Parishioners Give Thanks for Pastor’s Leadership

When St. Stephen Presbyterian Church lost its senior pastor two years ago, it was widely expected that the church would flounder and membership fall.

Instead, under the energetic leadership of Associate Pastor Joe McGowan, membership actually rose. On Sunday, with a new senior pastor finally on the way, the congregation threw a surprise party between services to thank McGowan for his hard work.

“Well, well, well,” McGowan said, trying to suppress a smile as about 300 members of the congregation cheered and held up letters spelling out “Thank you Joe,” though it took a few tries to get them in the right order. McGowan was presented with a facsimile check for “$4,000 plus,” the amount raised by the congregation so far.

The tribute was unexpected but not surprising, McGowan said, given the spirit of the church, whose membership numbers more than 400. “Knowing this congregation, I’m not surprised,” McGowan said.

Planning for the celebration started before Christmas, and donations were still coming in Sunday, said Bill Newbold, clerk of session for the church. The congregation also gave McGowan a chocolate mousse in the shape of a personal computer, which the associate pastor wants to buy when he gets the real check.

McGowan, 38, a native of Tennessee who came to the church from New Orleans in 1989, deserves the accolades, church members said. When the congregation lost its senior pastor, he stretched himself far beyond his usual duties not only to keep the church going, but to expand outreach.

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McGowan led a missionary trip to Ecuador and expanded service programs to the poor.

“It’s been tough,” McGowan admitted after the thunderous applause died down Sunday. “I’ve had moments where I wondered, ‘What am I doing? What are they doing? And why are we doing it together?’ ”

The new senior pastor arrives in two weeks, and McGowan will return to his usual duties as associate pastor.

“Joe has given us a heart and a soul,” said Julie Todd, membership secretary. “People really respond to Joe. He feels what they feel.”

His spirit made a difference when others predicted that the loss of a senior pastor would hurt the church. “We proved them wrong,” Todd said.