Men supporting men through difficult stages of life.

“A church full of old people”! That’s what Longview S.D.A. Church has been called at times. Some people might have meant it as an insult or a joke but it’s actually been a testament to God keeping His promises.

There are over 60 verses in the Bible that talk about longevity. Long life is generally the outcome of living a life according to the laws of God. The connection is frequently mentioned in the book of Proverbs and other books. Living a righteous life can not only lead to a satisfying existence here on earth but a life of faith and obedience will ultimately lead to eternal life.

Several Bible characters are associated with extended lifespans. Methuselah lived to be 969 years old. Adam lived to be 930 years old. Noah lived to be 950 years old. After the flood, lifespans began to shorten. Abraham was 175 years old when he breathed his last. Isaac’s days were 180 years and Moses’ days were reduced to 120 years. These long lifespans are not just recorded for historical data, but as indicative of God’s blessings and adherence to God’s principles. The Bible encourages a healthy lifestyle with a proper and balanced diet, adequate rest, physical activity and an avoidance of harmful substances.

Over the years, many Longview members have practiced these principles and have lived long and fruitful lives. The church has experienced many milestones but none as remarkable as having six members who lived to be 100 years old. Joseph Catron, Ella Malone, Clara Hawthorne, Pearl Crawford, Joseph Gilliam and Levell Times all reached the venerable age of one hundred. There are few congregations that have been blessed to have centenarians, certainly not six of them.

Sis. Pearl Crawford 1868-1969, Sis. Levell Times 1898-1999 and Bro. Joseph Gilliam 1887-1990 were all faithful members who lived to be 100 years old and went to sleep in Jesus awaiting His glorious return.

Bro. Joseph Catron was one of the early members of our congregation. He was a successful owner of a moving company who helped establish and support the church when it was started. He served as the church treasurer. The church was called Memphis Adventist Church #2 and was a part of the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference. Many of the members were poor and did not have much money. Times were hard for everyone back then especially for black people living in the south.

If you could find a job, it wasn’t paying very much. Additionally, because you could not work on Friday night or Saturday, it made sustaining employment even more difficult. Unfortunately, but true, the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference only gave limited support, but this little congregation remained faithful and God continued to bless. Using his own money, Bro. Catron made sure the bills were paid and that the church remained stable as the membership grew. He lived to be 100 years old and passed away in 1963 with the blessed hope of seeing Jesus.

Sis. Ella Malone was born February 29, 1892 in DeSoto County, Mississippi. As a faithful deaconess for many years, she was quiet, never made a fuss about anything, and was always thankful.

She was a lady of deep faith and humility. Whenever it was her turn to serve, she was always present. She was a member of the Sabbath School and once served as secretary of the Prayer Band. Sis. Malone didn’t drive but would catch the city bus to church. The bus would let her off a few blocks from the church. Sometimes arriving members would offer her a ride as she was walking but she would refuse and say, “I’m almost there. I’ll just walk the rest of the way.” Then, off she would go.

She was still walking in her nineties which possibly contributed to her longevity. She was active with several Senior Citizens Centers in Memphis and loved to travel. On June 12, 1994, Sis. Ella Malone went to sleep in Jesus after a long and useful life.

Clara Jones Hawthorne was born in Crest Upson County, Georgia on February 11, 1900. After completing school, she met and married Mr. Will Hawthorne. They were married for many years until he passed away. Recognizing her need for further training, she enrolled in Nursing school in Atlanta, and became a Licensed Practical Nurse. While living in there, she began work with the wealthy McGuiness family in 1949. Later that same year, she moved to Memphis with the family and was employed as the children’s nanny and housekeeper.

Upon arriving in the city, she soon joined the Mississippi Boulevard S.D.A. Church and became an active member. She served as Deaconess, Sabbath School Teacher, Hospitality Committee Chairman and School Board Chairman.

Even though Sis. Hawthorne didn’t have any children, she had a special love for young people. This led to her assisting many students with tuition to the church school and with school supplies that were needed. If there was a need in the church, Sis. Hawthorne would make a financial contribution. Large sums of money would be given anonymously from her and the McGuiness family. They even donated an expensive Steinway baby grand piano to the church.

Sis. Hawthorne would ride to church with the Seay family. It was there that she developed a special love for Alice Seay Conley and became like a second mother. Alice and Sis. Hawthorne spent much time together and Alice eventually became her personal attendant. She would take Sis. Hawthorne wherever she needed to go and made sure everything was in place and available. Of course, Sis. Hawthorne had plenty of advice and their conversations would last for hours.

Once there was a young teen girl who wore an extremely short skirt to church. The skirt looked like a cheerleader’s outfit. It was just that short. Sis. Hawthorne summoned the young lady to come to her and talk. The young lady probably thought that she was going to get a severe reprimand, but just the opposite happened. Sis. Hawthorne asked her how school was going, what college she was planning to go to, and what did she plan to do later in life? They talked, laughed and had a warmed hearted conversation. Of course, the topic of proper church attire was mentioned, but it was not done in a harsh judgmental manner. When the teen left the conversation, she had gained wisdom and a friend who would support her. That’s who Sis. Hawthorne was.

When Sis. Hawthorne was 96 years old, there was a McGuiness family reunion in Chattanooga, TN. Alice drove her there and got her settled. To Sis. Hawthorne’s surprise, the reunion ended up being a tribute to her. All of the children and grandchildren, along with their children were there to honor her. She had taken care of them for many years, now it was their turn to show love and appreciation to her.

Clara Hawthorne had worked for the McGuiness family for a long time. She helped to raise children, grand-children and even great grand-children. She had a special and loving relationship with the entire family and they treated her extremely well. They never gave her problems about keeping the Sabbath or her church activities. She retired in 1994 from service and moved to the Heartland Rehabilitation Center, in a spacious living quarter, where all of her needs were met.

She was well taken care of and didn’t want for anything. On Saturday, January 12, 2002, Sis. Clara Hawthorne passed away peacefully in her sleep.

There’s an old gospel song that says “Lord I’m running trying to make a hundred. Ninety-nine and a half won’t do”. Presently, Longview has several nonagenarians who might be the next centenarians of this congregation, if the Lord says the same.

Nonagenarians: People in their 90s are called nonagenarians. The word comes from the Latin word nōnāgēnāri(us), which means "containing ninety". The first records of the word date back to around 1800.

I know that you didn’t know what it meant. Back to the story!

Dr. Elizabeth P. Martin was born on November 22, 1926 in Memphis, TN. Her parents were Berttie Parker and Lillian Brooks Parker. She had three sisters; Ethel, Lillian and Shadye and two brothers; Aurelius and William. She grew up in the Klondike neighborhood in North Memphis. A young man, named Thelbert Martin moved into the neighborhood from Arkansas. Little did she know that this young man from the neighborhood would become her husband years later. She went to Friendship Baptist Church (Klondike), close by, where she would meet a young lady named Maxine Mitchell Weir and a young man named Leo Tate. Their paths would cross in a significant way later, as well, because they all would end up in the Seventh Day Adventist Church. She was active in the church and was even the Assistant Sunday School Superintendent.

Sis. Martin and her sisters were intellectually gifted and excelled in school. After high school, Sis. Martin attended and graduated from LeMoyne College. She later attended Memphis State University and received her Master’s degree in Education. She was a part of the early group of black pioneers at the school to earn that degree. A few years afterwards, she earned her PhD from Florida State University.

Thelbert Martin and Sis. Elizabeth Martin were married on June 15, 1947. To this union were born four daughters, Dr. LaJean Martin Boynton, Halcyone Martin, Althea Martin Sterling, and Dr. Sharhonda Martin. Each of them received Christian education and have had distinguished careers.

Sis. Martin joined the Seventh Day Adventist in 1947 after attending a tent meeting, where Elder C.S. Myles was the evangelist. Her parents later became members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Sis. Martin loved to share Bible truths with friends and co-workers. One of her co-workers she gave Bible studies to and invited to an evangelistic meeting was Lois Pointer. Sis. Pointer joined the church and was a faithful member and a lifelong friend until she passed away in 2018.

Sis. Martin was extremely active in the church and it’s a challenging task to mention all of the ways she has served. Some of the many capacities in which she diligently worked were: choir member; deaconess; Women’s Ministry Leader; Sabbath School teacher; church school board, and other numerous roles. She also was the coordinator for Longview’s Church History Day one year. She invited all of the other daughter churches to come and participate for the morning service. All of them closed their own churches to take part of this event. It was a wonderful reunion service that day. When she was the President of the Chancel Choir, she started giving the Unsung Hero Award to deserving persons in the church who were dedicated workers but who might not receive much attention. It was always a surprise to the recipient each year.

Bro. Thelbert Martin was also active and served the church in many capacities. He even constructed and installed the church sign that is still present today. He was a faithful member until he passed away on Christmas day, December 25, 2012.

For many years, Sis. Martin would give school supplies to all of the children at Longview. She had photos of former pastors framed and placed in the front lobby of the church. As a tribute to her parents, she had an engraved sidewalk section placed on the side of the church.

Sis. Martin is a soloist and a composer. She once gave a concert at the Alcy church for the Men’s Ministry. Tickets were one dollar. She enjoyed singing with several choirs and was occasionally asked to do solos for the worship service. She was known for singing the song “Make Me A Blessing” and “Keep Your Eyes On The Spiritual Prize”, which is a song that she composed.

Sis. Elizabeth Martin has been a blessing to Longview and by God’s grace, will continue to be an example of His faithfulness

Bro. Herbert Brown Sr. was born in Memphis, TN. on July 19, 1930 to James Brown Jr. and Adelia Brown. He had twin brothers; Lloyd and Floyd Brown. He went to Manasses High School and played trumpet in the band. After high school, he attended college at the University of Arkansas in Pine Bluff. It was there he would meet his future wife, Rubye Hamner. They were married on March 17, 1951. They lived in various cities while Bro. Brown was enlisted in the Army. In Savannah, Georgia they attended a tent meeting conducted by Elder Joseph Winston and, they were baptized into the Seventh Day Adventist Church.

They moved back to Memphis in 1953 and became members of the Mississippi Boulevard S.D.A. Church. To their union were born four children, Geraldine Brown Pullins, Herbert E. Brown Jr., Lana L. Brown and Michael J. Brown. The children have followed the path of their parents and remain faithful members of the church and have served in various capacities.

Bro. Brown worked several jobs over the years to ensure that his family was taken care of. He had a lengthy career with the U.S. Postal Service. He once owned and operated a convenience store in Memphis. That venture went well for a while until a young man came in to rob the store. At first Bro. Brown wasn’t sure what was happening but when the man pulled up a gun, he understood quite well. He said, “When that guy pulled and pointed that gun, it looked like new money to me”. Without hesitation, he handed the robber the money and the man left. God’s hand of protection saved his life. Shortly after that incident, he sold the store. Later, Bro. Brown worked for the Tennessee Department of Human Services and retired after many years of service.

Bro. Brown has been immensely active in the church. He has served as Head Deacon, Sabbath School teacher, Sabbath School Superintendent, Ingathering band leader, Pathfinder Leader and even sang bass in the choir. He coached the church basketball team for years and even coached a neighborhood baseball team.

Bro. Brown could always be counted on to do whatever needed to be done. If the sanctuary needed cleaning, he was there with a broom and mop. When someone needed a ride to or from church, he would provide transportation. He would lend a helping hand if chairs and tables were being set up. He would always help any way that he could.

Bro. Brown would visit those who were sick and made contact with members who had not attended church in a while to let them know that they were still loved and needed.

On December 29, 2015, Bro. Brown’s college sweetheart, Rubye Brown, passed away. They had been married for 64 years. When she passed away, he felt the best way to honor her memory was to continue serving the church she loved so dearly. Bro. Brown and a few other members began the Nursing Home Ministry. They would faithfully go to nursing homes to give Bible studies, pray and provide encouragement to the residents there.

Bro. Brown later married Marilyn Davis in 2018 and they were together until she passed away in 2021.

As the years have gone by, Bro. Herbert Brown Sr. is moving slowly, but his faith in God has remained strong. Even now he always looks for opportunities to share the gospel. Recently, his son Herbert Brown Jr. showed some gospel tracts that Bro Brown had collected over the years. When asked why he had so many tracts, he replied that he always wanted to be ready to give one to care givers or anyone who visited him.

For as long as anyone can remember, Bro. Herbert Brown Sr. has been a fixture at Longview Heights S.D.A. Church, his presence as steady as an old oak tree. By his unwavering faithfulness and his quiet, steadfast service, he continues to give inspiration to all. He is a man who truly understands what it means to be a servant of God.

Sis. Cora Elizabeth Isabel Reid was born on October 31, 1927 in Memphis TN. Her parents were Clarence Isabel and Mary Catron Isabel. She had four brothers and two sisters. She attended Booker T. Washington High School and was at the top of her class. After graduating from Tennessee State University in Nashville, she earned her Master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati. She worked as a secretary for the president in the Southwest Region Conference of Seventh Day Adventist.

She later met this handsome man who and gone to Boston University with Martin Luther King Jr. His name was McCann Reid. They were married in 1958 and had one daughter named Angela Kim Reid.

This union lasted until Bro. McCann Reid passed away in 2014.

Sis. Reid worked for many years as an educator with the church school and with the city school system. She was also a licensed realtor.

Sis Reid is well known as an accomplished musician. She served as the church pianist and organist for many years and played for the church choir. She and all of her brothers and sisters were gifted musicians. Sis. Reid’s grandfather, Joseph Catron, was an early member of this church when it started. Some of Sis. Reid’s family were members of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Later, several members of the family, including Sis. Reid, joined the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Hear it in her own words.

Presently, Sis. Reid lives in Nashville, TN. where she is cared for by her daughter Kim and other family members. Sis. Cora Reid continues to be an example of God’s goodness.

Bro. Leo Tate was born on September 18, 1934 in Memphis, TN. His parents were Willie Tate and Mary Tate. He had one brother named Willie D. Tate. In 1955, he graduated from Manasses High School and enlisted in the Army. While in the Army, he served in Germany and other places. He was granted a three day pass so he could return home to marry Lois Weaver, a young lady he had dated in high school. To this union were born five children; Reginald, Ray, Tara, Tammy, and John.

He received Bible studies from Sis. Lurline Crawford and came to the Reach Out For Life Crusade, where Elder C.E. Bradford was the evangelist. The meeting was held for 21 days. Bro. Tate only missed two nights. He was baptized by Elder R.L. Willis and has remained a faithful, committed member.

The unforeseen tragedies of life have visited the Tate family over the past few years. Lois Tate, who had been with Bro. Tate since their high school days passed away on January 30, 2015. It was a devastating loss. Sadly, their son Reginald passed away in 2022. Then their daughter Tara passed away in 2023. In May of 2024, their daughter-in-law, Debra passed away. Through it all Bro. Tate’s faith in God has remained steadfast.

Bro. Tate has served in various capacities in the church. He has been the Head Elder, Head Deacon, worked with the Community Service Dept. and has been over the Transportation Ministry. He is probably more known for his commitment to the Prison Ministry, which he has been the Director or Associate Director for over fifty years. Presently, he is the director for LIA house, which is a community service center that operates to give out food, clothes and assist the neighborhood with tutoring and other services.

Bro. Tate is always an active participant in Sabbath School and doesn’t mind calling it like he sees it. You can hear his comments often. He has a passion for soul winning and helping those in need.

Even at ninety years old, from time to time, he still rides his motorcycle. In 2018 Bro. Leo Tate remarried. He and Margaret are seen every Sabbath sitting on the back row of the church, jokingly known as “the sinner’s row”. Leo Tate is the embodiment of resilience, faith, and service at ninety years old.

Ethel Lee Brown was born on April 24, 1935 to Frank Bowen and Mary Lee Bowen in Germantown, TN. She had three brothers and four sisters. Two set of twins were born to this family. Sis. Brown is a twin, but her sister died during childbirth. Her younger sisters Velma and Thelma were also twins. She graduated from Barrett’s Chapel School in Arlington, TN. In 1954, she married Roy Randy Brown and they had seven children; Samuel, Roy, Regina, Shannon, Edra, Edith and Heather. The family also raised their cousin, Johnny Brown.

Bro. Roy Brown and Sis. Ethel Brown were together for fifty years until he passed away in 2004.

Through the years, Sis. Brown worked various jobs but her most important and rewarding job was being a full time housewife. With seven children, her hands were full changing diapers, preparing meals, combing hair, helping with homework and getting them to school and church.

Sis. Brown joined the church after coming to the Big Bible Tent on McLemore and College St., where Dr. Calvin Rock was the evangelist. She was one of over 200 people who were baptized from that meeting in 1969.

Over the decades, she has raised seven children to be adults —each one baptized in the same church—and has seen her family grow to include grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who are diligent, dedicated workers in many roles at Longview. Through all the joys and sorrows, the weddings and funerals, baptisms, Longview has been her spiritual home.

Sis. Ethel Brown has served in various capacities in the church. When she sang in the choir, she would bring the children to choir rehearsal with her. That Lincoln Continental would arrive and it seemed like 15 people would get out of that car.

She has worked in the Sabbath School Department, helped out in the kitchen, and has been active in many aspects of church life. She served on the Stewardship Committee (that encouraged the members to be faithful in their support of the church). Her Sabbath spotlight always resulted in an engaging, thought provoking story or illustration, and sometimes filled with humor, to remind the congregation the importance of being faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to us.

At ninety years old, Sis. Brown still gets around well, her mind is still sharp and her family appreciates the impact that she has made in their lives and in the lives of others.

Virginia Hulett was one of 19 children born to Eli Vaughn and Odell Vaughn on August 23, 1930 in Slayton, MS. She is affectionately known as “Granny”. She married Thomas Henry Hulett and they had seven children.

Sis. Hulett and some of her family were baptized in 1977 by Elder Joseph Jones. Granny has worked in many areas of the church. She has been an usher, sang in the choir and served in the Sabbath School. If special music was needed, she would often volunteer to sing. Granny was always willing to help any way that she could.

Sis. Virginia Hulett worked as an Intake Coordinator for a homeless shelter in the downtown area for a long time until the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted things. Even though she’s 92 years old, she said that she would continue to work there again if the shelter opened back up and they called her.

Her longest and perhaps most fulfilling work has been with the Prison Ministry team. Granny’s journey into prison ministry began when she, her daughter Mary Wilson, her sister Jerline Vaughn, and son-in-law Jerry Wilson worked with Elder Leo Tate and Elder Joseph Jones to give Bible studies to the inmates at the Shelby County Penal Farm. Over the years, Granny became a familiar face at the local correctional facilities. She wasn’t there to judge; she was there to offer love and hope. Over time, Granny was seen by the prisoners there as their own grandmother who loved them despite some of the bad choices that they had made.

Virginia ‘Granny’ Hulett continues to inspire all who come into contact with her. She also knows that her work is not finished yet.

Longview has gone through several changes, as the years have passed. The church had once been full of young families, bustling with the laughter of children and the energy of youth. But as the years have passed, some of the younger people have moved away, attend other churches or sadly have stopped attending church at all. Church attendance all over the United States has declined over the years. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, church attendance had been declining. The fact that most churches stream their services online has also been a factor.

However, Longview still has a good number of young people and children who not only attend but play a vital role in the mission of the church. God calls the young people because they have the strength and energy to work. They are willing to take risk and try new ideas. If it fails, they will try something else until it works. God is pleased with their fearless faith.

Nevertheless, Longview also has a good number of older people who have more years behind them than in front of them. God can still use them also. They can provide counsel and guidance because they have been on this Christian journey a long time. They have made mistakes and can give wisdom and warnings to the young people. If the Lord delays His coming, the younger people now will one day be the older generation in the church. God’s ideal plan is that the younger and older people work together to finish the assigned task of spreading the gospel.

Until the Lord comes, may Longview forever be a church full of “old people” who stand as a testament of God’s faithfulness and love.

They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Revelation 12:11

To encourage and uplift one another during these trying times, please send in testimonies you would like to share. Send them to theview685@gmail.com.

I would just like to give thanks to Almighty God for allowing me to see my life through his eyes! God is really in the blessing business. He’s blessed me with countless of hours with my mom. God’s grace and mercy Reigns again! My mom was Incarcerated when I was only five years old, Now she is out and has been out for five years and now I am 55 years old! God is Awesome!!! Now she is out and has been out for five years and now I am 55 years!!! all I can say is God‘s timing is not our timing, but his timing is always on time and it’s always the right time. Amen. I am so grateful and so graciously excited every day that God allows me to wake up. I’m excited about life and about what he’s going to do and is doing in our lives each and every day, I’ve learned how to appreciate the little things! Amen thank God and hallelujah!

WAIT I SAY ON THE LORD!!!

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The Citrullus lanatus or commonly called Watermelon is an amazing fruit that is known to be a juicy sweet treat on a hot summer day, but did you know this fruit that is 92% water does much more for your health than hydrate you? Watermelon is filled to the brim with nutrients and antioxidants that help provide many great health benefits for you.

Watermelon contains citrulline, an amino acid that reduces blood pressure and allow easier blood flow throughout the body by widening the arteries. Watermelon also brings a ton of antioxidants including lycopene, which gives the fruit its red color and helps fight free radicals in the body that may cause cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Lycopene along with cucurbitacin E have anticancer effects, help improve heart health by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, and reduce inflammation.

Watermelon is a wonderful fruit to eat or snack on, and worth adding to your diet.

The overall theme for Children’s Church this year is “Fruits of the Spirit”

Below are the dates/themes for each Month this year:

January 13th | Joy

February 10th | Love

March 9th | Faithfulness/ Resurrection

April 13th | Peace

May 11th | Gentleness/Mother’s Day

June | No Children’s Church Skip due to Camp Meeting

July 13th | Patience

August 10th | Self-Control/Back to School September 14th = Kindness

October 26th | “Fall 4 Jesus” Trunk Show November 9th = Goodness/Wrap-Up

December | No Children’s Church due to Children’s Day

The View would like to include all birthdays, anniversaries and special events in the church newsletter. Please send photos, videos and information to theview685@gmail.com.

Claude Jones, Jr.

Sabbath School Advisors

Brenda Cowan | Alicia Steele

Sabbath School Program Director

Micheal Cleveland

Sabbath Morning | 11:30 a.m. In-Person

Sabbath School Overtime 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Kindergarten | Ages 0-4 | Kristina Johnson

Primary | Ages 5-10 | Mary Tate | Alice Conley | Tammy Sims

Juniors | Tanya Elliott

Teen & Youth | Joseph Morris | Reggie Owens

Young Adults | 18+| Brian Johnson | Lanita Johnson

Adult Teachers | Herbert Brown, Jr. | Florine Jones | Gwen Simon | Sandra Johnson | Charlean Seay | Roger Turner | Claude Jones, Jr. | Brenda Cowan

Email: theview685@gmail.com

Website: https://longviewheightstn.adventistchurch.org/
Location: 685 East Mallory Avenue, Memphis, TN, USA
Phone: 901-774-5431

Sabbath Service 10:30 am

Sabbath School 11:30 am