Pastor Jim Toma will be retiring at the end of June after serving as senior pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Huntington Beach. There will be a retirement open house reception on Saturday, June 24 from 4:00 – 7:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall with a service in the Sanctuary at 5:30 PM. His last day preaching will be Sunday, June 25.
Pastor Jim and his wife Barb (now in glory) came to Redeemer in 2012 as he was finishing his work with the Cross-cultural Ministry Center (CMC) at Concordia University Irvine. Prior to that, he had served in various roles at Shepherd of the Pines, Payson, AZ and Christ Greenfield, Gilbert, AZ, including the Boards of Education, Stewardship, Evangelism and Elders. His CMC vicarage at Redeemer involved outreach within the Hispanic community, on the Golden West College campus, and among the homeless. Prior to his service for our Synod, he had a career in secondary education and was a history teacher, assistant principal and principal at the junior high and high school levels. His wife Barb had also been a teacher, having taught junior high school science, and sang in the Redeemer choir. Upon retirement, he will be moving to Arizona and getting involved with new opportunities there.
If you would like to help by bringing an appetizer, you can sign up on Perfect Potluck at perfectpotluck.com/RTLK5959 or call the church office at (714) 846-6330. We will also need help during and after to clean up.
Feel free to drop by Redeemer or send a note thanking Pastor Jim for his years of dedicated service. If you would like more information, you can call the church office at (714) 846-6330 Tue-Fri or email churchoffice@redeemer-lutheran.net.
Retirement Gift Opportunities
If you would like to give Pastor Toma a card or donate toward a monetary gift that will go directly to him, place it in the RED AND BLACK box marked PASTOR TOMA’S RETIREMENT in the narthex. If writing a check, please make it out to Pastor Toma and NOT Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Opportunity to Bless the Church: An anonymous donor is making a contribution to Redeemer Lutheran Church in honor of Pastor Toma’s service. If you would like to do the same, the donor will also match dollar for dollar (up to $10,000) any other contributions to the general fund. Please note on your checks, “In honor of Pastor Toma.”
Godspeed, Pastor Jim!