Bishop Stallworth

Last week, I went to California to attend the funeral services for Bishop Stallworth. It was a quick trip, but a necessary trip to honor a great man!

I rededicated my life to the Lord when I was 15 years old. Yes, I received the Lord as my personal saviour when I was 6 years old when I was visiting my grandmother Moore in Louisiana. But the early teen years, with all the rebellious junk rearing its head, led me to make the decision to finally "get it together" if I wanted to be somebody in the future. I was attending a church called Christ Temple at the time and wanted what I saw others have.

Enter stage right... Bishop Stallworth. He was a large (tall) man. Everyone around me held him in this reverenced awe... I later came to understand why, but at the time he was 67 years old and the Lord used him for my baptism. Folks later told me, he didn't do baptisms anymore and that was the last one he did... I don't know if that fact held up over these last 17 years, but I felt special at the time.

Later as time passed, I left Christ Temple church (attending his daughter's church) and didn't really get to know Bishop till I returned to Christ Temple as an employee in the summer of 1996. I was 20 years old and happy to be working with the church and a few months later the school, Samuel Hancock Christian School.

So over 4 years working for this great man and his family I grew to love him like a grandfather. He would never call me Sis. Nicole, like everyone else did. He simply called me "Daughter". After about a year, I realized that he called most females daughter... but I still felt special.

Then when I was going to be married, I knew I wanted him to perform the ceremony. I knew it would be a special request because he didn't really perform weddings anymore... well for people outside of his family, but I really wanted him to do it. So I made the appointment to meet with him and he said yes... after making it seem like he wouldn't at first. He did our marriage counseling and on August 12, 2000 sealed the deal for Ryan and I.

So this special man has been there for a couple my big transitions... 1st - into the family of God & 2nd - into my own personal family.

Though I never spent more than an hour of personal one on one time with Bishop Stallworth just shooting the breeze, I feel like he knew everything about me and loved me none-the-less. He has supported me in my life by giving his time, finances and through prayers. He really impacted my life.

So I loved him too.

I will miss him, now that he is no longer here. I know he is kicking it up in heaven right now and I know we'll get to see him again. Praise God!!

Many in the community came out to honor Bishop too. He left quite a mark in the city of Stockton. Links to the articles/tributes from the local paper are below (you may have to copy and paste):

Visit http://online.recordnet.com/projects/stallworth/project.html
to see clips of the Home Going Celebration for Bishop L.D. Stallworth, Sr.


News Reports: http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articleAID=/20080418/A_NEWS/804180333/0/A_NEWS0802


http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articleAID=/20080418/A_NEWS/804180323/0/A_NEWS0802

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080417/A_NEWS/804170350

Till later... Nic