journeys-page

As United Methodist Clergy, you have to ask permission to retire. So your retirement has to be approved by the Board of Ordained Ministry, your District Superintendent, and the Bishop. Ultimately, your retirement is voted on by the Clergy Session at the Annual Conference in June. I’ve watched several friends retire over the years. My older brother, Rev. Todd Karges retired a couple years ago. Now it’s my turn. I wrote my letter requesting permission to retire as of July 1, 2024, a few weeks ago. It was kind of a weird feeling. I never imagined doing this. When I was a senior Psychology major at Nebraska Wesleyan, I remember asking my Dad, (Rev. Gil Karges), what he thought if I went to Seminary. He said, “A year of seminary can’t hurt anybody!” I had started college pre-law. So in the end I had minors in Political Science, Sociology, and Religion tacked on to my Psychology degree. My first job in the church was in 1981 as a “Miller & Paine Intern” at St. Paul UMC in Lincoln, working with the UMYF. That seems like just yesterday. I’ve been working/serving in the United Methodist Church ever since. After being ordained as a Deacon in 1984, I was then ordained as an Elder in 1986. While going to seminary at Duke Divinity School, I served as an intern at Metropolitan UMC, Detroit; Lebanon UMC, Highpoint, NC; The Temperance Hall Parish in eastern North Carolina; and Clinical Pastoral Education at North Carolina Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hill, NC. In Nebraska, I was appointed to churches in Fremont, Ainsworth & Johnstown, Seward, Beatrice, Doniphan & Rosedale, and here at Trinity in Grand Island. In South Carolina, I served St. Andrews Parish UMC in Charleston. This will be a year of “lasts,” the last VBS, the last Praise on the Plaza, the last trunk or treat, the last stewardship campaign; the last Christmas Eve, etc. Right now, we’re planning on moving mid-June to the Washington DC area to be near our kids and help take care of our grandkids. Our daughter Katie’s family is there. Our son Zack’s family and daughter Emily are in North Carolina. As one of the large churches in the Conference, Trinity should be one of the first Senior Pastor appointments made in the spring. I invite you to help me enjoy this year of lasts, like the last Lent, last Easter, last confirmation, last graduation, etc. Grace & Peace,