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At 83 pastor is not tired yet
In the pulpit
EA HenryEdwards
Pastor Henry Edwards - photo by Photo provided.
Some pastors live within walking distance of their church, while others have to drive a few miles. Still others live in different cities and counties. But most pastors — especially in Liberty County — live in the same state.
At the mature age of 83 years, Pastor Henry Edwards does not live within walking distance of his churches nor does he live in the same state where one of his churches is located.
Although he is the pastor and founder of the Long Reach Holiness Church in Riceboro, Edwards lives in Pritchardville, S.C.
“Pritchardville is about 61 miles from Riceboro,” Edwards said.
He not only serves as pastor of Long Reach Holiness Church, but is also the pastor and founder of Hilton Head Holiness Church. The Hilton Head Holiness Church is about 18 miles from Pritchardville.
Edwards has been in the ministry for 35 years and has served as pastor of Long Reach Holiness for 34 years and pastor of Hilton Head Holiness for 19. He also served as pastor of Colty Temple Holiness Church in Savannah for seven years.  
“When we started the church in Long Reach, we had five members. God has really blessed us,” he said.
The Long Reach Church congregation meets every Sunday.
“We have youth Sunday on the second Sunday and missionary Sunday on the fourth Sunday. The Hilton Head Church has services on the second and fourth Sundays,” Edwards said.  
“Young people need help. We need to keep them in church so they can get the Word of God. They are dying without Christ,” he said. “People don’t seem to love church as much. They used to stay in church, but now you have to almost beg them to come.”  
Although both churches are small in membership, members go out to help others. “The missionaries visit the nursing home. I have some very faithful and dedicated missionaries,” Edwards said.
His advice to pastors and ministers is to follow what the apostle Paul taught in 2 Timothy 2:15. “We must ‘study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.’ You have to study the Word and love people. I enjoy reading the whole Bible.”
When he was in good health, Edwards served as the union moderator for more than five churches. He served under Bishop Richard Jones and Bishop Sam Brown, as well as others.
“The current bishop of the organization is Bishop (Dr) Andrew Moore of Hampton, S.C.” Edwards said.
His church falls under the umbrella of the New Church of Christ Holiness unto the Lord of the Apostolic Faith.
While Edwards may not travel as much as he used to, he is still preaching and teaching the Word of God.
“I have preached many revivals and street meetings in Georgia and South Carolina,” he said.
Edwards and his late wife, Christina, who died in 1994, were married for 51 years. They had nine children, 27 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.
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