I am sure you are all wondering how I am doing. It is my prayer that this letter updates you on my present condition and what appears to be God's plan for the future.

I have made very good progress and have been dismissed from physical and occupational therapy. However, I continue to struggle a bit with walking and with using my right hand for fine motor tasks. My speech has a long way to go, but it is improving weekly. I am not yet able to drive. I tire very easily and wonder if my stamina will ever return! All in God's good time is what I keep telling myself.

As we begin this new year I am planning on worshiping with you at the late service. It continues to be very difficult for me to get up and going early. It is my prayer that in February I will be able to consecrate elements at one service each week, hopefully having the strength to do the 8:00 AM service. Unfortunately, I am a long way from leading you in worship or delivering a sermon.

After much prayerful consideration and taking into account the advice of my doctors, I will need to resign as your pastor. There are two main reasons that I have come to this conclusion. First, I feel that as a thriving, vibrant, busy, growing congregation, I can no longer have you "waiting" for me to return in good health. It appears my recovery will take a year or more before I can even think of returning to full time employment, if ever I am able. You deserve a youthful, vibrant pastor, who will be able to shepherd you as continue to grow and shine God's light in this community. The Lord already knows who your next pastor will be, and it is my prayer that God will bring him to you quickly.

Secondly, the decision to resign from full-time ministry is for my own health and well-being. The psycho- neurologist said it was impossible for me to return to the demands that full-time ministry requires and to do so would jeopardize my continued recovery. My family deserves to have me whole and healthy again, and I must think of them at this time.

While this was a very difficult and emotional decision for me, I need you to know that my heart is completely at peace in making it. I truly believe that this was God's will for us, and that my time at Faith has been fulfilled according to His Divine Call. I do not know how or where the Lord will use me again in His kingdom, but I will trust that God will give me the strength when and if He calls.

I pray that the Lord will continue to bless, guide and direct our precious Faith Lutheran Church according to His gracious will. As I told the Elders on Monday night, this congregation is a "precious jewel" in the eyes of God. It was both my honor and privilege to humbly serve as your shepherd for the past, blessed 10 years and 2 months. You have become "family" to us, and you will always be in our hearts. I lived my dream of being the pastor of one of God's congregations. I thank the Lord daily that He chose to place me in your midst for this decade of my life. I will stay to help in any way that I can while you are in the call process. As I get stronger, God-willing, I will be able to do more to serve you.

I will look forward to worshiping with you and my dear family on Sunday mornings and will pray that I am strong enough to become part of the service in February.

I close this letter with the following bible verse that speaks to what is in my heart:
"I thank my God in all my rembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, "because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now." Phillipians 1:3
In His service and love,
Pastor Tafel

Pastor, our children and I wish to express our deepest, heartfelt thanks for ALL that you have done for us since Pastor's stroke on 9/15/09. We have truly felt your prayers and they have indeed worked miracles! We knew each day that our cares and concerns were being presented to the Lord by all of our faithful at Faith Lutheran Church and at so many other places. We are, among all men, most richly blessed. God allowed Pastor's stroke for a reason, and we rejoice in the Lord's love for us. We have felt incredible joy at many times during this ordeal, and while it was the "joy of the Lord", he used you, our brothers and sisters in Christ to facilitate that joy.

Thank you for the delicious meals! They were a Godsend during those first two weeks when eating didn't seem all that important, until we smelled the fabulous home-cooked meals. They nourished our spirits as well as our bodies! I only wish I had the time to write individual thank you notes.

Pastor has received 272 cards thus far...thank you for taking the time to let him know how much he is loved! The cards all sit in a basket where he can see them and look at them again and again. He often says, "Look at all of the cards, can you believe it?" Yes, knowing the wonderful people at Faith and the dear friends we have made in so many other places, I believe it and appreciate it with all of my heart.

Thank you, too, for the many wonderful, thoughtful gifts that he/we have received. Our hearts were touched by each one, and he was so happy when he opened each gift. Thanks to those of you who helped me with supplies, i.e., shower chair, cane, etc. It saved me time and money! Thank you, also, for the generous monetary gifts. They were extremely helpful during the three weeks that I drove to the hospital daily and ate there sometimes twice a day.

Pastor is now receiving nine hours of therapy each week at the Good Shepherd site in Easton Hospital. He receives physical, occupational and speech therapy, three times each week. He is doing extremely well and the reports are all very optimistic. He is already walking independently, speaking much more clearly, and is learning to type again. He is working hard to come back as your Shepherd, whole in body and spirit. Coming back as your Pastor fuels his motivation and the therapists tell me that having a purpose and a goal makes all of the difference. Keep praying those faithful prayers on Pastor's behalf and watch the miracles happen!

When I asked Pastor what he would like to say to all of you, in addition to what I had written, this is the verse he quoted:
"First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you...God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you." — Romans 1:8a, 9-10

May God continue to bless each of you with His wondrous love and may we, God-willing, continue in our ministry at Faith together for many years to come!
In His love and service,
Pastor, Mary and children

With the grace of the Great Physician, Pastor Tafel continues to get stronger every day. Not fast enough for him, however the therapists are confident in his continued recovery. No one is predicting a time when he will be able to resume any of his duties, as there is a long road for his journey to a full recovery. But, he is working very hard and shows great determination.

The Tafel family is so very grateful to God and for all those who have held them in prayer during this trying time.

Pastor Tafel is enjoying all of the cards he is receiving, especially the ones from the children! Eileen spoke with him on the telephone today and shared with him how much we all miss him and we are all praying for him. She also shared that things are going fine here at church, with the help of many, but they are certainly not the same without him.

Prayers are requested for Pastor Tafel as he undergoes a Trans-Esophogeal Scan of the heart chambers. Dr.'s are trying to find out why he had the stroke, and in doing so need to rule out any blockage. Please pray that the tests requested by the cardiologists will be accurate and will pinpoint any problem that may exist. Also, pray for wisdom, so that Dr.'s may find the best course of treatment.

Pastor Tafel will stay on the 5th floor of St. Luke's Hospital until the cardiologists are confident that he is up for rigorous physical therapy. The new plan of treatment includes about 20 days of (in St. Luke’s) therapy, once he is able. He is feeling a little better today, however, he is a little concerned about having to go through these tests.

Pastor Tafel has received flowers, and enjoys them, however the room is small, he can't have them on the rehab floor, and Adria is allergic, so please do not send flowers.

Pastor Tafel is still in ICU but plans are in the works for him to be moved out of there tomorrow. His therapy sessions will be quite intense and he will need a lot rest (he's still very tired) and visitation is still restricted. The doctor also said he hopes that Pastor Tafel will only have to stay in the hospital for therapy for a week, give or take a day. His therapy will then continue as on an outpatient basis.

Pastor Tafel is experiencing hunger and is eating well. (He is still very fatigued.) They are reducing the medicine that keeps his blood pressure down, which means he may be out of ICU later today or tomorrow.

As of today Pastor is on the mend. His 48 hour critical period ends around 7:30 PM, which does not mean he will be moved out of ICU, it just is a time when Dr.'s feel he will be out of immediate danger of another event. He is very tired. He stays awake for approx. 5 minutes before he falls back to sleep. Sleep is when most healing occurs and the Dr.'s and nurses have encouraged no visitors for this reason – at this time.

Pastor Tafel's intellect has not been affected, and he answers questions, generally with one word answers. However, today he was able to use a few short sentences. Speech therapy along with physical therapy is definitely in his future. Pastor is also able to lift his right arm on command, which is a very good sign. Pastor's eyesight was not affected.

When asked how Pastor Tafel is today, Mary's answer was, "He is doing better, much more like himself!"

Mary was able to get some much needed sleep last night, and is so very grateful for everyone's prayers and concern. She is also grateful for the skills of the excellent staff at St. Luke’s Hospital.

Please keep Pastor Tafel and the family in your prayers.