Revd Ken Clapham, from Liverpool, is well-known for speaking about space travel in schools and his links to NASA in America.
He began his ministry at St Cuthbert's Church in Over Kellet in 1983 and has since welcomed two astronauts to his village.
Both James Irwin and Charles Duke, who landed on the moon, came to visit him, according to local paper The Visitor.
He also met Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon in 1969.
The 'Bishop of the Moon' became involved with NASA in 1987 after writing to the late Col James Irwin, the eighth man to walk on the moon.
He invited him to come to his village and speak to the children at Wilsons Endowed Church of England school as part of their space studies.
He and his wife Sue visited NASA in 1988 and have been back a number of times since.
During one visit he preached to more than 2,000 astronauts as well as scientists and their families in a Houston church.
The Liverpool vicar was born in Toxteth and worked in sales and income tax before being ordained in 1987.
He will officially step down at the end of July and told The Visitor that he still hopes to visit space.
He said: "I did suggest to NASA that I become the chaplain on the International Space Station.
"If that chance comes around again I would definitely have another shot at it."
