Prisonchaplain retiring...from prison chaplaincy

[prisonchaplain]

It's Thanksgiving Day, so I figured I'd announce that, yes I am thankful for the nearly 23 years the LORD has allowed me to serve as a prison chaplain. Alas, mandatory retirement is fast approaching, and I prayerfully put in to do so at the end of this year. Next steps likely include my continuing as a volunteer pastor and transitioning to my first love--teaching. It's not yet certain how that will look, but I am convinced that what lies ahead will be even better than that which is passing. Oh … and no, I'm not retiring from here. Mercy has its limits.

[Jamie123]

Happy retirement! 🤗

Maybe you'll find a nice quiet country parish and live in a quaint parsonage with roses round the door, and preach sermons to sweet old ladies who'll invite you to tea and feed you their delicious cakes. 😁

My own retirement is still a decade away, but I'm already dreading the thought of it. But of course I'm not a prison chaplain!

Edited November 26, 2020 by Jamie123

[Jane_Doe]

Thank you so much for your service PC!

[prisonchaplain]

As exciting as the country parish with the old lady cakes sounds, alas, such will not be my lot to bare. Besides, we ministers do not get to truly retire. Instead, we get re-fired! It's amazing how many of my peers in corrections have shuddered with fear when I told them I was considering teaching at the high school level.

Edited November 26, 2020 by prisonchaplain

[Vort]

7 hours ago, prisonchaplain said:

It's Thanksgiving Day, so I figured I'd announce that, yes I am thankful for the nearly 23 years the LORD has allowed me to serve as a prison chaplain. Alas, mandatory retirement is fast approaching, and I prayerfully put in to do so at the end of this year. Next steps likely include my continuing as a volunteer pastor and transitioning to my first love--teaching. It's not yet certain how that will look, but I am convinced that what lies ahead will be even better than that which is passing. Oh … and no, I'm not retiring from here. Mercy has its limits.

Thank you for the service you've rendered. I believe your efforts have made the world a better place than it otherwise would have been. That's maybe the highest praise most of us can hope for.

[mordorbund]

On 11/26/2020 at 4:00 PM, prisonchaplain said:

. It's not yet certain how that will look, but I am convinced that what lies ahead will be even better than that which is passing

Maybe you’ll have more influence on the inside than the outside. 😜👮‍♂️ | | | | 👮‍♀️

[seashmore]

On 11/26/2020 at 3:59 PM, prisonchaplain said:

It's amazing how many of my peers in corrections have shuddered with fear when I told them I was considering teaching at the high school level.

They quite possibly remember how they were when they were that age.  I think you'll be wonderful at whatever the Lord has in store for you next!

[Traveler]

On 11/26/2020 at 2:59 PM, prisonchaplain said:

As exciting as the country parish with the old lady cakes sounds, alas, such will not be my lot to bare. Besides, we ministers do not get to truly retire. Instead, we get re-fired! It's amazing how many of my peers in corrections have shuddered with fear when I told them I was considering teaching at the high school level.

Perhaps you ought to consider becoming a seminary teacher in Utah.   😎

 

The Traveler

[prisonchaplain]

@Traveler  Traditional Christian seminaries would require a doctorate-holder, and LDS ones would require many qualities I lack (such as an authorized LDS baptism). On the other hand, I found out that the school I'm applying to has a chaplain and offers concurrent classes with Northwest University (A/G) for its high school students. So... maybe.

Then again, God may see fit to have me serve public schools, in which case I would be considered a community chaplain. As long as its His first choice, I'm all in. 

Edited November 29, 2020 by prisonchaplain