Coordinator of Pastoral Care: Pastor Al Girtz

e-mail: pastorag@hickorytech.net

 

Pastor Al is an ordained minister in the ELCA and served in three parishes in Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN at the beginning of his pastoral ministry.  Currently he is Coordinator of Pastoral Care for Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Mankato, MN.  Prior to this, he served as interim pastor in three settings:  St. John's Lutheran Church in Salina, KS for eight months; Immanuel Lutheran Church, Salina, KS for seven months; United Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Milberger, KS for six months.  

Pastor Al has spent most of his professional life in specialized ministry as a pastoral counselor, working with the Lutheran Social Service systems of South Dakota and of Kansas/Oklahoma, primarily in the areas of family and marital issues, depression and grief, and Adult ADD.   He founded the Counseling and Growth Center, Inc. in Salina, KS in 1976, directing it for 12 years. He ministered through the Center for a total of 26 years.  During this time he was also a group therapist on the psych. unit of Salina Regional Medical Center.  He has conducted numerous pastoral, church council and family retreats and classes.  He has consulted on behalf of the Bishop of the Central States Synod in the area of clergy sexual ethics.   

Pastor Al was widowed after 22 years of marriage.  In 2003 he became married to Barbara Camp Girtz, a retired art teacher in Mapleton, Minnesota.  He has recently moved to Minnesota, where he spent his first eleven years as a child.  He has three adult children, and one adult step-child, as well as four wonderful grandchildren, living in Wichita and Dallas. He enjoys being married to a loving and healthy woman, his grandchildren’s hugs, furniture making, tennis, digital photography, graphic design, computers, and having fun.