Featuring the Rev. James Douthwaite, 
Pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Yonkers, New York

by Pam Knepper
Managing Editor, For the Life of the World

Originally from the Philadelphia suburb of Ridley Park, Rev. Douthwaite grew up in a Lutheran family attending St. Mark's Lutheran Church.

A graduate of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Penn., Rev. Douthwaite majored in computer science and worked as a computer consultant in Philadelphia and later in Princeton, N.J. before becoming a pastor.

While attending Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Lawrenceville, N. J., he received a letter from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind., encouraging him to consider studying for the Holy Ministry. 

"At first I thought my pastor had contacted the seminary," explained Rev. Douthwaite. "But later I found out it was my brother William, also a Lutheran pastor, who had initially called the seminary and told them about me."

Always heavily involved in his church but never thinking about becoming a pastor, Rev. Douthwaite admits that after receiving the letter he began to seriously question if he was doing what God had planned for his life.

"That letter made me start to think about the Holy Ministry and if I was meant to become a pastor," he recalled.

Shortly thereafter Rev. Douthwaite's pastor preached a sermon on how the Gospel of Jesus Christ can have a great influence on people's lives.

"That sermon really got to me," remembered Rev. Douthwaite. "Afterward I knew that I needed to talk out this whole seminary situation."

So after service Rev. Douthwaite met with his pastor and discussed the idea of going to seminary.

"For several minutes I just sat there trying to come up with a reason why I should leave my new company and new home and new church and go to the seminary," Rev. Douthwaite remembered. "When I couldn't come up with what I thought was a good reason why I shouldn't go, my pastor simply said 'Why not?' It was that simple change in logic that changed my mind. From that moment on I knew God was calling me to serve His people and preach His word."

In January 1990, Rev. Douthwaite applied and was accepted to Concordia Theological Seminary.

"There really was no question as to where I would go for my seminary studies," he explained. "My brother and home pastor were both graduates of Fort Wayne. Plus, I had heard good things about many of the faculty members. For me there was only one place and that was Fort Wayne."

Beginning his seminary studies in the summer of 1990, Rev. Douthwaite thoroughly enjoyed his years at the seminary.

"I loved studying theology," he explained. "And at Fort Wayne that was exactly what you were exposed to as a student. Also the time I spent with Dean Reuning and Kantor Resch singing in the Schola Cantorum and the Kantorei really deepened my knowledge and appreciation of Lutheran hymnody and liturgy."

After graduating in 1994 with his M.Div. degree, Rev. Douthwaite was asked to stay on for an additional year to serve as the graduate assistant for the pastoral theology department. During that year he began working toward his Master of Sacred Theology (STM) degree.

"The year I was a graduate assistant was a very fruitful one for me," said Rev. Douthwaite. "I was able to take all the knowledge I had acquired during my M.Div. years and apply it in an academic setting. That was very rewarding."

In the spring of 1995, Rev. Douthwaite received his first and current call to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church located in Yonkers, N.Y. 

Established in 1895 by Slovak immigrants, Holy Trinity sits in an area that has seen a lot of changes in the last 40 years. 

"In the 1950s Yonkers was known as the 'City of Gracious Living.' Everyone wanted to live in Yonkers then. But a lot has changed," explained Rev. Douthwaite. "The two factories that sustained the economy of the area closed, and now there is no strong economic presence to attract people to the area. That, along with the high taxes and cost of living associated with being so close to New York City make this a very difficult place to live and raise a family. Many Hispanic and Caribbean immigrants come into the area, but once they have established themselves they move out into the suburbs where the cost of living is lower."

Rev. Douthwaite says these changes have made it very difficult to attract new members to the church.

"We will probably never be a 'church-growth' congregation from the statistical standpoint," explained Rev. Douthwaite. "Because of the area we will always have to scratch and claw to get new members. Just keeping up with those who move away is a challenge!"

However, this difficult situation has not deterred Rev. Douthwaite from continuing to offer a ministry that is based purely on the Word of God and His Sacraments. Offering a liturgical Divine Service, closed communion, weekly Bible studies and individual instruction on the catechism, Rev. Douthwaite knows that people are attracted to hearing the truth that can only be found in Christ.

"I have had many people come to me from various Christian and non-Christian backgrounds wanting to know what the Truth is," said Rev. Douthwaite. "When I explain to them that the truth is in Christ Jesus and they finally understand it, for me that is what being a pastor is all about."

When asked what he hopes to accomplish at Holy Trinity in the future, Rev. Douthwaite's answer is threefold.

"One day I would like to offer a Spanish-speaking outreach program for the many Hispanic immigrants that live in the neighborhood," explained Rev. Douthwaite. "I would also like to eventually obtain an abandoned school building that is close to the church and refurbish it so that we can use it as a nursery school or outreach center."

Finally, Rev. Douthwaite plans to offer an annual lecture series that he is calling 'The Reformation Lectures' for both pastors and laity.

"The first lecture has already been organized and will take place October 24-25, 1998 at Holy Trinity," explained Rev. Douthwaite. "I have invited Dr. Dean Wenthe, President of Concordia Theological Seminary, to come and speak on 'The Interpretation and Authority of the Holy Scriptures.' It should be a time of both great theological dialogue and good fellowship."