Trusting God for the Journey

“It’s still a dream for me. I remember that first day, carrying my two bags, and now I’m getting ready to walk the stage.” While the transformation might feel ethereal for Sam Stanes, the ministry he’s doing is abundantly real. As he approaches the end of his Master of Divinity degree, he’s serving as a licensed local pastor at The Redeemer of Calvary United Methodist Church in Jefferson Park and has accepted a call to Rockford, Illinois where he will be both a pastor at Brook Road United Methodist Church and the Minister of Justice at Rockford Urban Ministries. While he may not have known exactly what to expect when he boarded the plane in Chennai, India, God provided a path. As for Sam? He’s following it with joy.

The child of not one but two pastors, both of Stanes’ parents have served Indian churches for more than three decades. When Sam felt his own call to ministry, however, he felt the Spirit pulling him to study in the United States and enrolled at Garrett Seminary. For Sam and many other international students, simply boarding that plane is an act of faith—a willingness to relinquish control and trust the Spirit. “That first year, a few months in, I was facing the struggle—cold and homesick,” Stanes confesses. “But friends at Garrett were there for me, offering advice and helping me move forward.”

Once he found his footing, it would be an understatement to say that Stanes flourished. He served as student body co-president during his second year and, this year, has led a vital ministry breathing life into The Redeemer of Calvary UMC. “When I began serving, there were six people in worship,” Stanes recalls. “Now it’s 20 people, and we even had 35 on Easter Sunday—it’s been a joy to be part of that journey.”

When he began this ministry, he realized that part of why folks weren’t in church on Sunday is that many members were sick and homebound. “So, I started doing home visits and hospital visits, offering communion and providing pastoral care,” he explains. “Many of those members’ children used to attend the church but stopped coming. They’vestarted attending again in part because they see the love and care I’m offering their parents.”

He’s also found that preaching on Sundays is one of his favorite parts of ministry. “My dad is my big inspiration for preaching, so every week as I prepare my sermon, I call him for a couple of hours,” Stanes grins. “We start with the text, and I love talking about how we can bring it to life for the people.”

Now, he’s bringing all of those skills with him to a new community, as he continues his path towards ordination as a United Methodist elder. “I’m actually the first person to serve in my position at Rockford Urban Ministry, which started recently. I’m super excited to see how I’m going to be an instrument there to help people and stand up for justice,” he says. “It’s easy to lose hope and be frustrated in the current political circumstances. So, my main goal, whether it’s a pastoral visit or participating in a protest, is to be that bearer of hope to people who are depressed, scared, and anxious. And I understand—as an immigrant in this country it’s very fearful.”

Whatever challenges lie before him, however, Stanes feels ready to face them in part because of the love and support he’s found in these halls. “This was my first home in the U.S., and I’m always proud to go into the world and say that I’m a student from Garrett,” he says. “When I arrived, my goal was just to get straight As in my classes, but it’samazing to see how God led me on this different path. I’ve grown so much spiritually—I always tell my parents that Garrett was the place I was molded, like I was in a potter’s hand.” Now, he stands on the precipice of moving through the doors to share the faith he’s found. Just don’t call it a goodbye. “All the memories, the friends I’ve made here, the incredible professors,” he reflects with a soft smile. “It’s too strong to end simply because I’m leaving.”