After 28 years serving Capital Baptist Church, Pastor Lary Rothchild is facing the unknown of retirement.
"I'm not sure what I'm going to do because I have never been retired before," he said Friday, joking that it may take years just clean out the garage. "Travel perhaps, be a homebody for awhile; enjoy my family and extended family.
"Every weekend for 28 years, I've have been occupied. I've been left out of a lot of things, so I'll see if I can catch up."
Accompanying Rothchild on his journey into retirement, as she has through 32 years of marriage, will be his wife Kathleen. She will continue teaching at Fremont Elementary for a couple more years before she retires herself.
The couple have five surviving children, two daughters and two sons, plus half a dozen grandkids and half a dozen great-grandkids to catch up with.
Rothchild was ordained to the ministry 51 years ago, but began preaching even earlier. He felt called to the ministry at age 16. In high school and college, he occasionally filled the pulpits while pastors were on vacation, gaining a lot of experience even before completion of formal training.
Before settling in Carson City with his family, he ministered in Lincoln, Simi Valley and Fremont, all in California.
Even with that early experience, "there have been some surprises," he said.
And there have been challenges.
A friend of his says "most pastors resign every Sunday night," he noted.
"It's an ongoing battle. There are circumstances beyond your control," Rothchild said. "There are people you work with and it pays off and people you work with, spend the same amount of energy on, and it is a waste of time. You've got to stay on top of those times so you don't become defeated by someone else's problems."
When the work pays off and someone makes a 180 degree turn in their life, that's when the work of the ministry is most rewarding.
"I think that the real reward is watching the growth and development and sometimes the rehabilitation of people; seeing the ground that they gain with help from your ministry," he said. "I've seen a lot of people do 180 degree turns and they themselves become something useful and productive in their own world. And you get to be a part of that.
"It's been a joyful experience. I regret nothing."
Already on the ground running is the new pastor for Capital Baptist Church. Lance Hale, a recent graduate from Southern Seminary in Louisville, Ky., began ministry at the church Feb. 22.
A retirement party for Pastor Rothchild is planned at 1 p.m. April 17 at The Gold Dust West conference room. Cost is $28, which covers lunch and a gift. Reservations, with payment, are due today. For more information, or to be placed on the agenda, call Vicki McCurdy at the church at 885-0880.
Capital Baptist Church is located at 4555 S. Edmonds Drive.