But that’s how it was in Oamaru on Thursday, when Archdeacon The Ven Bernard Wilkinson (94) was the subject of a special morning tea at St Luke’s Church in Oamaru.
About 40 people gathered to celebrate Archdeacon Wilkinson’s service and ministry.
In a letter of ‘‘huge congratulations’’, Bishop Anne van Gend, of Dunedin, said Archdeacon Wilkinson’s ordination anniversary was a ‘‘milestone’’ and it was not often they got to celebrate a 60th anniversary for one of their clergy.
‘‘I gather this makes you the longest-serving clergy person in the diocese, so you deserve not only our congratulations but our deep gratitude for the dedication you have brought to your ministry in every corner of Otago.
‘‘So many people you have touched with your faith, so many people whose lives will have been shaped by your words and life, and music — and so many who still are,’’ Bishop van Gend said.
Archdeacon Wilkinson was first ordained as a deacon on December 4, 1965 at St Paul’s Cathedral in Dunedin.
A year later he was ordained as a priest on November 30, 1966.
The former vicar of St Luke’s for 16 years, earlier held a position in Cromwell and his parish extended from Cromwell to Makarora.
He was a curate assistant at Caversham Parish from 1965 to 1968, before moving to be the vicar of Upper Clutha Parish from 1968-1976. He was then appointed vicar at Oamaru Parish from 1976 to 1992.
He was a Canon at St Paul’s Cathedral from 1980-82, priest in charge of East Otago 1980-81 and Archdeacon of Otago 1982-92.
He has been associated with St Andrew’s Church in Maheno since 1978 and despite retiring 34 years ago still plays the organ at services there and at St Luke’s.
St Luke’s vicar Andrea McDougall said Mr Wilkinson and his late wife Anne had made a huge contribution to Oamaru and Otago, both in the community and in the church.
‘‘He was one of the founders of the foodbank and has been very active in that until a year ago, and with the Combined Churches Christmas Parcels project and he remains very actively involved in the North Otago Anglican Homes for the Aged charity.
‘‘The connections he has in the community are huge,’’ Rev McDougall said.
The congregation at St Andrew’s Church look forward to his Anzac Day service where he comes up with a new story every year, Rev McDougall said.
‘‘Everybody is always waiting to hear what it’s about because he’s a very, very good storyteller, but he will never let on what it’s going to be about,’’ she said.
She said Archdeacon Wilkinson remained very active and ‘‘hands on’’ with St Luke’s Church and its maintenance and does ‘‘a huge amount of work both within the church and wider community’’.
Archdeacon Wilkinson said he had fond memories of the day he was ordained.
‘‘There were seven of us who were ordination candidates on that day at the cathedral and prior to that we spent a couple of days in retreat at the Presbyterian Deaconess College in High St.
‘‘Then we all moved from the college to the cathedral for the occasion. The place was packed and it was a very special occasion,’’ he said.
Mr Wilkinson began his career at St Peter’s, Caversham, after studying at Dunedin’s Selwyn College, then gained a position in Cromwell, in 1968.
He was in Cromwell for eight years before he was ‘‘called’’ to St Luke’s Church, where he served as the vicar for 16 years.
Mr Wilkinson does not show any signs of slowing down. He had to leave his own celebrations early to help with a sausage sizzle for the foodbank in the North End.
