Orchestrated by God

I'm reflecting on how God has directed, orchestrated if you will, Shirley & I throughout our 40 years of ministry. Grew up in a church that was extremely gifted in music ministry. We sang & traveled with the church youth choir learning at a very young age that God moves & changes lives through music. As a young boy I felt the call to music ministry so therefore I pursued Him with all my heart. At first I wasn't called directly into full-time music ministry. Actually, I pursued & acquired a Bachelor of Music Education Degree. No I did not go to Lee. I received my degree from Wright State University. Shirley & I got married young & had are first born, Todd while I was still pursuing my degree. Upon completing school I became a junior high chorus teacher.

Four years later I entered full-time ministry as Associate Pastor of the Philadelphia Church of God in Dayton,Ohio. I was mentored by a tremendous man of God, P.H. McSwain, who took me under his wings showing me the ropes of ministry. During my ministry in Dayton I became a licensed minister in the Church of God.

Being an Associate Pastor was good, but it was not my passion. I wanted to be totally music. God granted my desire. In 1978 Shirley & I accepted a position in Orlando, FL as the Minister of Music & Head of the Music Department for the Orange Ave. Church of God. There, I developed a school of fine arts utilizing instructors from University of Central Florida. Little did I know that God was preparing my future business Music N Motion. Had a glorious four years in Orlando and then God sent us to the Lakeland, FL to the denomination's second largest church in the state.

Notice I said, sent. Lakeland was a time that God was polishing the stone. Work schedule was sixty hours a week. No family time. Not good. However, I did learn all about theatre production from a theatre pro who attended the church. Also, learned how to organize and handle a large music department.

We were in the wilderness (Lakeland) for just a year and half then God answered our prayer allowing us to go into the Promised Land, Inverness, Fl. In Inverness God allowed our ministry to fully blossom in partnership with the Lead Pastor, Larry Powers! Our boys, Todd & Ben honed there music ministry skills in a church environment that was innovative & free. God allowed us to build our dream home on a beautiful lake. Terrific place to raise a family! Probably, we could have retired from there, but God was orchestrating again.

Next stop Tampa, FL. We were hired in 1989 by the largest church in the state, University Church of God. This church had an attendance of over 2,000; a TV ministry & great stature in the Tampa Bay community. I know we were in God's will when we moved to Tampa to minister to His people at the University Church. Little did I know that God had brought us to bring peace to a troubled church. Three years God was teaching us to trust Him. "Walk by faith & not by sight." In March of 1992 there was a change in pastorate at University. All staff members were asked to resign there positions.

So, here I was without a job. Had moved my family from paradise, a near perfect position and now this. God was still teaching trust. During this time of refinement God helped me to build a business from scratch with no capital. In just three months Music N Motion, a mobile school of fine arts was up and running with nine school contracts. Now that's simply God's favor! My first year salary almost equaled my previous salary with University. Music n Motion was truly a God thing. Remember God equipped us in Orlando"for such a time as this." Our business grew exponentially through 2004 at which time we thought it healthy enough to run on it's own. Shirley & I had two grandsons in Augusta that kept drawing us north. We made the decision to move to Augusta, be with our grandsons & become a Creeker.

Become a Creeker alright. God has orchestrated this symphony in our lives and has brought us to Grovetown, Georgia to play the Coda of our lives by being the Campus Pastors of Stevens Creek Grovetown. Shirley & I have been apart of some great moves of God, but what is happening at the Creek right now, in 2009 is the most incredible move of God we have seen in our lifetime. Stevens Creek, let's move with God!