Jimmy Garner celebrated his 25-year anniversary as pastor of Skyland Boulevard Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, with a reception and special service Aug. 3.
“It’s been a great joy to be able to serve a congregation for 25 years,” Garner said.
Prior to Skyland Boulevard Baptist he served as pastor of Open Acres Baptist Church, Montgomery; Hollywood Baptist Church; and Bethany Baptist Church, Section. He also served as minister of education and evangelism at a church in Mississippi.
While he has loved serving churches, Garner never expected that his career path would include the role of pastor.
Garner accepted Christ at the age of 38 while he was working in the sales industry.
By the age of 40, he had accepted the call into ministry despite being two years shy of retiring from his sales job. “The only thing that mattered to me is to do what the Lord wanted me to do,” Garner said of the career change.
To celebrate the anniversary Aug. 3, Skyland Boulevard held a reception at 3:30 p.m. as a time of fellowship with light refreshments and a celebration service at 6 p.m. Members from Garner’s previous churches, as well as family from Tennessee, gathered with the Skyland Boulevard church family to honor him.
The service was filled with testimonies and stories of Garner’s impact in participants’ lives.
As a gift, the church is giving him a nine-week sabbatical. Garner plans to use the time to refresh and evaluate his ministry.
He said a sabbatical is “one of the best things a church can do for a pastor.”
Garner and his wife of 56 years, Carolyn, have one daughter and one grandson.
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