The Rev. Iziar Lankford, 74, retired at the end of December and his church, Southwest Drive Community United Methodist Church, merged with St. Paul UMC.

Lankford will continue the “soup kitchen” he operates at Southwest Drive until the building sells or is put to some other use. Even then, he will continue his Tuesday meal ministry, which features a “from scratch” meal that he prepares each week (never soup), at a different location.

Lankford has a long history of service in Abilene. Read Loretta Fulton’s entire article in the Abilene Reporter-News.