Retirement or Re-positioning?

Sunday afternoon we bid Godspeed and farewell to two veteran pastors in Southern Illinois as they enter retirement this summer.  Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Marion graciously hosted the service on behalf of the Greater Egypt Circuit and served a delicious meal afterward. Thank you, Pastor Mark Surburg! LCMS 1st VP, the Rev. Dr. Herbert C. Mueller, Jr. preached an outstanding message.

Pastor Jim Rivett served in the United States Marine Corp prior to entering college and seminary.  He saw action in Vietnam and suffers from complications related to Agent Orange.  Pr. Rivett has been heavily involved with prison ministry over the years.  He spent twenty years with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, retiring in 2002.  Since then has been an integral part of our District Prison Ministry.  Pr. Rivett's ministry began in Olmsted, IL way down south on the Ohio River.  He retires at the end of July from Our Redeemer in Golconda, just upstream on the Ohio.

Pastor Ted Mayes ministry followed a different path.  He began as an assistant pastor at Holy Cross in St. Louis before becoming an instructor of religion, dean of the chapel, and religion department chairman at St. Paul's College in Concordia, MO.  He went on to serve at Hope, Maryville, MO for eighteen years.  Pr. Mayes last eleven years have been at Immanuel, Murphysboro, IL.  Pr. Mayes has completed an all but his dissertation from, the University of Missouri, Kansas City.  He has spent his free time of late translating the Baier-Walther Compendium into English.  This was the Systematic textbook of the LCMS for many years.  His last service at Immanuel is this coming Sunday, May 27.

Two gifted men, used by the Lord for His purposes in different ways.  As long as the Lord grants them health and strength, without the daily demands of full time parish work, these men will continue to serve the Lord.  Both look forward to spending time with their wives.  They are willing to do supply preaching.  Pr. Rivett is making plans to visit South Africa in October and November to help our partner church, the LCSA, expand its prison ministry.  Pr. Mayes will continue to translate and complete some of his unfinished projects.

We called Sundays event a "Retirement Service."  It is more likely a re-positioning.  The Lord makes use of a person's gifts and experience.  In His economy nothing is wasted.  This is not the end of the road for either man.  The Lord brings an end to earthly service at death.  Both pastors hope to have a little more discretionary time but will be kept busy.  A new chapter is opening for both of them.  It will be interesting to watch how the Lord both places and uses them in the future.  Both have faithfully run the race to this point.  The Lord will decide the course and time ahead.

Thank you for your partnership and years of service!