Lemmon has been at church for 25 years
By Jennifer Eisenbart
Staff Writer
When the Rev. Terry Lemmon first became a pastor for the Church of the Nazarene, the average stay at any given church was about 18 months.
And while that average has gotten lengthier – closer to 10 years – since Lemmon became a pastor, being in one place with one church for 25 years is, well, kind of a big deal.
Just … not really to Terry or his wife, Darlene.
“We stayed here 25 years because we felt the Lord wanted us to stay here and minister here,” said Terry. “I had many offers to move, but I just didn’t want to.”
The decision to stay, though, has created a special bond between the pastor, his wife and a core group of about 30 at Burlington’s Church of the Nazarene. The couple celebrated those 25 years on Aug. 11 with “Church in the Park” at Riverside Park. The event included a picnic.
Church member Deanna Ebert said all parishioners past and present are welcome, as well as friends and family.
The funny thing is, neither Terry nor Darlene asked for the celebration.
“She feels it’s a huge accomplishment, and maybe it is,” said Darlene of Ebert. “But it’s been a joy.”
After both Terry and Darlene found their way back to God in the 1970s, the two married and found their way to the ministry.
Darlene worked as the graphic arts supervisor at Triple Crown Products in addition to helping in the church, while Terry attended school and earned the various degrees he would need to become a pastor.
But after landing in Burlington in July 1988, he found a home.
There have been changes over the years. The church, while having those 30 members at its heart, has seen a lot of members come and go. Three have become ministers with churches of their own.
The Burlington church has also adopted a more contemporary service, with a modern music style.
But at the heart of everything is Terry preaching the gospel.
“I don’t water down the gospel,” he said. “I still preach the gospel.
And in the meantime, he often finds himself in situations both serious and humorous. With four children and usually one in their teens, Terry and Darlene found themselves ministering to a large youth group. Terry earned the nickname “the hippy preacher” for a number of reasons, perhaps most notably an old van that he attempted to give a tie-dyed look.
But he also is very aware of the history of the church. Abolitionist Frederick Douglas spoke at the pulpit of the Church of the Nazarene in Burlington in May of 1866, and spoke about President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.
“I stand in that same spot he stood in when he spoke,” Terry explained.
Both he and his wife will be happy to enjoy the moment when Sunday comes.
“I mean, it’s, ‘where did the years go?’” said Darlene.
Terry added, “It’s really nice that we’re getting together. That’s going to be a great time.”
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