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Warren church sends pastor into retirement

Gerald Moreland (right) and his wife Ruth celebrate Moreland’s retirement on Jan. 10 from the Warren Church of Christ after a 45-year career as a pastor in Ohio, Markle and Warren. He is now a chaplain for Heritage Pointe.
Gerald Moreland (right) and his wife Ruth celebrate Moreland’s retirement on Jan. 10 from the Warren Church of Christ after a 45-year career as a pastor in Ohio, Markle and Warren. He is now a chaplain for Heritage Pointe. Photo provided.

On Jan. 10, a secret operation - codenamed "G-ment" - was conducted at the Warren Church of Christ to celebrate the 45-year career of the church's pastor, Gerald Moreland.

The event, short for "Gerald's retirement," was planned by numerous people, including his wife Ruth. The couple's four children - Rachel, Angela, Sarah and Luke - along with four guests spoke of Moreland during his last service, which drew an estimated 280 people. That is almost double the average Sunday attendance of 150.

When Moreland first went to Warren six years ago, he says the number was 50.

This wasn't the only increase he has brought about, though.

Moreland spent the majority of his career, 24 years, at the Markle Church of Christ. He says that when he arrived there after an 11-year tenure at a church in Ohio, Markle was seeing about 350 weekly members. When he left, he notes Markle's numbers were up to 650.

His job there consisted of pastoral care, mission trips and the seniors' ministry. He enjoyed visitations at the church, but he notes that the church got too big to get out and do those things still.

As for mission trips, Moreland is a world traveler, visiting Mexico nine times, Poland twice, and also making trips to Venezuela, Italy and England.

Moreland explains that retirement has been on his mind since he left Markle. When he arrived in Warren six years ago, he recalls telling the church that at the age of 60, "I'm not getting any younger." But he says the Warren Church of Christ was struggling and young families were going to Markle, so he decided to take the Warren church under his wing and help it, a decision not regretted.

"It's been a fun time and a fun ministry, I've really enjoyed," Moreland says.

Moreland was a part of the 1966 class of Cincinnati Christian University. The president of the college, David Faust, was one of the speakers at the "G-ment;" as Moreland serves as a trustee for his alma mater. Also among the speakers of what he says was an "emotional day," were friends Tom Clabaugh and Phil Williams, along with Moreland's brother Ernie.

A young pastor has since taken over Moreland's duties, but the retiree remains close at hand, playing a mentoring role to help in the transition because that's where he will continue to worship and serve.

"Not many ministers get a chance to stay on a church where they retire from. The church there is giving me an opportunity and we want to do that," Moreland says.

Since wrapping up his preaching career, he's been anything but bored.

"My idea of retirement is not to do nothing ... I've already accepted a job to be a part-time chaplain at Heritage Pointe. But that's a nice ministry because you're on one week and then off two weeks. It doesn't take (a lot of time). I wanted to be free to do other things. It'll be a fun time."

Other things he's been doing include office purging, reading and spending more time with his wife.

Moreland says he's always enjoyed Easter and Christmas, but most of all, the people.

"I love people," he says, explaining that he likes to call on, try to minister to, be friends with, encourage and help them.

He thinks he shook hands with as many as 400 people on Jan. 10, on a day that will live on with Moreland forever.

"It was really quite a nice day. It was very special."