A Thankful Heart for Partnerships

As I have now retired from full-time pastoring after 45-and-a-half years, I want to honor the partnerships I have had through these years in some fabulous brothers-and-sisters with whom to serve. Ministry is a partnership, it is not a solo-adventure.  God brings persons with whom you can join your heart, mind, and hands together for a common goal or vision. 

I know I will overlook some and I regret that, but for those whom I remember, I want to honor them.  The order is from the first pastorate at Sardis Baptist Church through here in Rainsville.

Jan Price, Clyde Morris, David Ayers, Jim Taylor, Jr., Aaron Johnson, Carl Cofield (yes, my brother), Brad Bensinger, Virginia Finley, Rodney Gilmore, Will Smith, Neil Stephens, Kathy Lancaster, Terry Gladden, Tim Lett, Steve Lacey, Randy White, J.D. McDuffie, Sean Burns, Craig Robertson, David Denson, Brian Fields, Dorothy Estes, Teresa Word, Bobby Dodd, Edgar Griggs, Zack Fleming, Jessica Thigpen, Shae Walton, Phillip Eady, Dan Arant, Tom Carrigan, Adam Casey, Craig White, Zac Gardner, Keith Beatty, and Virginia Browning.

As I retire, these are the ones who are currently my partners that I wish to honor and say a BIG "Thank you!!"

Lori Culpepper serves as our Administrative Assistant and Jeff Williams is our accountant. The Lord has blessed me and RFBC with an assistant that knows her details and serves with such integrity and sweet spirit. 

Garry Galloway has been the single best Maintenance person I have ever served with.  He serves full-time and knows the building as well as anyone and can do anything.  And is willing to do anything to save the church money.  

Jeff Laney is a pure delight as he serves as our Custodian.  An active member at RFBC, he cares and serves as Custodian with such joy.

And we have just hired an Assistant Custodian in my last week, and I know she will do a good job for RFBC.

Whitney Traylor has been our Children's Minister for my entire tenure at RFBC (nine-and-a-half years).  She has served as a Summer Intern and then when they needed a Children's Minister eleven years ago, they turned to Whitney.  She loves children and her Lord.  She has been such a team player, she was part of the first discipleship group Roxanne led, and she has led groups every year.  The greatest joy to my heart for Whitney is when she begin to serve as a foster parent and was able to adopt a brother-and-sister.  Later we got to dedicate that family and their grandfather got to baptize them after they got saved. 

On Friday, I will honor two other persons with whom I have served at RFBC.