NUMC pastor Clay Oglesbee stops by my confessional at the GBM on a regular basis.
As a sometimes-blogger, plain talker, insightful observer, and a regular guy, he’s the kind of preacher that an atheist like me can relate to.
Plus, he’s quite easy to make fun of.
To wit:
So it was not good news for me last week when I heard that he’s been promoted to District Superintendent (southeast MN region) for the Methodist Church, as it means that he and Mary Lynn, the woman he’s been primarily been sleeping with for many years, must depart Northfield…. a requirement of the Church.
Here’s the press release:
Northfield United Methodist Pastors to Change
Both pastors of the Northfield United Methodist Church will soon be serving in other ministries.
Bishop Sally Dyck of the Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church has announced that the Reverend Clay Oglesbee is to be appointed as District Superintendent of the new River Valley District (82 United Methodist congregations in the southeast quadrant of the state of Minnesota). This appointment becomes effective July 1, 2008.
Pastor Oglesbee has served the Northfield United Methodist Church for 11 years (1997-2008), and will continue to serve as superintendent of the church, as well as several other United Methodist churches in this area. Pastor Oglesbee has been a participant and/or officer with the Community Action Center (CAC), the Northfield Area Interfaith Association (NAIA), the Rotary Club, and the Junto organization.
In addition, Pastor Mary Keen, Pastor of Care and Counseling at the Northfield church, will be appointed to Extension Ministries in Counseling (private practice). After completing service with the Northfield United Methodist Church, Pastor Keen plans to continue offering counseling and coaching services to residents in the Northfield and Rice County area.
There will be a service of farewell and appreciation for Pastor Oglesbee and his wife, Mary Lynn, on Sunday, June 22, 10:30 a.m. A similar service will be scheduled at a later date for Pastor Mary Keen and her husband, David Antonneau. Announcement of new pastoral leadership for the congregation is anticipated by mid-June.
Clay is a fantastic person and a compassionate soul. He will be greatly missed at NUMC. I wish him and his family all the best.
I don’t know how either the church, or the community, will get along without Clay Oglesbee. He is the kind of regular guy everyone loves and admires unless they don’t feel that way about it. A pip. A fine fellow. Never said a mean word about anyone, unless he felt like it. There should more people like him in the world. He was smart, kind, loyal, generous, clean, reverent and an avid self-promoter before he became Emperor of the Southeast River Biome of Minnesota.
Now, someone please drop the casket, and let us move on to the real challenges of community life and service!