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Rev. Mike Wiechers often refers to himself as the new kid in town.
“It’s been great. Everywhere I go people seem to know that I am serving as both Pastor of Peace Lutheran Church and Priest at St. Thomas Episcopal. They always want to know how it’s  going.” The “new kid” has already been asked to deliver the Thanksgiving Eve message at Port Clinton’s Community Service, this Wednesday at 7 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran.
Mike and his wife Angie are no strangers to the shores of Lake Erie. They have been coming to the area during the summer months for years. It was on one such visit that they happened to attend Services at Peace Lutheran and learned that Peace and St. Thomas were looking to Call and share a minister. According to Mike, “Something just clicked that morning. I was perfectly happy at Good Hope Lutheran in Bucyrus, where I had served for 25 years. But somehow I knew I was being Called to Port Clinton.”
This shared ministry arrangement is somewhat unique in the state of Ohio. In fact, in the entire country. Few, if any, other examples exist outside of college communities. Here in Port Clinton the covenant between the two congregations has been officially named E.L.M.S., which stands for Episcopal-Lutheran Ministry Sharing. An E.L.M.S. Council consisting of three members from each church and a treasurer oversees Wiechers’ compensation package and other expenses. Peace provides the Alice Street parsonage and all utilities, while St. Thomas covers the larger portion of the minister’s salary.
Mike’s typical busy week includes Mondays and Wednesdays at Peace and Tuesdays and Thursdays at St. Thomas between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Afternoons are spent in visitation and other business of the two churches. (Although Friday is his official day off, the Rev. was recently spotted on the roof of the parsonage stringing Christmas lights). Sunday mornings November through February, Mike preaches at Peace at 9 a.m. and again at St. Thomas at 11 a.m. These service times will reverse every four months. Fifth Sundays of any month will see one shared service at 11 a.m. St. Thomas will be hosting the first such event this month on Nov. 29. Bible studies conducted by Wiechers are held Tuesday evenings at 7 at St. Thomas and Wednesday mornings at 10:30 at Peace. Members of both congregations are welcome at either gathering. They are also welcome at Peace’s Sunday School, (all ages) at 10 a.m. Sundays.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this ground-breaking arrangement is that it is working beyond even the fondest dreams of the joint Call Committee that initiated the process with the blessings of both the Lutheran Synod and the Episcopal Diocese. It was back in the year 2001 that the two denominations came to a full Communion Agreement, recognizing that they had much in common. They share a common confession or creed, mutual baptism and communion beliefs, a common commitment to evangelism, witness and service and have  agreed to eliminate all mutual criticism. The two churches have also given full recognition to ordained ministers of both faiths. The process has taken 32 years to come to fruition. It was begun in 1977, ironically the year Mike Wiechers entered the Seminary!
Mike and Angie are delighted to be living here in Port Clinton. Angie reports that it reminds her of home. She grew up on Long Island in New York. Mike is the oldest of six children and grew up attending a large rural church in Napoleon. Thanks to a Latin teacher, who recognized his potential, he knew at an early age that he would be a minister. (Mike has also taught Latin in the Bucyrus schools). He was an award-winning athlete in both high school and college, graduating from Capital University in 1973 and Trinity Lutheran Seminary in 1977. His first assignment was a church in Brookville, Ind. Seven years later he was called to the 1,400-member Good Hope Lutheran in Bucyrus. (Many members of that congregation traveled to Port Clinton for his recent Installation at Peace. Wiechers’ Installation at St. Thomas will take place in the near future.)
Mike Wiechers lost his first wife, Phyllis, after a lingering illness in January of 2005. The couple had four children. He and Angie, an old family friend, were married in July of 2006. Angie is also “mom” to six children of her own. All are grown now — Angie’s youngest entered Capital this fall. Obviously, the Wiechers love kids. Mike has already taken on a mentoring assignment at Port Clinton High School. The Wiechers also like sports, theater, history, Lake Erie … and good food. Angie’s a great cook; her family operates Italian Restaurants on the East Coast. You’ll be seeing a lot of this energetic new couple around town.
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