Like the Apostle Paul, Pastor Clare Reiter is not ashamed of the gospel. He has demonstrated that firm belief with a lifetime devoted to faithful pastoral service. Recently, an anonymous donor to the seminary wanted to honor Pastor Reiter by setting up a $250,000 scholarship fund in his name. Not only was this donor touched by Pastor Reiter’s ministry, he also felt his life story was one worth telling.
Pastor Reiter grew up in Henry, South Dakota. In 1938, when the Great Depression still held the country firmly in its grip, he began farming like his father. Then came Pearl Harbor, the day that changed everything. Clare Reiter enlisted in the army. During officer training, he married Alvina Lohmiller from his home church in Henry. He participated in the liberation of Europe, seeing action in France.
After the war, he went back to farming. It was while driving tractor that he began thinking about becoming a pastor. “Could I serve?” he wondered. He talked it over with his pastor, who offered him nothing but encouragement. The road before him wasn’t an easy one, but Clare was used to doing things that weren’t easy. He went to Northwestern College, already a married man with a family. Their fourth of six children was born in Watertown while he was studying there. He was a full 32 when he finally reached the seminary—making him one of our first second career students. Not only does he hold that distinction, but he was also the seminary’s very first married student.
The years of humble, quiet ministry that followed have made their impact on many people’s lives, not only the donor’s. But if you ask him about it, Pastor Reiter doesn’t really want to talk about whatever influence his life may have had on others. He’s just glad that the Lord counted him worthy and gave him the opportunity to serve—glad he had the chance to tell others about the One whose life made an eternal difference for everybody.
Isn’t it extraordinary what the gospel of our Lord Jesus can do?
