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Daughter was married at Grace Eau Claire in August of 2020... the COVID summer. Wedding party started arriving before noon for the 2pm wedding. Pastor is at church taking care of miscellaneous pastor tasks. Pictures are taken. Guest arrive. Two o'clock comes. Church bells are rung. Ladies process up the aisle. I walk my beautiful daughter to the front of the church. Problem... No pastor. Call time out. Phone Pastor. Time mix up; Pastor Jim snuck home for lunch thinking the wedding was at 3pm. No problem. Wedding begins a few minutes late. Lovely celebration. Cherished memory. Will miss you Pastor. I look forward to our reunion.
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Roger Meier
July 11th, 2021 at 5:37pm
A good memory of mine was at a family reunion I asked Jamie if I could ride his motorcycle. His answer to me was sure. He knew he was safe because I wouldn't take him up on his offer. His Uncle Bill was proud of him becoming a minister.
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Nancy Bartz Neupert
July 10th, 2021 at 11:45am
The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw they following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Techer) "where are you staying?" "Come," he replied, "and you will see." (John 1:35-39a) Your loved one Jim, my brother in the ministry, followed Jesus in this life. Now Jim sees where Jesus is staying. May these thoughts bring you comfort. in His name, Mark and Cindy Gieschen
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Mark D. Gieschen
July 10th, 2021 at 11:33am
Jamie and I grew up together and shared the same bday and year, I will always remember sliding down the hill in our sleds in the winter, love and miss you my friend
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Laurie Klock
July 10th, 2021 at 10:12am
Pastor Bartz was sometimes a guest preacher at Grace in St. Joe for Lenten services and nothing against other pastors, but I always wanted to make sure I was there when Pastor Bartz was preaching. I’m not joking when I say that out of the many pastors I’ve seen preach in the Southwest Michigan area, Pastor Bartz somehow always had a gift for being a great orator who made me not lose focus during his sermons. He always had a style about him that made me want to make sure I was there for his services. He was always engaging and interesting to listen to and I’ll cite some examples. I can only imagine how awesome it would have been to be a member at Eau Claire and get to see him every Sunday.
I still vividly remember a time when I was either in middle or high school I attended a Lenten service at Grace St. Joe when Pastor Bartz was preaching that day. As he had just gotten started with the Sermon he said “please excuse me for a second”. With the way WELS services are structured this seemed out of the ordinary, but I thought perhaps he needed to get more water in the back room behind the altar or attend to some other quick health matter. After a few minutes of the congregation being silent and waiting, Pastor Bartz emerged in blue robes with a headpiece and started to play the character of Caiaphas the high priest. The congregation was certainly comically stunned, but also definitely on board for it. In my opinion it was an awesome, effective way to get God’s Word across and more pastors should follow his example.
I also remember what I think was a chapel service at ML when Pastor Bartz was giving his morning sermon. He spoke about how when we go up to receive communion at a WELS church we usually go with hands together and head bowed and we are silent. He said that communion is such a joy though when we get the body and blood of Christ and our sins forgiven that we should be cheering when we go up there and (like a sports game) slapping each other on the butt to encourage each other. While I’m sure everyone found the analogy quite funny it was an effective way to get the point across to teenagers that communion isn’t just some solemn event, but rather a real connection to our Savior that he’s blessed us with.
And finally this last example hits quite close to home for me and is quite emotional after hearing of Pastor’s final victory. In February 2020 my Aunt Darlene Schinske passed away. While I didn’t know Aunt Darlene too well, I remembered her being a great, kind woman who raised 6 daughters and one of the few people left who still had the name Schinske. (Being one of the few people left with the last name Schinske myself I always wished maybe she could have had just 1 son!) Her funeral service was at Grace in Eau Claire where she had been a member and Pastor Bartz was doing the service. This was maybe the second time I had ever been to Grace in Eau Claire and the only time I heard Pastor Bartz preach there. Let me tell you. A funeral is a sad event, but when Pastor Bartz gave his sermon he dispelled any doubts we may have as human beings and gave the best encouragement I’ve ever heard for people in mourning. And that’s simply the message of Jesus and eternal life through him. He said Darlene wasn’t gone, she had just fallen asleep and was rejoicing right now with our Savior. And soon enough we will all see her again and join her and it will be perfect. The tone and style with which Pastor talked was amazing and made him stand out as a shining light bringing strength through God’s word for those in mourning. It can be hard to describe but Pastor just skillfully conveyed so much positive emotion in his message that it really made me respect him so much and think about how blessed our family was to have him at Aunt Darlene’s funeral. Now, a year-and-a-half later, Pastor Bartz himself has only fallen asleep and is rejoicing with Jesus and Aunt Darlene this day and I think back on his message he shared with us during her funeral. We will all rejoice together again in God’s kingdom.
Even for someone who hardly knew him, Pastor Bartz had a very large effect on me and he will be missed. I pray for the Bartz family during this time. We will all wake up through Christ again.
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Zach Schinske
July 9th, 2021 at 11:54pm
Struggling with the words here...I have had the honor of knowing Jim for about 40 years and when I close my eyes I see a smile that just makes his eyes disappear. He was one of the most authentic, good natured and faithful men I have ever known. While I rejoice that he is with our heavenly Father, I ache for a world that was truly better with him in it.
When we returned from Ukraine, sin and sickness tore my life and marriage apart. I found myself avoiding the friends I had known for so long -- embarrassed and feeling out of place. Jim took the time and effort to seek me out and bring me back into the loving embrace of these friends that I love so dearly. He never showed judgement, only love, and was genuinely overjoyed when I recognized him. (All he had to do was smile and laugh, and I
knew!)
My heart is aching for his beautiful family's loss and pain and I grieve with them. I always thought there would be another day, time and chance to get together but that will have to wait, for now. Until bv then, my dear and precious friend is in the arms of our Savior and I look forward to being face to face with him again.
Jane Rakos
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Jane Rakos
July 9th, 2021 at 9:22pm
Sending love and prayers to James's family. I remember James and Paul when they were young, waiting patiently in the baseball field at one of our family gatherings. They would be the first ones to go out in the field, waiting for everyone else to join them in a game of baseball. Both of them tossing there baseball in the air and catching it over and over again until finally the Dads and the rest of us would join them in what was always a great and fun game. I wish we had more of them. Love you all, DeAnna Groh and family...
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DeAnna Groh
July 9th, 2021 at 8:39pm
