First UPC of Salisbury- Testimony

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[Imminent Death] [Rock an Roll Athiest] [A Faithfull God] [On My Own]
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By Rev. Ora Hatheway

It was Sunday morning, July 20th, 1954. My wife was in the hospital in labor. I stopped in at the hospital to check things out. A nurse met me and said, "It will all be over in about five minutes." Thinking she meant the baby would be delivered in about five minutes, I went on to pick up people for Sunday School. During the service I noticed a latecomer whispering to one of the saints. After church I inquired and they said I had better go to the hospital and let someone else drive the Sunday School van. When I reached the hospital my wife was very groggy and somewhat depressed. They hadn't told her or me the baby had died. They thought she would have died too, but God graciously spared her from imminent death. The doctor and hospital were fearful of a lawsuit, but I said that might be an acceptable route only if it would bring our 13 pound baby back. The Lord overruled and restored my wife to health.

One year later, with a different doctor and hospital, we had our final daughter. Satan tried to take her before three months of age with osteomyelitis but God ruled again, and now forty years later, she is with us, with her own family.

About 1960 I woke up and my wife was in severe convulsions. I could not lay her head down or she would have choked on her own tongue. I asked our adolescent daughter to go to the phone at 2:30 in the morning and call Bro. and Sister Dudley (our presbyter) to pray, then call my Mother and Father. They immediately responded in faith. Then she called the district nurse who came speedily, tried to find a pulse, then went to the phone and ordered a doctor to be at the hospital when we arrived (a 45-mile trip). I still could not lower her head. Before we reached the hospital she opened her eyes and asked what time it was (prayer had already gone to work).

In July, 1989, the doctor said she may have 16 hours to live because of gangrene. After that another very competent surgeon said she may live six months. Seven years later we can say the road has been rough, but last night she walked around our church on her own in a victory march. We are looking forward to our fiftieth wedding anniversary. We were only married 8 years when Satan purposed to take her life, but she is still testifying to God's goodness.

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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * A Rock an Roll Athiest
By Brother Jay Gillispie

First of all I want to thank God for looking down on a sinner man like me four years ago. For up to then I was an atheist- didn't believe in God or Satan. What a lie that is. When I was growing up God saved me from drowning and an auto accident, but most important of all, from killing myself. I thought I was a good person. I did my share of drinking, drugs, and things of this world. None of us in our family were Christians until my sister Linda met Brother Robert. He would try to talk to me, but I was too busy running. I watched a video on how Satan uses rock and roll music to control and destroy people. It scared me to death! Some time later the Rev. Janice Hatheway gave me and my then girl friend a home Bible study. The study changed my thinking and attitude. There is a God. By prayer of the people of the First United Pentcostal Church, and by God having His hands on my life, He led me to truth.

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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * A Faithfull God
By Rev. Donna Richardson

While growing up in a denominational church I really loved God. I faithfully attended services, Sunday School, Youth functions, and every church activity I could. Unfortunately, I knew nothing about the baptism of the Holy Ghost and did not have the power to withstand the temptations that came against me.

When I was about sixteen I got really involved with the world. Drugs were not very prevalent at the time, but I became rather wild, smoking, drinking and living contrary to all my convictions. To escape my guilt I tried to get as far away from God as possible.

During the summer of 1970, I worked with Sister Jean Sargeant. This lady was driving from Chincoteague, VA to Dover, DE every week to go to a United Pentecostal Church. At that time it was the only one on the Eastern Shore. She convinced me to go with her to a gospel concert on a Wednesday night. My first impression of Pentecost (like so many others) was simply- "These people are crazy, and if I ever get out of here, I will never come back."

God, however, kept drawing me back. One Sunday night I found myself at the altar, repenting of my sins. On October 18, 1970, I was baptized in the lovely name of Jesus and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The following year I backslid. But in 1973 when Rev Ora Hatheway started a church in Salisbury, I came back to God.

God has been so good. Since then God has allowed me to go to Korea three times with the Associates In Missions program. He has blessed me with a wonderful Godly husband, and countless other blessings. I praise Him with all my heart and intend, by his grace, to serve Him until I see Him face to face.

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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * On My Own
By Rev. Scott Richardson

Near the end of the summer when I was 14, I remember sitting on the front lawn waiting for a ride to Civil Air Patrol that never came. From no where a peace seemed to sweep over me, holding me in its embrace. Years would pass before I felt that peace again. I went into a baby-sitter my parents had hired, and she immediatly began talking about church. I don't know which one. But I remember my response, even as that peace seemed to linger over my soul. "I want to try it on my own, first."

Two years later,during one summer night, while I was alone in my parents' house, I felt an intense fear. I felt as though evil spirits were invading my room. In desperation (and wanting to go to sleep) I found a Bible and began reading the 23rd Psalm aloud until I had memorized it and was able to fall asleep. Those words would comfort me again before I finally found salvation in God. Late one night after my own Senior prom disaster I repeated those words to a friend. It seemed to help.

The end of high school felt like a disaster to me. Having graduated third in my class from Wi Hi, I felt trapped at having to remain in Salisbury due to financial constraints. However, life went on. The summer came and left, and college began. The first year I lived at home, and the first semester I earned nearly straight A's. Unfortunatly, there was a growing feeling of loneliness and despair that by the second semester began to derail my academic efforts. Truthfully, by that winter I didn't care about college. I helped form a medival group, only to find that it wasn't the answer- not even close. This was a group of people who were former Dungeon and Dragon players, a few witches, some who merely liked the historical idea of medival times, and a few lonely misfits. Before it was all over my final conclusion was simple: I did not belong with these people.

During winter break I was at a friend's house when a visiting missionary came by. There were three of us. He turned to the one on the left and said, "Do you know there is a heaven to gain?" (that person quickly agreed). He turned to the person on the right, "and hell to shun?" (the other person also quickly agreed). Then he turned to me. Fear gripped me, and a little bit of confusion. I wasn't sure. I couldn't answer like those on either side of me. He invited me to come to church. I agreed. However, once home I told my mother. She offered to tell them I wasn't coming. Unsure of myself, I told her to go ahead and do that. But the lonliness and despair grew only deeper.

Just before the opening of the next fall semester, I moved out of my parents' house and into a boarding house. I was depressed, although I didn't always show it. I managed to get a date with one girl, but on the way back from Ocean City,I felt so cold that words cannot describe it. Without love, without affection, a date means absolutly NOTHING.

It was now that God looked down and sent a certain brother to the boarding house where I lived. At first he only argued with some people I knew about doctrines that meant little to me. But then one night he began crying and weeping and talking about God. I felt nothing, but I looked at that face and wanted to know a God who could cause this total stranger to cry for me. Shortly after, I told God that if no one answered when I knocked on a certain girl's door, that I would go to church and serve Him for the rest of my life. She didn't answer. But God did.

That Sunday I went to church, received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and was baptized in Jesus' name. To others, going to a Pentecostal church for the first time might seem strange, but not to me. When I walked through the doors, I knew I was coming home. Really home, where I belonged. I wasn't on my own, anymore.

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