Ken Godshall's Comments at Congregational Meeting

I'm grateful to Ken Godshall for his wise and heart-felt remarks at the congregational meeting after church this Sunday. Before we approved the motion to ask Presbytery to dissolve the relationship with Rev. Jim Poinsett as Associate Pastor, Ken spoke these words. I thank Ken for allowing me to share them.
--Jack Lohr, Interim Pastor

I support the motion to dissolve the pastoral relationship with Jim Poinsett and would like to share a few comments before we vote.

Jim’s assignment at Mt. Kisco has been challenging over the last year. He was appointed acting head of staff and moderator of session during a period of serious church conflict. Jim did a good job by remaining calm, by offering reconciliation to those who were hurt, and by supporting the difficult but appropriate decisions that Session made. This responsibility was probably more than Jim expected when he accepted our call as associate pastor over three years ago. I am grateful to Jim for setting a tone in the church and in the pulpit that helped the church move forward.

Jim performed those duties while grieving over the death of his wife Robin and commuting 90 minutes each day to and from work. Although Jim has been ably supported by other pastors in the Presbytery, the grieving process is still not over, so it’s appropriate that he take a sabbatical before accepting another call. Keep in mind that Robin was not only Jim’s wife, but the person at seminary who encouraged him to continue to pursue ordained ministry at a low point when he almost gave up. His relationship with Robin’s family after death has not been ideal.

Jim’s departure today as a matter of polity is the dissolution of a pastoral relationship. But it would also be accurate to describe what is happening as a job elimination. We are losing Jim today because the church lacks the financial resources to pay for an associate pastor for the first time in several decades. I’m pleased that Jack and Janice Lohr have joined us today for the next year or two, but regret that recent church conflict and the Great Recession have cost Jim his first call after seminary. It’s a real loss.

Throughout this difficult period Jim has led worship and confidently proclaimed the Word at a time when the congregation needed to hear it. His sermons have provided a message of hope for this church.

I am glad to know Jim and grateful for his leadership during an important moment in the life of the church. Thanks be to God for his ministry among us.