Greetings,
This letter is in response to an article that was published July 1, 2022 titled, “Church News”. The owner of the article was LaWanda Wright.
The article stated many untrue facts, which is the reason for this correspondent and request for correction. First, M. Phinus Duffie is not the pastor of Shady Grove Baptist Church (SGBC). The late Lawrence E. Stokes of Hughes Springs, Texas was the last active pastor of the church until his transitioning Oct. 27, 2020.
Deacon Maurice Jones became the overseer/leader of the church in his absence, as the parishioners seek the Lord’s guidance to install a new pastor that the Holy Spirit will send. The article stated, “Mr. Duffie has been the pastor at SGBC for a year and this was his one year anniversary.”
This statement is not true. Mr. Duffie’s affiliation with the church is, he is a former member. He is not and was not an active member, nor did he attend church at SGBC under the leadership of late Pastor Stokes, during the past ten years.
The Shady Grove community has been blessed to have many wonderful paternal and maternal church families and members sustain the now historic church.
We honor their commitment and obedience to serve the Lord, the church and their community.
Second, Shady Grove Baptist Church (Lassater) is fully functioning.
Services are on every first and third Sunday of the month with Sunday School starting at 10 a.m. and worship service at 11:15 a.m.
The church was closed for about 18 months for some much needed structural repairs and Covid protocols.
Services were resumed in late 2021 when COVID restrictions were lifted. Note, SGBC did not and does not conduct services electronically through social media as the article stated.
It was unfortunate that during the time of renovation, the late pastor Lawrence E. Stokes, who worked diligently from June 19, 2011 of his installment as Leader/Pastor of SGBC, until his passing on Oct. 27, 2020 did not see the completion of the repairs.
As he and many more before him have help sustain the integrity of the church; it really saddens me that someone would dishonor the Lord’s church with blatant deceit and fabricated positions and entitlement’s.
Deacon W. Maurice Jones
Shady Grove Baptist Church