Published: April 25, 2009 05:15 pm      

Green left lasting legacy

Death of beloved pastor stuns community

DUNCAN — The death Thursday evening of the Rev. Jimmy Green has stunned and saddened the Duncan community.

Green, 59, succumbed to injuries sustained shortly after noon Tuesday in a motorcycle accident on U.S. Highway 81 near Seminole Road. He and his family had been in the thoughts and prayers of many Duncan area residents since the accident. Green was the much-loved pastor of City Heights Baptist Church since 1992, and the church had held prayer vigils for three days for him.

“He was really a pastor,” said Charlotte Phillips, church treasurer. “He touched the life of every member of the church. There’s been such an outpouring at the church. You can’t imagine the testimonies we’ve had about him. I never understood how he had the time or energy to do what he did, not only for the church, but for people throughout the community.

“He was very, very special to me, and we’re sure going to miss him a lot.”

Phillips had just seen Green at a funeral Tuesday morning.

“He was real excited. He told us he was going to go home and change clothes and then go to Henrietta, Texas, to pick up a new motorbike,” she said.

She was stunned when she got a phone call shortly after she got home telling her about the accident.

Ironically, Green’s last Sunday morning sermon at City Heights was “My Epitaph Will Say?” from John 19:30, in which he talked about what a person would be remembered for, Phillips said.

“As sad as we are, we know something good will come out of this. The Lord knows why this happened. We may never know what, but God knows what He’s doing.”

Lynn Parr, who plays piano at City Heights, said, “Jimmy was everybody’s friend. There was no pretense to him. He met people where they were at.

“I always teasing him, telling him that he lied to me. He had asked me to play piano for the church for a couple of weeks until he could find somebody else. That was four or five years ago,” Parr said, his voice breaking with emotion, “and I’m still there.”

Ed Flinner, music director at the church, could not find enough words to describe Green’s impact on himself, the church and the community.

“What can I say? He was my best friend. When we first came to town, he welcomed us with open arms. I was going through some bad problems, and he helped me work through them. Jimmy’s been the rock in my life since 1993.

“He’s the best spiritual witness you could ever find. He really cared deeply for people. It’s amazing the number of lives he touched in this community alone, and he pastored in other places, too. He’s touched hundreds, if not thousands, of lives. The effect he had on people’s lives was amazing.

“He never met a stranger. He loved people unconditionally.

“I’d love to be just like him. He’s the best friend I ever had.”

Flinner, as a musician, and Green, as a minister, complemented each other, he said. They often went to conventions together and, of course, shared a ministry at City Heights for many years.

“You don’t meet people like him every day. He was definitely one of a kind. Phenomenal,” Flinner said.

Flinner recalls that Green surrendered to preach at Immanuel Baptist Church, when Dan Pruitt was pastor there.

“That was about 30 years ago. It didn’t come easy. Jimmy fought the Lord. He was quite a rounder in his early days. That’s how he reached many people in his ministry. When he talked to people about drugs and alcohol and other problems, he could say, ‘I’ve been there, done that. You don’t have to be perfect to accept the Lord, just be willing.’

“Jimmy was certainly a unique man and very much loved in the community. There’ll never be another like him. There’s not enough good that can be said about him,” Flinner said.

In addition to his ministry at City Heights, Green had served at Rexroat Baptist Church in Wilson, and at Grace Baptist Church and Lakeside Baptist Church in Duncan. He was also active in Gideons International and touched many lives through that organization.

Although it has been years since Green pastored at Lakeside, a man who had been a member of the church there at the time called The Banner Friday morning to say he just wanted to tell people what a wonderful man and a wonderful pastor Green had been, and how much Green had meant in his life.

“It doesn’t matter who I am, I just wanted to say what a blessing Jimmy Green was to the world,” the caller said.

Green’s funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Immanuel Baptist Church. The family will receive visitors from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at Don Grantham Funeral Home.