The congregation at Metropolitan Community Church gave a heartfelt goodbye with a standing ovation to interim Pastor John Gill at his last Sunday service on Dec. 30.

Gill initially was to have only served as interim pastor for 12 months after Rev. Tony Freeman resigned in March 2006, but the appointment lasted 21 months. Rev. Dan Koeshall, who was elected senior pastor on Nov. 18, will preach his first sermon as MCC’s senior pastor on Jan. 20.

Gill and his partner of nearly 24 years, John Phlegar, were honored by church members after Sunday’s service at a forum.

“I never thought of myself as a caretaker pastor,” Gill told the congregation on Sunday. “We have bonded with you. It’s been such a blessing to John and me. You have given so much love.”

“We received so much from you. You will always be part of our memories,” Gill said. “Goodbyes are never goodbyes.”

Gill was the senior pastor at the MCC in St. Petersburg, Fla., when he felt called to serve as interim pastor in San Diego.

“California isn’t Florida, folks,” Gill said, adding that he did not miss hurricanes and muggy weather.

He commended the church members who perform “an incredible labor of love week in and week out” by setting up chairs and taking them down again each Sunday where MCC holds its services in The San Diego LGBT Center in Hillcrest. MCC ministers to everyone, but has a special focus on the GLBT community.

“There are hundreds, thousands of people who are hungry for the relationships we (offer). Keep on building relationships,” Gill said.

“Jesus was a people person. Jesus reinvented himself. He was a healer, teacher, rebel, miracle worker and counselor.”

During his tenure, the church dealt with the deaths of three staff members, Rev. Joseph Gilbert, church organist Ron Erickson, and congregational care staffer, Bruce Mitchell. Rev. Gill also was called upon to offer an opening prayer at a San Diego City Council meeting earlier this year.

Lyn Malone, the minister of congregational connection, told Gill, “You embraced us, you taught us, and you loved us.”

Gill said he might serve as an interim pastor at another MCC church, but “we don’t know where we are to be called next.”

Gill told the congregation to “be open” to Rev. Dan Koeshall.

Koeshall served as associate pastor and music director at MCC San Diego from 1999 to 2005. He has served as interim pastor at the Pikes Peak MCC in Colorado Springs, Colo. since January, 2006.