united methodist you have to be eye ten rit. >> what he's that? >> you have to be open to move yearly. >> do you have say in the moves or is that the bishop. >> they listen and you advice and congregation advice but you are the bishop makes the final . good morning and welcome to decision. and sometimes you get an mosaic. i am elizabeth pastor st. marks unexpected. i didn't want to move from lutheran church in san easter hill after 13 years. francisco. i have a colleague, a friend that seems like a long time but the bishop said superintendent and a minister with us today sigh i would like to appoint it's the reverend ron swisher you there he did so and opened me up to 70 congregations in or ron swisher pastor. we didn't have to go too far to ways i felt i never find the perfect mosaic guest experienced. and it was a diverse today because you are the perfect guest. not only have you been a congregations from korean to clergyman in the bay area for hispanic to tongan to african 47 years but you grew up here. american church and so forth. so it helped me be in a cross ree baarea shaped your ministry as you influenced and cultural settings. multicultural settings. >> w churches and served as a parish pastor. >> this is the first time in a congregations have to work long time i been on this side. together to accomplish god's

work yo. >> well deserved because can't work in ice lace. >> that's right. >> you can't be a parish in isolation anymore. >> one of the things you said after47 years, you are during the break one of the things churches do is disaster officially retiring from parish ministry. >> that's right. >> but not from ministry. relief. what we have given to more about that later. >> okay. >> we are so glad you are here. communities throughout the >> thank you. >> and you are local. midwest now. and even before that. you were born in oakland. >> that's right. >> grew up in alameda and tell and with the hurricane and puerto rico all the ways in us about your call to ministry, which we give. that's one of the things check why did you end up serving in theed connected to united methodist a lot of church give the methodist church? >> at the age of 18 i had a but that's key to us. >> about being a methodist. >> right. we have to be a part of a conversion experience da mass cuss experience two friends i lamunind njust chch. grew up with, elementary school and high school, they shared we pay poent ofshared with me christ. and they were pentecostal. giving. long career, to grow and holiness. and so that person experience, would i like to accept christ in my life, which i did. and it changed my lifelike almost overnight. >> yeah. >> and i was 18 and was doing a work and expand? >> i think we are not inclusive freshman break from the usf where i was at school.

enough. i think that united church of >> yeah. >> and i went home and read the bible for the first time. christ is a great ministry in i was 18. >> but hadn't been exposed. >> i did some sunday school, that regard. unitarians. >> inclues any of what way? what's your vision for the and but i had nothing where i church.>> i would like to see learned and i read the entire everyoneequally accepted from new testament the whole night i should say the gospels matthew, the lgbtq community and be that seems to be an issue which i mark luke and john and called bill matthews, the person who can't quite understand. led me to christ primarily and that you are eliminated because i said the goes pals repeat of your sexuality. >> that's a recent issue in the themselves because i never read them before. but i came alive to it excited united methodist church in we are battling over that. about it and then from there i and it's disturbing. he feel anyone who is excluded began to study more, began to because of their race, because of class, because of their age, do witnesses about christ in my life and then i thought about because of their gender, you ministry towards my junior year of college and felt i might be know, i don't think the witness of the church. whether it's discrimination on any level. called. so i think we have room to grow i applied to the school of in that. division in berkeley and i took >> yeah. >> in every church but althe s of in especially united methodist. we have fallen short there. >> your current parish in fairfield community united

i ended 5 methodist church, they are years in minary there because celebrating with you your 47 years of ministry. >> that's right. because i became a community >> and your 7 years with them. organizer. >> yes in oakland during the what would you say is your black panthe how d that shape your call to biggest accomplishment at that ministry or how did that shape you as a parish pastor that church? >>i think trying to implement experience? the frowst of the spirit. >> well the personal faith and i believe an inner growth and scripture was vital. fruits of the spirit love, joy, but what the experience as a peace, patience kindness self- community organizer, helped me become connected to the social control discipline and the 9 fruits of the spirit that paul talks about in galatians, i think i see that come alive. justice issues. of our society. implemented as best i could. and i became active in a layson with the black panthers but i became a lifetime member of the and i think some of the individuals and people who have naacp so both organizations were very posh important to me taken on leadership have i am worked with urban league provided that and committed. and black caucus was active at and one thing is they are not able to see the program too that time. this was 69, 70, 71. often because the sacramento >> yep. >> and so at that time, i felt station picks up this channel 5. >> i. >> instead of the local. but there's half a dozen people the importance our faith has to there or more in my church who

be involved in the world. >> yeah. >> a d sociy. hears this. so, i am glad when someone says well with, i sow you on poe ere wepray d sayic and the guest you had was great and what you said. devotions but we are not so i think the ministry of active. so it helped me keep that vital communication is vital. connection. and, of course, dr. king was and i think -- i hope the texts very important to me in my comes alive in their lives. >> helping people grow in their life. malcolm x, all of those persons. feat and you've done that for >> those were your 47 years we will be back for influenceers. our final segment in a minute >> great. i like of course dr. king's emphasis on love, but i liked on mosaic. malcolm examine x's emphasis on truth. so they had an emphasis on love and justice and malcolm was more focused on the african american community but they kept the balance for me. >> and you came out that really critical era where social issues were at the forefront of our lives and the world a and that shaped then your preceding

47 years. >> that's right. for meis not if it's not a part of your mense try concern for equity and equality for all people and always thisled me in my thee ol jit least the last the lost and left out and say that and people hear it in my messages. >> we will come back and hear from reverend swisher about thataspect of his 47 years of ministry when we return to mosaic. welcome.

. booed morning a welcome back. we are with a seasoned united methodist pastor retiring at the end of the month of june. reverend ron swisher who is also been a cohost on mosaic. and it seems you have such wisdom in the 47 years, but i asked you what's been your compass throughout the 47 years. is there a story or a scripture that has stayed with you and noished you. and salvation whom shall i fear the lord strengthened my life and who should i be afraid one thing i desire is seek after the lord and reside in the lord's temple the rest of my life. is that light, salvation, the strength and overcoming our fears, think we have to

overcome our fears and that combination i've always found great strength in that. almoster memorial service and funeral i do i start with the 27 psalm. i don't always preach on it but . good morning. it sets the tone and sets how i welcome to mosaic. i am elizabeth eckdale. feel about what god gives us. >> well we hear your part rail i have a methodist pastor with heart in that description. you served thousands and thousands of people. us. reverend ron swisher our cohost think of the baptisms, on mosaic a good friend and colleague. you are retiring after 47 years weddings, funerals- confirmations, and teaching of the faith to so many throughout of ordained ministry, parish the years. and how you touched lives and ministry. >> right. >> we have heard what formed you, tell us now about the they go out and surf in god's name. >> that's rich. early years in your first >> that's rich and it's parishes. what was that like? fulfilling and i have to ask like me, we probably made a few you what do you do in mistakes and we learned and retirement? i hope you will get some rest grew from them but they were formative because it was local but you feel a tug to some kind here in the bay area. >> that's right. when i had that commitment to of ministry? >> well, we are wearing red the social justice. because it's peost. it was always a part of my and thatele ministry from the very spirit in the fullness.

beginning, the parish or the >> festival of the church. >> right. i am opened to the spirit. pastor or parish you have to people have mentioned certain teach, you have to preach, and you have to visit and you have to do all those -- you have to things, chaplain, teaching, some might come up i want to do administration. wait to see what the spirit so, trying to combine that was always a challenge. my first four or five years, i says. i am leading -- open to the leading of the spirit and think struggled with that. interesting that i think those i've done that. -- i was in my 20á. but i think i was accepted by my whole ministry. bishop oapoints buckets leading members who were 20 or 30 years of the -- appointments, but the leading of the spirit has been with me on those appointments. older than i. never seemed >> the best advice and support tonight age factor as much as i received is from my retired some of my peers who kept on saying how can you be a col lees and he colleagues and minister at that age. we are used to mis terse older. that's where you can shape so dealing with was i accepted pastors much younger and with the wisdom. as a person, and not every time >> i hope to help. that's what we do. you want to support. >> i hope there's a tack of minister comes up in the books for you to read. >> always. conversation, people turn off. >> and a place to travel. and so i thd as a person or is there's a celebration for pastor ron this is typical of it just the minister. that seemed to block. what churches do when there's and i wrestled with that and didn't get comfortable until a few years i think. retired community. united methodist church is having a celebration sunday

maybe 4 or 5 years before i june 30th when he leaves the realized. >> what helped you get comfortable with the identity? parish, and we celebrate that. >> i think my second appointment. >> okay. >> my first appointment was at this point, we want to say elmhurst in east oakland. thank you for your service, the second was easter hill in richmond. which is 13 years. >> that's right. you're not retiring from >> and my longest appointment. mosaic. >> no i will be here. >> you will be back as a cohost and it's been -- they made me feel at home. not that elmhurst didn't but i with me. we hook forward to hearing was so green and wrest heel about your guests and you will tell us about retirement. with the struggle, but when i >> amen. >> but we hope june 30th is a came to easter hill, it seemed joyful day of your service and like it clicked. and i still have many friend ministry with you and your people. >> i am full of gratitude. from that time. >> yeah. >> and that's way back in 78 to >> yeah. >> and i am glad you were one 90. >> yeah. >> so, that's been quite of the hosts. sometime. you've opinion hu but it helped me grow, it was our mentor and he did a helped me learn to preach better. for mow, the preaching is wonderful job. >> he did.and there he a essential -- central, and sadness and grief that comes with leav primary. the text, it's about the text, the text, the text. there's loss for both you and >> that's right. >> but also trying to relate it the church. to the context of people's and we pray for you in that lives. >> you came into your own, it time of loss but also joy. sounds like, in that in that >> that's what the christian particular call as you look at life is about, beginnings and

that call, what -- what are you endings. we thank you as we end mosaic most proud of in the 13 years? on this sunday. >> well, you know, one of my and we wish you a blessed passions is to grow. sunday morning on this peter talks about growing in pentecost sunday. good morning and welcome again grace and knowledge of the lord and savior jesus christ. so i believe in personal to mosaic. growth. but i also believe in growth in terms of active involvement as i said in the community, growth in numbers are important. but in the primary. i mean, i think, a few people can do a whole lot of work. but it's very fruitful when you see people who are excited about ministry and they begin to join and begin to become active. and they continue the ministry of those fruits of the spirit we talk about so much. >> how do you or how did you -- how did you continue to grow as a pastor? was it through reading or study through the parishioners? how did you keep fresh and alive? >>i think you talked about all those right there. but primary with me is raeing. when people ask me what is the

advice i would give ministers when they come into minister. read, read, read. >> who are your authors that have really shaped you and you go back to? >> paul tilly. system matic theology and his sermons. thee volumes shaking of the foundation and also he gave meet method of correlation which is that the preaching always should be the correlated with the situation. the bible. >> the bible and the news paper right? >> right. >> he was great at that. and howard thurman. you know fine the grain in your own wood and i always refer to howard thurman continuously. and there's been many since then. >> who are you reading right now, ron? >> i am reading a lot of books. i am just finished a book that is most riveting book i read. and the apology by eve ensler. >> yes. >> the author of the monologs and talks about her father who

abused her. he's been dead for 31 imd ologi . live from the cbs bay area studios this is kpix5 news. >> pride celebration already underway in san francisco all confession. and just a compelling leading up to the big parade in just a few hours. confession. and i was just -- in fact it was so compelling i had to put . >> and president trump makes it down after reading it and history becoming the first going back to it. sitting u.s. president to set and so i learned from, you foot in north korea. >> it's 6 a.m. on this sunday june 30th good know, authors who talk about their story, who tell how they, morning. and happy pride. you know made it and overcame i am devin fehely. and how they struggled and how >> i am melissa caen. they got knocked down. scripture in proverbs says you we have a multivehicle crash on get knocked down 7 times and highway 24 leaving one person dead and one more person get up. i am moved by that. so i don't read just seriously injured. this happened around 2 this morning in the westbound lanes just east of wilder theologians. i love eugene peterson who died last year the message. so i read his books before i read the translation i read novels, i read political science i read history. >> it keeps your appreciating fresh then, too, because you are listening and engaged in

different conversations. >> absolutely. and when members say you know, who was that author. and you know, say it again. what did they say. i love that. >> you know, you're a wonderful model of a pastor and 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 easy as a parish pastor to get stuck in your silo or neighborhood and stop growing. but you have done the opposite. >> what's helpful is 6 churches i pastored. >> yeah. >> but also becoming a district superintendent, bishop talbot appointed me as superintendent in 1990. i was there for 6 years in sacramento area. >> that's an administrative position but pastural work. >> yes to pastors. >> we will hear more about that pastural work to pastors when we return to ron swisher.

. good morning. happy up is. welcome back to mosaic. we have a pastor that served in the bay area 47 years. reverend ron swisher is currently at community united methodist church. >> right. >> in fairfield for 7 years. >> 7 years. >> this is where you are concluding your parish ministry, but you've served a total or 6 or 7 parishes. >> elmhurst easter hill in richmond and then i went to gliders as an associate and taylor memorial my home church in west oakland. i was there for 12 years. >> the prophet returned to his hometown. >> right. and honored a little bit because you are not always honored in your hometown but i had great support mie. mother was there for 70 years. ab wilthdn't -- if therre

step over my mother. she was such a help, and so i had roots and i went to st. marks in arenda. >> that's a setting that's different the suburbs. >> that's right. >> and now the community. that's my churches. >> i can't ask you what yourfavorite parish is i am sure that's not fair. >> that's right. that's right. >> you learn and youer is heed of faithfully in each one. >> and community is doing a tree mebdous job in the last year or so preparing for my retirement i look forward to it. but they have been great for me. >> well, a little bit about themethodist church because 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. the parishes. but now, it's time to retire. >> right.

>> according to your pole i did. but you've moved from pa e thin