The longtime local voice of high school athletics, perhaps best known for his hosting role on WNPV's Saturday "On The Bench" radio program, says he's had fun over the past 40 years but now it's time to take a step back.

"I've made a lot of friends in my time working here, and I've always tried to keep everything positive. I remember I didn't always catch every pass, throw a strike every time or make every foul shot either," Church said.

Church started his career at the station in 1970 and is thought to have broadcast a total of more than 600 games, between baseball, basketball and football.

"I wouldn't take anything back that I've said. There's only one time that I've come down on somebody during a game, and my co-broadcaster and I were in agreement that they earned it," he said.

After his last "On The Bench" program airs at the end of the month, Church said he expects to spend much more time with his wife Loretta, whom he calls "an angel" for putting up with his unusual work schedule for all these years.

"My wife said the other day that she'd like to go up to New England to see the leaves in the fall, but

I've always been kind of busy on the weekends in the fall," he said.

A 1950 graduate of Lansdale (now North Penn) High School, Church is a member of the Souderton and North Penn Sports Halls of Fame, and has been honored by numerous proclamations and awards, highlighted by the Maxwell Club of Philadelphia's Robert T. Clark award in 2008, which honored his lifetime of promoting high school football.

"I don't know of anyone who's been promoting high school sports longer, or more effectively," said WNPV Program Director Darryl Berger.

Over the rest of July, he'll bring back favorite guests to join him in a series of retrospectives during his Saturday morning radio show (airing from 9:05 to 10 a.m. on WNPV AM-1440), and he'll take listener call-ins during his final program on the 31st.

"Jim's been one of our most recognized personalities for many years. We're sorry to see him go, but he's had an impressive run," said WNPV General Manager Phil Hunt.

The veteran broadcaster ended decades of play-by-play work, covering high school football and basketball, in 2005, but you just might hear his voice again from time to time — he's working with station management to continue staying on-air somehow.

"I'm not sure what I'll be doing, but I'd like to continue to contribute here and there. It's the grind of every week that I'm stepping away from," Church said.

He may reappear on the sidelines of local games from time to time, to swap stories of broadcasting from the roofs of schools, memorable close calls with foul balls and freak football injuries he's seen over the years, or may make guest appearances on WNPV to talk about big news like this week's death of New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner or the minor league baseball All Star Game in Allentown.

"I've had a lot of fun and still enjoy it, but now is just the right time to step away," he said.