The Reverend Darrell McKeough may have conducted his last official service but if the last time he retired is anything to go by, he’s not finished yet.
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After retiring from a church in North Adelaide just over 10 years ago Darrell returned home to the Manning after a 43 year absence.
He had been asked to help out at the Uniting Church in Wingham for just six months.
He’s been there ever since and has become a much loved and integral part of the community doing the work he knows God put him on earth to do.
Darrell has known his purpose in life since he was just 15-years-old.
“I’ve never doubted this was my calling,” he said.
Never married, Darrell considers his parishioners “another family” and he devotes himself to sharing with people the big moments in their life.
He’s conducted hundreds of marriages and many more funerals over the years and surprisingly quite a few births.
“I’ve been mistaken for the father a couple of times,” he laughs.
It seems for as long as he can remember he’s been just a phone call away and considers it an absolute privilege to serve.
There have been some incredible experiences during his long career but conducting the marriage of a bride who was 102 years-old was a more memorable one.
The groom was only 87 and the wedding made the Guinness Book of Records and was televised.
For Darrell the spectacle was a little bizarre but the experience nonetheless was a heartwarming one.
Darrell quizzed the groom as to why he would want to marry a 102-year-old woman and he simply replied, “I happen to love the girl.”
“That was certainly a highlight,” said Darrell.
With a natural gift for preaching Darrell says the church is as relevant today as it has ever been.
He considers faith and hope as equally important and says, “while there’s hope there’s life.”
As a 73-year-old retiree Darrell hopes to take a holiday, and maybe even take up golf. He still plans to be the RSL Sub-branch chaplain and play the piano at Bushland Place Nursing Home once a month.
And of course he’ll still be associated with the Uniting Church doing preaching and pastoral work.
So not much will really change.
“I just won’t be being paid,” he said warmly.
Reverend Darrell McKeough is officially on holiday from his ministerial role at the Uniting Church until September 3 when he will then be considered ‘retired.’ A final farewell service will be held around this time.