Presbyterian Pastor to Retire
The Rev. Roger Hawthorne, pastor for the past 17 years of Grace Presbyterian Church, 2931 S. Kinnickinnic, will retire September 15th, the first pastor in the church's history to retire from the pulpit since the church's founding in 1872. The congregation has bestowed "pastor emeritus" status upon him.
The congregation will honor him with a formal meal and remembrance ceremony following worship on Sunday, September 13th. It will be his final worship service with the congregation, and the church's elders changed communion dates to enable him to preside at the sacrament as his last service.
During his pastorate, the church instituted a Back to School Kits campaign for Trowbridge students and vastly increased its support for the emergency food pantry at Bay View Community Center and the elderly assistance programs operated by Southeast Interfaith. The church quadrupled its support for regional, national and international mission through the Presbyterian denomination and instituted direct relationships with four mission efforts in as many parts of the world.
Hawthorne has been a member of the Bay View Kiwanis Club and the Zamlen-Holman VFW post and served on the board of directors of the Bay View Business Association. He will continue serving on the planning committee on the Great Plains Wee Kirk Conference which organizes workshops for small churches throughout the Upper Midwest.
While he and his wife, Jacki Zandi, will continue making their home in Milwaukee, he has already taken steps to resume the journalism career he gave up to enter the ministry 36 years ago doing some reporting and writing an opinion column for the High Plains Sentinel in Wright, Wyoming. During his ministerial career, he has served 12 congregations, one twice, in Wisconsin, Iowa, Wyoming and Colorado.
