The public is invited to attend as Rev. David Bard leads his last worship service as pastor of First United Methodist Church on Sunday, Aug. 7 at 10 a.m. A celebration potluck will follow in the fellowship hall.
The service will include special music, a sermon and communion. As is the tradition in the United Methodist Church, communion is open to all. A potluck dinner will follow the worship service. Guest speakers at the potluck include Kevin Walsh, Dick Carlson and Mary Ann Korsch, all members of the church.
Bard was elected bishop of the North Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church on July 13 in Peoria, Ill. He has served First United Methodist Church in Duluth for 11 years. He will begin as bishop in Michigan on Sept. 1.
Richard Gerske, co-chair of the staff parish relations committee, said he had mixed feelings about Bard’s appointment as bishop.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We appreciate that fact that the rest of the conference realized David’s leadership,” Gerske said.
“We feel very strongly that Jesus is in our church and our homes because of his leadership. We are sorry to see him go, but we will move on.”
“I think that’s what he was born to do,” said Cindy Hedlund, a member of the church’s staff parish relations committee.
As a child, Bard attended Lester Park Elementary School as well as Lester Park United Methodist Church. He is a graduate of Duluth East High School graduate and University of Minnesota Duluth, the latter in 1981. He received a master’s of divinity at United Theological Seminary in the Twin Cities in 1984 and a Ph.D. in religious studies with an emphasis in Christian social ethics at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Tex. in 1995.
Bard has been active in the community serving on boards and forums concerning issues of gun violence, racism, poverty and conflict transformation.
Bard’s wife Julie is an elementary and special education teacher who most recently taught first grade in Superior. Their adult children are David L., Elizabeth and Sarah.
