 Pastor
takes leap of faith
As the pink and purple parachute drifted across the sky,
the Rev. Heidi Schwerdtfeger was in awe of the beauty around her. “It’s like
looking at God’s creation,” she said. While the landing wasn’t as graceful
as the descent -- more of a plop -- the Lutheran pastor was greeted with a round
of applause from nearly 40 parishioners. They lined up to give her high fives
and congratulate her.
Still wearing a tan jumpsuit, she raved about how fabulous,
and terrifying, the experience was.
Schwerdtfeger, 34, can cross another item off her list of things to do.
On Sunday afternoon, she skydived, and helped build a house for someone in
need.
Schwerdtfeger is an associate pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moorhead,
here for two years as part of a residency program. Her Southern twang gives away
her Atlanta roots.
Ten years ago, while volunteering for a hospice in Memphis, Schwerdtfeger
jotted down a list of 50 things she wants to do before she dies.
As the patients neared the end of their life, they didn’t express regret
but would talk about things they wished they’d done.
“I realized that we only have so many opportunities in life to live our
life,” she said. “There’s no sense in letting life pass you by or not
living life to its fullest.”
The handwritten list is tucked into a journal. She adds to it every so often,
so it’s longer than 50 now. She also revises it, as her priorities shift with
time.
She’s swam with dolphins and built a piece of furniture -- a 7-foot mirror.
She tries to appreciate sunsets and laugh often. She took evening classes to get
her motorcycle license. “Now acquiring a motorcycle is still on the list,”
she said.
And on Sunday -- one year since she was ordained a pastor -- she skydived.
But she used the opportunity to do something larger.
Trinity is co-sponsoring a Habitat for Humanity build with a $20,000 matching
grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
“My wish was just to jump out of an airplane,” Schwerdtfeger said. “For
some people, their wish is to have a home.”
The cost of Schwerdtfeger’s jump at Skydive Fargo will be donated to
Habitat.
Russ Richards with Habitat for Humanity said Schwerdtfeger is stepping out of
her comfort zone to make a point about affordable housing.
“Traditionally a bake sale would be something someone would do,” Richards
said. “Anybody else who’s willing to jump out of an airplane, we’re
willing to have them.”
The Moorhead Fire Department also raised funds. Schwerdtfeger serves as a
volunteer chaplain for the department.
“She’s just a treat and a joy to have,” Moorhead Fire Chief Joel Hewitt
said.
“She supports us in her deeds and prayers. It’s just something we have in
our power to do for her,” he added.
Schwerdtfeger said the Fargo-Moorhead community has been a blessing for her.
They’ve supported her as she’s crossed items off the list.
Her next task is learning to knit. Also left on the list is to get her Ph.D.,
write a book, feed sharks while scuba diving, and build a car engine.
“I don’t want to be a person who lives my life and at the end of it look
back and think that I sat on the sidelines,” she said.
Schwerdtfeger admits she’s “out of the box” as far as pastors go. After
all, she can drive a motorcycle and she jumped out of an airplane. “I really
pray that I encourage, at least my youth, to really think that nothing is
impossible and with God behind them, anything is possible,” she said. Readers
can reach Forum reporter Sherri Richards at (701) 241-5525
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