Words of Gratitude From Pastor Paul K. Reed
Now that I have reached this silver anniversary of twenty-five years as the senior pastor of New Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, there are so many adjectives and phrases that I could use to clarify how I truly feel about this journey... blessed, amazed, anxious, struggling, saddened, sometimes lonely, wiser, stronger, driven, and determined are just a few. But for all the good and the bad that has happened along the way, I decided that the proper description is GRATEFUL! I’m grateful that God chose me to walk through unfamiliar territory twentyfive years ago to lead a congregation who had no knowledge of my capabilities, and yet we survived together. I’m grateful that every storm had purpose attached to it by excavating hidden treasures of understanding after the storm clouds passed away. I’m grateful that Jesus the Christ died for my sins which made me justified for every gift and every anointing that my Heavenly Father bestowed upon me to stand and declare His Word through the leading and controlling of The Holy Spirit. I’m grateful that my inadequacies and deficiencies didn’t lead to my downfall, but instead grace and mercy brought me through. I’m grateful that all three, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, has never left me alone, and for the angels who all night and all day watch over me and my family. Speaking of family, thank God for every category of family that has helped along the way. To my church family, my Shipmates (both past and present), thank you for your devotion, love, prayers, protection, encouragement, kindness, and respect for pastoral authority these twenty-five years. You are a wonderful church New Friendship and even after my days are ended, I declare and decree that you will remain to be so because God loves you.
Honoring 25 Years of Excellence in Pastoral Leadership
To my family of friends from my childhood and through my adulthood, thank you for the inspiration that you’ve given me and continue to do so even now. I speak blessings over all of you! I am grateful for the Reeds and the Hughes, my personal family and all that are connected that make up who we are as a family. Thank God for all of you, especially my parents the late Robert and Earline Reed. Thank God that you chose me and then taught me the ways of Christ and what love truly is. Thank God for the mother that birthed me, the late Beatrice Moore, for being the vessel that God chose to use to create me. I’m beyond thankful for my children, Brian, Brandon, and Sabrina. Every valuable decision that I’ve made for our family was because of you and because you mean everything to me. Thank you for the extension of our family through your matrimony to Brittney, Camille, and Wallace. I love you as my own. And then to you Brielle, Bryson, and Ella, my grandchildren: I’m so blessed that I’m your Paw-Paw, because you bring me so much joy and in you I see the continuation of the blessings that God has placed upon our family and our name. Lastly, I’m grateful to an almighty God for my loving wife, Debra. For every role that you’ve played to uphold and support me as my wife, my best friend and my confidant. Thank you, baby, for loving me like you do, for giving me constructive assessment when I needed it, for continually praying for me during critical times and for holding my hand in dark days. Sometimes I look at you and I smile because God sent you my way and because He knew that you were the companion designed just for me. For every moment of our thirty-nine years, I am grateful. In closing, “For every mountain God brought me over...for every trial He’s seen me through...for every blessing, Hallelujah! For this, I give Him praise!” Love and blessings,
Paul K. Reed
Servants Counted Worthy! The 25th Anniversary Banquet honoring Pastor Paul K. Reed & Co-Pastor Debra Reed
W Friday, the Twenty-Second day of October at Seven O’clock in the Evening Hilton Hotel s 939 Ridgelake Boulevard s Memphis, Tennessee 38120 Master of Ceremony: Pastor Tony Peterson, Repairers of the Breach Church Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pastor Tony Peterson Invocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. William Smith, III Berean Baptist Church Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Lori Oduyoye New Friendship Baptist Church Expressions: Sabrina Walker, Brandon Reed & Brian Reed Words from a Spiritual Daughter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elder Rose Cooper New Friendship Baptist Church Musical Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carolyn Hinton Wright Words from a Spiritual Son . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pastor Darrel D. Petties, Jr. Mt Pisgah Baptist Church - Olive Branch Blessing of the Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Jordan L. Taylor, Sr. Shiloh Baptist Church
t Dinner is Served 0 Introduction of the Speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Musical Selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carolyn Hinton Wright Speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pastor Robert Jones, Sr. Keel Avenue Baptist Church
t Remarks from the Honorees 0 Closing Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pastor Edrin Alexander Greater Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church
Honoring 25 Years of Excellence in Pastoral Leadership
Honoring 25 Years of Excellence in Pastoral Leadership
Honoring 25 Years of Excellence in Pastoral Leadership
Honoring 25 Years of Excellence in Pastoral Leadership
Honoring 25 Years of Excellence in Pastoral Leadership
Honoring 25 Years of Excellence in Pastoral Leadership
Servants Counted Worthy! (I Timothy 5:17, KJV)
With Sincere Gratitude... First and foremost, TO GOD BE THE GLORY for blessing us with outstanding leaders who have served us faithfully for twenty-five years! We would like to express our most sincere appreciation to you for making this 25th Anniversary Celebration a momentous occasion for our Pastors Paul and Debra Reed! Your support and love have been with us throughout the entire process, and we are grateful. Thank you to Pastor Robert Jones, Sr. for serving as our speaker, and to Pastor Tony Peterson for serving as Master of Ceremony for the evening. To the countless Pastors and churches represented, you are greatly appreciated for your love and support to our Pastors. To our program participants, we are so thankful that you agreed to be a part of this celebration. We also sincerely appreciate the efforts of Minister Kenya Gray and Herman Dickey for lending their masterful touch to the graphics for this occasion. We would also like to thank our table sponsors: Bishop Edward H. Stephens, Jr. s Golden Gate Cathedral Dr. Gina M. Stewart s Christ Missionary Baptist Church Bishop Kevin B. Willis, Sr. s New Life of Memphis Pastor Darrel D. Petties, Jr. s Mt Pisgah Baptist Church (Olive Branch, MS) Apostle Jarvys Jones s Temple of Refuge (West Memphis, AR) and our own Mr. Jeffrey Higgs Finally, to the members of New Friendship Baptist Church (“The Ship”): you all are the greatest and we thank you for going over and beyond to honor our Pastors. Let’s keep growing together! In Christ, Pastor Paul & Debra Reed 25th Anniversary Team: Dr. Kevin Patterson, Jr. Dr. Lori Oduyoye Marilyn Flowers Margo Butler Debra Louis Brennon Johnson
Elder Willie Dixon
If you would like to give a tangible gift to honor Pastor & Co-Pastor Reed for twenty-five years of faithful ministry, please scan this QR code using your mobile device. BE BLESSED TODAY!