By Pat Orr
Apple Valley Review
I have now either “retired” or chased out-of-state five or six pastors in my adult life. The latest, Frank “Butch” Fahnestock, announced recently he is retiring this July from his position as the founding senior pastor of the Community Church at Jess Ranch.
I have observed that there are a few distinguishable styles among those who take up the calling to minister:
• There is the “Performance Preacher” who inspires and causes blood to stir and faith to swell up with the majesty of his rhetoric and delivery. You see a lot of these guys on Sunday morning television.
• Then there is the “Family Pastor” who weaves the gentle stories with humor and common sense that help you identify how the message relates to your life. This is the guy you want to marry you and later your children.
• Once in a while you get the “Administrator” who sees his church as a growth opportunity to be managed, expanded and, with it, his influence.
• I have also seen the “Firebrand,” nearly literally afire with passion to plant new churches, bring in new people to the church and will try any outreach to make it happen. This one will wear you out if he/she doesn’t move on to a new church in need before the fire consumes the congregation.
• Lastly, there is the “Professor” who want you to know — without bombast — the background, meaning and detail behind each scripture. They will throw Greek and Latin into the sermon to emphasize they are not embellishing the original text and to prove they were good listeners in Seminary. Presbyterians are particularly proud of their education.
While I’m sure I’m not totally responsible, I imagine each pastor who has left whatever church I attended at the time gave at least a fleeting thought to, “Ahh, I don’t have to deal with Orr anymore.”
When I met Butch he was the outgoing president of the Rotary Club of Apple Valley. All I knew was that he was a preacher who worked for the sheriff’s department — an interesting combination I thought at the time.
In the intervening years he organized and built a new church at Jess Ranch, then had to inspire enough people to put their fannies in the pews every Sunday to keep it going.
I suspect he went through each of the stages I noted above on this journey.
Change is never easy but I’m pretty sure Butch won’t miss slaving over the sermon and carrying the congregation on his back week after week. That’s for the young guys to take up now and he did a good job prepping them to take it on.
Of course, there is always the silver lining to his retirement: he won’t have to deal with Orr anymore.
Legacy Trail spurs interest
The volunteer group behind the Apple Valley Legacy Trail project made a presentation at the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce Luncheon last week and got a thumbs up from those attending. Most of the Town Council members were in the audience and Mayor Curt Emick told the crowd he hoped the project becomes a reality and vowed “whatever support the Town could provide.”
There were even members of the audience asking how to donate on the spot.
The group has to act fast to find enough cash to put a reasonable bid on the Bass “Hilltop House” 20-acre property to make the project a reality. The property isn’t usable for a home, restaurant or large public venue of any kind but would make a perfect educational and hiking destination which maintains a link to our local history and Western heritage as envisioned by Apple Valley’s founders.
You can get more info and donate time, talent or treasure online at AppleValleyLegacyTrail.org.
Pat Orr is a local business owner, community volunteer and political junkie.