Pastor Baker is Springfield United Methodist Church’s new pastor
Pastor Michael Baker is the new pastor at Springfield United Methodist Church and Faith United Methodist Church in Sleepy Eye.
Pastor Baker and his wife moved to the parsonage in Springfield in late June. His first Sunday at the pulpit was on July 2, days before their two week tour of the Wesleyan Pilgrimage in England. The people of the Springfield United Methodist Church want to invite everyone in welcoming them to Springfield, as he returns to lead Sunday services at 9:00 a.m.
Pastor Baker felt the call to ministry when he was a teenager. “Unfortunately, I didn’t stay on that path, and I let some of my other dreams and desires crowd out God’s call. Finally God graciously reminded me of His call to ministry. It was a clear and unmistakable moment, and I know there wasn’t anything else for me. I felt God had made me for this, but nothing about my journey was wasted. Each moment gave me tools and insights that I carry into ministry. As I have prepared for and worked in pictorial ministry, God’s call became clearer, leading to a focus on teaching, emotional and spiritual health, spiritual coaching, and being a shepherd. I very much want the Church to be a place where people can meet God and be healed,” he explained .
Pastor Baker received his Master of Divinity from Bethel Theological Seminary in 2014 and has B.A. in Psychology. He has served most recently as Pastor at Arlington United Methodist Church and Church in the Maples UMC since 2019. His appointments also include Interim Pastor, Evangelical Covenant Church in Huntley from 2017-2019 and Teaching Pastor, Evangelical Covenant Church in Fridley from 2012 to 2017.
“The gifts I bring to ministry are those of pastor (Eph. 4:11) teacher, and leadership (Rom. 12:6-10; Cor. 12:28). These gifts have been confirmed by others in the body of Christ, so I know it is not just me,” said Pastor Baker adding, “I also tend to think in systems and strategies; I am more a big picture kind of leader. I also like to use technology and social media for ministry and to reach people for Christ.”
Baker loves most things about pastoral ministry, including teaching and preaching, working with people, coaching and more but what he has found most lifegiving is church revitalization.