Bemidji First Assembly | Interim Pastor Mark & Mary Boone | By James Beamond | Communications Specialist
Located off Highway 197, in the First City on the Mississippi, Bemidji First Assembly is home to a congregation with deep roots in northern Minnesota. Records show ministry connected to the church as early as 1927, giving Bemidji First a long history of faith and ministry within the Minnesota District. Today, that history is entering another season of leadership transition.
With the church now looking for a lead pastor, Mark and Mary Boone are serving as interim pastors. The interim role begins with listening, spending time with the congregation, learning its dynamics and culture, and discerning where attention is needed. What Pastor Mark and Mary have seen so far in Bemidji is a church that appears healthy, with strong ministries and leaders already in place.
One recent children’s ministry training was a clear example. Led by Minnesota District Boys and Girls Ministry Directors Todd and Sarah Willie, 20 volunteers came ready to invest in the next generation. Pastor Mark also pointed to strong women’s and men’s Bible studies, along with other ministries that are functioning well. “They’ve got strong ministries going,” he said.
Part of the Boones’ role in the interim is to help the church look ahead without rushing the process. One practice Pastor Mark emphasizes early is prayer for the next pastor. However, it’s not simply prayer for someone to fill the role. “We want a pastor who God calls here,” Mark said. “We don’t want to just hire somebody.”
That forward-looking heart is also visible in the congregation itself. One of the encouraging patterns Pastor Mark often sees during the interim process is people stepping up to care for their church and take on responsibilities. Bemidji has reflected that same willingness.
Youth ministry has been one example. A young newlywed couple from the congregation who had previously served in a smaller capacity stepped forward to lead the youth group. Their initiative is just one picture of the congregation caring for what God has entrusted to them. That willingness matters because the goal is to keep healthy ministry moving, provide pastoral care where it is needed, and prepare the congregation for the next leader.
Bemidji First, though in transition, is not standing still. Its ministries are active, its people are serving, and its leaders are praying with expectation for what the Lord is going to do. As Pastor Mark tells the congregation, he believes God has “big plans” for the church, and that the best is yet to come.
