TALLMADGE: Life is about to change for the Rev. David Zachrich.
“On Monday, I’ll have no job, no co-workers, no responsibilities,” Zachrich said. “I’ll have weekends off and I won’t have to work holidays. I’m not sure how that’s going to feel.”
Zachrich, 65, will preach his last sermon as pastor of Tallmadge Lutheran Church during a special worship service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the church, 759 East Ave. A farewell reception for Zachrich and his wife, Ann, is 2 to 5 p.m. at Tallmadge High School, 140 N. Munroe Road.
Ordained as a minister in 1975 in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, Zachrich came to the Tallmadge church in July 1993. During his tenure, the congregation renovated the church, added a preschool and increased its outreach to the community via prayer walks, a community garden and lunches for Tallmadge City Schools’ staff and the city’s first responders.
“He has shown us what it means to be a servant leader and shepherd. His real strength has been his preaching and teaching. During his sermons, he makes everything real and brings it home,” said Marty Hauser, an elder at the church. “He’s really helped our congregation move out from our four walls to live out the great commission in the community.”
Zachrich has also encouraged parishioners to get involved in missions and community ministries, like Faithful Servants Care Center, an urgent care clinic that provides physical and spiritual healing. The founding doctors of the clinic — David Hoff and Sue and Mark Meyer — are happy that Zachrich will continue to serve on the clinic’s board in his retirement.
“He’s brought wisdom to our board and to the community. He knows everybody. He’s well connected and he really has his finger on the pulse of the Tallmadge community,” Dr. Sue Meyer said. “He has such a big heart and he just loves people. He has a great sense of humor and uses it to really connect to people. Our goal is to keep him busy doing what he loves — sharing the gospel in a very inviting way.”
Zachrich will also continue his service on the board of the Tallmadge Recreation Center and as a pastoral counselor for the denomination. As a counselor, Zachrich advises ministers.
“Pastor Zachrich is a true example of what it means to be a Christ-like servant leader,” said Amber Styskal, the church’s director of Christian education. “He will be missed deeply by all at Tallmadge Lutheran.”
In Zachrich’s absence as pastor, the pulpit at Tallmadge Lutheran will be filled by multiple ministers, until a permanent replacement takes over. The church has asked the Rev. Andrew Alberts, a pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, Wis., to become the church’s next pastor.
Alberts will visit the church next week to meet the congregation and discern whether he should come to the local church. He is expected to make a decision by early June.
“I want the new pastor to succeed by using his gifts and talents to move the church forward. I’m sure he will bring a new energy to the church and to the community,” Zachrich said. “While I will do anything I can to help him, I will not stand in his way. I will no longer be involved with the business of the church.”
In his retirement, Zachrich and his wife, who is retiring at the end of this school year as a first-grade teacher at Redeemer Christian School in Cuyahoga Falls, plan to stay in the area. They also plan to do some traveling and spend quality time with their four adult children and 10 grandchildren.
Although Zachrich will miss his flock and members of the church staff, he said it is time for him to end his service as pastor.
“There are people who always told me I would know when it’s time. They were right, it is time,” Zachrich said. “Ministry is a relationship business and I am going to miss the people. I’m not going to miss the responsibility.”
Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com. She can be followed at www.twitter.com/ColetteMJenkins.