05/29/2026
A PASTORAL LINEUP
A couple of years ago, with the help of Mike Gundy, we put together photos of Bethel's nine lead pastors - that is, the men who, since 1954, have been called by the congregation to serve in lead pastor roles. There have been nine of them. A few days ago I posted an AI-enhanced photo from Pastor Murray Hicks' ministry during the 1980s showing him at a table in our library with the church deacons and trustees.
One of those who commented below the photo challenged me to have AI bring together those nine men into a round-table portrait. I tried, and two of the results are below. As you'll see, they do not always give a perfect likeness of the faces. And a couple of efforts did not even have all nine at the table. Even so, the two best efforts stimulate the holy imagination and point out a truth worth remembering - that God stands outside of time and space. Six of the nine pastors are now with the Lord. The other three remain with us. In God's eyes, we are all a part of that great spiritual reality, all a part of the mystical Body of Christ, whether dead or alive, awaiting the great drama we find unfolding in the final chapters of St. John's book of Revelations.
