Deerfoot pastor retires from 43-year ministry

When Ronny Huguley got married, Wayne Scott officiated at the ceremony. When Huguley’s wife died, Scott led the service. Scott officiated when Huguley remarried and has baptized all three of Huguley’s children.
   
“He has been my pastor for 27 years,” Huguley said. “He’s our shepherd and friend.”
   
At the end of February, after 43 years in the ministry, Scott will retire from his job as pastor of Deerfoot Baptist Church in Trussville.
   
“I felt like this was the best time for the church,” Scott said. “We’re making preparations to build a new sanctuary and it would be better to change leadership now than in the midst of a building project.”
   
Huguley said he’s excited for Scott but he will miss having him as his pastor.
   
“We’re pleased that God left him with our church as long as He did,” Huguley said. “I guess He knew we needed him a lot. He’s been great for us.”
   
Scott’s last Sunday to preach was Jan. 30 but to help the new pastor, Roger Willmore, and the church make a smooth transition, Scott decided to remain for the month of February.
   
Scott grew up around Cullman, then moved to Illinois for high school and joined the military. He returned to Alabama when he was called to the ministry. He served as pastor of Bethsaida Baptist Church in Boaz and Good Hope Baptist Church in Good Hope, near Cullman.
   
“I attended Snead Jr. College and then got my bachelor’s degree from Samford,” he said. “When I was pastor of Bethsaida, the church allowed me to commute to New Orleans each week to go to seminary.”
   
For three years, Scott drove 425 miles from Boaz to New Orleans every week to attend classes,  returning home on weekends to do visitation and preach.
   
“My wife stayed here with our two boys and relayed messages from the church to me,” he said.
Scott came to Birmingham in 1977 to serve as pastor of 85th Street Baptist Church in East Lake. During his time as pastor there, Scott completed his doctor of ministry degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
   
In July 1994, 85th Street Church sold its building to another congregation, relocated to Trussville, and merged with Mount Olive Baptist Church to form Deerfoot Baptist.
   
“Some folks who came from 85th Street Baptist to Deerfoot have had me as their pastor for 27 years,” he said.
   
Although Scott is retiring, he said he knows this isn’t the end of his ministry.
   
“I don’t think those in the ministry ever really retire,” he said. “Like another pastor once said, I’m not retiring, I’m just redirecting.”
   
This isn’t Scott’s first time to retire from a career. After serving in the Air Force for four years and as a chaplain in the U.S. Army National Guard for 16 years, he retired as a Lt. Col. Army Chaplain.
   
Scott has no definite plans for the future but hopes they include some interim work and traveling with his wife, Billie. They will stay in Trussville.
   
“She made such a sacrifice for me to go school and serve in the Army,” he said. “I owe her a little bit of time.”