Chapel Hill Baptist Church, Northport
Tuscaloosa Baptist Association
Favorite Verse: Psalm 23
Favorite Hymn: “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”
Hobby: Visiting neighbors as long as able
Family Status: Widow for 27 years after 37 years of marriage to Hassell Thigpen; children, Johnny Thigpen, Jimmy Thigpen, Patricia Thigpen and Jan Smith; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren
Anita Thigpen, 87, taught Sunday School for 39 years. All those years she led the Sunday morning Bible study for the same age group — senior adult ladies. She began doing this long before she was a senior adult herself. She also has sung in the choir and participated in the Woman’s Missionary Union of her church.
Q: What influences in your life pointed you to Christ at the beginning of your faith journey?
A: I was raised in a Christian family. We were in a summer revival and I was 9 years old when I asked Jesus to come into my heart. It was at night and I knew what I was doing.
Q: When and how were you led into your ministry work?
A: One of the ladies in our church, Ruth Brown, influenced me in teaching the class.
Q: What does the ministry work demand?
A: It really taught me to study the Bible every day. If you’re going to teach, you need to know. I read and study the Bible every day. I did try to be a good teacher.
Q: What do you get from the ministry work?
A: I got a feeling of love and I felt like I was needed to do something for the Lord.
Q: How do family members support you?
A: They have always supported my ministry, all of them.
Q: How do you see yourself involved in this in the future?
A: I feel, as long as the Lord lets me, I will always be a faithful member of the church and do what I can. I do think it is important that older people continue to go to church so that the younger people see this and know it is a life thing for you.
Q: What difference will this ministry work make for you in the future?
A: I will always have friends and they will always love me. I appreciate that in my church.
Q: What difference has Jesus Christ made in your life?
A: I don’t know what it would be apart from Him because I never would have made it these last 27 years if I didn’t have the Lord to depend on.
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