Beloved Adventures in Odyssey writer and director Paul McCusker, author of numerous Odyssey-related novels, and Peabody Award-winning dramatist for Radio Theatre, has left his position as Creative Director at Focus on the Family. Paul has taken the new job of Senior Director of Content Creation at the Augustine Institute, a Catholic graduate school located in Denver, Colorado. According to their website, "What began as a graduate school has quickly expanded into a multi-faceted Institute providing strategic disciple-based parish programming and leadership formation to dioceses and parishes across America." During his time at AIO, Paul wrote nearly 300 episodes from 1987 to 2015, the most of any writer on the show to date. According to Focus on the Family, Paul also completed the writing and directing of the upcoming Album 59: Taking the Plunge episodes and was involved in the planning of future stories before he left. You can read an excerpt of an email sent to the AIO Update from Focus on the Family below:
It was a very difficult decision for Paul to make, and although we aren’t sure whether he will have the time to write for Adventures in Odyssey or Radio Theatre as a freelancer (as he has done several times in the past), we'll always stay in contact with him as friends. Paul has said that he's not leaving Focus so much as moving on to the next thing the Lord is calling him to accomplish.
We're sorry to see him go, but also excited for the impact he'll make in his new venture. And you can rest assured, Adventures in Odyssey will continue into the future with the same quality and mission as always. In life, change is inevitable. But God's plans never change, and our future is one of hope and joy. As Whit says, The best is yet to come."
Thank you Paul McCusker for all your hard work on Adventures in Odyssey over the years. The show would not be the same without your contributions and you will surely be missed by all AIO fans.