Candidate leaving job as Baptist pastor

Lawrence City Commission candidate James Bush soon will leave his job as senior pastor of a Lawrence Baptist church.

Bush said Tuesday he had notified his congregation at First Southern Baptist Church, 4300 W. Sixth St., that he would resign at the end of March. Bush said he did not have another job lined up, but said he felt obligated to notify his congregation as soon as he knew he wanted to leave the ministry.

Bush – who said he’ll continue to be part of the Baptist congregation – said he wanted to look for ways to serve the community, but would like to be involved in the private sector.

Bush, 41, said his decision to leave the job was not related to any pressures his City Commission campaign may have created within the church.

Bush said he would look for a full-time job after the campaign, and said he did not plan to leave Lawrence, where he has lived since 2002.

“My family and I are planted here in Lawrence,” Bush said.