Swampscott reverend moving on

SWAMPSCOTT – After 17 years with the First Church in Swampscott Congregational, Rev. Dean Pedersen is preparing to move on.The congregation has scheduled a community tribute to Pedersen this Saturday at 3 p.m. on the lawn of the church so area residents can wish him well as he moves on. Pedersen will conduct his last worship service at the church on June 21 at 10 a.m. The service will be followed by a luncheon and celebration of his tenure with the church.Pedersen, who resides in Wenham with his wife, admits he has mixed emotions as he prepares to embark on the next phase of his life.”It has been a wonderful 17 years,” he said. “Leaving is really pulling at my heartstrings yet I am as as clear in my mind today as I was when I announced to the church (in September) it was time to step down. I need to step down so others can step up. That is the life of church – pastors come and go but the church remains.”Pedersen said in September it was obvious the church was going through a transition and needs to prepare for the future.”Every 10 years or so a church needs to reexamine its vision and take a look at its long term future,” he said. “It is clear to me that at 67 years old I am not the long term guy. Now is the time for me to step down so the church can prepare for the future.”Pedersen said he loves serving at First Church in Swampscott Congregational but at this point he believes there is something new in store for the church as a whole and for him as an individual.Even though he is leaving First Church, Pedersen said retirement is the furthest thing from his mind.”I’m not retiring,” he said. “”I know there’s still something left for me to do. I am taking the summer off. I have some speaking engagements scheduled in the fall and there has been some conversation regarding doing consultant work but nothing is firm.”Pedersen said he is going to miss the Swampscott community.”The church welcomed us with open arms when we came here,” he said. “And I have gotten to know a lot of people in the community. I am involved with Swampscott Rotary and the veterans. It has been great fun. I leave Swampscott with a great deal of gratitude to my church family and the people of Swampscott. It couldn’t be better.”Pedersen has become a fixture in Swampscott, offering invocations at annual Town Meetings, frequently participating in veterans ceremonies and serving as one of the chaplains for the Swampscott Police Department.Veterans Agent James Schultz said Pedersen, who is a Vietnam veteran, has been an invaluable resource for veterans and their families.”I met him back in 1993 when I first started working on getting a Vietnam Veterans monument,” he said. “I asked him to serve as chaplain for a day for dedication ceremony. He told me he was in the U.S. Navy and served as a chaplain for the Marines in Vietnam. Ever since that day he’s always been there for me and for our veterans. One of the best days of my life was the day I met him.”