Long-time GCI pastor Bill Ford retired in June from GCI employment. Bill and his wife Harriet moved from Cleveland, Ohio, to New England in 1993, where Bill served as a pastor, most recently in the Holden and Waltham, Massachusetts, congregations. Bill and Harriet moved back to Cleveland to be near family (some of them are pictured below—Bill is third from left behind the couch; Harriet is third from right on the couch). The family in the Cleveland area includes eight grandchildren (a ninth lives in Las Vegas). Bill quipped, “We’re back where we started, a little beat up, but still kickin’!”
Bill has been replaced as senior pastor in the two Massachusetts congregations by Dishon Mills. In recent years, Dishon and his wife Afrika (pictured at right) have been working to start a new GCI church in the Boston area. Now their focus will be pastoring the Holden and Waltham congregations. Those who were part of the Randolph church plant will join the Waltham congregation as they look toward future church-planting opportunities. Dishon will also continue as the director of GenMin’s New Heights Camp located in Connecticut.
Congratulations (and thanks) to Bill and Harriet and Dishon and Afrika.
Blessings & Congratulations!
Think of you often since our meeting in CA at the Pastoral Training. Love, appreciation & prayers are continually with you.
Congratulations and many blessings from your old friends in NYC
God’s blessing on you and Harriet upon your retirement, Bill. We will miss you.
God’s blessing on you, Dishon and Afrika, on the new assignment. We know you will do well.
Dave and Hinka
Bill, we go back a long way…. all the way to high school in Mississippi…. I remember your trek through life from high school to Mississippi State to the Marines to AC in Big Sandy and onward… you and Harriet have set a wonderful example as a couple… May the two of you have the best God has to offer…. I don’t know if you know, but I recently performed the funeral for our friend OK Batte and he was buried here in Big Sandy. If you have the opportunity come join with your high school class for a get together… they meet every month in Jackson…. you would really enjoy seeing old friends from over 50 years ago…. Take care…. sonny and jane