Rigacci to Retire After Decades of Service

BURLESON, TEX. – A young Osvaldo Rigacci was standing at the front of a high school classroom in Argentina, filling in for an absent teacher, when the students began asking big, existential questions. Rigacci responded with Scripture, drawing from what he had been taught growing up. Then a few of the students—teenagers he had known for years—asked something that stopped him short: If he truly believed these things, why wasn’t he living like a believer?

When Rigacci’s father had died five years earlier, Rigacci had been thrust into adult responsibilities, drifting from the values he had grown up with. But the question the students asked him that day put him on a journey that would ultimately lead to a life of service for Christ. 

After nearly 44 years of denominational service, Osvaldo Rigacci, vice president for multicultural ministries at the Southwestern Union will be retiring at the union’s constituency session on April 26. Throughout his career, Rigacci has emphasized church planting, helping establish new congregations in every district he pastored. He also played a key role in developing Mi Conexión Bíblica (My Bible Connections), a Bible-study program for children that is currently in production. Rigacci’s ministry has been marked by an emphasis on mentoring—intentionally investing time in teaching and developing others for leadership within the church.

Rigacci and his wife of 44 years, Monica, have two adult children, Fernando (married to Brittany) and Aniella (married to Marland), and six grandchildren—two sets of triplets. In retirement, he says that he plans to continue preaching, evangelizing, translating and writing, including completing a devotional project inspired by his late uncle.

“I’m still a disciple in development,” Rigacci said before sharing advice for his co-workers in Christ. “Be faithful, be consistent and don’t throw in the towel.”

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By Lori Futcher

Record Editor