On Sunday, Jan. 8, Pastor Donald Shoemaker will preach his final sermon as Senior Pastor for Grace Community Church of Seal Beach. He has held the position since 1984.
The church and community are invited to honor Shoemaker in a community-wide celebration of “A Heritage of Song.”
It will be held at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 8, in the McGaugh School Auditorium in Seal Beach,. It will highlight his commitment to excellence in Christian music during his 28 years of service at Grace Community Church.
Pastor Emeritus. It’s a designation of honor Grace Community Church has conferred on Shoemaker as he steps out of his day-to-day involvement as Senior Pastor to what he will contribute in the years ahead.
The title is in honor of past involvement. However, Shoemaker will give more time and effort to his role as the Senior Chaplain of the Seal Beach Police Department, his writing, his family, a different role at Grace Community Church and, he said, an opportunity for more of his mountain hiking.
Shoemaker plans a two-month absence from the church so that there is a smooth transition without him in a leadership role. After that, he has said he’s available to serve in helpful ways—whatever is desired by future leadership.
While a search is conducted for a Senior Pastor, the church will be led by the two current associate pastors. Steve Williams will become Pastor in the interim and Bob Wriedt will be associate pastor.
Shoemaker began his pastoral career in Elkhart, Indiana in 1968.
He and his wife Mary moved to Long Beach in 1970 when Don became Pastor of Los Altos Brethren Church.
He joined the theology faculty at Biola University during those years where he served for 8 years, becoming the Pastor at Grace in 1984 where he and Mary were already members.
A hallmark of Shoemaker’s tenure as Senior Pastor, is to live out the word “community” in the title of Grace Community Church. It is his desire that the church build bridges of communication to the community—not just in words—but in actually being part of the people and the events of Seal Beach.
He has said, “I want the community of Seal Beach to know we love being part of its life and want to serve it constructively and positively even as we share our word about Jesus Christ.”
Shoemaker’s bridge building goal was most recently underscored in the honor given him as the recipient of the Cypress College Foundation’s 37th Annual Americana Award as the Citizen of the Year from the City of Seal Beach, which will be held on February 25 in the Disneyland Hotel’s Grand Ballroom.
In 43 years as a pastor, and 45 years of marriage, Shoemaker’s wife Mary has been an integral part of his life and ministry. They have two children and six grandchildren, and it doesn’t take more than a nano-second to see how much the entire family enjoys one another.
Shoemaker is not known for his political affiliation—one he refuses to divulge.
But he has devoted himself to “church in society” issues and especially to religious liberty. He said, “Defending religious liberty means standing up for the rights of others, not just for my own religious beliefs and practices.”
Many members of Grace Community Church who have participated in leadership with Shoemaker for more than a decade said they could not be more proud to call him their pastor and friend.
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