January 8, 2009 by Larry Resch.

As you may have heard in church last Sunday ore read in the latest Pastor’s Ponderings, Andy’s retirement has been delayed for 1 year. Below is the announcement that was made in church by Pat Wagner, chair of the Staff Parish Relations Committee.

Over the past 3 years I have had the pleasure of serving on the Glen Mar Staff-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC). During this period, one of the most important issues that the SPRC has discussed has been the upcoming retirement of our senior pastor, Andy Lunt, who as of January 1st has served Glen Mar for 30 years.

It is truly remarkable the degree to which Andy has allowed the SPRC to participate in what is typically a very personal decision. Knowing that many changes were in store with our move to the New Cut Road facility, and that the timing of his retirement could impact this important process, Andy has conferred with the SPRC over the past several years, entrusting us to recommend a retirement date that would ensure a successful transition. We have never taken this trust lightly, and have always attempted to balance the needs of the congregation with Andy’s well-deserved retirement after many years of faithful service.

As has been previously reported, the retirement date had been set for June 30, 2009. Recently, however, a number of changes have caused to SPRC to question whether this is the optimal date, given the challenges we will face as a congregation over the next 18 months. After much discussion and prayer, we made a formal request to Andy to consider a one-year postponement of his retirement, and after discussing our request with Joan and his family, Andy has graciously agreed to the one-year postponement. Accordingly, he will retire on June 30, 2010.

On behalf of the SPRC and the entire Glen Mar congregation, I would like to thank Andy and Joan for their many years of service to Glen Mar, for their gift of an additional year of service, and for their dedication to our mission of Praising God, Growing Disciples and Serving the World.

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September 25, 2008 by Andy Lunt.

Dear Glen Mar Friend,

The transition of settling into our new facility continues with lots of activity each week. This Sunday you may notice panels have been put in place on some of the rear walls in The Spirit Center. These are designed to improve the sound during worship. Work is continuing on the kitchen, and we hope to have it ready to use by sometime next month. And quite a bit of effort is going into getting the heating and air-conditioning systems better balanced in order to provide more even temperatures throughout the building. Members of the Glen Mar Trustees and Building Team are continuing to work with our contractor on the “punch list” of items that need to be completed/repaired/improved before we “sign off” on the building.

Even the re-aligned New Cut Road is showing signs of progress. You may have noticed paving completed to the intersection with existing New Cut Road. All that stands in the way of opening the new road (literally) at
this point is a utility pole from which Verizon still needs to move fiber optic wires.

While all these physical changes are continuing, several groups are beginning to shift attention to another major transition represented by my retirement. Just to reiterate what most folks already know, I am planning to retire after 42 years in ministry on June 30, 2009. Glen Mar’s Staff-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) has already begun working on the process that will lead to the appointment of my successor, who will begin July 1, 2009.

Since Glen Mar has not experienced a change in lead pastors for nearly 30 years, and since many folks have come to Glen Mar from other faith traditions, I thought it might be helpful to review the United Methodist process for appointing pastors. The key is that pastors are appointed to particular churches by a bishop, in consultation with district superintendents who oversee a number of churches in a particular region.

Bishop John Schol, whom you may recall from his preaching for our Easter Services, will appoint Glen Mar’s next lead pastor. Unlike some other denominations, the congregation does not get to “choose” their pastor, nor visit other churches to hear potential pastors. Glen Mar’s SPRC does play a part in the appointment process, however, by preparing a “profile” of the congregation along with a statement of the particular gifts they believe will be helpful for the next lead pastor to possess.

Members of the SPRC will be meeting with our district superintendent, The Rev. Vivian McCarthy, this fall to go over the profile and discuss many aspects of Glen Mar and the kind of leader desired. This information will then be shared with Bishop Schol and the other superintendents by Rev. McCarthy.

Soon after the beginning of the new year, Bishop Schol and the superintendents will begin comparing Glen Mar’s profile with the personal profiles of all pastors who may be available for appointment. By February or March, Bishop Schol is likely to have made a selection. District Superintendent McCarthy will then bring that individual to a meeting with Glen Mar’s SPRC. After that meeting, both the SPRC and the individual pastor will have the opportunity to accept or decline the appointment. If both agree, Rev. McCarthy would then announce the appointment to the Glen Mar congregation during worship on the next Sunday.

You will be hearing much more about this process as it develops over the next 6 months. However, I wanted to outline at least the basics of the United Methodist appointment system and give some idea of how it will serve Glen Mar.

In the meantime, Joan and I continue to cherish our time with you and the excitement of all that God is doing in and through the members and ministries of Glen Mar Church.

See you in church!

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October 1, 2007 by Al Hammer.

After searching for months to fill the position for our Associate Youth Minister, we have found the perfect person. Let’s all give a big round of applause and welcome Karen Wright as our newest staff member!

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July 13, 2007 by Andy Lunt.

Those who were in worship last Sunday heard me announce my intention to retire on June 30, 2009. This date, almost two years away, was selected after consultation with both the Staff Parish Relations Committee and Strategic Planning Team, because it will allow me to provide leadership for the first year in the new facility.

I shared in worship that I have very mixed feelings about retirement. On the one hand, I love being in ministry and I love being in ministry with you in particular. However, the accumulated wear and tear of 40 years of 14-hour days and 24-7 responsibility have taken their toll.

More importantly, I want to be able to spend more time with family and pursue other interests while still in relatively good health.

It will be good for Glen Mar, too, I trust, to have the energy and insight that can come from the leadership of a new senior pastor. While some may have assumed that Pastor John will succeed me as senior pastor, that almost certainly will not be the case. The United Methodist church rarely moves associate pastors to senior pastor in the same congregation.

Your Staff Parish Relations Committee is already at work, however, developing a profile of the kind of leadership Glen Mar will require, and the particular strengths and gifts desired in the new senior pastor.

Over the next two years they will be working closely with District Superintendent David Argo and Bishop John Schol to identify the best individual to serve as Glen Mar’s senior pastor.

For all my 40 years in ministry, and especially during the 28 years with you at Glen Mar, I have believed and preached that God will provide. I’m convinced that God will provide the right person to succeed me as your pastor, and invite you to share that confidence.

A primary reason for announcing my retirement so far in advance is to allow us together to strategically determine how my remaining two years should look in order for me to focus on doing those particular things that will best strengthen Glen Mar and prepare for the next senior pastor. Having two years should also help us work through the natural transitions after what will have been 30 years together. As I said on Sunday morning, we have a lot of work to do together over the next two years!

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