Let's Talk About€¦ · Let's Talk About l...
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? CLIPPING SERVICE IllS HILLSBORO RALEIGH, NC 27603 TEL. (919)833.2079 THE DISPATCH OLD FORT, N. C. () '\ l Let's Talk About •••••••••••••••••••••••• By JOHN GARROD ~e is both joy and sadness in the Greenlee community this week. Ric~y Mason, the beloved ~r--or-Greenlee Bap- tist Church, has resign- ed and will be leaving our community in a few short weeks. For all his members and for those of us who are not his mem- bers but are his friends this is indeed a sad event, for Ricky will be greatly missed. It is also a joyous time be- cause we have known Ricky'and his ministry among us. He has shown himself to be a true man of God and I am sure he is going where the Lord is leading him. Ricky is a native of Waynesville and attended Wingate and ,Campbell Colleges. After college he was pastor of Rich- land Baptist Church for 2~ years before coming to Greenlee. In December 1975 Ricky and his wife Marilyn were married and in April 1976 they came to Greenlee. They now have two children, Scott 8 and Kayla 2.. - Shortly after coming to Greenlee Baptist some members found out Ricky had been married a very short time and decided to ini- tiate him. They promptly threw him in Shuford's Lake. Since then Ricky has used that lake many times. Several times a year the church has used the lake for outdoor baptisms. Ricky says these ,services have meant a lot to him. Ricky has been much more than just the pastor of Greenlee Baptist Church. He has been a leader, a minister, and a friend to this entire community. I doubt there are many homes in this neighborhood that he has not visited at one time or another. He has always visited anyone who was sick. It doesn't matter to Ricky if you're a member of his church or not, you are a member of God's kingdom and Ricky has been there when he need- ed to be. Any time there has been a death or any cri- sis Ricky and his flock have been there with food, love, prayers and any kind of help they could. Under Ricky's leadership the Greenlee Baptist Church has /I grown. They have over 130 members in added the what to ~ay about Ricky ~. He has been such a 'blessing to the Green- lee community. He will be missed for a long time. The church will have a very hard time finding someone to re- place Ricky~ Ricky said ,that he has enjoyed this community more toan any other he has known. past two years. I asked Ricky what the high point of his minis- try at I Gr:'2enlee v..6S. He immediately said the people and the love ex- .perience they have given him and his family. The church, Rick said, is a large family. The larg- est part of their growth has been in young mar- ried couples and this has made for a very ac- tive church indeed. 'I know that each [year at Christmas the¥ come through the neighborhood caroling and weI always enjoy this so muqh. , Ricky spoke about the new building the church dedicated this year. This is a multipurpose building that the church plans to use to ' serve the entire community. Ricky told 'me that they raised $110,000 be- fore the building was started, a remarkable feat for a church of this size. Ricky said one of the best things he will al- ways remember is when in 1982 they held a Pastor Appreciation Day. This was on a .9Jrrl:ty and was a complete surprise to Ricky. They had planned the entire service to show him how 'much they appreciated his work among them e• Ricky said that he didn't even get to preach that day, but that at the end of the service he gave an invi- tation. Three made pro- fessions of faith and five joined the church. I really don't know 1 Ricky will be leaving to pastor the Ellistown Baptist Church in New Albany, Mississippi.T,hat is about 30 miles from Marilyn's home. I asked him how he could stand to leave the mountains. He said that was a cross he would have to bear. The Ellistown church is' about the size of Green- lee, maybe a little smaller. I'm sure under Ricky it will grow and prosper in its work 'for the Lord. Ricky' also plans to attend the Mid- America Seminary in Mem- phis, Tennessee, about 80 miles away. He will work to continue his ed- ucation toward a Doctor of Divinity degree. His ministry In the Greenlee Baptist Church and community will be felt for many. many years to come. I'm sure all his members and friends will look for- ward to his visiting here in the future. As I was leaving he said to me, "If you ever need me, call me." That was not idle talk from Ricky. I know that if I or anyone truly reErl:il him a call would bring him. /1
Transcript of Let's Talk About€¦ · Let's Talk About l...
?CLIPPING SERVICEIllS HILLSBORO
RALEIGH, NC 27603TEL. (919)833.2079
THE DISPATCHOLD FORT, N. C.
()'\
lLet's Talk About ••••••••••••••••••••••••By JOHN GARROD
~e is both joy andsadness in the Greenleecommunity this week.Ric~y Mason, the beloved~r--or-Greenlee Bap-tist Church, has resign-ed and will be leavingour community in a fewshort weeks. For all hismembers and for those ofus who are not his mem-bers but are his friendsthis is indeed a sadevent, for Ricky will begreatly missed. It isalso a joyous time be-cause we have knownRicky'and his ministryamong us. He has shownhimself to be a true manof God and I am sure heis going where the Lordis leading him.
Ricky is a native ofWaynesville and attendedWingate and ,CampbellColleges. After collegehe was pastor of Rich-land Baptist Church for2~ years before comingto Greenlee. In December1975 Ricky and his wifeMarilyn were married andin April 1976 they cameto Greenlee. They nowhave two children, Scott8 and Kayla 2..- Shortlyafter coming to GreenleeBaptist some membersfound out Ricky had beenmarried a very shorttime and decided to ini-tiate him. They promptlythrew him in Shuford'sLake. Since then Rickyhas used that lake manytimes. Several times ayear the church has usedthe lake for outdoorbaptisms. Ricky saysthese ,services havemeant a lot to him.
Ricky has been muchmore than just the pastorof Greenlee BaptistChurch. He has been aleader, a minister, anda friend to this entirecommunity. I doubt thereare many homes in thisneighborhood that he hasnot visited at one timeor another.
He has always visitedanyone who was sick. Itdoesn't matter to Rickyif you're a member ofhis church or not, youare a member of God'skingdom and Ricky hasbeen there when he need-ed to be.
Any time there hasbeen a death or any cri-sis Ricky and his flockhave been there withfood, love, prayers andany kind of help theycould. Under Ricky'sleadership the GreenleeBaptist Church has
/I
grown. They haveover 130 members in
addedthe
what to ~ay about Ricky~. He has been sucha 'blessing to the Green-lee community. He willbe missed for a longtime. The church willhave a very hard timefinding someone to re-place Ricky~ Ricky said,that he has enjoyed thiscommunity more toan anyother he has known.
past two years.I asked Ricky what the
high point of his minis-try at I Gr:'2enleev..6S. Heimmediately said thepeople and the love ex-.perience they have givenhim and his family. Thechurch, Rick said, is alarge family. The larg-est part of their growthhas been in young mar-ried couples and thishas made for a very ac-tive church indeed. 'Iknow that each [year atChristmas the¥ comethrough the neighborhoodcaroling and weI alwaysenjoy this so muqh . ,
Ricky spoke about thenew building the churchdedicated this year.This is a multipurposebuilding that the churchplans to use to ' servethe entire community.
Ricky told 'me thatthey raised $110,000 be-fore the building wasstarted, a remarkablefeat for a church ofthis size.
Ricky said one of thebest things he will al-ways remember is when in1982 they held a PastorAppreciation Day. Thiswas on a .9Jrrl:tyand wasa complete surprise toRicky. They had plannedthe entire service toshow him how 'much theyappreciated his workamong them e • Ricky saidthat he didn't even getto preach that day, butthat at the end of theservice he gave an invi-tation. Three made pro-fessions of faith andfive joined the church.
I really don't know1
Ricky will be leavingto pastor the EllistownBaptist Church in NewAlbany, Mississippi.T,hatis about 30 miles fromMarilyn's home. I askedhim how he could standto leave the mountains.He said that was a crosshe would have to bear.The Ellistown church is'about the size of Green-lee, maybe a littlesmaller. I'm sure underRicky it will grow andprosper in its work 'forthe Lord. Ricky' alsoplans to attend the Mid-America Seminary in Mem-phis, Tennessee, about80 miles away. He willwork to continue his ed-ucation toward a Doctorof Divinity degree.
His ministry In theGreenlee Baptist Churchand community will befelt for many. manyyears to come. I'm sureall his members andfriends will look for-ward to his visitinghere in the future.
As I was leaving hesaid to me, "If you everneed me, call me." Thatwas not idle talk fromRicky. I know that if Ior anyone truly reErl:il hima call would bring him.
/1
HISTORY OF BLUE RIDGE BAPTIST ASSOCIATION
50 YEARS ---1929-1979 by Millard F. Hall, Historian
GREENLEE BAPTIST CHURCH
FIRST BUILDING(Greenlee School)
GREENLEE BAPTIST CHURCH
REV. W.F. McMAHANFirst Pastor
REV. RICHARD MASONPastor
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The Greenlee Baptist Church was organized August 17, 1918. The following wereCharter Members: RW. Pendergrass, Martha Pendergrass, Donnie Pendergrass, M.G.Pendergrass, Carrie Pendergrass, J.M. Pendergrass, G.G. Pendergrass, L.L. Pendergrass,Hattie Pendergrass, J.O. Pendergrass, L.a. Wall, Mary Wall, Annie Wall, ala Wall andHenry Wall. The present membership is 297. The Church was a Charter Member of BlueRidge Association.
The initial place of worship for Greenlee Church was the Greenlee Schoolhouse. Theeducational building was completed in January 1958. Worship services were held thereuntil completion of the present sanctuary in December 1965.
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W.F. nH."lno.U'
RL.W.F.lvH ..lv>aul
L.G.ReddingE.R LawingJ.R SurrettW.E. Walker
RichardHe and his1112. He recSociology.served atSprings,two years.degree in So
HISTORY OF BLUE RIDGE BAPTIST ASSOCIATION
50 YEARS ---1929-1979 by Millard F. Hall, Historian
Rev. Ned Duncan was sent out to preach by Greenlee Baptist Church.The 'following have served as Church Clerks: J.M. Pendergrass, Hattie Pendergrass,
M.L. McMahan, J.T. Sowers, W.W. Huskins, L.E. Chapman, J.B. Wells, D.B. Morgan,Fred-die Hollifield, G.L. Lawing, Mrs. J.R. Walker, Lois Hensley, Mrs. J.B. Wells, Mrs. BlancheHensley, Mrs. Floyd Suttles, Ray Suttles, Mrs. H.C. Hazard, Patsy Duncan Hollifield,Sharon Duncan Pritchard, Sylvia McAfee Murphy, and Ann N. Altman. '
Pastors that have served Greenlee Baptist Church are:
W.F. McMahan 1918-1929 C.H. Favell 1955-1959R.L.Crawford 1929-1937 C.H.McCarson 1959-1960W.F. McMahan 1937-1940 Robert Lambert 1960-1962L.G.Redding 1940-1944 Eugene Byrd 1962-1968E.R.Lawing 1944-1948 R.M. Heavner 1968-1971J.R. Surrett 1948-1951 Earl Duncan 1972-1974W.E. Walker 1952-1955 Richard D.Mason. 1976-Present
V Richard D. Mason, (Ricky) the present pastor, is age 29 and born in Waynesville, N.C.He and his wife, Marilyn have been married three years and they have one son, Scott, age1V2. He received his education at Wingate and Campbell Colleges with a B.A. degree inSociology. He has been licensed 11 years and ordained 10 years. While in school Rickyserved at New Hope in Charlotte as Youth Director for two years, at First Baptist in CampSprings, Md. for a summer, and at Rawls Baptist in Fuquay-Varina as Music Director fortwo years. He has been at Greenlee for almost 3 years as pastor. His wife has a B.A.'degree in Social Science and Bible.
HARMONY GROVEBAPTIST CHURCH
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FIRST BUILDING HARMONY GROVEBAPTIST CHURCH
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