Pastor Barton Gray honored on retirement from St. John

The congregation of St. John Lutheran Church (LCMS) had a dinner in honor of the retirement of its pastor, the Rev. Barton Gray and his wife Laura. After 33 years in the ministry, Pastor Gray will enter a new phase of ministry, serving other churches in a part time capacity from his new home in Alpena.

He served St. John from July 1996, coming from a parish in Pinconning, where he had served since 1991. He was ordained into the holy ministry June 21, 1970 at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Battle Creek. He was installed as pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Avon, and St. John Lutheran Church, Tyndall, South Dakota, and served the dual parish from 1970-1975.

He served as pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Marshall, Missouri from 1975-1980. On April 20, 1980, he became assistant pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in South St. Louis County, an

d became senior pastor there in 1894. Along with his pastoral work in the congregations he has served, Rev. Gray was a pastoral advisor to the circuit LWML in South Dakota and chairman of a joint pastoral conference for the South Dakota District. He served the Missouri District as a member of the Board of Evangelism and participated in an evangelism outreach in the Iowa East District.

While at St. Louis, Pastor Gray led a building expansion effort at Peace which provided needed space and facilities for ministry. He and his wife Laura have five children, three of whom were able to attend the retirement dinner.

St. John will be served by the Rev. Jack Ferguson, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Hawks, until a permanent pastor is called. Due to conflicting worship times, St. John will alter its worship schedule to include Sunday worship at 11 a.m., and Bible class and Sunday School at 9:45 a.m. Advent services will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays.