JoAnn Magnuson
March 30, 2021
Dear Pfotenhauer Family & Friends,
I wish I could be present at the celebration of Don's life, but I have to celebrate from home at this time.
On July 2nd, 1971 I drove out to Blaine with a car full of friends from Pilgrim Lutheran Church in south Mpls.
I got a bit lost on the way and by the time we arrived at your house the prayer meeting had started. Our little Bible study group from Pilgrim had been praying for guidance as to the reality of the Charismatic Movement. We had heard about your story and decided to check it out. We knew we were at the right place when we heard praise songs floating out from the living room.
As we tip-toed through the kitchen and found chairs in the dining room, I was silently praying for direction. Suddenly I heard a voice and these words, "If this is true it could cost you everything you've got!" I pondered that for a bit and then silently responded, "If it is true it is worth everything I've got."
Don and the elders prayed for us after the meeting. I came home and sat down to pray. I realized I was speaking words I didn't know. I flipped open my Bible and landed on Psalm 81:5; "I heard a language I understood not."
Things moved quickly after that. By October 30, the week of Reformation Day, Pilgrim held a sort of "heresy trial" and excommunicated 12 of us from the Wisconsin Synod. The headline in the Minneapolis Star Tribune weekend religion page read: "12 suspended from local Lutheran church." And listed our names. Thus began years of wonderful adventures!
For me the adventure involved leading 69 study trips to Israel; 15 trips to Poland and an amazing collection of friends from all over the world.
I'm 83 years old now, and my doctor wants me to avoid groups of people at this time. But I'm with you in spirit and I'm praising the Lord today for the role that Pastor Don played in my life. I suspect that songs of thanks and praise are echoing back and forth from Minnesota to Heaven and back again today. Love, JoAnn