Do you remember the year 1989? Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was the highest grossing movie of the year. It is also the year that The Little Mermaid came out, one that our daughter Karen loved, and loves.
George Bush (Senior) was sworn in as President in January of that year, as President Reagan finished his eight years in office. It was a time of relative prosperity and peace for the USA, and a time of great hope in Eastern Europe as communist governments were toppled and the Berlin wall fell.
I remember 1989 well, because in October of that year, our oldest son, Joseph Wayne Green was born, and our daughter Karen was just bursting with life and energy. Our business was growing rapidly, and our faith walk with the Lord was gloriously expanding.
But what about June of 1989? The number one song was Bette Midler’s rendition of Wind Beneath My Wings. The Tiananmen Square massacre occurred, as the world looked on in horror. Dead Poets Society starring Robin Williams premiered on June 2nd.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THURSDAY, JUNE 1ST, 1989? The high temperature in Livingston that day was 85 and it was dry. But something far more important happened on that Thursday…
Amy Jo Norrod was hired as Secretary at FUMC, now First Church! That is right. Amy Fletcher, now the Executive Pastor of First Church, started her first job right here after graduating High School. Dr. David Davis was Pastor, and First Methodist was a typical county seat church—but the person they hired was anything but typical!!!
There are no words of gratitude or accolades available to adequately summarize the ministry of Amy Fletcher (who married Bruce in 1996) or the faithful wisdom and mercy of God in bringing her into the life of this church. She has witnessed amazing—and gut-wrenching—changes and shifts in the life of this congregation. (She was not a member or attender here for the first several years, being raised Baptist, but recognized the authenticity of Holy Spirit-change in many lives and joined along with Bruce.)
Amy has ministered to thousands over the years—not just members of the church but also hundreds from the community who needed a little help with bills or a safe shoulder to cry on.
For 31 years Amy has served the Lord and His Church with incredible faithfulness, giftedness, and courage. God has taught me so much through Amy! She has given wise counsel to so many, not the least, Tina and me! Amy has proven not only to be supernaturally gifted as an administrator, but to have ministry gifts of discernment as well as prophetic gifting. More so, she truly loves people, and has a tender and forgiving heart that 31 years of church “stuff” has not quenched or bruised! She has loved and counselled Tina, me, and our kids with great care over our 19 years here. She has probably done the same for you…!
Father God has been so faithful to deposit into the life of this church foundational persons and pieces that have led us to where we are today. But none of those leaders, or life groups, or life journaling, or Emmaus, or worship as a lifestyle or even the moves of the Holy Spirit are any more important than the person He “deposited” here on June 1st, 1989.
Amy loves Jesus and loves what He is doing in and through this congregation. She has been a larger part of it than she will ever comprehend or realize. We can only pray that she will continue to minister in, through, and to the Lord as a leader in this church for at least 31 more years!
Please join us in lifting a prayer of Thanksgiving to the Lord for the life and ministry of AMY FLETCHER!