05/26/2026
NO LONGER YOUR PASTOR BUT A FRIEND
Knowing that I intend to keep my condo in Havre de Grace after I retire, many have asked whether I will continue to worship at St. Paul’s and participate in church activities.
Sadly, I cannot. Not because I don’t want to, or because I have issues with the congregation. No way! I have grown to love St. Paul’s and our people deeply. We have been through so much together and accomplished so much! The last five and a half years has been an breathtaking time of challenge and growth for St. Paul’s and me. But for the wellbeing of St. Paul’s and the pastors who will serve after me, I must disengage from congregational life. Why?
When leaders begin serving a new church, they must cultivate their own relationships with congregants, establish their own lines of pastoral authority and lead the congregation with their own ideas, style and leanings of the Holy Spirit. All these painstaking tasks take time, and all are greatly impeded when the previous pastor is still involved. Why?
The just-retired pastor always has more credibility with church members than the new pastor. After all, the “old guy” has spent years building trust, respect and rapport with the congregation. This puts the “new guy (or gal)” at a great disadvantage. So, it’s best for the “old guy” to maintain space by joining a new church and politely declining new invitations to preside at baptisms, funerals and weddings for St. Paul’s congregants.
I love St. Paul’s and am grateful for our time together. I will always pray for our church and our people. Come June 1, I will no longer be “Pastor Rob” to St. Paul’s, but just plain “Rob.” Not your pastor, but happy to be a friend.
-Pastor Rob
