submitted by retiring Church Administrator, Beverly Stanford
Eighteen years ago this month my commitment to serve our Lord took on a new
form when I began to serve the ministry staff and congregation of Christ the
King Lutheran Church. My service to the ministry staff and congregation ends
on Friday, August 10 as I begin a new phase in my life called retirement. I
am truly grateful to Pastor Edwin Peterman and Pastor Fred Haman for giving
me the opportunity to be a small part of the life and work of Christ the King
Church. It was a pleasure to work with you.
There are so many people I want to thank, but there is not enough room in this
“King’s Banner” to do that. I will do my best to send thanks
to as many people as possible. The first person I need to thank is Pastor Peterman
for training me. It’s not often a person is trained by the boss himself.
I want to thank all the ministry staff and Church Council members past and present
with whom I worked with over the years. A big THANK YOU, too, to Cheryl Gaspard
and Mike Shelton, the most faithful, hard working office staff one would ever
need. Thank you, Cheryl and Mike, for making my job much easier.
I thank also the ladies who taught me how to prepare the “King’s Banner” for mailing, as well as all the members who come now to help with our large mailings. To Santiago, Ayde, and Edwin Callejas, thank you for loving Christ the King Church so much as reflected in the wonderful job you do in keeping it so neat and clean. To Ingrid Steed, Mary Lynn Bhola, and Ayde Callejas, thanks for taking care of the smallest Christ the King members. To everyone in the church choir, chorus, brass choir, the children’s choirs, and the Bach Choir and Orchestra, thank you for your beautiful music. Many thanks to the Piecemaker’s for all the hours spent each year making a beautiful quilt for the Christ the King Church Festival.
Life always has its ups and downs. I thank all the staff, the congregation, and the morning prayer group who prayed for my family members and me during times of illness and suffering. Those prayers helped us get through many rough times. I thank also the Prayer Shawl Ministry for the lovely shawl they made for me and the beautiful shawls they make for so many people.
There have been many changes in the office over the last eighteen years—staff turnovers, new equipment, and a beautiful new building in which we do our work. One person who has been a faithful volunteer for many years is the Church Treasurer Kleta Gerhart. She has been such a help to me and the church. She is the treasurer, not only for the congregation, but also for the Melanchthon Institute and the Bach Society. She has her own business, but she is always here when needed. Kleta, I send you blessings and a huge THANK YOU for all your help.
To Pastor Moore, Pastor Liebster, Pastor Haueisen, Albert LeDoux, Tim Lenz,
and Beverly Davis, it has been my pleasure knowing and working with you. I have
learned so much from each of you. What a fantastic Ministry Staff Christ the
King Church has been blessed with over the years! Thank you, Pastor Moore, for
your wonderful leadership of the congregation and all the staff at the church.
(I’m sorry you won’t have this Missouri Synod Lutheran around to
help keep you on the right track!)
My prayers will always include Christ the King Church, its Ministry Staff past
and present, the office staff, custodial staff, Sunday Church School staff,
music staff, and the congregation. God bless each of you now and forever more.
I am grateful to God for leading me down this path where I have met so many wonderful people. I will take with me a rich abundance of memories that will never fade. Psalm 84 says, “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! ...My heart and my flesh sing for joy in the living God.” I leave with great joy in my heart for all that Christ the King Lutheran Church has meant to me.
Peace & joy,
Beverly Stanford