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Pastor Beverly’s Legacy at North
Kingstown United Methodist Church
By Larry Price
Published January 8,
2008
Beverly Stenmark came to North Kingstown United Methodist
Church in July 1997. She will leave in July 2008 to become the superintendent of
the Mid Maine district of the New England Conference, closing out a remarkable
11-year run as our pastor. Eleven years in one place is unusual for a Methodist
minister. After all, they trace their roots from the Wesley tradition of circuit
riders. We all knew, including Beverly, that her time here would end some day.
We just didn’t know when that would be, choosing to enjoy it while it lasted.
Her appointment was historic. Beverly was our first female
pastor, but more importantly, she brought us together at a difficult time in our
church. She went on to lead us through the tragedies of 9/11 and the Station
fire, grew our congregation and added a second Sunday worship service, helped
one young child receive a life-saving liver transplant and another a second
chance heart surgery and new life in America. She was here for the celebration
of our church’s 30th, 35th and 40th anniversaries. She celebrated with us
weddings and wedding anniversaries, births and baptisms and helped us understand
the deaths of loved ones.
She found financial help for people in need—most of them
anonymous to us. She constantly educated us on issues of justice---domestic
violence and the need to correct the injustices of society. Without counting
them all, I would guess that by the time she leaves in July, she will have
written more than 470 sermons for our congregation, delivering most of them
twice a Sunday since 2001. Even more impressive, over 470 inspiring and often
humorous Sunday lessons for the children of our church. If you think it’s easy,
try to do just one a year and then you’ll appreciate the math.
She pushed us to be good stewards with our time, talents
and gifts, always relating it to the Glory of God and thanksgiving for the
blessings we have. She encouraged us to help flood victims, to feed the hungry
and buy blankets to keep people warm in dark places. She laughed with us at
talent shows and encouraged us to reach out to our community and beyond wherever
there was need. She saw the need for a Learning Team to plan the future of our
church while always remembering our blessed history as a church.
She embraced the new technology of email and website to
improve efficiencies and grow our mission, but she still had an amazing way of
remembering everyone’s name as we filed out of church on Sunday, whether or not
we wear name tags. Most of the teenagers and young adults in our church grew up
while Beverly was their pastor. She knows them all and cares about each one of
them. For Beverly, this church has been family now for over 10 years. And that’s
why it will be difficult to say goodbye in July. But Beverly’s greatest strength
may be how she has always led us by giving our church congregation the faith to
get things done. That faith will remain with us as we transition to a new
pastor. She will leave us better than we were when she arrived and she knows we
will carry on because she has instilled in all of us the solid belief that “We
are the church and part of the body of Christ.”
Pastors come and go---and we have been blessed with some
very good shepherds over the years---but our church always endures, in good and
difficult times. Each pastor becomes part of our church’s DNA, but a few are
always remembered in our hearts long after they leave to accept God’s next call.
Pastor Beverly will be one of them.
To the pastors and congregations of the Mid Maine District,
we can assure you one of God's wonderful gifts will arrive in July.
#
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