Congressman Cleaver retires as pastor of KC church

After 37 years in the ministry, the Rev. Emanuel Cleaver II hung up his pastor’s robes over the weekend.

For years, U.S. Rep. Cleaver had commuted from Washington, D.C., to conduct weekly service at St. James United Methodist Church. On Sunday, the congregation crowded the pews for his last sermon.

“I struggled whether I would make it through the service,” Cleaver told Fox 4 news.

The church leadership will stay in the family. Cleaver passed the torch to his son, Emanuel III.