Pastor Ken Frantz Ordained Amidst Excitement And Music
By Jean Gray, Haxtun Church Of The Brethren Member
Music and excitement, along with a near capacity crowd filled the Haxtun Church of the Brethren on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011 as the congregation and visitors gathered for the ordination of Pastor Ken Frantz. A trombone quartet joined pianist Eula Frantz and organist Connie Wait to fill the sanctuary and pews with oft mellow, but more often jubilant music throughout the celebration. Quartet members included Ken Frantz, Fleming; Larry Kitzel, Arriba; Sarah Vogel, Sterling; and Scott Kimble, Limon.
Reverend Sonya Griffith and Reverend Sandee Kitzel led Frantz through the ordination process, which included a re-affirmation of his baptismal vows and a laying-on of hands by family and friends. Reverend Griffith, who serves as Western Plains District executive minister and pastor at First Central Church of the Brethren, Kansas City, Kan., explained her connection to Frantz and described him as a man filled with kindness, tenderness and a giving spirit. The Western Plains District includes churches in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and New Mexico.
Reverend Kitzel serves on the District’s area ministry team and as ministry liaison to the Haxtun congregation.
Following the ordination ceremony, church member Wilbur Kipp presented Frantz with a gift certificate from Brethren Press on behalf of the congregation. “We are a small but strong congregation, largely due to your leadership,” Kipp told Frantz.
A Thanksgiving dinner, prepared by Crystal Kobertand family, followed the ordination.
Frantz’s ordination completes a six-year sojourn that began when he joined with Doug Kinzie as a member of a non-salaried ministry team. However, his true ministerial journey began in childhood as he and his four siblings grew up under the influence of maternal and paternal grandparents, all involved in church work to varying degrees. “I have memories of hearing my grandfather preach on numerous occasions in churches in Kansas and Nebraska,” said Frantz. “I come to the ministry in somewhat circuitous fashion. I can say that I learned as much about human nature and my own limits and tolerances by milking cows for several years as I did in taking any coursework.”
A graduate of Windsor High School, Frantz earned a bachelor of arts in agriculture from McPherson College in 1980, a master of science in animal science from Kansas State University in 1990 and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 1994. He is currently working towards completion of a Master of Divinity from Bethany Seminary, Richmond, Ind.
He worked as a dairy and research herdsman for KSU and Farmland Industries and a food-safety health auditor for Ohio Department of Health and FDA milk programs before moving to rural Fleming 17 years ago, when he became the primary stay-at-home parent, which he admits has been a challenge for his family and their traditional rural neighborhood.
Paula, his wife of 31 years, works as a physician and Chief Medical Officer for the Colorado Department of Corrections. Their two children Nathan, 18, a high school senior, and Rachel, 15, a freshman, attend Fleming Schools.
Frantz began his journey to ordination in January 2006, when then Pastor Roy Pfaltzgraff, Jr., took a 90-day paid sabbatical. Pfaltzgraff resigned the following March after a 30-year tenure with the church. The congregation then opted to fill the pulpit with the volunteer ministry team of Frantz and Kinzie. In April 2007, the congregation voted to support Frantz and Kinzie as they pursued licensing. In April 2008, Frantz related that he would like to pursue formal ministry education and the congregation agreed to support that goal.
Frantz said Kinzie’s willingness to provide support through lay speaking allowed the congregation to move forward toward that end. He also expressed his gratitude to the third member of the ministry team, Jean Gray, for her administrative contributions and for “keeping us on track.”
In an earlier interview, Gray asked Frantz to give his views on how his journey evolved and how the church and its congregation influenced his decisions:
Gray: Did you consider ordination at the time you agreed to take on the team-ministry job back in 2006 or, has the idea evolved over time?
Frantz: My path towards ordination is similar to many others who have responded to personal and corporate calls to ministry. It usually begins with the response, “Are you kidding?” or some similar statement. The concerns facing the Haxtun congregation six years ago were daunting and without simple solutions. Following a time of congregational discernment, the church adopted a non-salaried team ministry model. After investigating various avenues for pastoral training, licensing to the ministry seemed a logical next step, something that occurred for me in 2007. Licensed ministry within the Church of the Brethren is similar to many other denominations. It is a time of discernment, study and practical application to test the validity of the call and is carried out under the supervision of ordained church leadership. Six years ago, it was inconceivable to me that I would be in this role today. God has a way of changing up the game plan.
Gray: Give your thoughts on the congregation and how much their support has meant to you.
Frantz: The congregation has been truly amazing in its willingness to move into uncharted waters. In addition to covering tuition and travel expenses, they have provided spiritual and moral support as my studies have progressed. I frequently lift them up as a model for other small churches. Every person associated with the congregation has stepped up in significant ways. I am humbled by the degree of personal growth I see happening. Eugene Peterson’s paraphrasing of Paul writing to the church at Thessalonica embodies my view of this congregation. It is clear to us, friends that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn’t just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions (1 Thess. 1:4).
Gray: How did your childhood and early adult influences help lead to the decision to devote your life to the ministry?
Frantz: I grew up within the traditional church, which was both blessing and curse because it inhibited me from exploring theology in the broader sense. Six generations of Brethren forebears shadowed me. I respected and honored the church in which I was raised but I could explain little of what it was about. The opportunity for greater study has confirmed for me the church’s value and relevance.
The Church of the Brethren rose out of the European reformation movement and for over 300 years has embodied simple living, faith and study in community, peacemaking and conflict resolution, noncreedalism and service in response to world need, among other core values. The ability of the church to respect individual conscience in matters of faith is a deep strength.
As a young person, two experiences left indelible impressions with me. The first was the intergenerational aspect of the small churches we attended. We are at our best in faith communities when all ages contribute together. Second was my experience of working on disaster response projects. We may differ over what Christian witness means, but we all know how to respond when a neighbor loses their home. Offering the cool cup of water is an important component of my own personal theology.
Gray: Outline some of the major challenges you faced on the road to ordination, especially given the time of your life that you elected to pursue this new career.
Frantz: Challenges in common with other older returning students include working out logistics of raising family, decisions regarding finances and fulfilling residential hour requirements. My own self-doubt has largely evaporated as a combination of practical experience, inspired academic and leadership training and theological inquiry has contributed to a sense of deeper confidence and calm. Past graduate work has dispelled worry over academics and allowed a greater focus on theology. Wisdom gained through life experience has contributed much valued perspective.
Gray: What joys do you find in your studies about theology and the Bible?
Frantz: The joy of theology and thrill of spiritual discovery can be summarized by personal and community revelation. It’s marvelous to come upon some daring truth, which you have always known existed deep within but struggled with its articulation. A frequent question for me these days is, “Why in the world am I just now hearing or understanding this for the first time?” We grow up with preconceived notions of what the Bible is or isn’t, and then when we question its contradictions we risk condemnation, not from God but from others. God is entirely capable of handling any questions or doubts or challenges concerning our faith. How refreshing is that? Religion without fear, faithfulness without coercion.
Gray: Have there been awakening moments throughout your studies? Were there expectations that did not work out? Or those that did work out?
Frantz: Awakening moments for me center on the framework in which we comprehend Biblical scripture and its interpretation. It takes some courage these days to declare that the Bible for some is neither literal nor inerrant. Countless others in the mainstream disagree, and that is a true challenge for Christianity… to move beyond a static unyielding treatment of religion and to acknowledge the dynamic nature of God’s creation, which is continuing to evolve as we live into it.
There are plenty of places to find checklist religion these days, religion that doesn’t involve getting messy or dirty or in the trenches. I admittedly am weary over the unrestrained use of God language that permeates religion. Repeat the same mantra over and over and somehow that makes it more real? Religion purporting to have all the answers is in vogue. On the other hand, religion that invites questions and personal reflection is perceived as a threat. That sounds strangely reminiscent of the setting for the ministry of Jesus, doesn’t it?
Gray: Talk about the congregation’s study groups and how your ministry has evolved through those conversations.
Frantz: The study groups that are a staple of our congregational life together are clearly not for everyone. If you prefer your theology black and white then our setting will pose a great challenge. Part of the vitality of the sessions is in knowing that we all come from different places theologically. Participant ages range from 18 to 90. I commend the group members for their willingness to continue to be in community with each other even as we represent far opposite poles on many issues. Why shouldn’t the church be a safe place to discuss the most pressing issues of life?
Gray: What are your hopes and goals for the Haxtun Church of the Brethren?
Frantz: That is a difficult question because it suggests that the church centers primarily on ordained leadership. My hope is that the church, the congregation, its members and friends, become a model for a faith community that is inclusive and welcoming, one that does not coerce but gently guides, one that grows in response to the urgings of the Holy Spirit and not to the demands of a hierarchical, self-important church.
Gray: How has the District supported your endeavor?
Frantz: Without the generous and faithful support of numerous persons within the broader church and our church district, I would not have contemplated a move in this direction. The Haxtun congregation has been exceedingly patient, tolerant and generous in their support. In six years of non-salaried team ministry, the congregation has remained vital in support of local and wider ministries. The Haxtun Church of the Brethren continues to respond admirably and faithfully to the challenge. In that sense, all of us have become more capable representatives and ministers of the faith. Recognizing ordained leadership is but one small part of the larger picture.
Haxtun Church Of The Brethren 