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Youth pastor connects with his flock

To many of the young congregants at his church, Ross Engel is "cool'' - someone with whom they can readily identify.

By MICHELLE JONES
Published September 30, 2006

"It is definitely cool to have him around," said 17-year-old Brian Elrod, one of the members of Engel's youth group at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. "It is great to have a younger guy, who was growing up around the same time we were, to talk to."

Engel, 26, was commissioned as the youth pastor six weeks ago at the church at 20735 Leonard Road in Lutz.

Engel attended Rich South High School in Chicago Heights, Ill., and graduated from the honors program. He played three sports in high school and was the captain of the varsity soccer team. He was in the concert and marching bands and was selected as the "most valuable senior." Although accepted into the U. S. Naval Academy, Engel opted to attend the University of Illinois at Champaign. His less than perfect vision kept him from fulfilling his dream to become a Navy pilot.

He graduated with a degree in sport and exercise physiology and psychology and was a two-sport varsity athlete with the men's gymnastics team and the cheerleading squad.

With the call of God on his life and using the gifts of the Holy Spirit in sharing his faith, he said he enrolled at Concordia Seminary after earning his bachelor's degree. In May of this year, he graduated from seminary with a master of divinity degree and worked as an intern in Largo at the Christ the King Lutheran Church.

He came to the Lutz church in mid August.

"I feel this is a good match, a good fit for me and for the church in the direction we both are going," Engel said. "The church was looking for an evangelism and youth minister and these are the areas where I am strong."

Engel is married to Alisha, 23, who is a critical care nurse at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. They have been married about one year.

At the Lutz church, Engel sees a great potential for spiritual growth with the youth. "We took 65 to the Rock the Universe recently," he said, referring to a concert with Christian artists at Universal Studios in Orlando.

On Sunday nights he holds Bible study and the young attendees play dodge ball for ice breakers.

"We hope to do things with other churches in the area and maybe even have a dodge ball league. The kids seem to enjoy it these days," he said.

Once a month, they plan to have a gospel concert with local bands in the church activity center. The next one is scheduled for 5 p.m. Oct. 28.

"The (center) is set up almost perfectly for concerts," he said.

Next summer, he hopes to have his youth join 35,000 other young people at the National Youth Gathering for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.

The senior pastor, Gilbert Kuehn said this is his church's first experience with a youth pastor.

"Ross is very nice and is filling, very successfully, a void that was here," said Kuehn. "This community is growing and Ross is an asset to the ministries' focus on the youth."

Kuehn has been the pastor of Holy Trinity for 13 years. The church averages 230 in attendance each Sunday.

[Last modified September 29, 2006, 20:48:30]