From Dave Johnson’s office window, one can see a little slice of heaven.
A peek outside offers a stunning view of the water in Oak Harbor with Mount Rainier in the distance and other picturesque natural features as far as the eye can see.
“This is by far the most beautiful office view that I’ve ever had and I think probably most anywhere,” Johnson said. “People come in here and say, ‘Oh, can we sit down and look? Can I come in for counseling so we can look out the window?’ They really don’t say that. I can see somebody wanting to say that, especially on a day like today.”
The view is something Johnson will miss when he steps down as lead pastor at Oak Harbor First United Methodist Church.
Johnson is retiring after four decades of serving in the ministry, including the past five at the Oak Harbor church.
He’ll lead his final service Sunday, then look to explore new challenges.
At 64, he’s fit, energetic and not ready to stop working, just ready to try something new.
“After 41 years, I thought, ‘Well, it’s time for something a bit different,’” Johnson said. “It seemed opportune from a career side to go ahead and look at some other opportunities or changes. Not that I really got tired of what I have been doing, because I really do enjoy it. But I thought, ‘OK, now’s an opportunity to make some changes.’”
One change he and his wife Mary don’t plan to make is finding a new home.
As much as Dave Johnson enjoyed his peaceful office setting, he’s enjoyed the people of Oak Harbor and the relationships he’s formed in the community even more.
After serving churches in nine different communities scattered throughout Washington, Johnson and his wife have set roots in Oak Harbor where they’ve built a house on 2.5 acres and have settled in.
It’s a foreign feeling for them since at past stops they’ve lived in parsonages.
“We really do enjoy it here,” he said.
Vonna Thomas will take over Johnson’s role at Oak Harbor United Methodist Church July 1, becoming the third lead pastor at the church in 28 years.
Johnson came to Oak Harbor after 11 years at Spokane Valley United Methodist Church and followed David Lura, who retired after 23 years at the Oak Harbor church.
That’s when Johnson became “Pastor Dave.”
“He was Pastor David,” Johnson said of Lura. “It helped not to have to explain as much.”
At Oak Harbor United Methodist Church, a congregation of about 400 members, Johnson has led services typically attended by roughly 140 to 150 people.
He said he believes that people can “move and grow in their faith” and believes that’s a large part of what called him into the ministry.
“The statement that I’ve lived by for years is to be a catalyst for Christ-centered growth,” Johnson said.
Leading such movement doesn’t come without challenges, he said.
“Challenge with a catalyst, it causes reaction,” he said. “And reactions can be favorable. Reactions can be negative. But it causes a reaction. Thus, there is movement.
“So the ministry isn’t by any means all smooth. Sometimes, that catalysm is not real pleasant. I really believe that growth happens when you are not comfortable most of the time. When you are sitting still, you tend to not necessarily be growing. You might be getting older but you might not necessarily be growing.”
This more direct approach was different than what members had grown accustomed to with Lura, who was described by church music director Chet Hansen as a “warm, cuddly, teddy bear kind of guy, a totally different personality (than Johnson).
“Dave Johnson came in having a set idea of what he thought worship should be, which was a little different than the previous 23 years. It’s kind of like jumping into an ice cold bath, I suppose.”
However, over time, members started warming to the change and got to know Johnson and his style, Hansen said.
Johnson incorporated his musical background — he earned a degree in music education at the University of Puget Sound — at the church. Once in a rock and roll band back in his hometown of Olympia, Johnson selected the hymns and contemporary songs he wanted included at the church, Hansen said. A song team was put together backed by piano, keyboard, drums, guitars and singers to lead worship. Johnson was one of the singers.
“He had his challenges when he first arrived as any pastor following a long tenured pastor would,” Hansen said. “Dave has incorporated the use of many creative presentations in our worship via PowerPoint, children’s moments, military and family recognitions. Sunday school and youth ministry are also very important priorities that Dave encouraged.”
Johnson said his time in the ministry has given him unique qualities that he believes would transfer well into a leadership position in Oak Harbor or surrounding communities.
He’s looking at various pursuits on and off Whidbey Island and has even spent time with community leaders to share what he has to offer.
“The down side of pastoring from the general perspective is it’s kind of a limited view of what a person is,” said Johnson, who earned a masters degree in theology at Southern Methodist University and doctorate in ministry from the San Francisco Theological School.
“But when I look at the reality of what I’ve done, I have done a tremendous amount of project management. I have done financial management. I have built budgets. I have managed multiple staffs. I have had to cast a vision, to help develop a vision. I’ve had to work with multiple teams of people.”
Two basketballs rest on a shelf in his office, reminders of a sport he’s enjoyed playing most of his life and time spent coaching youth.
He said the sport reminds him about some the basic principles about spiritual growth.
People can be spiritually independent from organized groupings, but that only takes them so far, he said.
“I really love basketball but it’s not quite as much fun as when I play with others,” he said. “I get better when I play with others. Christianity is the same way. It’s really a team sport in sports terms.”
