They arrived in our community many years ago, fresh from seminary and excited about the ministry. Pretty Gayle Harley and her husband, the Rev. Jimmie Harley, had graduated and accepted a pastorate at our church. While in seminary, the Rev. Harley was a full-time pastor at a small church in that area, but this was a new era for him and for Gayle.
I came across Gayle’s recipe in “The Pastors’ Wives Cookbook,” which Tom Brown in West Columbia sent me four years ago.
The Harleys’ name will be recognized quickly by many South Carolina Baptists. From Welcome Baptist, he went to Wagener First and then to Eastlan in Greenville, followed by a 22-month period with the Annuity Board at the South Carolina Baptist headquarters. From there he began a 22-year-long pastorate at Florence First.
Then he retired 10 years ago. Well, maybe. Sort of. He served three interims, and is now associate pastor of Taylors First Baptist Church.
All this time, Gayle was active in the churches and reared four children who were born in three different churches. Little Harleys just popped up everywhere.
Their oldest child, Michael, his wife, Elizabeth, and their two children, Will and James, live in Barrington, Ill. Debra and her husband, Tom Carico, and their children, Bill, Sam and David, live in Statesboro, Ga. David has two children, Andrew and Carolina, and lives in Lake Bluff, Ill. Rachel and her husband, Preston Rish, live in Arlington, Ga. She has a stepson, Hayden, and she and Preston will have another little bundle at the end of the year. His name will be Noah.
Gayle grew up in the area where she now lives. Jimmie was from Denmark. It was of great importance to Gayle when they moved back “home,” because for several years she could be near her mother who died at age 102. Now Gayle is able to be near and visit regularly her mother’s younger sister, age 104, who is in a nursing facility nearby.
When she and Jimmie were at our church, she taught piano lessons, and over the years has been a part of many church choirs and played the piano for services when needed. She also taught kindergarten in several churches. Now she assists her husband in many ways, one being to help with the trips.
Gayle Harley
Once or twice a year, they lead groups on excursions, and the next one is soon. They will go to Vancouver, then visit the California coast.
Gayle has had this recipe for a long time, has made it many times, and has shared it frequently. She got it during a ministers’ wives meeting from Mrs. Jeslyn Wilson, who was the wife of the associate pastor at Eastlan in Greenville.
You may already have a similar recipe that you like, but try this one. It will probably be the one you choose to use from now onward for … Sunday Dinner.
Grated Sweet Potato Bake
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 stick (¼ cup) butter, melted
3 to 3½ cups peeled and grated raw sweet potatoes
2 eggs, beaten
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt.
Combine the grated sweet potatoes and milk, and blend well.
Add melted butter to a 9×12 baking dish or put butter in dish and melt in oven. Pour the sugar-egg mixture into pan, then spoon in the sweet potato and milk mixture. Stir to mix.
Bake 1 to 1½ hours, until potatoes are firm around edges of dish.
Serves 10-12.