Retirement

I had an interesting phone call last night. An executive from the Texas district called to ask if it was okay to put my name on a call list to be senior pastor at a 700 member parish north of Houston. It was one of the few times in my life that I really wasn't sure what to say. I told him that I had announced my early-retirement for spring next year, and his only question was, well, do you still want to be on the call list. Finally I said to let the district president decide whose name was on the call list.

Now I seriously doubt anything will come of this – I can't imagine a relatively wealthy congregation actually selecting an older pastor this close to retirement, but who knows what the Lord has in mind. The question then becomes one of what should be done if a call did come through at this point in my life. Obviously it would take a lot of study and prayer, but part of the consideration with the whether I would be able to take up a call at this time, and be able to do all that a new congregation would want. It's an interesting hypothetical question, but most likely that's all it will remain.