Asbury United Methodist will celebrate 155 years — online
On May 24, while respecting social distancing measures, local Inline image members of Asbury United Methodist Church of Clinton, along with members of Second Baptist Church of Wheaton, Ill., will celebrate online the 155th anniversary of worship and ministry in the community.
This year’s theme is “Be Thankful in All Things.”
This year’s theme scripture is 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
Pastor Cedric Jackson extends a special invitation to everyone to celebrate the goodness of the Lord and commemorate together online at 1 p.m.. EDT on Asbury United Methodist Church’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/AsburyUMCofClinton. The Rev. Kevin Williams will deliver the message of inspiration.
Williams is the senior pastor of Second Baptist Church of Wheaton. He was Inline image elected Senior Pastor in January, 2010, and became known as a dynamic teacher/preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ among the members and his peers.
His mission and purpose is to teach the gospel so that others will know Jesus as their personal savior and be saved.
Williams grew up in the Rock of Ages Baptist Church in Maywood, Ill. He accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior at the age of 22 while attending Eastern Illinois University.
After graduating from Eastern, he joined the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church where his faith and knowledge of God’s word grew dramatically.
Williams became involved in ministry and was chosen to serve in the Deacons’ Ministry at Shiloh. He was ordained a Deacon at 26-years old and from there the Lord called him to serve in a teaching/preaching ministry of winning souls for Christ.
Williams has an interest in Prison Ministry and in March, 2018, he was named RTO Pastor Of The Week. RTO is an affiliate of Koinonia House National Ministries.
Williams’ desire is to use his gifts and talents to further the gospel of Christ and to help the church become a place where the Love of Jesus is experienced. Under his leadership at Second Baptist, dynamic classes on preparing yourself to become a better Disciple for Christ have been taught.
Dynamic ministries have been formed under Pastor William’s leadership.
A re-structure of the church’s ministries was made in 2014 to bring better clarity to the dynamics and purpose of the mission and vision of Second Baptist Church. Pastor Williams’ greatest privilege and joy are sharing the grace of God with others and seeing lives drawn to Christ and changed.
His purpose is to be “IN IT TO WIN IT.” Winning souls to Christ and building up the kingdom of God is very important to Pastor Williams.
His current focus is on “Intentional Evangelism,” encouraging all to “Go New Places, Engage New People, and Make New Sacrifices”.
Williams is married to First Lady Loretta Williams and they have three children: Joshua, Jonathan, and Jalaah; and two granddaughters, Serenity and Adelyn.
Asbury United Methodist Church is grateful to God for keeping us 155 years as we have worked and are striving to grow spiritually and numerically.
Asbury was organized in 1865, which was at the time of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and has been in the Clinton community for 155 years.
The history of the Asbury United Methodist Church of Clinton has long been recognized as an integral part of the history of Anderson County and the City of Clinton. Asbury is woven into the rich tapestry of African American culture and history of the Clinton Community.
Asbury United Methodist Church was founded May 29, 1865 by its first minister Rev. John C. Tate. Rev. Tate, who was a former slave and originally from Tate Springs, Tennessee (Grainger County), was their natural choice as the first minister. In 1947, Asbury’s structure was destroyed by fire. Work was underway almost immediately to rebuild Asbury under the leadership of Rev. C. L. Willis. Asbury’s present brick structure was built in 1950. Asbury has a long standing commitment to community involvement.
Asbury contributed to the civil rights history project: Clinton Desegregation Project was conducted in 2003 and 2004 to honor the Lord and to celebrate the courage of the 12 black students who in 1956 were the first to desegregate a public high school (Clinton High School) in Tennessee. History was made when our own Bobby Cain became the first black to graduate from an integrated public high school in the south on May 17, 1957, exactly three years after the historic Brown vs. Board decision on May 17, 1954.
Asbury United Methodist Church is a member of the Tennessee Valley District of the Holston Conference.
As of June 2015, Asbury has been under the leadership of the Rev. Cedric Jackso, who loves the Lord and has a desire to grow and teach God’s people.
The public is invited to worship and celebrate with Asbury United Methodist Church on online.
The church is located at, 405 W. Broad Street, Clinton. The church looks forward to seeing you online. You may call 865-693-9617, if you have any questions.