Interim pastors serve at two Ipswich churches

When Ipswich celebrated Thanksgiving with a community service Sunday afternoon at the Ipswich UCC, three ministers participated.

One, Father Russell Homic of Holy Cross Catholic Church lives in Ipswich. The other two are interim pastors who live elsewhere.

Pastor Tim Fugman recently became the minister at the Ipswich United Church of Christ. Pastor Dan Kuno is the interim pastor at the First Baptist Church of Ipswich.

Pastor Fugman (pronounced fugue-man) traded churches with Ipswich former UCC minister, Pastor Enno Limvere. Pastor Enno is now the minister in Brentford, replacing Pastor Fugman, who had been the interim there for two years.

Pastor Tim has spent most of his life in South Dakota. He moved to Rapid City when he was three.

Ministry has been his third career. The first was as a mechanic in the Military in Germany. Then he earned a math degree from SDSU and worked in offices. Then he attended seminary in Sioux Falls. He was ordained in Aberdeen in 1988.

Pastor Fugman was the minister in Redfield for 20 years. He also served churches in Aberdeen and Eureka.

He has been married to Donanne for 46 years. Now they live in Frederick, where they fixed up a 100 year-old home. They have three children, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

The Fugmans were the managers of the Community Store in Frederick for a time. Donanne still works there.

Pastor Fugman is retired, but "the call isn't over yet," he said. In addition to Sundays, he will come to Ipswich on Wednesdays for afternoon and evening activities and Friday afternoons also.

When First Baptist Church lost their full-time minister, several pastors from Trinity Bible College filled in. Pastor Dan Kuno was the vice president for advancement and alumni. He had served the college in Ellendale for 23 years.

Pastor Kuno left the college for a new calling - "marketplace ministry" to talk to people like Jesus did. Meeting them where they are. He works at Menards during the week.

He had been a full-time pastor for 43 years, serving churches in Wyoming and South Dakota.

He grew up in Watertown. He and his wife Phyllis have two children. They live in Ellendale, N.D., where Phyllis is head librarian at Trinity Bible College. They have eight grandchildren, ages two-16.