In Loving Memory

On Monday, March 7, in the early hours of the morning, our sweet Joyce had angels to transition her from her earthly body to heaven. According to Jesus she is receiving a new body. She simply went to sleep in a very peaceful moment after calling my name, “Danny,” around 4 am in the morning. Danny was a special name to her because not only I but her son and his father also have that name. She had been on hospice for over eight months with a serious heart condition. We are so thankful that God allowed us to celebrate through these months with the holidays and her eighty-seventh birthday on February 6, 2022. A grace and miracle. Like many of our senior adult church family members, we were limited in our gathering during her five-year illnesses, eight plus months on hospice, and the terrible pandemic. 

We are having a celebration of her life at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, at Turkey Creek First Baptist Church. During our fifteen years of marriage she has enjoyed traveling with me to most all the thirty-two churches and plus others.

She, like me, has been a member of First Baptist Church of Plant City for over twenty-one years. She became a Christian and joined the church after moving from Webster, New York to Plant City in the 90’s following her late husband, Daniel Schlegel, passing away. Her example of a Christian faith decision late in life reminds us of the importance of senior adult churches and the senior adult ministries in Florida touching those with Christian faith in these later years of life.  

Why did I select Turkey Creek First Baptist for her celebration? Even though we are members of another church and serve all 32 churches of our Association, this church is Joyce’s choice. During this last season she has enjoyed the fellowship with the people there. The pastor, David Jones, has served as a key leader in the Association for over twenty years. He has called on me to preach several times during his wife’s illness and Joyce has been able to attend and support most of those times. Joyce loves the legacy of the music and worship of the last generation that is a part of our history and brought us to today’s with the songs written in the 60’s and 70’s accompanied with the organ and piano. She enjoyed one of our last Shiloh Baptist Association annual meetings held there with an Old Fashion Hymn sing. She loved the Christian Blue Grass music and fish fry cookouts.  As a missionary serving in the Greater Plant City area, we affirm any of our churches sharing “like faith.” She and I think of all of us being one church with several congregations, not just in various locations, but sharing our faith with different groups.

I plan to bring the message and will limit it to around twenty minutes. Included in the program will be three-minute prayers, scriptures, or reflections from several of our pastors and leaders in our Association of Churches. There will be congregation songs and solos by our local Christian artists. All pastors are invited to be pallbearers and celebrate the home going of our wonderful Joyce.

Since, because of the pandemic, we have not been able to have an annual church Association gathering in the last two years. I invite ministers and all people to join me in this celebration gathering as we encourage the mission of advancing God’s Kingdom together until we each are called home by Jesus. We will place the worn-out body in the Hopewell Cemetery following the celebration of her now being with our Lord getting a new body. Then you are invited to a fellowship dinner in the Turkey Creek First Baptist Fellowship Hall.

Several continue to be protecting from gatherings; therefore, you can join our online church ministry of www.3Streams.Today  and be a part of the service live or afterward by recording. Just register on there during or after the live event, where we will have a record of your prayers and support.

 Sincerely, 

Danny Morris