Modesto pastor feeding his flock for 30 years

The congregation of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church celebrated Pastor Ron Youngdale’s 30 years of service with the Turlock church with a party Sunday. Youngdale beamed as he mingled with members of his congregation as they ate cake and cookies and drank coffee. Youngdale was born in Tanzania to missionary parents and told The Modesto Bee in a 2008 article that he had planned to become an overseas missionary and teacher. But an internship at a Connecticut church during his third year in seminary led him to see that his gifts matched a career as a church pastor. He came to Turlock in 1985 after two years as a pastor in Southern California and graduate studies. Youngdale said it’s unusual for a pastor to serve 30 years at one church, with pastors typically serving several years before moving on.

This story was originally published March 15, 2015 at 8:40 PM with the headline "Modesto pastor feeding his flock for 30 years."