Anniversary celebration attendees greet Pastor Dee-Ann Dixon, second from right, at New Street United Methodist Church on July 27. Courtesy photo

SHEPHERDSTOWN — New Street United Methodist Church celebrated Rev. Dee-Ann Dixon’s 25th anniversary at the church on July 27.

The anniversary was commemorated with a special service, featuring a children’s presentation and speeches in honor of Dixon, along with a choral performance of the African American spiritual, “Somebody’s Knocking At Your Door,” and a handbell choir performance of W.Y. Fullerton’s hymn, “I Cannot Tell Why He, Whom Angels Worship,” which Dixon participated in.

“Pastor Dee-Ann and I have known each other for a minute. We are kind of old heads now, in our annual conference,” said Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church Canal District Superintendent John Wunderlich. “Twenty-five years is quite an achievement — in the United Methodist Church, in particularly. When you hit double digits in a pastorate, that’s considered rarified air. You have been incredibly blessed by a rare and gifted person.”

Wunderlich gave a brief message, remarking on the significance of a pastor in the United Methodist Church remaining at the same church for a quarter-of-a-century.

“In pastoring, what do they call it when you mess up? A new appointment,” Wunderlich said, as the audience chuckled. “As a pastor, you just want to tell people about Jesus and to help others experience the joy that you yourself have experienced. But you realize really quickly how complicated all of this becomes, because you were just prepared to come and tell people about Jesus.”

Anniversary celebration attendees gather around Pastor Dee-Ann Dixon at the party in New Street United Methodist Church on July 27. Courtesy photo

The minutiae of leading a church, Wunderlich said, is often learned on-the-job, such as having to fix a toilet or locate tables and chairs for a class. On top of that, pastors have to care for their congregations through challenging situations, such as the loss of a child or the destruction of a marriage.

“Suddenly, this job that seems simple and straightforward is incredibly difficult,” Wunderlich said.

He noted that Dixon’s perseverance, in leading the church through the COVID-19 Pandemic, was no easy feat.

“Five years ago, give or take, the hard thing got harder,” Wunderlich said. “It’s a joy to be here, to celebrate her 25 years and just to celebrate her — a friend and colleague.”

Lifelong church member Margaret Rose Peterson said Dixon’s appointment to New Street United Methodist Church was a literal godsend.

“In the year 2000, New Street was not in a good place. We had been through a very difficult time with a pastor who, frankly, was not a good fit for this congregation. We were apprehensive and unsure of what was going to happen,” Peterson said. “When Dee-Ann came in July of that summer, she was a breath of fresh air. She was young, with a young family. She brought to us a sense of stability and trust, which we had lost. We knew that we could trust her to be available and to be honest with us. She helped bring us back from where we had been.”

At the end of the service, Dixon voiced her appreciation for the church’s influence on her life.

“This journey has been all because of you. And we’re going to continue our journey together, for hopefully many years to come,” Dixon said to her congregation. “You’ve made me a better person and a lover of Christ, and I am so thankful for that.”

In lieu of a guestbook, church member Carol Goldthorpe encouraged attendees to sign their names on the red pew pads in the church sanctuary.

Immediately following the service, a potluck dinner was held in the church fellowship hall.