After 22 years at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Ventura, Pastor Jerome Kahler is hanging up his collar and looking to start a new life of gardening and furniture-making.
“I’ve got major garden work I never had enough time for, to raise vegetables and flowers,” said Kahler, 66, adding that he and wife Beth also plan to travel. He said he also likes to make Shaker-style chairs from kits and plans to do that as a hobby.
Kahler first came to St. Paul’s after the previous pastor, Robert E. Henry, was accused of child molestation and suddenly resigned. “It was a hell of a way to begin,” Kahler said. “There was the betrayal of the congregation, the betrayal of the sacred trust and betrayal of the clergy. This was the 1980s, and the issue of clergy misconduct was making the news.”
It seems that Jerry Kahler has been around, on the edges of my awareness, forever. May he have a long, happy, and fruitful retirement.
Jerry+ was there for me at a time of crisis early in my ministry, keeping an eye on me even when I was not aware. Many blessings to him!
This article provides evidence of the mixed results of the struggle within TEC between the traditionalists and the liberals. Traditionalists in Los Angeles have taken a long series of defeats via the courts. Rev. Kahler and St. Paul parish are no doubt on the liberal side and appear content with the TEC climate. Yet, St. Paul has had their losses too. For 2002 through 2009, Members declined by 28 percent, ASA declined by 20 percent, and Plate & Pledge (adjusted for inflation) declined about 19 percent. In the TEC conflict the rain does seem to fall on all. Statmann