Fly Like a Bird
Longtime GSMCC pastors leave congregation to try new things
By Luis Garcia
PHOENIX — For the first time in years, the congregation at Gentle Shepard Metropolitan Community Church will enter their place of worship and see an unfamiliar face behind the pulpit. That is because co-pastors Brad Wishon and Bonnie Ott have decided to step down to make room for new leadership.
According to Wishon, the decision to leave the church was made last year, but because the church was planning to relocate, the two pastors postponed their departure until the church had settled into the new space on Seventh Street and Southern Avenue.
Wishon was the senior pastor at GSMCC until April 6 and is leaving after spending 11 years with the church.
He told Echo that although he is leaving the church, he will not disappear from the public eye.
“I am going to do some writing, some consulting work and professional speaking,” Wishon said. “I am still chair of the board at Crosswalk America, I will still be involved with No Longer Silent and I’ll still be in involved in the Phoenix community. GSMCC is a great group of people and they have a bright future ahead of them. I look forward to hearing how things will progress for them.”
Rev. Ott, who decided to step down a couple of weeks after Wishon told her about his decision to leave, came to GSMCC as the Director of Congregational Care three years ago. Her relationship with Wishon grew and they realized they made a great team behind the pulpit.
“We worked as a team,” Ott said. “A few months ago we both felt we received direction from God and that the Spirit wished us to search other paths. There was never a moment of decision needed that we wouldn’t continue together. He is like my soul mate. I have never met anyone who I was closer with in life. We compliment each other because we are totally different.”
Ott told Echo that she plans to write for the ceremonies of same-sex marriages in her time off.
“I never write the same marriage twice so that it can be very special,” Ott said. “That will be my focus and I will remain the CEO of the AGAPE Network. So hopefully that will keep me off the streets for a little bit.”
Members of GSMCC, such as Robert “Andrew” Wilder Jr., of Phoenix, will miss Wishon and Ott’s sermons and lessons on God.
“I understand why it had to be” Wilder said. “Rev. Bonnie is like your next door neighbor who bakes cookies. She is good-hearted, loves you, and prays for you. She is a prayer warrior like I have never seen. Rev. Brad is also extremely loving. They gave amazing sermons.”
Although Wilder admits it will be different without Wishon and Ott, he feels interim Pastor Rev. John Gill will be a good fit for the church.
“He is willing to take the time to talk to you and that is important,” Wilder said. “When you go to church and you go to worship you also go there to be acknowledged.”
Members of the congregation say that Rev. Gill is a pastor who delivers his message in an interactive and causal way.
He will be the interim pastor at GSMCC for the next 18-36 months. He comes from San Diego MCC where he was interim pastor for 21 months.
“I felt a calling to come to Phoenix,” Gill said. “After I spoke with the regional elder we felt like it was going to be a perfect match for everyone.
Rev. Gill’s plans are to get to know the people and the community and hopefully establish new programs and ministries to make the church grow by reaching out to new members.
“I am a great believer that a foundation of a church is relationship — relationships with God, one another, and with ourselves,” Gill said. “If those three things can happen it will be great for everyone, So far the congregation has been treating me like royalty. They have been very generous in helping me getting settled in. I really appreciate that.”
For more information on GSMCC, visit www.gsmcc.org or call 602-864-6404
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