After 36 years of service to the United Methodist Church, the Rev. King Harris has decided it’s time to retire.

“I feel it’s time, and I feel good about it,” he said.

Harris first came to Metropolitan United Methodist Church in 1998 after he served 15 years at Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church in McDonough.

He was also the pastor at Mount Olive United Methodist Church in Newnan and at Andrews Chapel United Methodist Church in Jonesboro.

Though he’ll miss leading the congregation at Metropolitan UMC, Harris said there are some aspects of the job he won’t miss — namely meetings and conferences.

“I’ll miss some things like you miss a toothache,” Harris said.

He said he feels his time at Metropolitan UMC has been one of growth — for himself and the congregation — especially now that the church is working toward a $1 million expansion of the historic Broad Street structure.

“I’ll miss the wonderful people here at Metropolitan,” he said. “We did a lot of things together.”

On Sunday, the church celebrated his 12 years as pastor, but he will be on the pulpit one last time, on June 20, before his retirement officially starts on June 24.

Harris is a graduate of what is now Clark-Atlanta University — during his time there it was Clark College — and he earned a master of divinity from Gammons Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center.

Though he will soon retire from full-time ministry, Harris said he will be helping out at Scott’s Chapel United Methodist Church in South Rome.

But his main interest is in teaching.

“I want to go to the classroom on a college or seminary level,” Harris said. “I want to teach on religious matters, especially on topics like the Old Testament.”

Taking over for Harris will be Carol Helton, who is coming from Newnan Chapel United Methodist Church.