Thanks, Captain Schmideo and Scully. Didn't want to hijack the thread on the wonderful new job offer. Somehow this is what came to mind ...
"I don't consider it treasonous to move to the greener pastures of a new religion. Or no religion at all. Twenty-four years of service is a long time, and being taken for granted is an unpleasant feeling. You have a tremendous amount of responsibility serving the congregation, and you are not being compensated fairly for your skills, devotion and experience, given the many offers out there for eternal life. Or end of life, period.
"Your elder body will have lost a good servant, and they have nobody to blame but themselves. Clearly, they feel no loyalty to you by compensating you appropriately. (You do realize that the religious leaders who sit back and accept the we-can't-afford-to-give-you-a-break-from-your-duties excuse are perpetuating their own mistreatment, right??) You may be doing what the Governing Body demands: giving them a kick in the butt and scaring them by costing them a valuable slave, one whose credentials make him attractive to other churches. Or volunteer groups. Or his family, who would be thrilled to have his undivided attention at long last.
"If your current BOE wants to have an exit interview (probably not), be honest and say that you gave the Truth a more than fair chance to do right by you, as far as showing a little gratitude is concerned. Training in field service, coming down hard on the sheep in judicial committees, giving free labor to a church that ends confiscating what belongs to the brotherhood, etc. doesn't really add much to your resume, but you need to be thinking about your own future (what little time actually remains [at least you won't grow old in this system of things]) in terms of having a bit of cash on hand and such, given paradise may not be just around the corner. This new "situation" - finding your authentic self - makes you an offer of a new and rewarding life that you can't turn down: freedom and adieu to fear and guilt. Say that you have no hard feelings, understand their spiritual constraints, and perhaps your leaving will allow them to more fairly value other servants in positions similar to yours (again, they probably won't)."