Published: July 23, 2009 10:11 pm      

New pastorate begins with ‘Christmas in July’

DUNCAN — Matthew 18:20 says, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Linda Lusnia, new pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church in Duncan and Velma United Methodist Church, can attest to that. Her new congregations have only 10 members in Velma and about 40 in Duncan, but they are active, thriving churches, carrying out their mission in the communities.

This is Lusnia’s third year in the ministry. She grew up in Cimarron County, and Keyes UMC was her home church. She came to Duncan on June 7.

“I was active in my home church, but I really felt like God had a calling for me. I did a lot of lay speaking and worked on committees, even worked as a missionary in Denver, Mexico and Bay St. Louis, La., but I knew I had to do more,” she said.

She left the Panhandle and enrolled at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, where she plans to complete her studies at the end of the summer. While still in seminary, she was appointed as pastor of the Methodist Church in Crescent, where she served two years.

Shortly after her arrival in the Duncan area, she joined relief efforts in the Ratliff City area that had been ravaged by wildfires, working through United Methodist Commission on Relief or UMCOR.

“Each step was leading me to where I am now. They were all examples of the church’s mission and all led to where God was taking me,” she said. “Each step opened the door to the next stage. I have an empathy for people, and serving as a pastor seems very natural to me.”

Her calling came later in life. Lusnia had majored in economics at Oklahoma State University, graduating in 1990, and worked 18 years as a social worker for the state of Oklahoma. Now 52, she is about four years away from ordination. The next step is commissioning, then she must serve a three-year probationary period.

“The United Methodist Church celebrated the 50th anniversary of its first ordination of women in the year 2006, the year I turned 50. I thought that had a special significance for me,” she said.

The Wesley UMC congregation at 401 N. First is having a good time, very vital and alive, she said. In fact, the church is having a “Christmas in July” celebration this Sunday, with Christmas carols, the choir singing Christmas anthems, people dressed in red and green, and even gifts.

“It’s an opportunity to keep the spirit of Christmas all year long and celebrate the birth of Jesus. You can’t have Christmas without gifts, so we’re collecting gifts for Women’s Haven,” the pastor said.

“After our service, we welcome everyone to enjoy a ‘spud lunch’ in fellowship with us where we will have delicious topped baked potatoes and homemade desserts by donation only.”

Sunday school begins at 9:30 a.m., and worship is at 10:50 a.m.

Christmas in July will also take place the same day at the Velma church. Services there begin at 8:30 a.m. with cookies and coffee, then the worship service begins at 9:15 a.m.

The Velma church building was recently remodeled. In addition to making the 38-mile round trip from Duncan to Velma each Sunday, Lusnia returns to Velma on Tuesdays for a quilting group and Bible study.

“The quilting group is women at their best, supporting each other and keeping the tradition alive,” she said.

Lusnia is used to staying busy, she raised four children as a single mom and now has three grandchildren.

In her rare spare time, she enjoys fishing, reads a lot and likes attending country fairs. She had barely unpacked her belongings in Duncan when she began planting a garden with four tomato plants, squash, flowers and a sweet potato vine.

While Phil Ware, pastor of Duncan’s First United Methodist Church, is her mentor in the ministry, Lusnia has visited with retired Methodist pastor Phil Wahl, and considers the centenarian her “spiritual mentor.” Wahl’s many years of ministry and active interest in the world have given her insights valuable to a new pastor, she said.