Pastor's Message

May 2026

God’s Beloved People,

What a great celebration we had for Betty Kramlich on Sunday April 19th honoring her for 50 years in the Lord’s service as our Music Minister!  It was also her 82nd birthday (or is that 42nd birthday?).  Many thanks to Naomi Petersen for organizing and emceeing the party and to all the women and musicians and everyone who helped make it fun.  I’m repeating my remarks here from that party, but I want to continue to celebrate Betty, our fabulous organist/pianist.

What a gift of God Betty Kramlich is to all of us here.  She has been making wonderful music here at First Lutheran Church for 50 years now!  Amazing!  But the truth is that Betty has been a church musician for many more years than that.  She played for a couple years next door at First Christian Church, while also playing for many, many funeral services at the funeral home down the street, sometimes five or six a day.  She played organ at the Lutheran Church in Pendleton for several years before that.  At the tender age of 11 Betty was already playing for worship services at the community church in Oso, WA where she grew up.  I can picture her little feet working the foot pedals on the pump organ.

Betty and I talked on the phone before I even got to town.  This was July of 2003.  My family and I were moving to Ellensburg and I would be preaching the coming Sunday.  She asked me what hymns I would like for the Sunday service.  I said something like, “You probably already have some good hymns planned and let’s go with those.”  Betty said, “We’re going to get along just fine!”  And we have.  For 23 years now we have gotten along fabulously!  Once in a while I’ll suggest a hymn if it fits really well with my sermon.  But I pretty much leave all the worship liturgy and hymn planning to Betty.  Her musical knowledge and ability is way, way up high and mine is down pretty low.  And music is such a huge part of worship, perhaps especially in the Lutheran Church.  Betty leads us so well in singing our faith in God.

Quite a few years ago now, Betty had a hip replaced.  Of course we prayed for a smooth surgery and good recovery.  But I was also thinking, “Oh boy, we are going to be without our main musician for several months.”  No—one week!  She only missed playing the organ for one Sunday.  I couldn’t believe it.  She didn’t work the foot pedals for a few weeks, at least the left one, which is understandable after having a hip replaced!  But she really only missed one Sunday at the organ and piano.  Her doctor told her to go easy on the dirt bike riding and snowmobiling after that, but you know how that didn’t slow her down!  And Betty’s playing has not slowed down.  She still gives very lively, spirited organ and piano playing, leading the congregation so well and still introducing us to new songs.

It has been my great privilege as pastor to work with Betty here for 23 years now.  There have been so many Sunday worship services, funerals and memorial services, Children’s Christmas programs, choir practices and Sunday anthems, mid-week Lenten services, duets, special music and songs during my Sunday kid’s talks.  First Lutheran is so blessed to have Betty Kramlich as our Music Director.  She is by far the best church musician I have ever worked with.  And just to be clear, April 19th was not a retirement party: 50 years and we hope you will keep playing Christian music for many more years.  We love you, Betty, and we still need you.  Keep on making music to the glory of God!

  ~ Peace in Jesus, Pastor Dennis