First Baptist Church of Leesville celebrated homecoming on Oct. 12. The church’s first pastor, who was ordained 71 years ago, along with one of his members who has preached for 66 years, addressed the congregation.

John O. Reed Jr., better known as “Joe,” was ordained to the ministry in 1943 by Lexington Baptist Church. He became pastor of the small Leesville church (about 20 members) and remained there until the summer of 1945, when he completed studies at Columbia Bible College and joined the Merchant Marines.

In 1944, during Reed’s pastorate, a young man named Maurice Crowder was saved and baptized at Leesville First Baptist. In 1948, he began preaching. Before delivering the morning message, Reed recognized Crowder and asked him to come to the pulpit and speak.

Both Reed and Crowder are graduates of North Greenville College and Furman University. Besides Columbia Bible College, Reed also attended Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Crowder attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Both men pursue an active “retirement.” At age 91, Reed ministers one night a week at the Lexington County Jail, holds three devotionals per week for fellow residents at the Agape Assisted Living Center in West Columbia (where he resides), and sings with the Silver Saints Singers (the senior adult choir at his home church, Northside Baptist in Lexington). Crowder, of Jessup, Ga., preaches most Sundays.

Charles Leonhardt, the current pastor of Leesville First Baptist, has known both men for many years and once pastored a church that Reed had earlier pastored.

Leesville First Baptist also held a revival Oct. 26-29. Tim Shull was the guest speaker, and his father, Lonnie Shull, sang at the service. Lonnie Shull is a former pastor at Leesville First Baptist and Northside Baptist in Lexington and is former president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention.