2 city congregations share common bond as Holy Week begins
As Holy Week is set to begin, two separate Bellefontaine congregations find themselves with a common bond.
Both the First United Presbyterian Church and First Christian Church lost their long-time pastors to retirement and interim pastors have been named to fill the gap while a permanent replacement is located.
The Rev. Robert Thornton, left, will lead the First Christian Church as interim pastor while the Rev. Kenneth Locke, right, has taken over at First United Presbyterian Church. Both men started the same day — Jan. 15 — and replace longtime pastors who retired at the end of 2016. They will bring their congregations together for a combined Good Friday service beginning at 7 p.m. Friday at the 208 E. Sandusky Ave. First Christian Church. (EXAMINER PHOTOS | REUBEN MEES)
At the Presbyterian, the Rev. Kenneth Locke, who has ministered in several locations since being ordained in 1997, has been named as the intentional interim pastor to see the congregation through the transition after the Rev. Rob Fulton’s departure after 30 years in the pulpit.
Just a few blocks away, the Rev. Robert Thornton has been installed to see the First Christian congregation through the period following 10-year pastor Michael Valentine’s retirement.
“There’s necessarily some grief the congregation has to work through even though it was not a traumatic parting,” the Rev. Locke said of the process. “Anytime you are in a relationship for a long time — and this church has been very lucky to have a pastor who has served very well for a long time — you have to ask what direction do we want to go? What toolkit do we want our new pastor to have going forward?”
“My purpose is to help them get organized,” the Rev. Thornton said. “We have a constitution in place but we need to start following it and get on the same page. I hope to expand their vision as they look for a permanent pastor.”
The two churches will come together for a community Good Friday service beginning at 7 p.m. at the gold-domed First Christian Church, located at 215 E. Sandusky Ave.
The pastors saw it as a chance to both serve their own congregations but also a chance to reach out to new residents or others who might be looking for a church home during the Holy Week.
Read complete story in Friday’s Examiner.
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