Reflections on an Emotional Week

The past several days have been emotional.  Last Friday, I heard about the shocking passing of Beverly Williams who served 35 plus years as the ministry coordinator at Pintlala Baptist Church. I served alongside Bev in my first full-time ministerial position prior to coming to Weatherly.  Bev filled a lot of rolls at Pintlala and will be missed greatly.  She leaves behind her husband, Don, who has Alzheimer’s.  Please pray for the Williams family and Pintlala Baptist Church.  Gary Burton, Pastor of Pintlala, needs our prayers as well.  Gary and Bev were like brother and sister and the key leadership for Pintlala for many years. Thank you Bev, for being a dedicated and caring follower of Christ.   

   
On Sunday, I was grateful to have the opportunity to preach at Weatherly Heights Baptist Church while our pastor, David Freeman, was preaching a homecoming service at his in-laws church in Sylacauga, Alabama.  In my sermon, I told stories about the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team as portrayed in the movie Miracle.  I am very thankful for your words of encouragement, but one post-worship conversation got my attention.  Debra Thomas (Ryan & Ali’s mom) told me that she was an Olympic athlete – a speed skater - at the 1980 games in Lake Placid, New York!  Debra is one of Weatherly's members and a physical trainer at the Southeast YMCA.

On Monday morning, I discovered Melissa Baker’s father - Chris & Matt Baker’s grandfather - passed away on Sunday.  Chris & Matt were two of my youth at Pintlala and in July, Chris came to Greenville to hear our youth choir sing in concert.

Shortly thereafter, we heard that Ray Gargus passed away.  Ray Gargus – R.G. as he was known to many of us growing up in Weatherly’s youth ministry from 1970 to the early 21st century – is missed terribly.  It’s amazing to read the comments flooding in from many people who have been touched by the character of Ray Gargus.  Maybe next week, when I have my thoughts better prepared, I can post some of these comments – of course with the permission of those who wrote them.

I am grateful for a recent visit I had with Ray at Huntsville Hospital and for the many hallway conversations he shared with me.  He really enjoyed being around with teenagers and tried to keep us all laughing somehow.  He was one of several dear people who cared for me after Daddy died.  He put together a Winter Retreat that I attended either before or after Christmas of '83 where we went to the stone lodge at Alabama's Cheaha State Park. He was here at Weatherly when I was brought in as Minister of Youth.  He constantly stopped by to give me advice and to check in on how things were going.  He often told me, "Your grandmother is hysterical. She's always got me laughing about something. When she speaks, people listen." The stories can go on and on and I hope that we keep telling them for a long time. Thank you, Ray, for loving and caring for us so greatly!