FARNHAM - At a worship service of installation, the Rev. Laurie Carson became the new pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Farnham. Officiating at the installation was the Rev. Neil Katterman, Interim Pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Buffalo. Also serving was the Rev. Nancy Milleville, Pastor of Crossroads Lutheran Church, Snyder, and dean of the Niagara Frontier Conference of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Attendants were the Rev. Rick L. Bair, Pastor of St. Luke Lutheran Church, Ithaca, and University Chaplin at Cornell University the Rev. Terry White, former Holy Cross Vicar, the Rev. Hans Irmer, pastor of Lutheran Parish of the Tonawandas. Special music was performed by the Rev. Tobias Anderson and friends.
Pastor Carson grew up on her family's dairy farm in Bergen, N.Y. Her favorite things are hiking, camping and generally being outside. In college she studied environmental science and education, and worked in that field for several years before becoming a homeschooling mom.
After graduation from the Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa., "Pastor Laurie" (as she likes to be called) served at St. John's Lutheran Church in Akron before coming to Holy Cross in 2011 to serve as pastoral leader. Earlier this fall she was unanimously "called." Along with her pastoral duties, Carlson is the advisor to the Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) of the Upstate New York Synod.
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The Rev. Laurie Carson
A dinner of welcome was held at the Brant Fire Hall following the installation service. The meal was hosted by the women and children of the church and catered by the congregation.
