The Epic, Pt. 75

On August 5, 2009 Takoma Park’s organist, Dr. K, sent Pastor DeSilva a letter stating that he was resigning the position. Dr. K was not Adventist, but he had served the Takoma Park Church with distinction for 13 years. He had once commented to a church member that he believed all of the things that Adventists believed, but chose to remain Episcopalian because he liked their worship style, and therefore kept two Sabbaths each week.

Dr. K had been growing dissatisfied with the situation at Takoma Park for some time. The chair of the Music Council had repeatedly spoken to Pastor DeSilva about Dr. K’s dissatisfaction. He had brushed her concerns aside. Dr. K. continued to stay at Takoma Park hoping that things would change for the better. He had made friends with people in the congregation and did not want to leave fellow musicians between a rock and a hard place.

As a professional musician Dr. K had worked for many congregations over the years and had been in the unique position of being an outside observer on the inside of events in those myriad of congregations. His observation when this whole situation began was that he had seen this before, and that bringing consultants in always meant the destruction of the congregation.

Dr. K finally reached his breaking point at the first Music Council meeting chaired by the new Minister of Music. Dr. K quickly saw that the music program would be shifting away from the traditional service that he was comfortable with. He had made the comment more than once that he did not need the job at Takoma Park. He did it because he enjoyed it. When he saw that changes were being made that he could not agree with, he chose to resign. Dr. K would have made the announcement at the end of that Music Council meeting but Pastor DeSilva had already left. Dr. K. was too much of a gentleman to make an announcement like that without first letting the senior pastor know of his intentions. As soon as Dr. K sent the letter to Pastor DeSilva he called two of the members that he had worked with closely over the years and let them know of his decision. He did not want them to hear the news via the “Adventist Grapevine.”

When Pastor DeSilva received Dr. K’s resignation he realized what a loss his departure would be for the church and tried to talk him out of it. Pastor DeSilva and his wife took Dr. K out to lunch. They tried to talk Dr. K into remaining at least until the end of the year. Dr. K told them that his mind was made up and he would remain only through the end of the month. Pastor DeSilva continued to try to change Dr. K’s mind, but it was made up. His decision was months in the making.

Dr. K’s last day playing at Takoma Park was August 29, 2009. At a private farewell party for Dr. K sometime later he commented that he was open to returning to Takoma Park in the future should the situation improve; he just couldn’t continue there under the present conditions.

Next: Miraculous

Justice