Rev. Dr. W.K. Raynor thought he was just going to address the crowd during Sunday’s homecoming ceremony at First Missionary Baptist Church. He had no idea midway through the service, he would be honored for more than seven decades of ministry.
Raynor has been preaching for 74 of his 89 years of life; he has spent 36 years at First Missionary Baptist, delivering his first sermon there in 1977. He preaches on the first and third Sunday of each month there, traveling to First Baptist in Rose Hill on the second and fourth Sunday to do the same. Raynor has been preaching at First Baptist for 37 years.
Raynor is the second-longest tenured reverend in the history of First Missionary Baptist behind U.G. Moye, who served for 45 years.
First Missionary Baptist was founded in 1866, a fact not lost on former Kinston mayor Buddy Ritch, who was in attendance along with members of First Baptist to celebrate.
“Were you the preacher when the church was founded?” Ritch asked Raynor teasingly, drawing laughter from the congregation.
When asked how he’s been able to deliver sermons for so long, Raynor chuckled and gave a list of reasons.
“Preaching the gospel, praying, living the life, never giving the church any trouble and never having a warrant out on me,” Raynor said. “I’m a born again minister; I preached my first sermon at 15 and was baptized in a river at age 7.”
Raynor received his training at the Newbold Training School in Fort Barnwell and began his ministry in 1939. During his time in ministry, he studied at the Eastern Carolina School for Ministers in Wilmington and received an honorary doctorate degree from the James Teamer School of Religion in Charlotte.
Raynor has held pastorates at Virgin Hill in Tuscarora, Hills Chapel in Trenton, First Baptist in Kellumtown, Washington Chapel in Jacksonville — where he currently resides — Winn Chapel in Mt. Olive, St. Monica in Grimesland, Bethel in Edward and St. Lewis in Chinquapin before heading his current churches.
Terrell Fields, chairman of the Homecoming Committee, has been a member of First Missionary Baptist since he was 5 years old. Growing up in the church, he had plenty of insight of the man Raynor was.
“He’s been my pastor for 23 years and baptized me when I was 7,” Fields said. “He’s very old-school and we have a very traditional church. He’s very humble and will help anyone. He’s a firm believer in public education, but more a believer of Christ. To him it doesn’t matter how many degrees you have. Without the Lord, they’re meaningless.”
Rev. Dr. Haywood Gray — Executive Secretary Treasurer of the General Baptist State Convention — was the guest speaker on Sunday. Before his sermon, he presented Raynor with a presidential citation from the convention, which is given only to those who have made extraordinary contributions to Baptist life in North Carolina.
“I’m delighted to be here for Dr. Raynor,” Gray said. “There are very few ministers his age and active, so this is very unique and special. We also don’t have any pastors in the state who have served as long as he has, so he’s in a class by himself.”
Raynor’s daughter, Deborah Ross, was in attendance to watch her father receive his award. Ross professed her admiration to her father for his faithful service in the church.
“He’s a true man of God,” she said. “He loves the Lord and people and I just thank God for him. There should be more men like him.”
Raynor doesn’t show any signs of slowing down either, believing he can keep delivering sermons for years to come.
“I’m not tired of preaching and I’m not tired of living,” Raynor said as he addressed the congregation. “Some people said I should stop and some young folk said, ‘You’re in the way’, but when something is in my way, I move around it. You’re never too old to serve the Lord.”
Junious Smith III can be reached at 252-559-1077 and Junious.Smith@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JuniousSmithIII.