ADAMS – They gave an ordinary guy an extraordinary sendoff Sunday afternoon at Little Cedar Lutheran Church.

Monday, January 17, 2000

ADAMS – They gave an ordinary guy an extraordinary sendoff Sunday afternoon at Little Cedar Lutheran Church.

Today, they’re at Renee’s talking about it at the popular cafe in downtown Adams.

Chances are, the butt of some of the jokes will be the Rev. Allen Gunderson himself. He was the topic of those jokes Sunday at a party in his honor.

Larry Tompkins, a member of the Little Cedar Lutheran Church council, was master of ceremonies for the open house retirement party that honored Gunderson and his wife Arvis.

Gunderson has retired from the Lutheran ministry. The last 23 years of his career were spent serving Little Cedar and Marshall Lutheran churches at Adams.

"This is a joyous and a sad occasion," Tompkins told the crowd packed into the Little Cedar fellowship hall. It sure was joyous and sad Sunday afternoon, but because Gunderson is the person he is, there was more joy than sadness.

The Rev. Nancy Wigdahl, now a hospital chaplain in the Twin Cities, was the first guest speaker. She recalled the early years of Gunderson’s more than two decades at Little Cedar and Marshall. Wigdahl said she will "carry those memories with her forever."

Letters were read from the Revs. Donna Joseph and Chris Anderson. Joseph was an associate pastor under Gunderson’s supervision and Anderson is a daughter of the Little Cedar church who became an ordained Lutheran minister.

Joseph quipped in her letter, her relationship with Gunderson got off to a good start immediately, when he first saw her and noted, "At least you’re not taller than me."

Gunderson’s "heart, wit and wisdom" are cherished, Joseph wrote.

Anderson, a former confirmation student of Gunderson’s, also praised the retiring Lutheran minister in her letter, and credited him with "improving ecumenical relations" in the greater Adams community.

Then, Kaye Lewison and other regulars at the morning coffee sessions at Renee’s performed a skit that included Gunderson reading everyone’s horoscope.

Next, Judy and Luvern Hanson and other camping friends of the Gundersons made some special presentations to the pastor, who on camping trips was well known for being waffle-challenged.

A poem came next from Jill Weness, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roger Weness, and Julie Weness, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Weness.

Aaron Jax, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Jax, read a remembrance from the last confirmation class instructed by Gunderson. The Little Cedar class of 1999 thanked the pastor for his "inspiration of faith and motivation of life skills" and concluded, "We are forever blessed."

Pam Bambrick, a daughter of the Gundersons, and her daughter, Courtney, played a piano duet that drew the loudest ovation of the afternoon.

Shirley Schroeder, president of the church’s quilters club, presented Gunderson with a personalized quilt created by the church women and other presentations followed.

April Voigt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Terry Voigt, and Laura Retterath, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Retterath, presented Gunderson with a print by his favorite artist, Terry Redlin, from the Lutheran Youth Organization.Pastor Tompkins acknowledged the Marshall Lutheran Church congregation had presented Gunderson with a gift of their own at another retirement party at the rural Adams church.

David Weness, president of the Littler Cedar church council, then expressed the church council’s appreciation for Gunderson’s "many years of good service." Weness singled out one of Gunderson’s ministerial skills for special praise. "We were fortunate to have a man who could give a good message," he said.

Then, Weness presented Gunderson with a Terry Redlin book and another Redlin print.

Bishop Glenn Nycklemoe of the Southeast Minnesota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America also spoke Sunday afternoon. Sensing something special happening, Nycklemoe observed that Little Cedar is a parish that "obviously loves you very, very much."

Nycklemoe said Gunderson was one of his earliest ministerial friends and supporters, when he came to Austin. He also said Gunderson was "well-respected in the synod" and said he had an assignment waiting for him when he returns from a trip to the southwest with his family this year.

"Thank you for a job well-done and for a retirement well-deserved," Nycklemoe told Gunderson.

Under the direction of Pat Hinz, the choir members from Little Cedar and Marshall churches joined in singing the benediction.

The honored guests each thanked the two churches and community for their support through the years. Family members and friends of the Gundersons were introduced and the retired pastor kept it short and sweet, saying, "Thanks to everyone. We have loved living in this community and appreciate all of you."

Then, it was time for lunch and fellowship.

Steve Schroeder recalled he and his wife, Audrey, LYO advisors, have joined the pastor on several youth trips. He challenged Gunderson to someday tell the "rest of the story" about the trips.

Dale Himebaugh, president of the Marshall Lutheran Church council, said of Gunderson, "You could always depend on a good sermon and him being cool under fire when there was trouble. He was stead. I never saw him lose his cool over anything."

When the Gunderson family arrived in Adams in December 1977, it was one of the bitterest winters every with temperatures more than 30 degrees below zero.

The thermostat gave out as the family drove from South Dakota to Adams, making the trip dangerous with children and adults at risk in an old station wagon.

When they arrived in Adams, Earl and Harriet Weness invited them into their home to thaw out and eat a hot meal with other members of the congregation also welcoming them to Minnesota.

"We’re going to miss him," Earl Weness said Sunday. "It was 35 below that night when they first came here. I remember it well. We just wanted to show them we appreciated them coming to Adams."

"Both Pastor Al and Arvis are very caring people and dear friends to everyone who knows them. They’re just common, ordinary people, who everybody likes," said Harriet Weness.