Celebrating the Retirement of Rev. Beth A. Richardson

November 4, 2022 by The staff of The Upper Room


The Upper Room will honor the retirement of Rev. Beth A. Richardson on November 30, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. CST with an online celebration. After serving 36 years with The Upper Room, most recently as Dean of the Chapel and Director of Prayer and Worship Life, Beth will retire on December 31, 2022.

An Oklahoma native, Beth is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church and a member of the Mountain Sky Conference. She has worked at The Upper Room in many roles over the years, including editor of both Alive Now magazine and Weavings Journal and director of The Upper Room’s website, and has also served as Worship Leader for several Academy for Spiritual Formation retreats. Also a bestselling author, Beth’s books include Walking in the Wilderness, The Uncluttered Heart, Child of the Light, and Christ Beside Me, Christ Within Me, which can be found at Upper Room Books. You can follow her writings at betharichardson.com and jackthescottie.com.

The celebration is an online gathering open to all via registration. This time of worship, celebration, and blessing will be hosted by Rev. Dr. Amy E. Steele, Dean of The Upper Room Chapel. The celebration will also include Rev. Jeff Campbell, General Secretary and CEO of Discipleship Ministries, staff, friends, faculty, and board members of the Academy for Spiritual Formation. Bishop Karen Oliveto, Western Conference, Mountain Sky Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church, and Dr. Don E. Saliers, emeritus faculty and Theologian-in-Residence, Candler School of Theology are included among the many guests who will lead us.

As part of the celebration, there will be an opportunity to give to the Chapel in honor of Beth, and participants will be invited to offer words of gratitude for Beth and her ministry.

To register for the online celebration, click here.


In honor of Beth’s significant contributions across the organization and throughout the years, we invite you to make a donation to The Upper Room that will advance our work of inviting people to create daily life with God. This is the mission that Beth was called to and has dedicated her entire vocational life to serving. Please choose the fund of your choice; perhaps choose the ministry where you first encountered Beth. The funds include Prayer and Chapel Ministries, The Academy where Beth serves as a creative worship leader, or our web ministries which Beth launched for The Upper Room long ago in 1997. You can be assured that Beth will receive a tribute card that will serve as notice of your kind gift. Click here to give today.


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