After 36 years of service, my pastor has retired. I’m terribly sad but also grateful that I’ve had the chance to be a part of the congregation he has ministered to, because my life and my faith has changed so much because of him.
I started going to Evergreen at the end of high school. I joined their basketball ministry to play with some of my friends and it was a requirement that we attend their services. By the time I was in college, I made the decision on my own to leave my previous church, a church I spent my whole life growing up in, to move to EBCLA. It wasn’t really a bold decision. I made excuses not to go to church and even when I did, I made myself busy with media ministry that I never was fed by God’s word and could never really “worship.” In all honesty, at that point I was discouraged, confused, and extremely angry. There was so much hypocrisy and to add to that, I felt like an outsider in a church that I spent my whole life in – and it hurt so much to feel rejected in a place where people should experience love… I could no longer agree with the messages I heard and the love I knew of, God’s love… I didn’t see it nor did I feel it in that environment. It didn’t seem right to stay anymore and at that critical point where I prayed for a change and that “spark” that would transform my faith, God brought me to EBCLA. With every service I attended, the more I was led to leave my old church. Eventually, I brought my family and the rest is history.
It’s been 5 years, and if I told you that my walk with God has dramatically changed because of Pastor Ken, it’s probably a story that every member can attest to and one that each one has experienced. You see, I’ve never personally met him or spoke to him. We made eye contact when he was a morning greeter one time, that was it 😛 But the humility, humor, sincerity and honesty that he delivers has made its way in every message and the way he has challenged me to reevaluate my walk with God has left me humbled. He was a leader I wanted to be like and he was so obedient and courageous in his faith. At the same time, he was transparent and vulnerable and human. Yes, human lol. He didn’t put himself up on a pedestal at all and in his vulnerability, I was able to see how my faith could be messy and yet God wouldn’t love me any less.
I could write endlessly about all the things I’ve learned and about how many times PK has made me cry, but I’ll save that for another long post 🙂 Like I said before, I’m extremely sad, but feel blessed to have known a person like Pastor Ken. Each day is a challenge to be a loving and obedient follower of Christ and I hope to follow Christ with the same attitude he has.