The Church that Loved Me into the Kingdom of God
To clarify I love my present Pastor, church and church family but as wounded as I came into Truth God orchestrated for me to first come into a small UPC church in Killeen Texas August 1999. I had a critical spirit and was skeptic about the genuineness of Christians. First thing out of my mouth was Lord if they say anything about my pants or attire I am out of here never to step foot in a Pentecostal church again.
A minister and his wife Brother, Sister Torres took me under their wing, guess what really shocked me is what God had delivered them from, an unbelievable transformation. Then Sister Gloria Rolland became a very important person that God would use to pray with me and experience a friendship like I never had, she was amazing! She could cook, sew, sing, loved to laugh (which I desperately needed because I was fighting everything to keep my sanity due to the uncertainty if I still had a marriage) and she loved the Word of God with a passion. Till this day I love this lady and her passion to live for God, she was and still is my role model of a Godly, real Christian.
The church family was so real to what I experienced in the world...Sister Gloria took me to thrift stores and helped me to buy clothes, modest clothes but never told me anything about my pants. She was there to explain to me repentance and was there to support me through my baptism. Brother and Sister Torres started a bible study which I really enjoyed but don't remember ever finishing it. In the midst of all this the family I was staying with started to have a problems with my excessive church attendance(as they called it) so they wouldn't allow me to leave for afternoon service. So three sisters without any questions gave me there house keys so when I left the house for morning service I had canned food and extra clothes for evening services. I would go to these homes and feed my son's, put them down for a nap and then back for evening services. I was allowed to join choir and be part of their Easter drama. Attended Spanish services and all there functions.
The music director Brother Kevin Martin kept asking about fundraising for drama sound equipment needed and choir robes when I just felt I could help or somehow give back to them. I provided all the food for enchilada and tamale plates, between Sister Gloria and I we were able to pay all the equipment for the drama and choir robes from selling plates. We were so excited!!! Ran a 10 mile Mothers Memorial fundraiser, enjoyed my first Christian Christmas banquet, elderly sisters made for me all kinds of crafts, experienced peanut brittle candy making and was part of church picnics. These people would pray with me to get the Holy Ghost every service, they loved my children they couldn't have been more real. What I had been searching for I found and at this point it wasn't holiness or doctrine truth but in reality those two things is what made these people real I just didn't understand it. Because of this experience I learned how to welcome and love a new convert and be real. My stay there was only 8 months long but it impacted me tremendously.
A part of me will always be with Killeen United Pentecostal Church and my pastor then David H. Dean.
Brother Dean I know you are gone to glory but I must say two messages you preached that will be forever with me are Building Alters and At All Times Guard your Soul I wish I gotten the recordings. Your last words to me when I went to say goodbye were so wise as if you knew what laid ahead in my life, "No matter what happens in your situation always put God first and the rest is going to fall into place". And it did!
These people loved me to the Kingdom of God literally. Even after my move to Arizona those elders would call me to make sure I was still living for God, sent me a CD the church choir recorded and Christmas cards year after year. Love you All!!!
David H. Dean
A minister and his wife Brother, Sister Torres took me under their wing, guess what really shocked me is what God had delivered them from, an unbelievable transformation. Then Sister Gloria Rolland became a very important person that God would use to pray with me and experience a friendship like I never had, she was amazing! She could cook, sew, sing, loved to laugh (which I desperately needed because I was fighting everything to keep my sanity due to the uncertainty if I still had a marriage) and she loved the Word of God with a passion. Till this day I love this lady and her passion to live for God, she was and still is my role model of a Godly, real Christian.
The church family was so real to what I experienced in the world...Sister Gloria took me to thrift stores and helped me to buy clothes, modest clothes but never told me anything about my pants. She was there to explain to me repentance and was there to support me through my baptism. Brother and Sister Torres started a bible study which I really enjoyed but don't remember ever finishing it. In the midst of all this the family I was staying with started to have a problems with my excessive church attendance(as they called it) so they wouldn't allow me to leave for afternoon service. So three sisters without any questions gave me there house keys so when I left the house for morning service I had canned food and extra clothes for evening services. I would go to these homes and feed my son's, put them down for a nap and then back for evening services. I was allowed to join choir and be part of their Easter drama. Attended Spanish services and all there functions.
The music director Brother Kevin Martin kept asking about fundraising for drama sound equipment needed and choir robes when I just felt I could help or somehow give back to them. I provided all the food for enchilada and tamale plates, between Sister Gloria and I we were able to pay all the equipment for the drama and choir robes from selling plates. We were so excited!!! Ran a 10 mile Mothers Memorial fundraiser, enjoyed my first Christian Christmas banquet, elderly sisters made for me all kinds of crafts, experienced peanut brittle candy making and was part of church picnics. These people would pray with me to get the Holy Ghost every service, they loved my children they couldn't have been more real. What I had been searching for I found and at this point it wasn't holiness or doctrine truth but in reality those two things is what made these people real I just didn't understand it. Because of this experience I learned how to welcome and love a new convert and be real. My stay there was only 8 months long but it impacted me tremendously.
A part of me will always be with Killeen United Pentecostal Church and my pastor then David H. Dean.
Brother Dean I know you are gone to glory but I must say two messages you preached that will be forever with me are Building Alters and At All Times Guard your Soul I wish I gotten the recordings. Your last words to me when I went to say goodbye were so wise as if you knew what laid ahead in my life, "No matter what happens in your situation always put God first and the rest is going to fall into place". And it did!
These people loved me to the Kingdom of God literally. Even after my move to Arizona those elders would call me to make sure I was still living for God, sent me a CD the church choir recorded and Christmas cards year after year. Love you All!!!
Going under in the Name of Jesus Christ for ALL my sins my only words to describe what I felt was a coating all over me!!!
Sister Gloria Rolland
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