BY PENNY LEUTHARD, STAFF WRITER

 

 

Instead, he attended St. Paul Bible College (now Crown College) and received both a business degree and a degree in biblical studies. In 1996, he began working for Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, first in business and finance and then human resources.

 

“I thought I’d finish my career there,” said Fogal. “But I think the Lord had different ideas for me.”

 

A member of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) denomi- nation, he was a lay person at his home church, which gave him the chance to preach and perform other services, which he discovered he enjoyed.

 

Fogal and his wife, Tara, had married after he promised her she wouldn’t become a pastor’s wife. But as time went on they found their hearts changed, and after his old pastor got in touch with him to tell him there were C&MA churches in Minnesota and surrounding areas, he took the leap, leaving his job and becoming a pastor himself.

 

“For whatever reason, something resonated in me about Clearwater,” he explained as to why he ended up in the small community. “It seemed to fit, it had potential.”

 

On April 1, 2014, Fogal and his family, which also includes sons Jarrod, Jack and Ben, moved to Clearwater and he became pastor of Tri-County Alliance Church (TCA).

 

“It’s a great church with around 100 members,” he said. “It’s growing, healthy and vibrant.”

 

Fogal explained that in the C&MA denomination, there are different levels to being a pastor, with the final level becoming ordained and receiving the designation of reverend.

 

An intense process, he worked towards ordainment for four years, which included attending seminars, reading books, writing papers, and written and oral exams.

 

Sunday­, Fogal was ordained at his church, Tri-County Alliance, with his family, congregation, extended community and representatives from C&MA on hand to witness and support him.

 

“It was really a celebration for the church,” he said. “For all of us.”

 

Fogal was especially grateful his father, Reverend John Fogal Sr., was able to attend the service, who along with church elders and other ordained persons, was part of the laying on of hands portion of the ceremony.

 

Fogal had also hoped his close friend, Cliff Mol, would be there, however, due to health reasons he was unable to attend. Instead, several of Mol’s family members came in his place, bringing along a video of Mol congratulating Fogal.

 

“I was just very honored,” said Fogal of their attendance.

 

He used the event as an opportunity to thank everyone who had helped him along his path, including God and his congregation, using the ‘turtle on a fencepost’ analogy.

 

“If you ever see a turtle on a fencepost you can logically conclude it didn’t get there on its own,” he explained. “No one gets where they are in life alone, they have help.”

 

Fogal is excited about TCA’s on-going growth and plans, one of which they’ve begun focusing on being community outreach.

 

He and Dawn Froelich, TCA’s mission and outreach director, recently rolled out what they call their Three and Three Plan, which Fogal explained came from a verse in the Bible, Acts 1:8, which talks about being God’s witnesses locally, regionally and to the world.

 

Under each of the three categories they have outlined three areas to target, including creating a friendship team and ministries locally, developing ‘welcome to the community’ packets and participating in compassion ministries regionally, and prayer connections and mission trips around the world. 

 

“We’re looking for 100% involvement in the congregation,” Fogal said. “All working together to fulfill God’s goal in Acts. We’re pretty fired up about it.”