I’m honored to share that Pastor Tim Snyder retired in September. Thank you, Tim and MaryAnn, for your faithfulness and for your sacrificial love for more than five decades! We love you and appreciate you more than words can ever express!
Mike Rasmussen, Central Regional Director
We ask Tim to share his story with Update. Congratulations!
MaryAnn grew up in the Chicago area under the tutelage of Dean Blackwell and those he trained. Her father was a local elder; her mother’s ministry was hospitality, especially to the members. From high school in Joliet, IL, she went directly to Ambassador College in Pasadena, CA.
I grew up in western North Carolina in the Appalachian area known as the Great Smoky Mountains. I received a distinct calling to ministry in the first grade, but gradually disregarded it until it returned in my freshman year of studies in Aerospace Engineering at NC State University, funded in part under a grant from NASA. I transferred to Ambassador College, Big Sandy, TX after two years in engineering. I try to follow space exploration, physics, and math to this day.
MaryAnn and I met on the “Big Dig” in 1971. As all students were assigned to specific project areas (called “holes”) for archaeological excavation, we were among the “leftovers” from the three campuses and were the last assigned. Our little group was truly international and fun-filled every hot and dusty day. It couldn’t have been better. MaryAnn and I married in 1972 after graduation.
MaryAnn and I have served in northwest Arkansas (wonderful people, stories and memories), northern Florida (great citrus and marvelous people), eastern North Carolina (serving some of the members I remembered and enjoyed from my time at NC State), West Virginia (intelligent and engaging members, and where our daughter was born), Chicago area churches (exciting times and people from all walks of life), Michigan (adapting to the challenges of rapidly evolving technologies), and finally Denver and Colorado Springs, CO (wonderfully talented members who helped adopt and adapt to all the changes in the church, technology, and society).
We have found the saints of God varied, engaging, and sometimes temperamental (but aren’t we all?) – their lives of faith in trials and joys always inspiring and uplifting; their endurance in life’s challenges well beyond those of the most accomplished public figures. God’s children are always humbling to know and behold. We count them among our greatest blessings in life!
While MaryAnn still works at the executive level of Lockheed Martin (ironic, since that was where I had hoped to develop my Aerospace career), we look forward to more international and domestic travel, new culinary delights at home, renewed engagement for me in Radio Controlled Aircraft building and flying (meaning more community involvement), renewed opportunities for entertaining at home, photography, videography, reading, writing, the Arts, community involvement (public speaking for me), some wide-ranging college classes and more.
We eagerly anticipate the gathering of all saints at Christ’s return, opening the real-time avenue of renewing relationships, exchanging stories, making new eternal friends and seeing the hidden potential of all mankind and nature finally beginning to be realized.
“Thank you” to our sisters, brothers, and friends around the world for their acceptance and encouragement. With God all things are possible!
Tim Snyder
Enjoy retirement Tim and MaryAnn, and thanks for your faithful service and perseverance for so many decades of helping God’s children, including me when you baptized me as a lost hippie in 1976 who just wanted the grace God in Jesus Christ!
Dear Tim and MaryAnn,
Thanks so much for your exemplary and long service to the Lord and His flock. Tim, I was privileged, as a church member in Hinsdale, Illinois, to hear and learn from your thought provocative messages. May you both continue to be a blessing to those whom you meet and touch.
In Jesus, Santiago
All the best in this new chapter of your life. We fondly recall our time together in West Virginia.
Warmest regards.
Steve and Harlean Botha
In the short time before the pandemic, and after on Zoom, me and my wife Lupe have been extremely blessed with the instruction, knowledge, care, and love from Tim and Maryann. Tim exemplifies the example of the good shepherd and is a beacon of wonderment and insight into Gods perfect plan for all of mankind. It is my extreme privilege and honor to have learned from him. May God grant him the big funds for his RC planes.
Congratulations and a big THANKS to you both, Tim and MaryAnn. It was our pleasure to get to know you both when we overlapped in Colorado so many years ago. We wish you all the best in this new phase of your life together. Many blessings!
–Ted and Donna
Tim and Mary Ann — Congratulations and blessings in your retirement and in this new chapter in your life! We shared many great times together and I deeply appreciate those memories. Thank you for your faithful ministry over many years! May God grant His blessings in every way! Ray and Carol Meyer