Lyon to leave GV church in June

Eight years after serving as pastor of the Green Valley Community Church, the Rev. Louie Lyon will be leaving in June to lead three new churches in the Sun City area of metropolitan Phoenix.

Lyon said he’s going back to the same community he served before coming to Green Valley, but he won’t be going back to the same church. “United Methodist pastors are itinerant; we go where and when we’re assigned by the bishop. The year runs from July 1 through June 30.”

Explaining why he was chosen to leave, Lyon said in recent years memberships of the three churches he will lead have dwindled, either from death of parishioners or by moving. He’s being assigned to try to resurrect Lakeview United Methodist Church, Youngtown United Methodist Church and the First United Methodist Church of Sun City.

“I’ll be leaving a church where there are no problems, where everyone’s happy to oversee three churches with concerns,” he said.

Although Lyon and his wife Joyce hadn’t looked forward to moving to Green Valley when he was assigned here eight years ago, he said, his years here, like his tenure in Las Vegas, have been very happy.

He spoke of the friendships he has made and the wonderful, caring people in the church and the community in general.

“I’ve enjoyed being with seniors and with families with children. This church has everything; the people are real people… it’s a most giving church; people are always going down to the border. They just want to help.”

From a church that has been the perfect fit for Lyon he’s going to attempt to virtually rebuild three churches, to try to build a bridge for the churches to work together.

Like others who move on because of job changes the Lyons have a home to sell here and a home to buy in the Sun City area, major tasks that they are solely responsible for.

During his eight years in Green Valley, on the Sunday before Valentine’s Day Lyon has led “Golden Wed;” a special ceremony for couples who have been married to each other for 50 years or more.

Notified about his impending move just before this year’s Feb. 10 ceremony, he asked that the news be held off until the following week so that the focus of the day wasn’t on his moving on, but on the Golden Wed couples.

Told that he has a gift for dealing with death and dying, he has stacked the bookshelves in his office with a collection of donated teddy bears, some wearing hand-crocheted sweaters. When there’s a death, Lyon said, he’ll give the widower a teddy bear to have something to hug.

Rebecca Oakes-Long will be the new pastor at GVCC.

Asked what he would like his congregation to remember about him, Lyon said, “Absolutely nothing. I would hope they’ll treat the new pastor the same…

“God gives us different gifts and graces. Becky will have some new gifts; I hope they won’t expect her to be Louie. They should remember worshipping God, not me. God knows what’s best; Louie Lyon doesn’t.”

His parishioners have listened, and instead of worshipping him, on Sunday evening, April 6, they will honor him with a true comedic roast.

Although he won’t be leaving until June, the roast is being planned so that winter-only parishioners can attend the farewell fete.

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net. Comment on this story online at ww.gvnews.com.