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Pastor George L. Lee reflects on 50 years in ministry
By LINDA M. LINONIS
Austintown
The Rev. Dr. George L. Lee has devoted 50 years of his life to the ministry, which is his life.
His dedication and genuine love of what he does and whom he serves is apparent in how he talks about his ministry as much as what he says.
A celebration will take place April 24 to mark his 50 years in ministry and the 175th anniversary of West Austintown First United Methodist Church, where he has served since 2008. “I thought I would be here two or three years,” Pastor Lee said. He has announced his retirement; his last Sunday will be June 26. “It will be a sad day,” he said.
He came to West Austintown as a part-time pastor. He had served many other churches and retired in 2003 from Canfield United Methodist Church, where he began serving in 1993. “He was supposed to be part time but it was more like a full-time part-timer,” said Missey Rech, anniversary chairwoman and chairwoman of pastor-parish relations. “He is special,” she said.
Pastor Lee recalled how he literally “plunged” into ministry. He was serving in the U.S. Air Force and stationed at Goose Bay in Labrador, Canada. A Methodist chaplain asked him and another serviceman, Robert Lee, no relation, if they had been baptized; both said no. The minister asked them about getting baptized and both agreed. The chaplain took them to a running mountain stream, where they were baptized by immersion. He was consecrated as a local pastor in May 1966 and began serving three small churches – Newville Methodist, Widowsville Methodist and Miffln Evangelical United Brethren. “Together, it wasn’t more than 100 people on a Sunday,” Pastor Lee said.
In 1968, he was assigned to the Galion circuit in the Mansfield District, the same year he and his wife, Trudie, were married June 9; he was ordained a deacon in 1972. These were busy decades for the Lee family, as he served churches and attended school and the couple had a family of four children. In 1973, he assigned to Ashley UM Church in the Mount Vernon District and in 1974 earned a certificate of attainment in North Central Jurisdiction at Garrett Seminary and a bachelor’s degree in education from Ohio State University. In 1977, the pastor was assigned to Loudonville UM in the Mount Vernon District and the next year, earned a master of arts degree in evangelism and membership care from Scarritt College in Nashville, Tenn. In 1984, he was assigned to Church of The Master in the Akron District and in 1985, ordained an elder. In 1992, Pastor Lee earned a doctor of ministry in church administration and in 1993 began serving at Canfield UMC and was honored in 1995 with the Denman Evangelism Award from the World Methodist Council. In 2003, he became pastor emeritus at Canfield UMC and retired, then joined the staff of Boardman United Methodist Church.
“What I enjoy most are baptisms ... of children and adults ... who become children of God,” Pastor Lee said. “It is a sacred moment when parents or adults make the move to the Christian faith.”
Pastor Lee reflected that he and his wife treasure the relationship with the congregation. “To be a part of their lives is an honor,” Mrs. Lee said.
“You can be the best preacher, but if you don’t love people, they won’t hear a thing,” Pastor Lee said. “Even if you’re not the best preacher but love people, they will listen. Maybe they won’t remember all you said, but they will remember you loved them.”
Pastor Lee said his ministry has been based on “loving the people and sharing the Gospel.”
He said he follows the advice in the Serenity Prayer, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change those things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” A framed copy of this favorite prayer is in his office.
His wife added that “if it doesn’t matter in eternity, let it go” has been another guiding rule in their lives.
She recalled one of the highlights during his ministry. She said church members had invited them to go to Acapulco many times; finally they agreed, pulling together the funds. That was in 1979. They attended an outdoor service, and Pastor Lee was asked to help with communion. Among the worshippers were Billy and Ruth Graham and George H.W. and Barbara Bush. “We have a photo with the Grahams,” Mrs. Lee said.
Pastor Lee has visited the Holy Land in Israel seven times; one side trip was to Rome. “A woman on the trip had a letter from her archbishop to get into the audience with Pope John Paul II,” Pastor Lee said. “There were about 2,000 people, and I’ll never forget it. We never got near the pope. I tried to take a photo but only got the ceiling,” Pastor Lee recalled.
Mrs. Lee said she believes that their “lives have been blessed,” noting “God has sent us many blessings in the ministry.” She admitted that at times, the couple was very low on funds and wondered how they would put gas in the car and milk in the refrigerator. “God has provided,” she said.
Pastor Lee said the hardest part of being a minister is the death of a child and the funeral. He also noted that the secularization of the church is disturbing. The pastor said years ago, stores were closed and sports, local and national, didn’t dominate the day. “That’s a big frustration,” he said.
Rech said the Lees will be missed when he retires. “They’ve taught us about love in the love they share and the love and compassion they have for everybody.”
The Lees exemplify a partnership in life and the ministry. “I believe in the power of prayer,” Mrs. Lee said, adding “it is a great gift. You don’t have to be special to be used by God, you just have to be a willing vessel.”
For the past seven years, she has served as membership care coordinator at Canfield UMC.
The Lees’ children are daughter and son-in-law, Ruth Ann and David O’Brien of Kettering, Ohio; and sons and daughters-in-law, George II and Sherri Lee of Loudonville, Ohio; Tom and Josie Lee of Chattanooga, Tenn.; and David Lee of Akron. They also have eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.