Buckaloo retirement party planned
After nearly 40 years in the pulpit, the Rev. Neal Buckaloo is retiring from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, the same church he served in when he first arrived in the Spokane area in 1970.
The congregation is throwing him a retirement party at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at the church, 810 S. Sullivan Road. The evening will include a potluck dinner.
The Illinois native was in the seminary when he was given the choice of having a year of training in either Webster City, Iowa, or Olympia. He chose Olympia. “I figured I knew Webster City pretty well,” Buckaloo said. “I was looking for a new context to experience.”
He was hooked. He found himself drawn to the people, culture and geography. “It was an adventure.” He arrived at Good Shepherd in 1970 and stayed until 1984, when he became the assistant to the local bishop. In 1988 he chose to go into full-time interim ministry, helping churches who were between permanent pastors.
“At the time I was in the doctorate program at Gonzaga,” Buckaloo said. He was interested in the dynamics between clergy and their congregations. His dissertation included case studies on how pastors established themselves in new congregations.
He served several congregations in Spokane and Cheney on an interim basis, plus short stints in Whitefish, Mont., and Ellensburg. In 1993 he took two part-time positions with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, director of multicultural ministry and Division for Ministry/Vocation and Education. In 1998 he relinquished the director position.
In 2003 Good Shepherd found itself without a full-time pastor when the church’s pastor was diagnosed with cancer and entered treatment. Buckaloo took on the position in addition to his work with the ELCA. Now, Good Shepherd is finalizing its selection of a new, permanent pastor and Buckaloo is turning 65. He decided that it was time to retire from both positions.
“It’s been pretty demanding in both time and energy,” he said. “It felt like it would be good timing.”
Buckaloo hopes to catch up several years worth of reading and spend time with his wife of 42 years, Tiina. Some quality time with his two grandsons is also on the agenda. “I’m hoping to fish and improve my golf game,” he said.
Vacation Bible schools
• Bible Baptist Church is putting on its vacation Bible school Monday through Friday at the church, 11111 E. 16th. The theme is “Blazin’ the Trail.” Children ages 4 and up are welcome to attend classes daily from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Scheduled activities include skits, Bible lessons, crafts and prizes.
There is no charge. Call 928-1298 or 951-3476 for more information.
• Valley Assembly of God is going big for its vacation Bible school. The church will host four days of activities, including field trips and a camping trip, from Aug. 8-11. Children in grades 1-5 will meet daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Trips to Splashdown and the YMCA for swimming and rock climbing are planned. Lunches will be provided.
Each child and their family will participate in a camp-out on Aug. 11. The charge for the week is $85. Some scholarships are available. The registration deadline is Aug. 7. Call the church at 924-0466 for more information or to register.
Quartet in concert
The Faithful Men quartet from the West Coast Baptist College will perform in concert Monday at 7 p.m. at Bible Baptist Church, 11111 E. 16th. Child care will be available. Admission is free.