“I don’t want to be a pastor… I want to be a spy”

To:

E. Joe Richards

From:

Ryan Ahlgrim

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Gratitude comes in many forms and sometimes those we want to thank are no longer with us. Ryan Ahlgrim shares a letter of gratitude to his pastor, Joe Richards, who greatly influenced the pastor he is today.

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In This Episode

How do we say thank you to someone who is no longer with us? It started with a childhood conversation about wanting to be a spy, which developed into a lifelong friendship of advice-giving, support, and answers. This is a story of a pastor, Joe Richards, influencing another pastor, Ryan Ahlgrim. Through decades of countless conversations and guidance, Joe showed Ryan the true essence of ministry. Years later, long after Joe’s passing, Ryan reflects and shares his gratitude to the mentor who helped him become the pastor he is today.

Credits

Executive Producer: Duane Stoltzfus

Host: Jen Shenk

Producer & Sound Designer: Yebu Ji

Sound Engineering: Alex Dugger

Original Music: Hannis Brown

Marketing Manager: Melissa Troyer

Audience Engagement Manager: Courtney Dobrzykowski

Production Assistant: Hannah Smith

Music

Music

Gratitude Project_Theme By Hannis Brown

Gratitude Project_Bounce By Hannis Brown

Gratitude Project_ConstellationTwo By Hannis Brown

Gratitude_HarmonicLong By Hannis Brown

GratitudeProject_Uplift By Hannis Brown

Levin and Harper from Blue Dot Sessions

Slow Strutt from Blue Dot Sessions

Felt Lining from Blue Dot Sessions

The Town And Country Square Dance By Zip Wilson

Und Galaxe by Blue Dot Sessions

  • Featured Letter

    This too is ministry.

    Joe

    I don’t want to be a pastor… I want to be a spy

    To:

    E. Joe Richards

    From:

    Ryan Ahlgrim

    Letter Dear Joe, One Sunday morning in 1969, when I was eleven years old, I came to you with a distressing dilemma. A year earlier, around the time you became pastor of Lombard Mennonite Church outside Chicago, I promised God that I would become a pastor when I grew up. But now, a year later,…