Crawford Williams and Price Harris may no longer be sharing the good news in churches every week, but they stay active in retirement by being on mission in leading chapel services for The Glen assisted living community.
Every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Harris leads a time of worship before Williams shares a gospel-centered message. Through their obedience, the two men since 2021 have seen attendance grow from 12 to an average of 40, and some have come to a saving knowledge of Christ.
“I’ve always liked and felt the call to preach,” Williams told the Baptist Message. “And that’s been a burden to preach regularly and often. Whenever I have an opportunity, I take it to preach on Heaven, to preach on hell and to preach on Jesus over and over, and how to be saved, have assurance and to be salt of the earth and light of the world.”
Harris added that the opportunity to serve at The Glen has been a joy.
“There is a lot of love in this place,” Harris said. “You can feel it each time you walk around here.”
Encouraging residents
Williams, a graduate of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, served as a pastor for 64 years before moving to The Glen in 2019. He pastored Ingleside Baptist Church, Shreveport; First Baptist Church Tallulah; and other churches in Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee.
After retirement, he began attending Keachi Baptist Church in Desoto Parish, where he still preaches once a month. In 2019, Williams and his wife, Gaynelle, moved to The Glen. Gaynelle died in 2021.
Harris joined Williams in 2023, after serving for many years in full-time music evangelism ministry. A graduate of William Carey University, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Harris not only led music at various events in Louisiana but participated in mission trips to Canada, El Salvador, Germany, Jamaica and Romania.
Harris, who moved to The Glen with his wife, Ann, in 2023, still encourages others through music at various meetings in the area.
Praying and encouraging
When Harris and Williams are not holding chapel services or serving in nearby churches, they can be found praying with and encouraging residents of The Glen.
“One of the most telling aspects of Brother Crawford’s ministry is that every day when we finish the meal, he goes to every table and just welcomes the people and loves on all of them,” Harris said. “And of course, in a place like this there’s rarely a week that goes by that we don’t see people go home from this life to the next life.
“And I have a group of ladies that I lead in prayer with their meal every day,” he continued. “So, we try not to just minister when we’re having church on Saturday, but all during the week.”
Harris and Williams asked for continued prayers as they continue to share the love of Christ.
“We welcome visitors to the Saturday service,” Harris said. “Pray for our continued health. We sense the prayers of the people, and along with us being encouragement the people are a great encouragement to us.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Brian Blackwell and originally published by Baptist Message.
