Century of service: Two to be honored at St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church
Between them, the Rev. Jim Neal and lay minister Robert Niggel have a century’s worth of service to the church.
St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 201 W. Jefferson St., will have a celebration of thanksgiving to honor the duo at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 26.
Niggel is a longtime member of the church and has 50 years service as a lay minister, and Neal, who served as St. Mark’s interim pastor from March 2019 to September 2020, will be marking the 50th year since his ordination.
Niggel, who farms near Chicora, has served as lay minister in 104 different churches, said his wife, Vera.
“They call him and say ‘We need you,’” she said. “He’s been to Presbyterian, Methodist, United Church of Christ churches and even served at the chapel in West Point,” said Vera Niggel.
Robert Niggel said his lay ministry began in September 1971 when two men selling insurance stopped by his farm.
Niggel began talking more religion than insurance with one of the men who told him there was a program for training lay assistants.
“The Rev. Sam Shaulis was at the training session and was kind of my mentor and I pursued the program,” he said. “And here we are 50 years later with a lot of adventure in between.”
A portion of this story is shared with you as a digital media exclusive. To read the full story and support our local, independent newsroom, please subscribe at butlereagle.com.
