This morning is a special day around Peninsula. Today, Ken Garland turns the big eight zero. That’s 80, by the way. And around here that really isn’t all that long in the tooth. I don’t usually mention such celebrations, because of scar from my own days in high school (a story for another day). But I always fear missing someone’s important celebration, so we don’t do this regularly. But today is different. Ken is different.
Ken has endured much around here over all his years. Ken has invested much around here. Ken was the Chairman of the Board of Deacons (Elders) when I was hired in 1994. Karen was on the search committee, so I knew her better, actually. Was that a good thing? Maybe.
But in the months before my arrival, Ken was charged with finding out how to shut down a non-profit. He spent hours at the Peninsula library doing research about how that would happen. The tenor of the church in those days was bleak. We had been through so very much over those years, that pushing forward was going to be exhausting. But Ken (and Karen) hung in there. Leadership does that.
There were other difficult moments, like when he was let go as youth pastor and had to decide whether to still make this his church home. I am grateful for his kids who refused to go anywhere else because Peninsula was home.
There have been some critical junctures in my tenure as pastor that Ken has helped navigate. During the rough waters, his hand was steady and wise. He is really good at defusing tense meetings. He is really good at providing big-picture perspective while I grovel in the dirt. He is always open to my phone calls. He is wise. And, let’s be honest, he’s seen me at my worst (we won’t ever tell that story, I hope). What happens in staff meeting, stays in staff meeting.
This morning I want to honor Ken (and Karen) and their contribution to the history of our church family. In many ways he brought us through the worst of our days. I am glad he can enjoy what may be the best of our days (in my humble opinion). The future is bright and the Savior is leading, and that’s a testament to Ken and Karen.
Next month we will celebrate our 60th anniversary as a church family. We’ll swap stories. We’ll be thankful for our founding (Ken wasn’t around, shock). We’ll be grateful for what God is doing today (Ken is around). And we will be hopeful for what God is about to do in our day (Ken will be a part of that). So happy birthday, Ken. May this be your best decade yet.