When Does Retirement Start?

When I was planning on retiring, I told Karen that I would spend the first week sleeping and eating, taking lots of naps and going to bed at a decent hour. It hasn't happened! Things are busy, which experienced retirees warned me would happen. But I must say that I am loving it. I am still preaching most Sundays and looking forward to even more opportunities in the future. I love expounding the Word of God and sharing the greatness of our Creator, our Redeemer and our Sustainer. I have been at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Springfield, MO. A lovely and loving Christian community of people. They have now called a pastor and I will soon be out of the pulpit for a while.
One of the things I like about retirement is not having to show up at the office each day and putting in my hours. I do not miss church administration. And I am enjoying being free to take any day and go off to where I want (within the will of God). This last weekend we went to Mermet Springs in southern Illinois for a SCUBA dive. It is an 18 acre spring fed lake, quite cold at depth (45F). They have a 737 fuslage from the movie U. S. Marshalls to explore, along with an ambulance, firetruck, school bus, and a Cessna. The lake is populated with pan fish and even Spoonbills. We made just one dive, but it was worth the effort. I wish I had taken my camera on that first dive (saved it for the second, which I did not take), as there were some neat shots, including me sitting on a motorcycle underwater and a Blue Gill staring into Karen's face mask.
We stayed the night before at Karen's brother, John, with his four wonderful dogs. We had good food, conversation, and fun petting the more affectionate canines. It would have been nice to stay longer or return, but I had to get back to be at Southminster on Sunday when they held a congregational meeting to call their new pastor.

The Last Sunday

June 26, 2011, marks my last Sunday as the pastor of First Presbyterian Church. I am planning on leaving by the same door I came in and talk about the mission of the church. As I have been preaching through Matthew for several years, I have rushed over the last chapters to get to Matthew 28, where we will focus on Jesus' last words recorded in Matthew: The Great Commission. As I write this I feel a sense of depression because I am leaving the very familar life of being a pastor with its set routines and the weekly movement upward toward the sermon on Sunday morning with Monday being the day of quiet rest and beginning again. Though we will remain in the area I am also depressed with the reality that my ministry with the people in whom I have wrapped my life, sharing their joys, standing with them in difficult times, and even the sorrowful joy of sending them off to glory will be coming to an end. I will still be their friend, but it will be a less consistent contact and a different relationship. I am going to really hate it when I have to pronounce the Aaronic benediction upon the congregation and have final greetings at the door.

My only comfort (other than the one at the beginning of the Heidleberg Confession) is that there will be many other opportunities to continue the Lord's ministry. As I move through the positions to become District Governor in the Lions Club International, I will visit over sixty clubs and meet a lot of generous, giving, hardworking people in southwest Missouri. As the Lord provides I will also be filling in pulpits for pastors on vacation or due to illness, etc. I look forward to continuing the preaching of God's sweet gospel to his people. And there will be the opportunity to vacation, do things we have dreamed of doing, seeing the children and grand children more often, and of course, scuba diving in places on our "bucket list." Hopefully I will make the shift in life with ease and find retirement to be a great blessing from the Lord.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

After over forty years of ministry I have decided to retire from the position of installed pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Monett on June 30, 2011. I have been here for thirteen and a half years of wonderful ministry with the finest of Christian folks. It has been a good end to this part of my call to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. This does not mean that I am discontinuing ministry for I hope to keep on preaching as a substitute for pastors going on vacation and study leave or for emergency situations. I will remain active in John Calvin Presbytery, being a conservative voice for the denomination I joined and loved when I was only sixteen. I will continue to be a member of the Monett Ministerial Association and serving as their treasurer until they vote me out. I also will be on the board of Monett/Purdy MO Habitat for Humanity and serve also as treasurer for them for the next couple of years. The big news is that I will become very active in the Lions Clubs International. I have been serving 26M6 district as the Second Vice District Governor and was elected on March 12 to become their First Vice District Governor starting in July 2011.
I am looking forward to retirement so that I can see my grandchildren more often and that Karen and I can get in more time for SCUBA diving and seeing wonderful parts of our country both above and below the water line. We have plans to visit Seattle in July and Alaska in September. Karen will be seeing the grandchildren at the end of June. So the light is at the end of the tunnel (only hope it is not the train).