Lutheran
Church, is planning a short stay in Hermiston. During his
time here, he will find a permanent replacement.
HerMIstOnHeraLd.cOM • A11
BRIEFS
Walk with Ease offers
steps to healthy living
People looking for relief
from arthritis pain or just want-
ing to be active can gain from
the Arthritis Foundation’s six-
week Walk with Ease program.
Participants can learn how to
safely make physical activity
part of their everyday life.
Good Shepherd Health
Care System is offering the
program for free. Open to
everyone, pre-registration
required.
Walk with Ease, which
began Monday, Oct. 11, is
offered Mondays, Wednesdays
and Fridays from 10-11 a.m.
at Good Shepherd, 610 N.W.
11th St., Hermiston. Join the
group to focus on low-inten-
sity walking, which is proven
to reduce the pain and discom-
fort of arthritis, increase bal-
ance and strength, build con-
fidence in your ability to be
physically active and improve
overall health.
To register, visit www.
eventbrite.com. For questions,
call 541-667-3509.
Drive Away Hunger
accepts food donations
Oregon FFA and Les
Schwab Tires Center again
are teaming up for the Drive
Away Hunger initiative.
With the need to help fight
hunger greater than ever, the
project partners urge people
to drop off non-perishable
food items at any Oregon Les
Schwab Tire Center, Wilco
or Grange Co-op locations.
Donations will be accepted
through Oct. 31.
In a press release from
Christa Carlon, Oregon FFA
Foundation’s stewardship offi-
cer, the special partnership
allows FFA members to live
out their motto of “learning to
do, doing to learn, earning to
live and living to serve.” Over
the past 8 years, Drive Away
Hunger has raised nearly three
million meals for those in need.
For more information
about the initiative, email
Carlon at christa@ore-
gonffa.com, search www.
facebook.com/OregonFFA
or visit www.lesschwab.com/
drive-away-hunger.
—Hermiston Herald
Chamber of
Commerce
PO Box 1 • 101 Olson Rd. • Boardman, OR 97818 • 541-481-3014
www.boardmanchamber.org • email: info@boardmanchamber.org
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