Photo Provided: Jill Hasstedt, DCE Emeritus, (shown above in the orange, floral shirt) teaches aging adults on how to find their purpose as they transition into their final years of ministry.
Jill Hasstedt draws from her time as a DCE to help church workers find God’s purpose in their final years of ministry.
By Ashley Wiehe
Director of Communications
Finding God’s purpose—especially at an older age—can be difficult, especially for those who are coming to the end of their careers.
For Jill Hasstedt, it’s a passion to help those transition into their final years of ministry.
Hasstedt serves with the Karpenko Institute for Nurturing and Developing Leadership Excellence (KINDLE for short, but not to be confused with the tablet). KINDLE “fosters and multiplies Christ-like servant leaders to enhance the ministry of congregations in their communities and the world,” according to their mission statement.
She is also a DCE Emeritus (a retired Director of Christian Education). In Lutheran churches, a DCE works alongside the pastor (second-chair leadership) in teaching and fostering faith development for members of the congregation.
“I’ve been privileged to contribute to all the initiatives (within KINDLE), but ‘Next Callings’ is my passion,” Hasstedt said. “I serve on the leadership team and as an instructor helping the older church worker navigate a strong finish as they plan for the transition into whatever God is calling them to do in their next chapter of life.”
In her work, she leans on her own training as a DCE to support congregations as they have older generations retiring and what impact that would have on the leadership structure as well as the congregational makeup.
“Since (these older church workers) are part of a growing demographic of people in their congregation and community who are also looking at retirement, they can have a significant impact on the church. I’m here to help those individuals discover God’s next callings upon their life,” she said.“ That may look different for each person, but there will be powerful ways to bless others in the years ahead.”
Hasstedt worked as a DCE for 43 years, retiring in 2021. Like many DCEs, she wore many hats during her ministry. She started out in youth and family ministry then moved to family ministry and small groups. As time went on, she added website administration, adult education, and then senior adult ministry.
“My congregation also allowed me to give time to LCMS National Youth Gatherings and KINDLE, understanding that such service allowed me to bring much back that benefited the congregation,” she said. “I enjoyed the ever-changing opportunities.”
As Hasstedt leads the older generation into their next callings, she fondly remembers how the first DCEs helped her to come into her ministry.
“I was privileged to be mentored by some of the earliest DCEs in Synod and some great Lutheran teachers. I admired their work and the impact they were having,” she said.
She was able to find her passion for the ministry from these DCEs who had paved the way for this program, which was still in its infancy at the time, especially for women joining the program.
“In the 1970s, the LCMS had a ‘Youth Staffer’ program allowing me to do two years of domestic volunteer ministry all over the State of Kansas. The people I met and the experiences I had sealed the deal,” she said. “There were not many women in DCE ministry then, but I wanted to serve Jesus. It felt like God was calling me to use the gifts He had given me in that way.”
Today, she is leading DCEs and other church workers who are in their last 10 to 20 years of the ministry into their next calling.
They start by discovering what it means to have the attitude of Christ (Philippians 2), especially in this transitional time in their lives. They then look to how that fits into God’s purpose for them and develop a plan for their final years of ministry and beyond.
“Some will find caregiving as a significant next calling whether for older parents, a spouse, grandchildren, or others in their life. Some will volunteer in areas of interest, and some will take a much-needed rest before considering what’s next,” Hasstedt said.
The program also equips them to share the same information with older adults in their congregation who will be facing the same obstacles, affirming God’s purpose in their own lives.
“For many, it is the first time they have considered their Baptismal identity and calling since their Confirmation,” she said. “For some, the last time they tried to understand God’s purpose for their life was when they were in their 20s.”
She explained that she has done this in her own congregation with positive results. And viewing ministry as a DCE, she knows that the work-life balance can be difficult. She is proud to be helping in her retirement to ensure that others are finding their purpose in God’s Will.
“In retirement, it’s been great to be an advocate for healthy ministry and home life locally and through my work with KINDLE,” she said.
If you are interested in participating in “Next Callings,” the next event is scheduled for October 13-16, 2025.
You can learn more or apply at www.kindleservantleaders.org/next-callings.