Rev. Dr. Paul Bieber never guessed in a million years that he would one day move to the sun-bleached community of University City. He had pastored a small Lutheran church on the south side of Chicago for 13 years, and was perfectly content with his call and the Windy City. Bieber’s future abruptly changed, however, when Ivor Kraft decided to retire after shepherding All Saints Lutheran Church for 26 years. Out of the blue, the Lutheran church called Bieber.
“It was one of these things where in the Lutheran Church, if a parish is vacant and someone knows of a pastor who might fit well in that place, they call the pastor up and ask him if he’s willing to be considered,” Bieber said.
Bieber said that his former congregation resembled All Saints in its traditional style of worship and strong Lutheran congressional stance. Placing a new pastor fresh from seminary into such churches isn’t always the best solution, as his or her wonderful new ideas don’t necessarily fit with the community’s needs, Bieber said.
“[All Saints has] built up quite a tradition of being a very worship-centered kind of parish,” Bieber said. “You need someone who is able to plan and lead the worship service and liturgy in a way that helps the people to be able to pray.”
Having the same pastor for 26 years has naturally shaped the congregation, and Bieber is trying to learn the church’s expectations and “not shock anyone with any big changes.”
“My role in that is to try to lead from the midst,” Bieber said. “I don’t come to this place with any great agenda of my own, except the gospel agenda. I just want to try and permit the word to be heard, to allow the sacraments to be celebrated “¦”
Bieber practiced law in Denver before entering the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, where he was ordained in 1990. He has been married to Sarah for 20 years and has two boys: 14-year-old Jacob and 10-year-old Stephen.
All Saints Lutheran Church, which is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is located at 6355 Radcliffe Drive.