By Tim Harvey
J. Richard (Dick) Gottshall of Roanoke, Va., celebrated his 100th birthday on Monday, Aug. 26, with visits from family, friends, pastoral colleagues, and birthday cards from members of Virlina District congregations. Many who visited on his birthday asked how it felt to be 100 years old, to which he replied (with a twinkle in his eye) “I’m not sure—I’ve never been this age before!” The wisdom he gained throughout his almost 80 years of set-apart ministry continues to be sought after by pastors throughout the Virlina District.
Baptized in April 1940, Gottshall was licensed to the ministry by First Church of the Brethren, Pottstown, Pa., in then North Atlantic District in September 1944. He was ordained by the Pottstown congregation in December 1945 and elevated to the eldership by Pine Glen in Middle Pennsylvania District in October 1951. He is the last remaining elder in the Virlina District and is currently a member of Central Church of the Brethren, where he attends regularly.
Brother Dick’s long and faithful ministerial service began with a summer pastorate with the Shelton and St. Paul congregations (in the former Southern Virginia District) in 1946 and continued with pastorates at Springfield (North Atlantic District, 1946-1949); Pine Glen (Middle Pennsylvania District, 1949-1958 and 1979-1989); Bassett (the former Southern Virginia District, 1958-1966); Peters Creek (the former First Virginia District, 1966-1971); and Greencastle (Southern Pennsylvania District, 1971-1978). In his retirement years, he served interim pastorates at the Masons Cove, Cedar Bluff, Daleville, Williamson Road, Summerdean, and Blue Ridge congregations in Virlina District, was moderator of Virlina District Conference in 1999, along with numerous other district committee assignments.
While his long and faithful years of ministerial service are something to be admired, what pastoral colleagues appreciate most is his curious mind and willingness to listen deeply before offering careful insight into issues at hand. Most Virlina pastors have heard his commonly offered advice: “If you pay the rent, your congregation will give you permission to pursue the things that interest you.” For him, “paying the rent” refers to diligent pastoral care, consistent home visitation, thoughtful and well-crafted sermons, and faithful crisis ministry–qualities that marked his pastoral service.
He last preached at the Cloverdale church in November 2023. He had been scheduled to preach at the Central church in June this year but was unable to deliver the sermon due to an illness. Several Virlina congregations have extended an open invitation to Gottshall to preach. We remain optimistic that at least one of those invitations will be accepted.
His faithful wife of 77 years, Dottie, died last year at the age of 99. He lives in Roanoke with his daughter and son-in-law, Jill and Ron Mooney, where you can regularly find him working through a stack of books he is reading. He enjoys visits with his two surviving daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, colleagues, and friends.
— Tim Harvey is pastor of Oak Grove Church of the Brethren in Roanoke, Va.
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