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Tommy Culwell, pastor of Colonial Hill Baptist Church, and his wife, LaQuita Culwell, attended a reception in their honor Thursday afternoon. After 20 years of service at Colonial Hill, Culwell has accepted the position of coordinator of ministry education for the Hendrick Hospital Chaplaincy program in Abilene.
As the seasons change in the world around us so do the seasons of life. For Senior Pastor Tommy Culwell of Colonial Hill Baptist Church, his season pastoring the local church has come to an end, and a new one is on the horizon.
“It’s a really exciting opportunity for me to do something I’ve always wanted to do,” Culwell said.
After 20 years of service at Colonial Hill, Culwell has retired and accepted a position as coordinator of ministry education for the Hendrick Hospital Chaplaincy program in Abilene. He will be teaching a hospital ministry class in which students will get hands-on experience with ministry in a hospital setting.
“Students will go on visits, come back, and we’ll talk about it,” Culwell said. “I love the idea of practical learning.”
Class participants will be students at Abilene Christian University, Hardin-Simmons University and McMurry University.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to help somebody develop as a minister and to develop their ministry skills,” Culwell said.
Part of being in hospital ministry is what Culwell refers to as “being a calm presence in the midst of their storm.”
“That is a symbol of Christ, and that’s one of the greatest honors as a human being, to be able to represent our Lord,” Culwell said.
Though Culwell has made many hospital visits as a pastor, he realizes that his service as a chaplain will be an entirely different experience.
“I got to thinking, chaplaincy is a different ministry than what I do,” Culwell said. “I decided to get my clinical pastor education (CPE) training at Covenant, but I didn’t go to training with the expectation of this possibility coming up.”
Before coming to pastor at Colonial Hill, Culwell pastored a church in Seymour for seven years. Since Colonial Hill’s opening in 1954, Culwell is only the church’s third senior pastor.
“It’s a very special church with very special people,” he said. “I’ve been able to be with some of the greatest people — people with an understanding of the way the church works. They are people with an understanding of the mission of the church, and they want to be a part of the global movement.”
Culwell also appreciates the heart of the people and the ways in which they serve.
“The thing that has amazed me here is the depth of commitment of people who are volunteers,” he said. “As a pastor, it’s always incredibly gratifying to work alongside people who are dedicated.”
One of the most rewarding parts of Culwell’s time here has been the people impacted by watching Colonial Hill’s services on television.
“The single greatest aspect of this challenge was being able to minister to the community through TV,” Culwell said. “There’s a large number of people who watch us on TV. It’s been a privilege to be a pastor for people who can’t come to church, and I appreciate their willingness to accept that ministry.”
While “it has been a privilege to be a part of this community,” Culwell remarks that it has also been a challenge.
He recounted a story of a cold, winter day when he went to the old Walmart, which did not have automatic doors at the time.
“I was in a hurry that day, and as I was walking up to the door, I noticed an older man with a walker,” Culwell said. “I almost didn’t stop to open the door for him since I was in such a hurry, but I decided to stop and open the door, and when he passed through, he said, ‘I sure do like those sermons you’re preaching.’”
That day made Culwell realize that you never know who is being reached through the television ministry.
Colonial Hill has committed to an interim process until a full-time senior pastor is chosen.
Sunday will be Culwell’s last day at Colonial Hill, and a reception was held at the church Thursday to wish him well on his new journey.