Leadership

Pastor Tim Thies

Greetings! I'm , Senior Pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church.

Family members: Susan, my soul mate for 20+ years; Josh, son, is a junior at Roosevelt HS; Jacob,son, is a sophomore at Roosevelt HS.

Occupations- Tim: called on April 1, 2000 as Senior Pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD. Prior congregations served: All Saints Lutheran Church in Albuquerque, NW for 4 years, and American Lutheran Church, Grand Junction for 7 years. Susan: 10 year veteran of teaching and presently is employed as a 4th Grade Teacher at Hawthorne Elementary in the Sioux Falls School District. Josh: part-time at 'Oscars' creating enticing java concoctions when he is not on or behind the stage for drama/choir productions etc... Jacob: RHS Cross Country and Track programs, snowboarding and ping-pong with friends, when he isn't searching for a part-time job.

Members of Holy Cross - we have called Holy Cross our faith home since arriving back in April of 2000. Since that time we have received blessings upon blessing, grace upon grace by the members and friends of Holy Cross. Not to mention the awe-inspiring work of the Holy Spirit moving it's way in and through our lives - especially our two boys whose faith (along with their parents) continues to take root!

Favorite Activities - In my free time I enjoy running, biking and weight lifting, in addition to my weekly "whopping" in racquetball with a certain member of HC who shall remain nameless. Time permitting I pursue the endless task of dwindling down the stack of books and journals related to my professional and personal endeavors. I am, however, currently engrossed in an inspiring book written by Gilbert Tuhabonye: "This Voice in My Heart" - A Runner's Memoir of Genocide, Faith and Forgiveness. But without a doubt, I fondly look forward to Monday Date Nights with Susan. 'Date Night' usually entails a competitive game (or more) of darts and/or pool, good food and wine, enticing converstation, and if so lucky being swept away in the magic provided through the local jazz and blues entertainers who share their gifts in a variety of venues throughout the city.

My ongoing sense of call to the mission and ministry of Holy Cross - is embedded in a faith-filled nurturing environment that begins with the staff and leadership and spreads its transforming tentacles in and through the lives of our growing community. The return on my time, talent and treasure invested as a pastor is multi-faceted. On a personal note, what we as the 'Thies family' share to empower the mission and ministry of Holy Cross is simply a 'response' to the grace of God given freely through Jesus, our Savior and Servant Leader. This response is an opportunity - 'a get to' - as we grow in our daily awareness of God in Christ Jesus' free flowing divine presence, grace, love, enduring acceptance and forgiveness as children of God!

On a practical note, I am privileged to witness "first hand" how the Holy Spirit continues to challenge, move, transform and shake the foundation of this 20 year old community of faith: touching, transforming, educating, forgiving, feeding, etc... all because of our shared gratitude expressed through the gifts we freely offer back to the Giver of all Gifts! Praise be to God! What a joy it is to serve a ministry devoted to reaching in, through and around God's created cosmos with grace centered words and actions that flow forth like streams of living water to a parched world!

The biblical foundation upon which my faith is grounded - rests in the Apostle Paul's letter to the first century Christians of Rome whose persecuted belief system in Jesus the Christ was nonetheless always hope filled via a promise - Romans 8:31-39.