Mike Osteen serves as the newcomer coordinator at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church.
His job is to greet church visitors and assist them.
When he retired three years ago, the Rev. David Thompson suggested him for the job because he gets along with everyone, Osteen said.
Planning family events is also his area of expertise at the church. Osteen enjoys coordinating group baseball outings or trips to the canal, as well as the International dinners held at the church.
"I have been doing that about 10 years because I just like to have fun," he said.
Osteen is a 25-year member of the church. Retirement has enabled him to help out more around the church as he's become a bit of a handyman -- changing light bulbs, painting and anything else "as long as it doesn't involve plumbing," he said.
Time spent at the church is about equal to that at home, but his wife, Carol, is just as involved at church, he said. The church feels like home.
"The friendliness and family feeling you get," keeps him coming back to St. Bart's, Osteen said. It's a church where he is more than just a member, he said.
And the pastor, who is in the running to be the eighth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina, also is a big reason for making it his home church.
"He's really personable," Osteen said. "He looks at you. He walks out and talks and I really like that."
Reach Crystal Garcia at crystal.garcia@northaugustatoday.com.
ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
LOCATION: 471 W. Martintown Road
SERVICE: 8 a.m. holy communion or worship; 9:30 a.m. holy communion accompanied by the adult choir; and 11:30 a.m. contemporary service
CONGREGATION SIZE: 225 families
OFFICE HOURS: 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Monday-Friday
CONTACT: (803) 279-4622
