04 Broadcaster Press September 25, 2012 www.broadcasteronline.com One in a Ver Million Meet William Johnson By David Lias david.lias@plaintalk.net William Johnson has lived in Vermillion for less than a month, and he’s already become one of the community’s biggest cheerleaders. “I think this is a great place. I have loved Vermillion so far,” he said. “The lack of traffic is fantastic; I love being able to walk everywhere. Most places are within a mile or a mile-and-a-half, so I’ll walk just about everywhere I can. “People are very friendly. They’ll say ‘hello,’ or wave if they know you while they are driving by or walking down the street, and people even say ‘excuse me’ or ‘pardon me’ in the store, which is fantastic,” William said. After moving here the last week of August, William has settled into his new role as intern pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church. He will serve in that capacity until August, 2013. “I grew up just south of Seattle, WA, with two older brothers, and lived there until I went to college in Spokane, at Whitworth University,” William said. “I then worked at Luther Haven Ministries in Coeur d'Alene, ID, before I went to seminary in St. Paul for the last couple of years.” He has finished his first two years of study at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. This year’s internship will represent his third year of study; he will return to the seminary for a fourth and final year of learning there beginning in the fall of 2013. “I will sort of be bringing everything together (during that final year) – all of the different things that I will have learned this year, along with the academic learning,” William said. He comes to Trinity Lutheran Church with a list of goals he hopes to fulfill in the coming year. “One of my goals is to become an effective teacher of all ages – preschoolers to people who have been longer than I’ve been alive,” William said. “I hope to make things intriguing and real for them. That will come about through studying different teaching techniques and actually doing the teaching, and getting feedback from different people. “Another goal is to become more comfortable in different worship settings – from Sunday mornings to funerals and everything in-between,” he said. While growing up, William said he was often told by many people he should pursue a career in the ministry. “I grew up in a church family; my parents took us to church every Sunday,” he said. “Sometime when I was in middle school or high school, people started telling me I should be a pastor, and I wasn’t too keen on that.” During his college studies, he minored in theology, and worked at a Looking for Work? The Broadcaster Classifieds are the best place to find employment opportunities. Take a look! The Broadcaster P.O. Box 357 • 201 W. Cherry, Vermillion 605-624-4429 It’s an easy call when you use the Broadcaster classified ads! Christian camp. “People started telling me not that I should be a pastor but that I was going to be a pastor,” William said. “There was an old pastor at my home church who, as he progressed through Alzheimer’s, started saying ‘you should be a pastor,’ and ‘you’re going to be a pastor,’ and ‘so when are you starting seminary’ and then finally ‘so how was your first year of seminary’ and I hadn’t even gone yet. It was kind of this prophetic voice that I continued to fight.” Things changed during, of all times, when he was cleaning a bathroom at a summer church camp. “I thought everyone had left; it was a Friday morning, and this guy opens the stall door and he walks out,” William said. “He looked me in the eye, and he said, ‘Have you ever thought about seminary?’ I said, ‘Yes, sir, I have thought about seminary.’ He looks me in the eye, and he says, ‘Well, stop thinking,’ and he turns around and walks out. “My first thought was, ‘That’s disgusting. He didn’t wash his hands.’” he said, laughing. “And then I got to thinking that there was a deeper message behind what he said. This guy had only known for five-and-a-half days, and he was telling me I should INDOOR STORAGE RENT/LEASE Please recycle when done reading! Former Arkfeld Manufacturing building, South Hwy. 81, Norfolk. 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After completing his studies at the seminary, he hopes to lead worship in a Lutheran congregation. “Being a pastor in a parish is a plan of mine,” William said. “I would also love to be a camp director at some point in my life.” Located: Girard Auction Facilities, Wakonda, SD Tuesday, October 30th 10:00 am CONSIGN TODAY! Tractors, Farm Equipment, Livestock Equipment, Trucks, Trailers, Tools, Guns, Vehicles, Trailers, & More. Contents from 2-estates already consigned. This will be a large auction, consign early to receive full advertising benefits. Strong market for good, clean, usable equipment. Advertising Deadline: OCTOBER 8th. Call with your consignments or email with photos! Girard Auction & Land Brokers, Inc. Located: 3 3/4 miles north of Vermillion, SD on the University Road. On the Corner of 313th St & 468th Ave. Legal: N 1/2 NE 1/4 , except tract 208.7’ by 208.7’ in the NE 1/4 of Sec 25-93-52, Clay County, SD. 75.68 Taxable acres. Taxes are $1,680.46. Clay County FSA office shows 75.6 acres of crop land with a corn base of 37.9 with a CC yield of 88bu, bean base 37.9 with a CC yield of 31bu. Predominate soil type is Wakonda-Wentworth-Whitewood with a productivity rating of 86% with a 02% slope. This is a very nice tract of land with a great location just 4 miles from Vermillion and is bordered on the east side by a county oil road and the north side by a county gravel road. Not only is this a great producing farm, but also has great potential as a future building site/sites. See website for photos and maps or call for a free, property information packet. Terms: 10% non-refundable earnest money deposit the day of auction with the balance due on or before closing of November 5th, 2012. Possession after the 2012 crops are harvested. Title insurance and closing costs split 50/50 between buyer and seller. Clay County Title Company, closing agent. Seller to pay taxes through 12-31-2012. Auctioneers are acting as agents for the seller. Richard C. Lennon & Patricia R Manton, Owners Girard Auction & Land Brokers, Inc. (605) 267-2421 • Toll Free: 1-866-531-6186 (605) 267-2421 Toll Free: 1-866-531-6186 www.GirardAuction.com Friday, October 5th 9:30AM www.GirardAuction.com Marv Girard, BA #12399 Ken Girard, CAI, AARE Broker #10183 Mike Girard, CAI, BA #13549