Vicarage is often described as a year of learning how to preach, teach, visit, and shepherd. But for many vicars serving in the Southeastern District, vicarage is first and foremost about relationship.

Vicar Borseth, serving at Ascension Lutheran Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, described his vicarage experience this way:

“If I had to describe vicarage, I would describe it as a relationship. A relationship through Christ to His church and His people. It is a relationship that has its awkward moments, especially at the beginning, but unlike making friends with a stranger, it is a relationship that starts with the best connection point, Christ, and both parties are happy and excited to meet and enjoy life together.”

That relationship, he shared, has been deeply supportive and formative for both the congregation and the vicar walking alongside one another.

“In my experience, this relationship has been extremely supportive as the church and I provide, struggle through things, and support each other. In doing all those things, I have learned much about what it means to be a Christian, how I will, God willing, shepherd a church, and more.”

Coming to the Southeastern District was new territory for Borseth, both geographically and personally. While he arrived excited, he also admitted to some nervousness about what to expect. What he found, however, far exceeded his expectations.

“It has been so much more different than I imagined and even more wonderful than I could have hoped for.”

Reflecting more deeply, Borseth connected vicarage to the way Christ Himself comes to His people.

“Just as Christ came into the flesh, as He knew our frame in order to redeem our relationship with God, so too do vicars come to congregations. Of course, we learn and mess up, unlike Christ, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Word, and the community of Christ, we learn how to be better shepherds and caretakers of souls, so that God’s people might find rest for their burdens and have their consciences assured of God’s love and salvation.”

That formation does not happen only through instruction or experience. Often, it comes through the life of the congregation itself.

At St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Hickory, North Carolina, Vicar Tristan Jones shared how deeply he and his wife have been shaped by the generosity, welcome, and joy of the congregation.

“Something my wife and I are continually blown away by is the generosity of the congregation and how much everyone wants to make us feel welcomed. The amount of love and support that has been poured out on me and my family is nothing short of a reflection of Christ’s own heart.”

Jones shared that while seminary rightly prepares future pastors for the challenges of ministry, vicarage has reminded him of something just as important.

“Sometimes we get so focused on the challenges and difficulties that we forget about the joy that is found in ministry. Where God’s Word is, joy abounds. And it is joy that will grant me endurance in the course of ministry.”

That joy, he noted, is rooted in the deep and steady faith of God’s people. Jones described visiting homebound members who openly share their hardships, only to follow those stories with a quiet but powerful confession.

“They tell me about all the difficult things they are going through and then follow it up with, ‘But the Lord has been good to me.’”

One such visit later led to a moment that deeply affirmed Jones in his calling. A member shared how, during a medical emergency when his heart stopped, words from a sermon came back to him and gave him peace and confidence in Christ even as medical staff worked to resuscitate him.

For Jones, moments like these are reminders that the Holy Spirit works through God’s Word far beyond our plans or abilities, and that God is faithful to bring comfort and assurance to His people.

Both vicars shared a common hope for the Southeastern District: that congregations would recognize the important role they play in forming future pastors, not by doing anything extraordinary, but simply by being faithful, joyful, Christ-centered communities.

“You have so much to give to vicars just by being the people God has created you to be,” Jones shared. “Your faith and your joy help us grow not just as future pastors, but as fellow Christians.”

If your congregation is interested in welcoming a vicar and being part of the journey God uses to form future pastors, we would love to connect with you. Vicarage is a gift not only to those preparing for ministry, but also to the congregations who walk alongside them, growing together in faith, joy, and shared life in Christ.