On Sunday, July 16, family and friends gathered at the Reno church to honor the work of Jim and Neva Brackett. For the past 40 years, Jim has worked in one capacity or another for the church, and during their years at the Nevada-Utah Conference, Neva was the prayer coordinator.

Lydia Bilbrey, office staff and members of the Carson City church prepared a special dinner with all the dishes inspired by Jim and Neva’s most recent cookbook. During the evening, friends and family members expressed thankfulness for the good example the pair set for those they came into contact with, gratitude for their dedication to the Lord’s work and sadness that they were leaving.

“You are retiring while in the service of the Nevada-Utah Conference," said Conference President Bradford Newton, "but we are representing the world-wide Seventh-day Adventist Church family when we say thank you for your service.”

The Bracketts were presented a wooden clock with a swinging pendulum. “We hope that every time you look at this clock, you are reminded of all the wonderful times you had while in the ministry,” explained Newton. "The pendulum was added as a reminder that every second it swings brings us closer to our Savior’s return."

Jim grew up in an Adventist home and attended Adventist schools. Jim and Neva met during their years at Walla Walla College. After graduation, they married. Now they have two daughters and four grandchildren.

Pastoral ministry was not Jim’s first career choice. Growing up, he planned to be a doctor, but his curiosity over how and why “things” worked got the better of him, so he became a physics teacher.

Jim’s first teaching position was at Madison Academy. After a year at Madison, the Bracketts moved to Upper Columbia Academy where Jim taught physics, math, science and photography. He also offered flying lessons to students. Jim enjoyed teaching, and he loved the opportunity to minister to the needs of the students and their families.

Jim left teaching after 10 years in the classroom and accepted a call to pastor in the Montana Conference. He worked as a pastor for six years and then served as an evangelist for Amazing Facts for five years. Later he became health ministries director and a Bible worker trainer for the Washington Conference. After 12 years with the Washington Conference, Jim came to the Nevada-Utah Conference where he served as ministerial and church ministries director.

No matter what his title, soul-winning is Jim’s passion. He feels impressed to use the Adventist health message to win souls. While working as a pastor, Jim earned a master’s degree in public health. The Bracketts now work as a team, presenting health seminars for people with diabetes, hypertension, high blood pressure and other lifestyle-related diseases.

With Jim’s background in public health and Neva’s degree in nursing, the Bracketts are a powerful team. In addition to their seminars, they have co-authored three cookbooks full of tasty, healthy meals.

Jim and Neva officially retired on July 31. Retirement is a relative term, though. Every year, Jim plans to hold at least one evangelistic series and as many health seminars as “the Lord sees fit.” For their retirement home, the Bracketts bought a piece of land in Rice, Wash. “The Lord willing, we hope to build cabins on our property and run a live-in health program,” explained Jim.

The Lord’s work is Jim’s number one priority, but in his free time he enjoys flying, skiing, backpacking, water skiing, camping and photography. Jim learns new things quickly and is often asked to put what he’s learned to use. He jokingly calls himself a “jack of all trades, but the master of nothing.” He often comes to the rescue for plumbing, electrical, technological or most any handyman dilemma.

Handyman, ministerial director, church ministries director, evangelist, pastor, teacher, scientist, pilot, author, lecturer, husband, father and friend — Jim Brackett holds each of these titles and more, but to him, the most valuable title is "Christian."