Goodbye, Campbellsville

Six years ago I moved my family to Campbellsville. Our Bishop had appointed me to serve as the pastor of First United Methodist Church. At that time my wife Debbie and I had two children, Ariel and Alexander. Ariel was ready for seventh grade and Alexander had not learned to walk yet.

Ariel has attended Taylor County Schools, graduating this year. She has participated in cheerleading, BETA Club, Kentucky Junior Historians Society, Science Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and a few others. While here, she has involved herself in the youth group at the church. She has made a lot of friends, learned to drive, received a Governor's Scholar award and will attend Western Kentucky University in the fall. This community has prepared her well.

Alexander has finished kindergarten at Campbellsville. While here, he has learned to climb trees, ride his bike, pull fire alarms at Creek Side Restaurant, attend City Council meetings and has made more friends than anyone else in the family. Thank you for embracing an active little boy.

Debbie and I have added Alissa, now 4, and Amelia, now 2, to our family. Debbie has spent her six years at Campbellsville being pregnant, recovering from C-sections and other surgeries, driving Ariel all over creation, helping her with homework assignments and becoming a licensed judge for the sport of Power Tumbling. In 2009, Debbie had recovered from all her surgeries enough to take a cruise with me in the Caribbean, judge the United States Tumbling and Trampoline National Championships in San Antonio, Texas and serve as the director of our Vacation Bible School where 12 children made first time decisions for Jesus Christ. She has also made many friends here.

While serving as the senior pastor of First United Methodist Church, I have spent my time here writing contest essays for the Central Kentucky News-Journal, taking walks and bike rides with my children, dancing with Debbie and attending many ball games to support Ariel. I got involved with the Campbellsville/Taylor County Anti-Drug Coalition, Ministerial Association, Relay for Life, Food Pantry, Chamber of Commerce, Emmaus Community, attended various meetings of City Council and Fiscal Court and served as one of the volunteer chaplains at Taylor Regional Hospital. I have thoroughly enjoyed your July 4 parades and fireworks displays. I have been very deliberate in involving myself and my family across the entire community.

First United Methodist Church has been extremely good to me over these years, as has the entire community of Campbellsville and Taylor County. I am so grateful. God has blessed me abundantly and repeatedly while my family and I have been in your community.

Our Bishop has called once again. He has reassigned me to the Petrie Memorial United Methodist Church in Elkton, Ky. in Todd County, west of Bowling Green. June 20 will be my last Sunday at First United Methodist Church. I will begin at Petrie Memorial United Methodist Church on June 27.

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the good people of Campbellsville and Taylor County for embracing me and my family. We are better people and a better family for having been here and having been involved in your community for these six years.

Thank you so much.

Ted Beam

Senior Pastor

First United Methodist Church