and we celebrate that. at this point, we want to say thank you for your service. you're not retiring from mosaic. >> i'll be here. >> you will be back as a cohost with me. . good morning. we look forward to hearing about the guests and tell us and welcome to mosaic. about retirement certainly. >> amen. i'm pastor at st. mark's >> we hope that june 30th is a lutheran church here in san francisco. joyful day of your service and ministry with you and your people. i have a colleague, friend, and minister with us. >> i'm full of gratitude. and i'm glad you're one of the hosts. you've been great. >> thank you. >>. the reverend ron swisher. >> and hugh was our mentor and we didn't have to go far to find the perfect mosaic guest did a wonderful job. >> and there's a sadness and a today. ron, you are the perfect guest. grief that comes with leaving a parish when you've been loved not only have you been a and loved so well. there is loss for both you and clergyman in the bay area for the church. years, you grew up here, you're and we pray for you in that local. time . the bay area has shaped your ministries as you have influenced and served as a parish pastor. >> our christian life is about beginnings and endings. >> this is the first time in a we thank you.

long time i've been on this as we end mosaic on this sunday side. >> well deserved. and we wish you a blessed sunday morning on this pent after 47 yearsu are reti retiring, officially retiring from parish ministry. >> that's right. ecost sunday. thank you. >> but not from ministry. more about that later. we're glad you're here. >> thank you. >> you are local, born in oakland and grew up in alameda. >> that's right. >> tell us about your call to ministry and why did you end up serving in the methodist church? >> well, at the age of 18, you i had a conversion experience. two colleagues of mine, friends i grew up with in elementary school and high school, they shared with me christ. they were pentecostal, holyness. that personal experience, they said would i like to accept christ and i did. and it changed my life almost overnight. i was 18 and doing a freshman

break from usf where i was at school. i went home and ready the bible for the first time. it's no ordinary day at denny's it's crepe day. a family tradition i was 18. we started about twenty-two minutes ago. >> hadn't been exposed to it? and from the looks of it, this tradition is going to last awhile. >> hadn't been exposed. nothing where i really learned. denny's has new crepes! see you at denny's. i ready the entire gospels the whole night, matthew, mark, luke, and john. i called bill matthews, the person who led me to christ, and i said the gospels seem to repeat themselves. i came alive to it and excited. i began to study more and do witnessing about christ in my life. i thought about ministry toward my junior year of college and felt i might be called. i applied to the pacific school of religion and was accepted. and i took two years of greek in college. i was prepared to go all the way.

but i ended up staying about five years in seminary. . because instead of the three, i became a community organizer. now on kpix5 news this . >> yes. morning, we are on fire watch that was in oakland during the and parts of the bay area about black panther era. >> that's right. >> how did that shape then your to hit triple diblg its. call to minister and shape you the spare to air alert for as a parish pastor, that today. experience? >> the personal faith in 6:00 a.m. good morning. scripture was vital. i'm melissa caen. what the experience as a firefighters across northern california bracing for the worst this morning as community organizer helped me forecasters prediktd extreme become connected to the social hot and dry conditions over the next couple of days. justice issues of our society and i became active and a several small fires ignited liaison with the black panthers yesterday. and a lifetime member of the the ink is 75% contained. naacp. i worked with the urban league and all the organizations. the black caucus was active at the time. this is 1969, ' 70.

and our faith has to be involved in the world, the community, the society. not just a personal faith where we pray and have devotions. but we're not active. so it helped me keep that connection. very vital connection. and of course, dr. kick was important to me. malcolm x, all of those. >> those were your influencers. >> great, great. and i liked dr. king's emphasis of love. i like malcolm x's emphasis of truth. i'm for the truth whoever says it and justice whoever it's for and against. malcolm was more focused on the african american community at the time. but they kept the balance for me. >> yep. and you came out of that really critical era where social issues were at the forefront of your lives and the world and that shaped, then, your proceeding 47 years.

>> that's right. i think for me, justice is not a part of your ministry concern for equity and equality for all people and almost always the litany in my theology is the least, the last, the lost, the left out. i constantly say that. >> we'll come back and hear about that aspect of his 47 years of ministry whether we return to mosaic. welcome.

welcome to mosaic. i'm the pastor of st. mark's lutheran church. ron swisher is the cohost on mosaic, a good friend and colleague. you're retiring after 47 years of ordained ministry, parish ministry. we've heard what formed you. tell us now about the early years in your first parishes. what was that like? like me, we probably made a few mistakes and learned and grew from them. but those were formative. it was all local here in the bay area. >> that's right. that's right. when i had that commitment to the social justice, it was always a part of my ministry

from the very beginning. the parish or the pastor of the parish, you have to teach, you have to preach, you have to visit. you have to do all those. you have to do administration. so trying to combine that was always a challenge. my first four or five years, i struggled when that. interesting i think those -- i was in my 20s, but i think i was accepted by the members 20 and 30 years older than i was. it was never the age factor as much as some of my peers saying how could you be a minister that age. we're used to ministers much older. so dealing with was i accepted as a person and not every time minister comes up in the conversation, people turn off. and so i had to wrestle with that. apply i accepted as a person or just the minister? i wrestled with that. and i didn't get comfortable

until four or five years.. >> what helped you get comfortable with the identity? >> i think my second appointment. it was easter hill in richmond, 13 years. and that was my longest appointment. and they made me feel at home. not that elm hurst didn't. i was just green and wrestling with the struggle. i came to easter hill and it clicked. i have many friends from that time. that's way back in 1978 to 1990. quite some time. it helped me grow and learn to preach better. for me, the preaching is central and primary. the text. it's about the text, text, text. >> that's right. >> and also trying to relate it to the context of people's lives. . >> you came into your own, it sounds like, in that particular call.

as you look at that call, what are you most proud of in those 13 years? >> well, you know, one of my passions is to grow. peter talks about sgroeing growing in grace and knowledge of our lord jesus christ. i believe in person growth and also in growth in terms of active involvement in the community. growth in numbers are important. but not primary. i think people -- a few people can do a whole lot of work. it's fruitful to see people excited about ministry and they begin to join and become active. and they continue the ministry of the fruits of the spirit that we talk about so much. >> how did you continue to grow as a pastor? through reading, study, pra rigsers? >> primary with me is ready.

when people ask me the advice i give ministers, read, read, read. >> who are your authors that have shaped you and that you go back to? >> paul tillen. systematic theology and three volumes of sermons. and -- sermons. . and also the method of correlation. the message correlated with the situation. >> the bible and the newspaper. >> right. he was great athat. and howard thurman. find the grain in your own wood. i always refer to him. >> who are you reading right now? >> well, i'm reading a lot of books. i just finished a book, the most riveting book i've read. the apology by eve ensler. >> oh, yes. >> the author of the monologues. . >> yes.

>> and she talked about her father who abused her, he's been dead for 31 years. so she imagined him apologizing. and she writes this confession that is just compelling. and i was just -- in fact, it was so compelling i had to put it down after reading it for a while and go back to it. so i learn from authors who talk about their story, who tell how they made it, how they will overcame and struggled and got knocked down. the scripture in proverbs says you get knocked down seven times and get it. i don't read just theologians. i read the message. and i read novels. i read political science. i read history. >> it keeps the preaching fresh too. you're listening and engaged in

lots of different conversations. >> absolutely. when members come up and say who was that author? say it again. what did they say? i love that. >> you know, you're a wonderful model of a pastor and a preacher who has continued to grow and to be transformed by your own learning throughout your long career. and that's to be commended. it's often easy as a parish pastor to get stuck in your own silo and neighborhood and you stop growing. you have done just the opposite. >> what's helpful is the six churches i pastored. but also becoming a district superintendent. my bishop appointed me superintendent in 1990. i was there six years. >> that's an administrative position and doing the pastoral work. we'll hear about the work when we return with ron swisher.

. good morning. happy sunday. welcome back to mosaic. we have a pastor who has served in the bay area 47 years. reverend ron swisher. he's currently at community united methodist church in fairfield for seven years. this is where you're concluding your parish ministry. you have served a total of six or selfen parishes. >> yes. i was at taylor memorial, my home church in west oakland for 12 years. >> the prophet returned. >> and honored alittle bit. i had great support. my mother was there for 70 years.

and so if there was a problem, they would not step over my mother. she was such a help. and then st. mk' t'a diffent see burbs. >> and now community. that's >> i can't ask you the favorite. you learn and you served faithfully in each one. >> and community is doing a tremendous job in the last year or so preparing for my retirement. i look forward to it. they've been great for me. >> a little bit about the methodist church. ron is part of the united methodist church. >> that's right. >> and there's a retirement age of 72. you've been able to stay through age 73. you bring a long ten ure and wisdom to the parishes.

now it's time to retire. >> that's right. >> and you've moved from parish to parish too. and that's part of the meth t stay lg. >> one of the things is becoming a methodist minister you have to be move. even yearly. >> do you have say in the moves? >> they listen. the congregation at advised. i did not want to move from easter hill after 13 years. but the bishop said they would like to appoint you there. and it opened me up to serve them in ways i thought i would never experience. there were diverse from korean to hispanic and african american and so forth.

it helped me be in cross cultural settings. multicultural set settings. >> and you see how churches have to work together to accomplish god's work. you can't work in isolation, especially these day. . >> and one of the things you said during the break, disaster relief. what we've given to communities throughout the midwest now. and even before that. and with the hurricane in puerto rico. >> yeah. >> all the ways in which we give. that's one of the things connected to united methodist and a lot of churches here. that's key to us. >> that's about being a methodist. >> right. we have to be part of a largest community and not just the local church. we pay a portion of shared giving. . >> and what would you say as you look back on your long

career, where does the church still need to grow and work and expand? >> i think we're not inclusive enough. i think that united church of christ has had a great ministry in that regard. >> but inclusive in what way? what's your vision for the church, ron? >> i would like so see everyone equally accepted from the lgbtq community and that's an issue which i can't quite understand that you would be eliminated. >> that's been a recent issue. >> right. we're battling over that. very disturbing. i feel that anyone who is excluded because of race, class, because of their age, because of their gender. you know, i don't think that's the witness where the chur that. be. discna ovel. i thiw

and every church, but especially we've fallen short there. >> your currently parish in fairfield, they are celebrating with you your 47 years of ministry. >> that's right. >> and your seven years with them. what would you say is your biggest accomplishment at that church? >> well, i think try to go implement some of the frutss of the -- fruits of the spirit. love, joy, peace, goodness, gentleness, generosity and some of those nine fruits of the spirit paul talks about. i hope i've been a person who has lived that and implemented as best i could. some of the individuals and people who have taken on leadership provided that. and one of the things they're

not able to see the program too often. the sacramento station picks up the channel 5 instead of the local. there's half a dozen people there or more in my church who hears this. so i'm glad when someone says, wow, i saw you on mosaic and the guests were great and what you said. so i think the ministry of communication has been vital. and i hope that the text has come alive. >> yes. helping people grow in their faith. you've done that 3747 years -- 47 years. we will be back for the final segment on mosaic.

. good morning. and welcome back to mosaic. we are with a seasoned united methodist pastor, retiring at the end of the month of june. reverend ran swisher. he's been a cohost on mosaic. and you have such wisdom in the 47 years. i asked what's been your compass throughout the 47 years. is there a story or a scripture that has stayed with you? >> my favorite is the 27th psalm. the lid sa wfear? whom shall i be afraid? and one thing i desire is to

seek after and know the lord and live in the lord's temple the rest of my life. that light, salvation, strength, and overcoming our fears. we have to overcome our fears. that combination i've found great strength in that. almost every memorial service, i start off with the 27th psalm. and i preach on it. and to me, it sets the tone and sets how i feel about what god gives us. >> we hear your pastoral heart in that description. >> ron, you served thousands and thousands of people. think of the baptisms, the weddings, the funerals, the fon confirmations, the teaching of the faith to so many throughout the years and how you touched ed lives. and they go out and serve in god's name. >> that's rich. >> and it's fulfilling. i have to ask you, what do you do in retirement?

i hope you get rest. do you feel a tug to some kind and the it's a celebration of the spirit in its fullness. >> a festival of the church. >> i'm open to the spirit. people have mentioned things, chaplain, teaching. some of those might come up. interim ministry. i'm open, but i want to wait to see what the spirit says. i'm waiting on the leading of the spirit. i've done that my ministry. the bishop appoints, but the leads of the spirit has been with me on those appointments and i feel great about that. >> some of the best advice and support i've received has been from retired colleagues. you can shape the pastors who are younger and experience with the wisdom. >> i hope to help. . that's what we do. >> i hope there's a stack of books for you to read and a

place to travel. there is a celebration for pastor ron. this is typical of what churches do.