After 32 years of pastoral ministry, we find ourselves in very different, but exciting, roles. We are sensing great fulfillment in what the church has asked us to do. For Buddy, this move was coming back to his home state.
The move to South Carolina brought Joan closer to her family and both of us closer to some of our children and grandchildren. Our daughter Marian, and her husband, Lance, live near Liberty with their children, Mallory (born in 2001), Max (born in 2003), and Miles (born in 2007). Marian left the university classroom to devote full attention to her home and family and now homeschools her older children. Our son, Matt and his wife, Michelle, live in Piedmont, SC with their son, Will (born in 2005). While waiting for God’s next steps for them in ministry, Matt is working at a bank in Greenville, SC. Our son, Aaron, and his wife, Liz, live in Huntersville, NC, where Aaron works as a Reconciliation Specialist at a local company and Liz devotes fulltime care to Ike (born in 2007) and Marlowe (born in 2008). Our daughter, Emily, and her husband, Matthew, are transitioning to the Greenville, SC, and seeking God’s direction for beginning a new ministry. They are parents to Ethan (born in 2006) and Cora Jane (born in 2008).
We both agree that the South Carolina District has been overwhelmingly gracious in their acceptance of us and our ministry here. We sense great potential and a positive movement within the district to see it reach its Kingdom potential. Our passion is to see pastors, churches and the district get “on mission” to fulfill the command of Christ to make disciples. Buddy is especially enjoying coaching pastors, local boards and congregations, and is always ready to “share the vision” of what the future can be for the SC District.
Joan is enjoying her work at the district office, her ministry opportunities with various groups, reading, spending time with the family and living at Table Rock. Buddy is enjoying getting reacquainted with his native state (which has changed so much during the years of his absence), reconnecting with old friends and making new acquaintances, playing some golf, hiking and, of course, family time. We love getting to spend so much time traveling and working together and thinking how wonderful it is that we still like each other so much after all these years!
We are genuinely excited about the team with which we have the opportunity to work and about those whom God will send to help us make an eternal difference in the lives of people in South Carolina and beyond.
The Rampey Family (May, 2009)
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