Who IS Marty?

Hi there! My name is Marty Singley—though if you knew me back in the old neighborhood off Clark St. in Worcester, MA, you probably remember me as little “Butchie” Singley. I know, I know—it’s hard to believe, but I somehow grew up to become an ordained minister. No, really. I even have the paperwork to prove it.

After spending years pastoring churches in Massachusetts, my wife Sandy and I decided in 1996 that it was time to head South—where the tea is sweet, the biscuits are buttery, and you have to say “shit” with at least three syllables. She-ee-ii-tt! That’s the way God intended it. Trust me, I’m a minister.

We landed in an exciting, interdenominational church in a new community called Tellico Village in Loudon, Tennessee. I spent 18 wonderful years there, and after a total of 40 years in ministry, I finally decided to retire in May 2014. Having survived quadruple bypass surgery in 2012 (surprise!), I figured it was time to focus on my family while I still had a fully operational heart. The congregation honored me with the title of Pastor Emeritus. As I recall from my high school Latin, “e” means “you’re out,” and “meritus” means “you deserve it.” (That’s a joke. Probably.)

Sandy and I had four fantastic years of retirement, traveling the world, spending time with our kids and grandkids, and generally living the good life. But in 2018, everything changed when Sandy was diagnosed with gastric cancer. She fought valiantly, but seven months later, she lost her battle.

I never saw that coming. In all of our future planning, I was supposed to be the first to go. Know what I mean…?

Since then, I’ve been doing my best to be a good dad to my daughter in Lexington, KY, and my son in Holden, MA. They have amazing families of their own, and I’m blessed with four of the most incredible grandkids to ever grace the planet. (Not that I’m biased. Okay, I totally am.)

Meanwhile, I’ve been figuring out how I can still be of help to other ministers. Years ago, I started a website (www.martysingley.com) to share sermons and resources with fellow preachers and sermon junkies. I’ve got decades’ worth of sermons—some great, some… well, let’s just say even the Holy Spirit has an off day. I know the weekly grind of sermon prep, so I thought, why not offer some inspiration to others? Feel free to use anything you find. Attribution is nice but not required. We’re all in this together!

Recently, I’ve been revamping the website to make it easier to find stuff. I follow the Revised Common Lectionary, so most sermons are organized accordingly. Many were preached by me or my associates at Tellico Village Community Church.

A big reason for my newfound motivation? My new wife, Jane Gannaway. We met in 2020 at the Stetson University Pastors School (because where else would a retired minister find love?). Jane is brilliant—before retiring, she spent 12 years in China working for Yum! Brands and Starbucks Asia. She has an incredible international perspective on life, news, and, of course, coffee. Oh, and her dad is a retired Presbyterian minister. So yeah, ministry runs deep in this family.

These days, Jane and I are enjoying what she calls “rewirement” instead of retirement. We’re a couple on a journey to God-knows-where, and honestly, that’s part of the fun. As you get to know us, you’ll see we love exploring life on “the other side of the hedge.”

If you’re familiar with E.M. Forster’s story by that title, you know it’s about a guy who jogs the same hedge-bordered path every day until one fateful moment when he stops, feels a breeze from the hedge, peeks inside, and falls through into a whole new world of beauty. That’s kind of how life is, isn’t it? You never know what surprises are waiting on “the other side of the hedge!”

So, let me invite you to explore with us. I hope my musings are helpful, thought-provoking, inspiring—or at the very least, entertaining. And don’t be shy about sharing your thoughts in the comments section of each post. If I don’t like them (or if they’re offensive), I’ll just delete them. Kidding. (Mostly.)

Thanks for stopping by! Squeeze the day—and your loved ones—for all they’re worth!

Yours truly,

“Butchie” Singley

Marty in Seminary