Rockrohr notes...

Thank you to Tim McDonough at the Crescent-News in Defiance, Ohio for a nice feature article.

Towards the end of the article…

What Rockrohr found at Zion Lutheran, and in Ridgeville Corners, is a church and a community that walks the walk when it comes to service.

“Being here, from the beginning actually, always felt like a good fit,” Rockrohr said. “We’re worshipping about 45-50 people each Sunday, and I started a Bible study on Wednesday nights and we’re getting about 18 people or so each week, so I learned right away that the people have a deep desire to learn God’s word. That’s always fulfilling for a preacher and teacher.

“This congregation does a lot of community outreach,” added Rockrohr. “We host a food bank once a month, we hosted a Thanksgiving meal for the community at the firehouse, we have a Christmas carol sing, we have a litter pick-up day, we’re working on a lending library that will be erected in the front of the church, and we put up a Christmas tree at the intersection at (U.S.) 6 and County Road X and had people decorate it and served hot chocolate.”

Having served as a missionary in Africa, Rockrohr is pleased that the congregation is involved in outreach outside of the community as well. A mission trip is planned through H.A.R.P. Inc. (Helping Appalachian Rural People) in southern Ohio later this year, and the church has taken up offerings for missions in Nigeria at different times as well.

Having been at the church for nearly a year, Rockrohr is pleased to have built relationships with his congregation and the people of Ridgeville Corners, that the congregation is doing the work to focus on doing what God is calling them to do, and that he finds himself in a place, “not far,” from anywhere.

“I find myself in the middle of a very friendly, busy place,” said Rockrohr. “I’ve lived in Ghana where there is not much infrastructure, so to be able to get in my car and drive to Archbold, Napoleon, Defiance, Fort Wayne or Toledo is easy, my wife and I feel connected here. I look forward to working on re-energizing the people who aren’t engaged here, and learning even more from everyone.

“It’s important to me to pass on the faith to the next generation and the teachings of God’s word,” added Rockrohr. “Times change, but people still need community, hope, faith and direction, so passing on the faith to the next generation will help lead them to God, and everything He promises. As a grandparent, that really resonates with me, and it’s my passion to pass on that spirituality so that we can sustain it for the long-term.”