Always involved

The Rev. Dr. Grant F. C. Gillard of First Presbyterian Church of Jackson is officially 51 years old, but according to him he looks and acts like he is 357 years olds toward his dog. Ever since he can remember Rev. Gillard has been involved in the church. His parents were quite involved at the First Presbyterian Church in Albert Lea, Minn. After a while he went through Sunday school classes and confirmation. He became involved with the youth group and served as an elder while he was in high school. After that he began to teach and led the youth group until, as he put it, his parents had enough of him and sent him to seminary. But what helped draw Rev. Gillard into a leadership role was the consistent encouragement of his church, that recognized in him gifts and talents he didn't think he had. He became the pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Jackson on Dec. 1, 1993.

How long have you been a member of the Presbyterian faith? Since birth. My parents met at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., which is a Presbyterian liberal arts college. I've been a Presbyterian all my life.

What education/background/studies did you go through to become a pastor? After four years of college, I studied three years for a master's of divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., and once I settled in Jackson, I obtained a doctorate of ministry from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis.

How many years have you served as a pastor? Twenty-three years, 16 of them in Jackson. This is only my second church.

Where are you from and when/why did you move to Jackson? I grew up in Minnesota, attended college in Iowa. I attended Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., and interned at a small, rural church in Waitsburg, Wash., for two summers. After graduation I accepted a call, along with my wife, Nancy, to serve as associate pastors in Newark, Del., for six years. We moved to Jackson to raise our family in a small-town environment, and also to be closer to family. Nancy's roots are in Kansas City, Mo.

Were you involved with First Presbyterian Church of Jackson before becoming the pastor? Nope. Never heard of it until they called me to be their pastor. Now, I can't imagine life without them.

What do you think makes this church special? We are on the cutting edge, pioneering a new style of worship called "informal traditionalism." It brings the stability of traditional worship with a relaxed, informal atmosphere of welcoming acceptance and friendliness. We fill the niche for those who still like the older, familiar ways of worship.

What's your favorite verse and why? Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." That verse reminds me there's nothing the Lord and I can't handle if we work together, and God can be trusted to hold up his end of the deal.

What program have you done with First Presbyterian Church of Jackson that you are proud of and why? The longer I live in Jackson, the more I find myself ministering to the community, not just to my flock. It's like being a community chaplain. I seem to do a lot of weddings and funerals for various families. I'm open to helping those in need who may not have a connection to a specific denomination or to those who may not belong to a local church. I seem to have a tremendous counseling ministry in the aisles of Walmart.

What events or occasions does your church have coming up? We host a sunrise Easter service held at the Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church at 6:30 a.m. (makes me wish the women went to Jesus' tomb at noon!) and we're supportive of the Jamaican Christian Medical Mission team.

What's your favorite day of the week and why? Well, you know I'm supposed to say Sunday. But Thursday is really my favorite day. It's the day I feel everything is ready for worship and I have a few days to let it gestate and incubate. Sunday is my work day for the benefit of those who come to worship. I find myself distracted keeping everything organized and on track to really worship and give God my undivided attention.

What's your favorite part of being a pastor? Not having a nine-to-five job. You never know what each day brings, but you know God will give you the strength to get it done. And at the end of the day you realize just how much of this job was carried on God's shoulders. The transcendence of ministry is incredibly humbling. Most of all, I like the flexibility and the diversity of ministry.

What hobbies do you have? Trapshooting (I was the national collegiate champion in 1978) and beekeeping (I currently serve as the vice president of the Missouri State Beekeepers).

What else do you do besides serve as pastor? When my children were younger, both my wife and I were involved in the leadership of their school and athletic activities. I believe service to your community is the rent you pay for living here. I like to write and I've just finished publishing my fifth book on beekeeping.

Do you have a prayer, psalm or verse you would like to give our readers for the day? From the hymn, "Great is Thy Faithfulness," God gives us, "strength for today, bright hope for tomorrow." (and not just hope, but BRIGHT hope).