New Blog

It has been quite some time since I have posted on this blog. I do not wish to delete it, however, since there are some posts with images and information that some may find useful still. I will not post daily, but you can keep up with me on the blog at my website: http://www.louismorgan.info/. Thanks!

My Journey to Sunrise -- The Dawn of a New Day

The last two weeks have brought with them a return to "feeling normal" again. I am grateful. Grief is a process, and I've found it moves at its own pace. 2009 had many joys and accomplishments, but the final (cherished) days with my grandfather during the summer, saying goodbye to him in August, and then watching Alzheimer's take away my great aunt's memory three weeks later... it took a tremendous toll on me. Just when I thought I was moving forward, Matt's unexpected death in January reopened the wounds of sadness. I found I needed time to draw away to heal, process through the loss, and reflect on the impact of these experiences. I am thankful my loved ones are no longer in pain, but I am honest enough to say I wish I could still enjoy their company, see their smile, hear their laugh. And while I know God has been with me on this journey, I confess there have been some days of deep sadness, the sting of loss, and some moments of darkness. But now, I'm beginning to see the sun rise again.

The peace of God has brought comfort to me. Happiness has returned to my heart. I feel like I've been walking in a fog, but it is now lifting as a new morning is dawning in my life. Thinking about this earlier today, I was reminded of the early morning sunrise along Pearl River in my Mississippi hometown. As darkness turns to dawn, often there is fog. Then as the sun rises, the fog dissipates. One can see clearly. That is where I am at today-- and for the last two weeks. The fog is moving out as the sun is rising. The "routine" of life of the last few months is being replaced with the pure joy of living that is my “normal” state of being. I’ve learned many lessons as a result of these losses, come face-to-face with my own strengths and weaknesses, and realized the sacredness of simple things once taken for granted and insignificance of other things which once seemed so important. Through it all, I have God’s Spirit and presence. It has been a productive time of introspection, a needed time of healing, and now I am ready to continue my journey. I’m grateful for the sunrise, and I’m excited about walking forward into this new day.

Today I am encouraged by the words recorded in Luke, chapter 1 (v. 78-79, ESV) in which Zechariah, who had been silent for several months, was able to speak forth a prophecy at the birth of his son, John the Baptist. These Bible verses seem applicable to the way I feel today:

“Because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace."

Going to Miss You, Matt!

Matthew Brent Addis
(1984 - 2010)

Less than a week after my previous blog post, I received a call that a close friend (more like a brother) had been rushed to the hospital in South Carolina after collapsing at home. Matt Addis passed away a few days later on Tuesday, January 19, 2010. He was only 25 years old.

Matt's older brother, Blaine, was a close friend in college. I've known the family for 15 years and have considered Matt and Blaine more like my brothers than just friends. I spent Christmas this year with the Addis family (which has grown to include Blaine's wife and daughters). Little did I know at Christmas that less than a month later I would return for Matt's funeral.

At Christmas Matt was telling me how he wanted to travel to Mississippi and Louisiana. He was intrigued with Creole culture and excited that he and individuals in Louisiana bayou country had a shared passion (catching turtles). He had hoped to travel to Morgantown, Mississippi, to visit with my parents and then make his way to southern Louisiana to see first-hand the Cajun and Creole culture. He even found a friend who was willing to drive him, but Matt passed away before being able to make the trip.

Matt was well-loved, and the response from the local community at his memorial service was amazing. Matt loved the outdoors, wildlife, and country music, and each of these things were incorporated into his memorial service in some way. In the weeks since his funeral, I often find myself saying, "I miss you, Matt... just knowing you aren't in South Carolina." And yet, I know his health had not been good since his burn in 2008. Some days we just have to live in the questions and trust God when we do not seem to have any answers. I have found God is big enough for our questions. I know all the family appreciates your prayers.

Most who know me well have heard about my South Carolina "family." Others who have followed this blog for a couple of years probably remember a previous post requesting prayer for Matt when he received a severe electrical burn in June 2008. You can read that post by clicking on this link.

"Matt, I miss you already!"
Link to "Silver Wings" by Merle Haggard on YouTube.com

The Long Silence

It has been 5 months since I posted last. I've logged on a few times since then, but I didn't feel it was the right time to share my thoughts. I entered a time of grief and deep introspection, and I am now emerging with clearer focus and understanding about my role in this mission to which Christ has called me. I will post soon some of the things I have learned in this process.

On August 8th my paternal grandfather, Feldon "Bud" Morgan, passed away. Three weeks later my great aunt's condition of Alzheimer's made a change to the degree she no longer knows me. These two individuals have been some of the most significant role models in my life-- my grandfather showed me what it means to live as a good man; my great aunt Opal Morgan has always been the most consistent encourager of my educational pursuits. Growing up in a small, nurturing community surrounded by relatives allowed me the privilege of forming close relationships with my family. Although I have lived 500 miles away from them for 16 years, I continued to talk with them at least once each week. One cannot love someone deeply without feeling the loss when such a vital relationship ends or changes so drastically. Nonetheless, I know how abundantly blessed I have been to have such individuals in my life for so long.

These months of blogging silence have been productive for me. It has been a time when I realized I needed to be still and allow God's healing power to renew me. It was not a time for me to share, it was a time for me to receive. Now I have a renewed sense of what is important and a clearer vision of the ministry to which God is calling me. Soon I will post about the impact my grandfather's life has had on me, as well as where I believe God is directing me as I seek to follow Him. Also, I am in the process of refining this blog and updating its links to other bloggers, and I hope to link it with my professional blog at http://www.louismorgan.info/.

So, please forgive me for the silence, but know it has been a tremendous time of inner development for me. Our God is good, and His mercies really are new every morning. Blessings to you today!

Mississippi Church of God history book available online

The last 3 months I've been designing a book on the history of the Church of God in Mississippi. I uploaded the 131-page book this weekend, and it is available for free download online at www.morgantowncog.org/history.htm

This history traces the beginning of the Church of God in Mississippi in 1909 and its development through the mid-1940s. The book is interactive with embedded audio and video files, including a complete sermon by Ralph Boyles, a sermon excerpt by G.G. Williams, a testimony by Mamie Williams, a 1919 song written by Annie Heath and M.S. Lemons, and a video of Thelma Neal singing "Over There" at the 1993 Mississippi Church of God Camp Meeting.

I hope to expand the history to the current time by the year 2012, which will be 100 years since the first Church of God congregation was officialy organized in Mississippi.

This work represents more than 20 years of personal research and interviews, beginning in my early teens. I'm pleased to provide it free-of-charge to the people of Mississippi, many of whom served as mentors in my early Christian formation.

I hope this history educates, inspires, and blesses those who read it. Please help me spread the word about it. Also, if anyone notices anything that is incorrect, please let me know. Enjoy!

Outstanding Graduate Award acceptance speech

To those who've been asking, a friend has posted on YouTube the acceptance speech I gave upon receiving the Outstanding Graduate Award for the Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. I'm grateful to Dr. Catherine Self (and Barney and Aimee) for capturing the speech on video. (Regent University School of Global Leadership and Entrepreneurship - Doctoral Hooding and Commissioning Ceremony - May 8, 2009).

Remembering 'Mama Priest' -- 100 Years As Our Family's Spiritual Matriarch

Today is memorable for me. It is appropriate that Mother’s Day falls on the 100th anniversary of when the matriarch of my family experienced a personal awakening that changed the course of our family.

On May 10, 1909, my great-great grandmother, Clara McHann Allison Priest, received the Pentecostal baptism of the Holy Spirit accompanied with speaking in a language she did not know. She then became an evangelist, church planter, and pastor in the Church of God and Church of God of Prophecy in Mississippi and Louisiana. Our family continues to receive inspiration from the life testimony of “Mama Priest”.

And, I was able to speak of her in a speech I gave this weekend in my own graduation ceremony (earned a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Regent University). I desire to be faithful to my calling and allow God to use me to minister to others (both in corporate and religious settings) as did my great-great grandmother in the communities where she lived.

When the Church of God was first introduced into Mississippi in 1909, my great-great grandmother was among those first participants. She lived in Cascilla, Mississippi, near the Stonefield Tabernacle where the services were conducted by Reverend L.P. Adams, a Church of God minister from Memphis, TN.

The revival continued for many weeks, and on May 10, 1909, the tabernacle was crowded as the service began. Clara McHann Allison, a member of the Stonefield Holiness Church (then a Free Methodist congregation), entered the service with her husband and daughters. Finding no place in which to sit, they made their way to the altar and sat while listening to Reverend Adams deliver the message.

Clara later remembered that during the service “a peculiar, yet wonderful, feeling came over” her. As she worshipped, she began to speak in a language unknown to her. It was then that she realized what was taking place. In her willingness to yield to God and her deep desire to receive a greater portion of His Spirit, He came in and spoke for Himself as she listened to the Word and yielded her tongue to Him. The people in the church had never before seen anyone receive the Holy Ghost baptism and called for the area doctor. Upon the physician's arrival he asked Clara how she felt, to which she replied, "Doctor Franklin, I never have been so happy in my life!" She then began speaking in tongues, shouting, and dancing all over the tabernacle as she worshiped in the Spirit and praised the Lord. That day the Lord used Clara for about 4 hours in the Spirit. Her sister-in-law, Maggie Simpson McHann, also received the same experience, at which point an old Spanish soldier living in the area and attending the service told everyone she was speaking in Spanish, which language Maggie did not know.

The first service after the revival ended and Reverend Adams returned to Memphis, the meeting at Cascilla began as usual with prayer, singing and testifying. However, when it came time for the message the pastor shared he would not preach anymore until he had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It was then that the congregation called upon Clara to preach. Although unprepared, she made her way to the pulpit and read for her text Revelation 22:17: "The Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him athirst, come and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." As she preached several individuals in the congregation also experienced the Pentecostal baptism, and that morning’s service did not conclude until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon as people eagerly responded to the Holy Spirit.

When Clara’s husband died of typhoid fever in 1913, she raised five daughters on her own—working in the fields and preaching when she could. Family stories abound of how they would have no food left and then gather around the table and ask God to provide. Often strangers would knock on the door and say, "I thought you might be able to use this" and give them crates of food.

In 1917 Clara married Reverend James Thomas “J.T.” Priest, the young Church of God pastor assigned to the Stonefield church. Tommy and Clara Priest spent their remaining years pastoring and planting churches with the Church of God, and then with the Church of God of Prophecy. (They continue to have descendants active in both denominations). For the rest of their marriage they began and ended each day with Bible reading and long prayers, in which all individuals staying in their home had to participate, including the numerous drifters who were brought to their home by local police regularly.

J.T. Priest also served as the overseer of the Church of God of Prophecy congregations in Louisiana, and Clara coordinated the state activities for raising funds for world missions. Following the tenure as overseer of Louisiana, they planted a church in McComb, Mississippi, where they remained pastors until their health failed. They relocated to Morgantown, Mississippi in 1958 to be near their children. Clara died at Morgantown in April 1959 at age 78, just a few weeks away from the 50th anniversary of the spiritual experience which changed the course of her life, that of her family, and many to whom she ministered so faithfully.

Today, 100 years after my great-great grandmother’s spiritual experience I reflect on her life and call her blessed. How appropriate today is also Mother’s Day!

The first photo is of Clara Allison Priest in the early 1950s. The second photo is of 4 generations in 1948 (L-R): Feldon "Bud" Morgan holding his son (and my dad) Larry, Audrey Allison Morgan, and Clara McHann Allison Priest.