West Side Presbyterian Church is announcing the retirement of its senior pastor and inviting the community to a celebration:

June 12th will mark the end of 45 years of service and vocational ministry for Dr. Paul R. Smith of West Seattle. He has been the senior pastor at West Side Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) since 1981, when he moved with his family from Pennsylvania to Seattle.

A retirement celebration for Dr. Paul Smith will be held:

June 12, Open House 1:00-4:00
(Special program begins at 2:00)
West Side Presbyterian Church

The public is welcome.

More information about the celebration is on the WSPC website.

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In the 35 years since arriving in the NW, he has served as the senior pastor of West Side Presbyterian Church. A recent tally showed he had officiated 180 wedding ceremonies, led 256 memorial services, and baptized more than 430 children and adults. He has also been active in renewal ministries with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and has served the church both locally and nationally in promoting and equipping churches for evangelism.

Born November 25, 1945, Paul is the son of a banker and one of six children. He grew up in a small ranching town in Western South Dakota near Badlands National Park. He graduated with honors from Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL, before marrying his wife, Carreen Armerding and earning an MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston, MA.

For the first ten years of his ministry, Dr. Smith served as Assistant Pastor and then Senior Pastor of Immanuel Presbyterian Church in McKeesport, PA.

He completed his Doctorate of Ministry from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School shortly after arriving in Seattle. And in the years since, he’s written four books: Jesus, Meet him again for the First Time; Close Encounters: Knowing the Savior; Enjoying God Forever; God’s Plan for our Good. He has also traveled extensively throughout Israel and Jordan and has co-led a half-dozen tours, in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, and Greece.

Paul and his wife, Carreen are the parents of four children: Lucian, Taleigh, Lindsay, and Miriam, and grandparents of seven.

Following retirement, and a long-awaited trip to Africa, the Smiths will return to Seattle, where Paul plans to continue his writing and looks forward to spending more time with his family and grandchildren.