Community Corner

Former Avon Methodist Church Pastor Stepped Down to Focus on Family and Music

The Rev. Tony Mecca replaces The Rev. Florence Eddins, who announced she was leaving in February.

June 30 marked Florence Eddins last day as an official pastor, as she left her leadership position at Avon's Memorial United Methodist Church to focus on family and music.

"I now feel led to spend more of my time and energy using my gift of singing, which I was not able to use very much in my current position," Eddins wrote to Avon Patch on Thursday. "My husband, who is also a pastor (Simsbury UMC),  and I found ourselves with little time for life together with both of us serving such active congregations; dinner at 11 p.m. was wearing us out."

She announced her decision to the congregation in February. Eddins has been a pastor for a total of 30 years and at five different churches. 

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A year-and-a-half into her time at Memorial United, Eddins wrote, she did not think her "ministry was effective enough to help the congregation grow spiritually and numerically." 

Eddins said she plans to continue living in Simsbury and singing for the Simsbury United Methodist Church for at least another year. 

Find out what's happening in Avonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I will also continue my voice lessons and watch for additional opportunities to use the vocal instrument God has given me," she wrote."

While she is not becoming a pastor at another church, Eddins has not preached for the last time. 

"This summer I am going to preach in a small Methodist church in Connecticut until that church's new pastor arrives in mid-August," Eddins said. "I believe that God is not finished with me yet, but I also believe that my decision to step down as pastor was a good decision for me at this time." 

The Rev. Tony Mecca has replaced Eddins as the church's new pastor, and he officially started last Thursday.

"My prayers and heart are with the wonderful folks at Memorial UMC, that they will find much blessing with their new pastor, (The) Rev. Tony Mecca," Eddins wrote.


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