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Thoughts from the Corner Box
July is not the month for new beginnings. Normally, new beginnings start on New Year's Day and last until, hopefully, Groundhog Day. New beginnings can be starting a new diet, starting an exercise program, going for a daily walk, reading the Bible every morning, or finding a quiet place to pray. Good intentions always stack up at the start of the year, but will the same things apply in July? And to take that question a bit further, why doesn't the Methodist Church know that January marks the start of new beginnings, not July?
If you haven't already guessed, I'll tell you that I'm talking about the changing of the guard at many United Methodist churches. It's something we as Methodists do, and most of us probably accept it, but we've never really gotten used to it happening. I mostly understand and agree with the reasoning, or what I know about it, but at times it still bothers me, because I'm not a person who loves change.
This time, the change will be a little different for me and maybe for you, too. Someone I got to know from Sunday school, choir, and just by being part of the congregation, will be taking over the helm, stepping up to the plate, and actually coming home to roost.
I guess I should stop using idioms, even though I was having a good time, and welcome Kevin Paschall to his new role as our pastor. Of course, Kevin isn't new to our church, but the role he will be playing is new to us and may be a little different for him.
As a congregation, we will need to make a few changes to accommodate Kevin, as he intends to serve two churches. Both churches will be changing their worship times, and the hope is that the changes will not harm either of us, but will give Kevin the time he needs to continue his work and to start his new journey with us.
New pastors cannot fill the shoes of the previous pastors because the shoes won't fit. They will either be too long or too short, too wide or too narrow. New pastors come in with visions of grandeur and ideas they think will set the world on fire, but then the parking lot needs fixing, the air conditioning isn't cooling enough, the offerings have dwindled, someone thinks the sermons are too long-winded, and sadly, reality has set in.
Among other things, the church is a business, and to keep a business running smoothly, the preacher has to do more than preach. He is the guardian of the church, the supporter of the flock, the guidance counselor, the driving force behind every decision, and the one who has to navigate the waters when things don't go as planned.
Standing up on Sunday morning and talking for twenty minutes sounds easy. I can talk for twenty minutes without batting an eye, but as I've pointed out, that isn't the only job the preacher has; honestly, it might be the easiest part of the pastor's job.
Because July marks the start of a new era for us, for old time's sake, we need to remember how we got here, who opened the doors and led the way, and on whose shoulders we now stand. In July, Kevin Paschall will accept the responsibility of being our leader and guardian of our faith journey. He is ready. He is all set to go. It won't be easy. It will be a challenge, but it will happen because, as Bob Dylan so aptly put it, the times, they are a-changing.
“Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.” Jeremiah 3:15 (NIV)
Sandra Mayhugh, July 2026
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