The Rev. Dr. Sallie Sampsell Watson, by the numbers

How do you measure the days of a retiring general presbyter?

by Emily Enders Odom | Presbyterian News Service

Paul, Sallie and their daughter, Meredith Watson, at the retirement celebration for the Rev. Dr. Sallie Watson. (Photo by Emily Enders Odom)

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — A prominent leader in the PC(USA) was well celebrated with a mix of laughter, tears, hearty applause and a fiesta like no other as Mission Presbytery gathered for its Oct. 18-19 stated meeting, where it officially sent general presbyter, the Rev. Dr. Sallie Sampsell Watson, forth into retirement.

Splashes of humor and the presbytery’s joy in honoring Watson at First Presbyterian Church, Brownsville, Texas, spilled over from the first into the meeting’s second day as the Rev. Dr. José Irizarry, president of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, took to the pulpit for opening worship.

“I promise,” he said as he began his reflection on Acts 1:1-11, in which Jesus is taken up into heaven, “that this is not a sermon about Sallie Watson’s ascension!”

A lifelong Presbyterian, Watson has served in leadership for three presbyteries — becoming Mission Presbytery’s general presbyter in May 2016 — as well as for congregations in Texas, California and Utah. She currently serves on the Board of Mo-Ranch, the Board of Trustees for Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, the Committee on the Office of General Assembly, and was a member of the Special Offerings Review Task Force that reported to the 222nd General Assembly (2016).

Watson also moderated the Stated Clerk Nomination Committee, which ultimately presented the Rev. Jihyun Oh as its nominee. Oh is now Executive Director and Stated Clerk of the General Assembly for the PC(USA)’s interim unified agency.

Of Watson’s distinguished service, the commissioned pastor of the meeting’s host congregation, Sheri Dittman, wrote the following in her letter introducing the presbytery packet: “We are excited to celebrate the retirement of our esteemed colleague and gracious leader, the Rev. Dr. Sallie Watson. I was on the nominating committee bringing Sallie back to her home presbytery (where we think she belongs). She is full of energy, and imagination, and intellect, and we will miss her.”

Friends, family members, presbytery staff, covenant partners and representatives of the PC(USA)’s national offices converged on the church to join in the celebration.

The presbytery prays for Sallie Watson and its retiring ministers. From left to right are David McCann, Richard Knott, Rob Mueller, Watson, and José Muñoz. (Photo by Emily Enders Odom)

Mission Presbytery’s stated clerk, the Rev. Laurie Palmer, shared her own words of tribute during the Commission on Ministry’s Oct. 18 report, beginning with the promise that no one “loves the PC(USA) more than Sallie Watson.”

“Sallie Watson is resilient,” said Palmer. “She heard the call of God and followed. When things did not go well, she pivoted in a new direction. She’s an amazing leader. She is propelled by Jet Fuel Coffee and the Holy Spirit. She has a new idea every 47 seconds. She has vision. And finally, I want to say this. Part of Sallie’s secret weapon is [her husband] Paul Watson. He not only loves Sallie but believes in her.”

Soon after bowing for prayer with four other retiring presbytery colleagues, Watson stepped into the chancel to give her final report as general presbyter.

Playfully using her cellphone to take pictures of everyone “waving to [their] friends at home, who didn’t have the good fortune to be here this weekend,” she began by reiterating the nine priorities that the General Presbyter Nominating Committee initially set for her eight and a half years ago.

Watson’s goals included getting to know people, understanding the presbytery’s finances, practicing transparency and overcommunicating, including the launch of a blog.

Then, as if to channel the beloved song, “Seasons of Love,” from the Broadway musical “Rent,” Watson recited an impressive litany of numbers, “thanks to the magic of Google calendar.”

“I visited 86 congregations and preached 69 times for 48 of them, plus one for Mission Presbytery last March and two others on Zoom,” she said. “Oversaw the closing of 16 congregations, and spent a good bit of time trying to help start one. I attended 35 partner events with all six of our agencies, and 15 events with Synod of the Sun. Five General Assemblies, in person and online. Four hundred and seventy-four committee meetings. Two hundred and eighty-four staff meetings. Twenty-three presbytery meetings. One hundred and ninety-eight counseling sessions. Two hundred and nineteen meals with pastors. Twenty-nine funerals. Sixty-three colleague group gatherings. Forty-one installations and thirteen ordinations. Sixty-three colleague group gatherings. Forty-six session meetings, seven officer training sessions, and nine visits with pastor nominating committees. Eight conventions in the North and the South. Six women’s conferences. One trip to Cuba. Survived one pandemic. Drove 52,200 miles. Holy cow!”

Attendees enjoyed a Mexican feast. (Photo by Emily Enders Odom)

As Watson now enters retirement to pursue such hobbies as curating an eclectic music collection, working on the family’s genealogy, and relaxing with family and friends, she assured those gathered that “the state of Mission Presbytery is sound.”

She charged those ordained as ruling or teaching elders to add “creativity” to their promise of “energy, intelligence, imagination and love” in serving the church.

“You as congregations are going to need to find new ways to do ministry together,” she said, “ways that we may have thought about, ways that we’ve not even considered yet, but ways that will get us closer to where God is already headed.”

Watson also advocated for the addition of “authenticity” to the ordination vows.

“Friends, I don’t need to tell you that we are living in a day and time when the notion of truth has become subjective, when the loudest voice is taken for the one with the most authority, when saying something, no matter how outrageous, makes it seem like it’s true,” she said. “We hardly know what to believe anymore. No one does. That’s why I’ve said it a hundred times, and I’ll say it here once more: there is no better time than now to be the Church. It’s time for the church to speak the truth, to be the truth, and to offer itself for the life of the world.”

A Mariachi band contributed significantly to the weekend’s retirement party. (Photo by Emily Enders Odom)

Following Watson’s remarks, members and guests partied and celebrated their friend and colleague with a bountiful Mexican feast, complete with a festive piñata and exuberant Mariachi band. On Saturday, the presbytery joined in a touching retirement litany as Watson’s relationship was officially “dissolved” with its “affection and gratitude” as of December 31, 2024, after which the sanctuary resounded with grateful and well-deserved applause.

Or as Watson herself might have responded, “Holy cow.”