Retirement Celebration: Mark and Barbara Welch

At their farewell, the Welches shared, “Upon entering the full-time ministry in 1989, at that time it grieved us to leave our Church family in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Little did we know then how big our spiritual family would grow to be over the years, and how precious each of those family members would become to us. God has fulfilled Mark 10:30 in our lives repeatedly as our spiritual family multiplied, and we have gained so much more than we have given up. We love our large spiritual family and they have loved us back—warts and all.

“It’s interesting that no matter where we live, when we go back to visit areas in which we’ve previously served, we don’t feel like visitors because it feels like we are home once again. As soon as we step into the church building, it’s as though we are in our living room with our family. And when we leave, we return home again to more of our treasured family. We are always going home.

“Being a pastor and a pastor’s wife is such an honor and a privilege. We are invited into the lives of people in a very special way. We hear their stories, share their joys and sorrows and a bond is created that never dissolves. When the formal responsibilities are over, the relationship and the love go on forever.

“The only frustration of having a big family is that we are human and there is never enough time with each family member. One of the things we look forward to the most in the Kingdom of God is eternity with our family when there will always be enough time. We are so thankful to God for this eternal blessing and the privilege of serving His precious family.”