Pastor Bartz was sometimes a guest preacher at Grace in St. Joe for Lenten services and nothing against other pastors, but I always wanted to make sure I was there when Pastor Bartz was preaching. I’m not joking when I say that out of the many pastors I’ve seen preach in the Southwest Michigan area, Pastor Bartz somehow always had a gift for being a great orator who made me not lose focus during his sermons. He always had a style about him that made me want to make sure I was there for his services. He was always engaging and interesting to listen to and I’ll cite some examples. I can only imagine how awesome it would have been to be a member at Eau Claire and get to see him every Sunday.
I still vividly remember a time when I was either in middle or high school I attended a Lenten service at Grace St. Joe when Pastor Bartz was preaching that day. As he had just gotten started with the Sermon he said “please excuse me for a second”. With the way WELS services are structured this seemed out of the ordinary, but I thought perhaps he needed to get more water in the back room behind the altar or attend to some other quick health matter. After a few minutes of the congregation being silent and waiting, Pastor Bartz emerged in blue robes with a headpiece and started to play the character of Caiaphas the high priest. The congregation was certainly comically stunned, but also definitely on board for it. In my opinion it was an awesome, effective way to get God’s Word across and more pastors should follow his example.
I also remember what I think was a chapel service at ML when Pastor Bartz was giving his morning sermon. He spoke about how when we go up to receive communion at a WELS church we usually go with hands together and head bowed and we are silent. He said that communion is such a joy though when we get the body and blood of Christ and our sins forgiven that we should be cheering when we go up there and (like a sports game) slapping each other on the butt to encourage each other. While I’m sure everyone found the analogy quite funny it was an effective way to get the point across to teenagers that communion isn’t just some solemn event, but rather a real connection to our Savior that he’s blessed us with.
And finally this last example hits quite close to home for me and is quite emotional after hearing of Pastor’s final victory. In February 2020 my Aunt Darlene Schinske passed away. While I didn’t know Aunt Darlene too well, I remembered her being a great, kind woman who raised 6 daughters and one of the few people left who still had the name Schinske. (Being one of the few people left with the last name Schinske myself I always wished maybe she could have had just 1 son!) Her funeral service was at Grace in Eau Claire where she had been a member and Pastor Bartz was doing the service. This was maybe the second time I had ever been to Grace in Eau Claire and the only time I heard Pastor Bartz preach there. Let me tell you. A funeral is a sad event, but when Pastor Bartz gave his sermon he dispelled any doubts we may have as human beings and gave the best encouragement I’ve ever heard for people in mourning. And that’s simply the message of Jesus and eternal life through him. He said Darlene wasn’t gone, she had just fallen asleep and was rejoicing right now with our Savior. And soon enough we will all see her again and join her and it will be perfect. The tone and style with which Pastor talked was amazing and made him stand out as a shining light bringing strength through God’s word for those in mourning. It can be hard to describe but Pastor just skillfully conveyed so much positive emotion in his message that it really made me respect him so much and think about how blessed our family was to have him at Aunt Darlene’s funeral. Now, a year-and-a-half later, Pastor Bartz himself has only fallen asleep and is rejoicing with Jesus and Aunt Darlene this day and I think back on his message he shared with us during her funeral. We will all rejoice together again in God’s kingdom.
Even for someone who hardly knew him, Pastor Bartz had a very large effect on me and he will be missed. I pray for the Bartz family during this time. We will all wake up through Christ again.
