[CHURCH] Big changes coming, maybe

#1 · June 3, 2016, 3:04 am

Quote from Forum Archives on June 3, 2016, 3:04 am
Posted by: rik.osborne66 <rik.osborne66@...>

Hey all 🙂

I've mentioned before that I've been attending the same church, and playing with the same worship team, for nigh on 20+ years now. It has been just amazing to me that I have played with the same core group of musicians for that long. It's the worship leader, Nancy, (my pastor's wife, and, actually, she's co-pastor with him) on piano, Larry on trumpet, Denise and Alexa taking turns from one Sunday to the next on the synth, and me on bass. Way back when, we also had a flute player, and we've been through a string of drummers, and have never had a good, consistent guitarist (haven't had *any* guitarists in many years). And, of course, the rotating batch of singers has evolved over the last couple decades. But we five instrumentalists have been together for 20+ years, and that has been wonderful for me. We're so accustomed to each other, that our Sunday morning, pre-service rehearsal (our only rehearsal) has pretty much been just for the singers for the last decade. We instrumentalists know each other, and play so well together that we barely need rehearsal. Nancy plays the piano and sings, and the rest of us find our places naturally.

And then, Pastors Mike and Nancy have been wonderful mentors to me, both spiritually and educationally. Mike loves to read and learn, and over the last decade or so I have become a history buff. Reading medieval and "modern" European history is almost like reading the history of the Church, and I've had some insightful conversations with Pastor Mike about today's political and Christian situations, and looking at them through the eyes of history.

Mike and Nancy both turn 67 years old this year, and ... they have announced their retirement. July 31 of this year is going to be their last Sunday. And not only are they retiring; they're moving away to be closer to their children.

I am ... bereft.

My denomination, Foursquare, differs from some other denominations, in that they don't rotate pastors in and out every 3-5 years. A pastor gets a church, and it's theirs until they retire or are run out. Foursquare pastors also have a lot more autonomy than pastors in some other denominations. Mike and Nancy founded this church in 1980, and after 36 years, it's time to retire (hmmm, my father retired from the Washington State Patrol after 36 years ... he was the senior WSP officer in the state at the time he retired). We still have some members who have been here since the beginning. I've only been here for the last 20 years, but still, these aren't just my pastors, they're my family. And ... they're going away in less than two months.

I don't know what's going to happen. I had always assumed that our Associate Pastor, David, would succeed Mike, but apparently not (he's the manager of a local locksmithing/security company, and that's how he supports his family). I guess our church council is going to interview candidates that Foursquare sends our way and pick one they find suitable. I don't know how this works. I've never attended a church during a pastor changeover. Do we audition pastors? Mike, over the course of 36 years, really set the tone for our church family, so whoever replaces him isn't going to get away with "rocking the boat" too much. Then again, rocking the boat might be a good thing.

I suddenly find myself wondering if I should consider asking to join the Council. I mean, I'm 50 years old now, and after 20+ years I almost qualify as an "elder". Our Council, as it stands, has no representatives from the worship team, and so nobody to interject an opinion about whoever becomes the new WL. And I think I could add an interesting perspective on theology and history. Of course, being 50, I just realized that I might find myself with a pastor who is much *younger* than me. The current members of our Council, while being wonderful men, and wonderful Christians, are not "deep thinkers". I feel like I could add something in that department.

Fun story about the founding of my church. Mike and Nancy were in their early 30s. Nancy was a classically-trained pianist and singer, and in order to lead worship in the "modern" style, she was *just* beginning to learn how to play piano from a lead sheet with nothing but chords. And who should show up for their very first service but Don Lanphere, jazz saxophonist extraordinaire (for those who don't know him, he played with Miles Davis way back when, and with many other jazz greats, and had a successful solo career in his later years). Nancy was almost paralyzed by having to play in front of him. But Don was great. He took her under his wing and taught her a lot 🙂

Anyway, please pray for me and my pastors and my church, that we find suitable replacements for Mike and Nancy.

--

Rik Osborne

<rik.osborne66@gmail.com>

<https://www.facebook.com/mister.rik>

--

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Posted by: rik.osborne66 <rik.osborne66@...>

Hey all 🙂

I've mentioned before that I've been attending the same church, and playing with the same worship team, for nigh on 20+ years now. It has been just amazing to me that I have played with the same core group of musicians for that long. It's the worship leader, Nancy, (my pastor's wife, and, actually, she's co-pastor with him) on piano, Larry on trumpet, Denise and Alexa taking turns from one Sunday to the next on the synth, and me on bass. Way back when, we also had a flute player, and we've been through a string of drummers, and have never had a good, consistent guitarist (haven't had *any* guitarists in many years). And, of course, the rotating batch of singers has evolved over the last couple decades. But we five instrumentalists have been together for 20+ years, and that has been wonderful for me. We're so accustomed to each other, that our Sunday morning, pre-service rehearsal (our only rehearsal) has pretty much been just for the singers for the last decade. We instrumentalists know each other, and play so well together that we barely need rehearsal. Nancy plays the piano and sings, and the rest of us find our places naturally.

And then, Pastors Mike and Nancy have been wonderful mentors to me, both spiritually and educationally. Mike loves to read and learn, and over the last decade or so I have become a history buff. Reading medieval and "modern" European history is almost like reading the history of the Church, and I've had some insightful conversations with Pastor Mike about today's political and Christian situations, and looking at them through the eyes of history.

Mike and Nancy both turn 67 years old this year, and ... they have announced their retirement. July 31 of this year is going to be their last Sunday. And not only are they retiring; they're moving away to be closer to their children.

I am ... bereft.

My denomination, Foursquare, differs from some other denominations, in that they don't rotate pastors in and out every 3-5 years. A pastor gets a church, and it's theirs until they retire or are run out. Foursquare pastors also have a lot more autonomy than pastors in some other denominations. Mike and Nancy founded this church in 1980, and after 36 years, it's time to retire (hmmm, my father retired from the Washington State Patrol after 36 years ... he was the senior WSP officer in the state at the time he retired). We still have some members who have been here since the beginning. I've only been here for the last 20 years, but still, these aren't just my pastors, they're my family. And ... they're going away in less than two months.

I don't know what's going to happen. I had always assumed that our Associate Pastor, David, would succeed Mike, but apparently not (he's the manager of a local locksmithing/security company, and that's how he supports his family). I guess our church council is going to interview candidates that Foursquare sends our way and pick one they find suitable. I don't know how this works. I've never attended a church during a pastor changeover. Do we audition pastors? Mike, over the course of 36 years, really set the tone for our church family, so whoever replaces him isn't going to get away with "rocking the boat" too much. Then again, rocking the boat might be a good thing.

I suddenly find myself wondering if I should consider asking to join the Council. I mean, I'm 50 years old now, and after 20+ years I almost qualify as an "elder". Our Council, as it stands, has no representatives from the worship team, and so nobody to interject an opinion about whoever becomes the new WL. And I think I could add an interesting perspective on theology and history. Of course, being 50, I just realized that I might find myself with a pastor who is much *younger* than me. The current members of our Council, while being wonderful men, and wonderful Christians, are not "deep thinkers". I feel like I could add something in that department.

Fun story about the founding of my church. Mike and Nancy were in their early 30s. Nancy was a classically-trained pianist and singer, and in order to lead worship in the "modern" style, she was *just* beginning to learn how to play piano from a lead sheet with nothing but chords. And who should show up for their very first service but Don Lanphere, jazz saxophonist extraordinaire (for those who don't know him, he played with Miles Davis way back when, and with many other jazz greats, and had a successful solo career in his later years). Nancy was almost paralyzed by having to play in front of him. But Don was great. He took her under his wing and taught her a lot 🙂

Anyway, please pray for me and my pastors and my church, that we find suitable replacements for Mike and Nancy.

Rik Osborne

<rik.osborne66@gmail.com>

<https://www.facebook.com/mister.rik>

To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: churchbass-unsubscribe@welovegod.org
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