Pastors expect to make sacrifices for their churches, but rarely does that include giving up doughnuts. For the Rev. Robert Hartwell, senior minister of the Village Lutheran Church, it meant that and more.
Around Thanksgiving 2006, when the church was seeking donations to pay off an $8 million mortgage for a new building at the church’s Chapel School, a former congregant made an unusual offer. The benefactor said he would donate $5,000 for every pound Hartwell lost by the end of 2007, provided Hartwell lost at least 70 pounds. Back then Hartwell weighed at least 270 pounds, he said.
“I’d actually stopped weighing myself because it wasn’t pleasant,” said Hartwell, 40.
As the minister recalled, the donor, who wants to remain anonymous, said he had money to give, but added: “I want you to be as committed as I am.”
The pastor took the challenge after consulting with Dr. Joy Elwell, a nurse practitioner who runs the parish health program. He lost the first 30 pounds or so by adjusting what he ate, using NutriSystem, while continuing to take daily walks with his wife, Sue.
Expecting further loss to be more difficult, he then enlisted a parishioner who is a personal trainer, Rich Foster, to design an exercise program. Hartwell now works out three days a week at Concordia College’s Meyer Athletic Center, next to the church, and does aerobic training another two days a week.
As someone who has been on a medically supervised diet since August 2006, all I can say is God bless this man! Read it all.
God bless this man, indeed! What an accomplishment!
As another thread discussed, food and weight issues are tied to the complex reality of our fallen nature. Not every overweight person is a glutton, and many thin people are actually sinning by abusing their bodies through under-nourishment. Staying on an even godly keel of nourishing our bodies without overeating, yet celebrating holidays in a holy way with food, requires constant reliance on grace.
Kendall, I’ve been on a semi-supervised diet (Medi-Share) for 6 months. I have lost 50 pounds since January 2007, and need to lose 20 more (or so). It’s become difficult; I seem to have hit another plateau. Now exercise is a problem: my primary exercise has been hiking and walking, and at my new location (Ambridge), hiking in blowing snow is less than pleasant.
I have a ready set of excuses. But at bottom is spiritual commitment. How important is this? I know what I need to do; I just don’t want to do it.
God bless all of you on your weightloss journeys. May He give you unending courage and sticktoitiveness. I saw this pastor get weighed on TV when he lost his 78 lbs. It was a blessing to watch, and so much fun!! I was in awe. What a fabulous witness!
“Now exercise is a problem: my primary exercise has been hiking and walking, and at my new location (Ambridge), hiking in blowing snow is less than pleasant…”
Br_er…have you tried one of those eliptical trainers? I got one…it was a bit expensive for a good one, but it’s really quite pleasant, as far as exercise can be pleasant. I have a lot of weight to lose, and hope I do as well as you.
I have started to gain an interest in such contraptions, Shumanbean. However, the Lord hasn’t seen fit to bless me with one just yet.