World Communion Sunday celebration at McCabe UMC. Rev. Lou Whitmer, third from left, Rev. Karl Kroger, fourth from left, and Pastor Larry Sotam, far right. Photos courtesy of McCabe UMC.

On Sunday afternoons you will find people from Micronesia worshipping at McCabe United Methodist Church in Bismarck, North Dakota. The people of Micronesia came for work in the area.

The Federated States of Micronesia, abbreviated FSM or simply Micronesia, is an island country in Micronesia, a subregion of Oceania. It consists of four states—from west to east, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae—spread across the western Pacific. FSM lies northeast of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, south of Guam and the Marianas, west of Nauru and the Marshall Islands, east of Palau and the Philippines.

How it began.

Pastor Larry Sotam, originally from Chuuk, part of FSM, moved from Hawaii to Denver to be in ministry.

“I went from my homeland to Hawaii, from Hawaii to Denver. I moved to Missouri to help a pastor from Micronesia who had started a ministry. I lived in Missouri for five years. People moved from Guam to Bismarck, North Dakota, to work at Cloverdale Foods. The company went to Guam and recruited people to come and work in Bismarck,” said Pastor Larry. “When we found out there were Micronesia people in Bismarck. I asked to go to North Dakota to start a ministry for the people.”

In 2012, he and his wife, Darlene, moved to Bismarck to start a ministry. “When I got to Bismarck, I was driving around and saw the McCabe church sign that said services were at 4 p.m. on Saturdays and 9 a.m. on Sundays. I attended worship and met the pastor, Pastor Mark [Ehrmantraut]. He asked me where I was from and what I was doing in Bismarck. I shared my story with him,” said Pastor Larry. “He found out I was looking for a place for the ministry. Pastor Mark worked with everyone, and we were able to meet for worship at the church.”

Weekly worship for the Pacific Islander worshipping community is on Sunday from 1-3 p.m. “There is a worship team that practices before worship. They sing songs from our country. We use a keyboard. Our worship services are like McCabe’s, but we do things in our language—Chuuk,” said Pastor Larry.

Pacific Islander worshipping community at McCabe UMC.

FSM emerged from the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI), which the United States administered on behalf of the United Nations from 1947 until 1978.

“We can work and go to school in the United States. We can enter the U.S. with a passport. It is a kind of friendship. We get access to things in the U.S., and we provide the U.S. access to our waterways and land,” said Pastor Larry. “One of my cousins works at the company [Cloverdale]. I learn about those coming here to work from my cousin.”

The company offers housing and deducts rent from paychecks. There is a need for transportation and connection to services like groceries and other necessities when people arrive.

“When Larry finds out that new people are arriving to work from Micronesia, he is there to meet them at the airport,” said Rev. Karl Kroger, lead pastor at McCabe UMC.

Connection to McCabe UMC.

There are no United Methodist churches on the islands of Micronesia. In Micronesia, there are three denominations: the United Congregational Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Roman Catholic Church. Kroger shares that he and the members of McCabe are grateful for the partnership with the Pacific Island congregation.

“McCabe UMC celebrates the diversity within our congregation and those associated with our church,” said Pastor Karl. “The recent World Communion celebration in many languages and people, including our Pacific Islander friends, was very meaningful.”

On World Communion Sunday, worship was celebrated in several languages. Tamil, French, Korean, and Chuuk were languages that rang through the sanctuary. McCabe sponsored a family from Tami several years ago. They have become active members of McCabe UMC, along with people who speak Korean and French. Pastor Larry Sotam’s congregation shared music and liturgy in Chuuk.

“Pastor Larry and his wife sang at the Saturday evening service and Sunday 9:30 a.m. morning service at McCabe on World Communion Sunday,” said Rev. Lou Whitmer, associate pastor at McCabe UMC. “At the 11 a.m. combined service, he invited all of the members of the Pacific Islander worshipping community to the front to sing a song. They had words on the screen in their language and invited us to sing with them. Members at McCabe were pleased with the combined worshipping experience and the chance to share.” View video of the singing at 29 minutes. 

The connection of McCabe UMC to the Pacific Islander worshipping body goes beyond worship.  “They participate in service projects at McCabe,” Pastor Lou said. “Darlene, Larry’s wife, and her family did a lot of clothes sorting for the recent clothing giveaway. They worked very hard with all of us.”

“The people of Pastor Larry’s church are people of great faith and hospitality,” said Pastor Karl. “One of my favorite things about Larry is his kindness. Last year, during the heavy snowfall, one of our church members was stuck at home and unable to get out. Larry went with me and helped shovel this parishioner out. He realized that she lived close to his own home. He continued to shovel her snow for the remainder of the winter.”

Pastor Karl Kroger, left, and Pastor Larry Sotam, right, take time for a photo.

Celebration of five years.

The Pacific Islander ministry is connected to the Disciples of Christ denomination. On the fifth anniversary, ministry partners from Missouri, Iowa, and Arizona came to worship and celebrate. A Disciple of Christ pastor who leads a Pacific Islander ministry in Missouri was the guest preacher. A pastor was ordained.

“We had people come to celebrate our ministry here in Bismarck, and we ordained a pastor who will assist me here in Bismarck,” said Pastor Larry.

Pastor Larry is dedicated to the faith community. He takes on job roles to help pay the bills—and works at the airport. He also works at McCabe UMC, cleaning and caring for the building.

Pastor Larry shares, “My wife and I take care of the cleaning at the church. We helped to remove the snow outside and on the roof. The main thing is that it gets very cold, 35 below. In our homeland, there is no snow. Here we are still in October, and it is already cold.”

He also works at the airport in the baggage area, helping load and unload luggage.

“My family would like to come home for a visit. It is cost-prohibitive. One ticket is $2,000 plus. There are six people and me in the family. Working at the airport helps reduce the cost of the flying,” he said.

He has seven people in his immediate family: his wife, Darlene, and children ages 23, 17, 16, 6, and 3.  

He leans on the story of Moses for motivation and to maintain forward momentum.

“When I met Pastor Mark, I told the story about Moses. The people complained to Moses. Why do you bring us here? Moses cried to God. God said stop crying and move forward. When Moses stepped out, God did open the way. That is what it is like for me,” said Pastor Larry. “I am going to move forward. I am not a crybaby. I know God will do something for me and others. I told Pastor Mark that I was going to be here five years in Bismarck and then have someone take over. I would look for somewhere else and start a new ministry. I have been in Bismarck longer than five years, but God still wants me here.”

There are 12 Pacific Islander fellowships in the United States. Last year, a youth rally was held in Bismarck, and the twelve congregations attended. Like all denominations, the worshipping community in Bismarck is reaching beyond the church walls to invite people to Jesus.

“We plan to reach out to people from Micronesia that are here. We are not going to wait for people to show up at worship. We invite them for coffee and other things. That is our focus for the rest of this year. We will connect and have fellowship,” said Pastor Larry.  

He expresses gratitude to the people at McCabe UMC and The United Methodist Church. “I am very grateful for McCabe and The United Methodist Church. People know me and are kind to me.”