Page 19 - some-stuff-i-wrote-and-some-stuff-i-didn't-(2011)-h-morris-williams

Some Stuff I Wrote and Some Stuff I Didn't (2011) H. Morris Williams

Column February 18, 2007

HAPPY TIMES FOR FIVE BAPTIST PREACHERS

Five local Baptist preachers have been seeing some especially happy days
just recently. Here’s what made them smile.

*Reverend Charles Knight, just recently retired from Elim Baptist Church,
was delighted and thrilled at the grand retirement party cooked up by
Betty Jane Chesser and her fellow members at Elim on Friday, February 9.

Reverend Knight has been pastor at Elim the past 12 years and that was
the ninth Baptist church he has served. The first was Wellborn, then, in
turn, he served at College Manor, Homosassa First Baptist, Athens, Lake
Mystic (near Apalachicola), Cherry Lake First Baptist, Holly Ford
(Jacksonville), Mount Beulah (in Suwannee County), and Elim. In all, his
glorious career spanned over 40 years.

By the way, Elim Baptist was founded in 1857 and will celebrate its 150th
anniversary September 16--and the much-loved Rev. Knight will come out
of retirement briefly to preach the anniversary sermon.

*Reverend Ivan Clements of Calvary Baptist and his dear wife Louise
happily celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary February 11. Reverend
Clements’ serious dedication to his ministry is a major reason Calvary
can rightfully bill itself as “The Biggest Little Church in Town” . On a
personal note, Louise did all the typing and Ivan did the editing for my
book “Some S tuff I W rote” and would not take a penny in pay.

*Reverend Hugh Edwin Dampier retired after 11 highly successful years as
Director of Missions for the Beulah Baptist Association and a total of more
than 30 years in the ministry. Rev. Dampier was saved in 1974 and was
called to preach in 1975. Two of his previous assignments were at the
Antioch Baptist Church in Suwannee County and at the Madison Street
Baptist Church in Starke.

Rev. Dampier and his wife Shirley were honored with a joyful, packed
house reception at the First Baptist Church last Sunday afternoon. The
President of The Bible College of Florida was there and announced that his
school will create a ministerial scholarship named in honor of Rev. Dampier

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