At Sunday Worship on Oct. 6, 2002, the congregation of Bethel Presbyterian Church in Kingston recognized honorably retired minister member of the Presbytery of East Tennessee, Dr. Richard W. “Dick” Hettrick, as Pastor Emeritus of the church. Stephen N. Benz, Executive Presbyter, spoke at the recognition. A reception in the social hall followed.
Pastor Emeritus Is an honorary office in the Presbyterian Church, granted by a congregation who is moved by affection and gratitude to continue association in an honorary relationship with a retired pastor.
Dick Hettrick served Bethel Presbyterian Church as pastor for 28 years, from 1972 until his retirement in October 2000. He began his ministry as a lay pastor for the small congregation of the First Presbyterian Church in Monterey, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree In Mechanical Engineering and then entered Divinity School, graduating from Louisville Seminary in 1963. Later Dick returned to school, earning a Doctorate of Divinity from McCormick Theological Seminary in 1987.
Dick began his ordained ministry in 1963 as pastor of the Allardt Presbyterian Church In Fentress County. Before being called to Bethel, Dick and his wife Marge served for six years as missionaries In the Presbyterian Mountain Project In the small Appalachian mining town of Wilder.
Dick Hettrick’s years at Bethel are remembered with respect and admiration for his many contributions, not just to the church, but also to the community. Dick chaired FISH in the late 1970s, and has supported Habitat for Humanity as well as the Kingston Ministerial Association. He established Roane County Cooperative Ministries and also helped encourage the organizers of the Michael Dunn Center whose preschool and adult day service was housed at Bethel from 1973 to 1977. In the 1980s, Dick was instrumental in encouraging Child and Family Services of Knoxville to open a Roane County office to provide assistance for family and individual therapy.
Beyond the community, Dick has served on the board of Sunset Gap Community Center in Cosby. He was Moderator of the Presbytery of East Tennessee in 1993, has served on several Presbytery committees and was a General Assembly Commissioner in 1973 and in 1989. Currently, Dick moderates the Session at the First Presbyterian Church in Harriman.
Reverend Hettrick resides on Lake Street in Harriman with his wife, Marge Hettrick. who has been a gifted worker with Dick throughout his ministry.
