At Lunch With George Armbrister
Oldest appointed minister
By Lynn Hutton
When the oldest appointed minister in Holston Conference says, "I don't feel like going to lunch today," he gets some special consideration. So instead of lunch, I shared tea and lemon-iced cookies with the Rev. George Armbrister at his dining room table.
The change of plans was a blessing in disguise, because it allowed a visit with Isabel, Armbrister's bride of 61 years (they were married on Thanksgiving Day), and Gypsy, the German shepherd.
George and Isabel (everyone calls her Izzy, but she is such an elegant beauty that she deserves to be Isabel) have been partners in ministry for all these years. Armbrister says that his future wife was a member at First Pulaski United Methodist Church in Wytheville District when he was appointed there as associate minister after graduation from Candler School of Theology. He tells the story this way:
"After my first Sunday, she moved up to sit in the choir, to get a better look. She had always said she would never marry a preacher, but after she heard me preach, she decided I wasn't preacher enough to hurt." His eyes twinkle merrily, and Isabel throws me a look that says, "See what I live with?"
Armbrister was licensed to preach in 1937, and was ordained deacon in 1941, elder in 1943. He has served churches from Pulaski to Chattanooga, from Asbury to Zion. He retired from ministry in 1983, according to his pastoral record, but since then he has served Zion UMC in West Knoxville. The small congregation (membership 88) is famous for always paying their apportionments early in the year. They recently paved their parking lot and built a new steeple in honor of Armbrister's appointment to his 19th year with them.
"The people at Zion are trying to make a preacher out of me, and they're doing a good job, considering what they have to work with." Again, that twinkle.
He reminisced about his call. "I remember hearing a good preacher and thinking, 'I wish I could preach like that.' Then, in my second year at Emory and Henry College, I began to think, 'If I'm going to preach, God ought to call me.'" During that school year Professor Humphrey Lee of Southern Methodist University came to the campus to conduct special services. Armbrister talked to him about listening for a call. Lee said, "Do you see the work that needs to be done? Do you think you could do part of it if you gave yourself to it?" Armbrister answered Lee, and he answered God's call at the same time. He said "yes" to all of it.
I asked him if he has plans to retire again. "No," he replied quickly and emphatically. "I'm going to preach as long as God has any use for me."
The Rev. Hutton is minister of music at Middlebrook Pike UMC, Knoxville District.
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