South Carolina District #1 “His Faith” “The Cornerstone District”

September 2014 Pastor Lon Abrams, Jr. Commemorative Issue

Pastor Abrams Favorite Song: “I’ve Been Up, And I’ve Been Down, In This World But When I Get To Heaven, My Troubles Will be Over, St. Luke F. B. H. Church And I Won’t Be Up And Down I must make mention of St. Luke FBH Anymore.” Church; you have been a second home to me! Thanks for impacting my life so generously; You all are second to none. S.C. District#1, Excerpts from you have lost a soldier, FBH Church of God, Obituary: we are minus a great ambassador. Lastly, to “Rev. Abrams battle with my friend Pastor Lon Abrams, Jr., “ My many health issues during his brother you beat me running; however save life but he always found a me a seat at that great coronation……” way to praise God and laugh because he knew that God (excerpts from the desk of had given him life and life Rev. Carmin Leach) more abundantly.”

Inside This Issue:

Remembering the LIFE of Pastor Lon Abrams, Jr. “HIS FAITH” “HIS FRIENDS” From The Desk of Elder R. J. Shackleford, I “HIS FAMILY”

“HIS FLIGHT” Faith is a word with of saving faith. Paul uses he gives us, he carries us many meanings. It can this because he ties faith from death into life, John mean faithfulness as in so closely to salvation. 5:24. “Pastor Abrams There isn’t anything we held on to HIS faith.. Matthew 24:25. It can mean absolute trust as can do to earn salvation. And so it is that………. Written by : shown by the people who It is God’s grace, that “We the Pastors, District came to Jesus for healing saves us. In His mercy, Officials and Members of SC# 1 Editor: however, he saves us, he Sis. Cathy Breazeale in Luke 7:2-10. It can South Carolina #1 mourn mean confidence and gives us faith– a relation- the passing of Pastor Lon hope as in Hebrew s 11:1. ship with His son that Abrams, Jr. He served as In Romans, Paul speaks helps us become like Pastor of St. Luke FBH Him. Through the faith for 14 1/2 yrs. Page 2 “His Family” Pastor Lon Abrams, Jr.

Your Sister Friend, Rev. Valeria Galloway Jackson

I met Pastor Lon Abrams come and have supper Miss him greatly...Love while attending a Youth with us and we became goes beyond the grave Congress in around 1986. closer as Sister and ..Pastor ,Brother and A He was a Pastor as well Brother. Pastor Abrams Friend, he was to me… A as he owned a Flower really loved the older great Preacher Prophet Shop in N.C. during his saints and love to share and songster & Musician. service in Pendleton St. meals with them. In his Luke FBH, which happen health challenges, I to be my Mother’s Dr. would assist him with Lois V. Galloway’s home Doctor appointments. church. We were in And was also there service with him often. during surgery and other He was a true Pastor medical concerns. He Brother and Friend. became more than a During Mother’s illness Pastor, he became my he would often times friend and brother...I shall “Family Isn’t Always Blood. It’s the People In Rev. Carmin Leach, ENC District Your Life Who Want you in theirs. The Ones who Greetings, argued, fussed, and made Nonetheless, we saw the It is with pride and honor Accept You For WHO up. His passing has left an awesomeness of healing that I have the privilege emptiness in my heart that exhibited in both our lives. you are. The Ones Who to write a correspondence only time can heal. I never To my friend Pastor Lon Will do anything to see in lieu of my immortal experienced the loss of a Abrams Jr.; “My brother brother. Lon was a friend to this degree; please you Smile, and Love you you beat me running, preacher, pastor, prophet, pray for me. Our however save me a seat and one who could really no matter What.” - relationship grew out of at that Great carry a praise service; but Unknown physical sicknesses that Coronation.... to me, he was my brother. plagued his body and in As brothers and sisters times past had dominion Yours in the Master's do, we laughed, cried, over my body. Service

Carol Burdette, Former Mayor of Pendleton (1997-2009)

It was my honor to get down. I enjoyed getting My prayers are with to know Pastor Lon to know him and the St. those decision makers Abrams while serving Luke’s congregation. who decide on who will as Pendleton’s mayor. He was a friend of fill his shoes. For they He invited me to St. mine. I was sadden by are big ones to fill! Luke FBH Church on the news of his passing, “In Loving Memory of many occasions, and I and I will miss him our Dear Brother in can’t think of a time very much. He was a Christ: that I ever turned him talented man of God. Rev Lon Abrams, Jr.” September 2014 “His Friends” Page 3

Pastor Lon Abrams, Jr.: “I knew him as a Man of God. A Man That Loved His Church and Members, was not afraid to speak Truth. He was a Worker in both His Church and Community. To The Best of My Knowledge, He was Loved by the Town of Pendleton. A Prophet and A Friend of Mine.” Deacon Lawrence McClure, Mt. Moriah FBH Church

Pastor Lon Abrams, Jr: “A Friend, who gave me a chance to do what God called me to do. He would call me and say, “Sis. Allgood, I want you to preach for me Sunday”. And I in turn would say, “Now Pastor! You Know I have to ask my Pastor, I would do the same if it was you!” He would smile and say, “Get back with me”. The last time I was to preach at St. Luke, he came to me and said,“ Sis. Allgood, I miss my grandmother!”. With tears running down his face, I could relate to that, mine had been gone for forty-eight years and I missed her still. Rest on my friend, see you later. Love, Sister Allgood

“Rest On My Friend, Pastor Lon Abrams, You Are Missed in our Presence. You fought a good fight See You Later” and finished your course. Indeed you were a Soldier Fighting and Faithful Until the End. You Did Not Stop Until God Stopped You. “O Faithful Servant”, Sis. Ollie Allgood Well Done. You Loved the Job God gave you as a Shepherd & You Put All You Could Into IT. We were Blessed to Have you as a Christian Partner In The Church. We Found You To Be A Friend & A Man Of God. Rest In Peace, Rev. Lon Abrams, Jr. We Love You, But God Love You Best. Rev. S.T. Dennis & The Fuller Temple Church Family. Submitted by Min. Patricia Jenkins, SC #1 Foreign Mission Dir. Page 4 Pastor Lon Abrams, Jr. Memorial Service “He Got A Glimpse And He Had to Have It ” Apostle Thomas Jackson preached from John 14:1, II Corinthinans5:1 “ NOTHING IS ever lost as long as we Remember it” Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 5

Pastor Lon Abrams, Jr.

“I Knew Him As A Man Of God. A Man That Loved His Church and Members. One That Was Not Afraid To Speak Truth. He Was A Worker Of His Church and Community. Loved by the Town, To My Knowledge, A Prophet and A Friend of Mine” Minister Lawrence McClure Deacon, Mt. Moriah FBH Church, Central SC

“Pastor Lon Abrams was a very Talented Person. He Could Preach, Play Organ and Sing. He was a caring Person, Especially for SENIORS. He asked me if I had a cell phone, I didn’t, so he ordered me one and paid the bill for seven years until his demise. Thank God for His Life” Sis. Cleve A. Mack

Precious Memory’s for Pastor Lon Abrams, to be absent from the Body is to Be Present With The Lord. A Special Friend and Co-Pastor. He Will Be Greatly Miss In So Many Ways. Pastor Believe In Having Church! He was A Missionary At Heart, Singing and Preaching. Sleep On Pastor And Take Your Rest. We Loved You But God Love You Best. Pastor and District President of SC#1 Sis. Carolyn Owens Bishop P.L. Frazier, Jr. subject for Pastor Abrams funeral “ The Importance “His Flight” of the Presence of Christ ”. His scriptural text came from (St. John 11:17-27)

Bro. Fyead Galloway sang His Life Profile: REV LON ABRAMS, JR. (1958– 2014) (At Memorial Service) North Carolina and South Rev. Lon Abrams Jr. fondly by his mother, Hazel “Come Along My Friends Come Carolina throughout his 32 answered God’s calling on A. Miller, his three brothers, Along years in the ministry. His Sunday, June 15, 2014 at Anthony L. Miller (Nikki) pastoral record shows that Get Aboard and Ride This Train approximately 10am in his of Greenville, NC, and Mark he pastured the following home of Central, South Kevin Miller (Charlene) of Nothing on This Train To Lose churches: Truelight FBH of Carolina. Rev. Abrams was Rutherfordton, NC, his Drex, NC, Rose Chapel Everything To Gain!” born September 28, 1958 in uncles, William Abrams of FBH of Marion, NC, Bethel Rutherfordton, NC. He was Brooklyn, NY, Rev. Robert FBH of Marion, NC, Jones the son of the late Lon D. Miller of Black Chapel FBH of Spartanburg, Abrams, Sr. and Hazel A. Mountain, NC., Charles SC, and St. Luke FBH Miller. Early in his life his Franklin Miller (Darlene) of Church of Pendleton, SC. family suspected Rev. Spindale, NC James Albert Even though Rev. Abrams Abrams would surrender his Miller (Debra) of was a fiery preacher and life to God and fervently Rutherfordton, NC., his believed in praising God, he serve as a preacher due to aunts, Martha Jewel of didn’t hesitate to reach out his many mock sermons he to help elderly people with Brooklyn NC, Wilma Jean performed at home. He gave their bills and with any other Carson and Earnestine Miller his life to Christ at an early needs they may have had both of Rutherfordton, NC. age and became a member especially his grandmother of Mitchell Chapel Holiness Mattie Miller who passed Church under Rev. J.T. “Loving and Fond memories away in March 2014. Prior Elliot who influenced him of Rev. Abrams will be to Rev Abrams becoming a and help to mold him into a carried on through many preacher, he used his talents preacher within the Holiness nieces and nephews as well as as a pianist and singing many members of his denomination. After voice during services Churches he pastured over gaining experience and rendered by Rev. Joe Miller. the years.” knowledge under Rev. Elliot, Rev. Abrams was Lon Abrams will always be assigned various churches in remembered lovingly and Pastor Lon Abrams: “Your Storms Are Over Now” There are Storms that Comes and Go In Our Life’s Everyday; Some Greater Than Others But, Jesus For Us Has Made A Way They Come to Distract From Our God-Given purpose, and if we allow it, we will not go forward but stand still Pastor Lon Abram knew about these storms that came his way. “Ole yes,” they was real. Sickness was one them but more was on the way. Grief, sickness again, hurt that caused deep wounds and brought on many silent tears. Yet in the midst of those storms many prayed and yes he could hear these words. I am the Lord Thy God That Healest Thee, Have No Fears. He Got Up from that bed by God’s command Weak, But Again God Allowed Him To Stand. Pastor Abrams like many of us had many storms come our way! But, I can almost hear Him Say Once More. “ The Devil Is A Lie, Not Today!” Yes, These Storms Had To Move, And He Continue To Press On. Telling Him- self, I Must Work On For, I’m Not Alone. Pastor Knew His steps was getting Slower, but that didn’t stop him from pressing on. Even when the Doctors told him to rest, he continued to press as if nothing was wrong. There was brokenness in Pastor that natural eyes couldn’t see. He spoke the words I miss my Grandmother with tears in his eye, with him he wished here she could be/ YET, the storms made him stronger for he had Mother Miller and that he could see. After his last surgery he continued on, went to General Council and told Bishop, “I won’t be here Sunday,” I believe he knew he had somewhere else to be. As he set in his chair, there was not a storm in sight. He was preparing to take his final FLIGHT. Your Storms are over now. What you didn't get done or said is over and your race has been run, no more goodbyes “ - but see you later in Glory. Oh Soon My Friend When Jesus comes back will see each other and that’s a fact. Pastor Lon Abrams, Jr., Your Storms Are Over Now!!!! Inspired by Christ, Penned By Sis. Ollie Allgood