By SHELBA NIVENS / Community Columnist

Rodney and Monica Turner, children’s pastors at Chelsea Community Church, have resigned for a new direction of ministry. But the children’s ministry at CCC is still going strong under new leadership.

“They laid down a good foundation here,” said Lead Pastor Greg Davis. “When they came, they promised us a year, but stayed over three.”

During that time, the couple stayed part-time in a mobile home owned by the Chelsea church while Monica helped with the church daycare program and Rodney drove back and forth several times a week to their home and his work in Cullman.

“It was absolutely worth every mile traveled, every dollar spent and every life changed,” Rodney said.

He said they knew when Pastor Greg asked them to pray about coming until they were released by God to leave, that they had received a mandate from God to do whatever it took to see lives changed eternally in Chelsea, Alabama and communities around the area.

It’s been a wonderful, life-changing, learning, blessed and sometimes difficult time in their lives, Rodney said, but very rewarding as they saw God change the lives of so many families in the communities.

“Our main vision/ministry statement is ‘It’s better to prepare a child than to repair an adult.’”

Their calling and ministry is to grow the Kingdom of God by investing in the lives of children, families, schools and communities, he said. “Children are great investments to grow the Kingdom of God.”

Before coming to Chelsea, the Turners served three different times as missionaries to Uganda, Africa. They served several churches in the states as senior pastors, youth pastors, children’s pastors and praise and worship leaders.

Twelve children were in church on the Turners’ first Sunday at CCC. On May 22, their last Sunday, more than 100 kids attended Children’s Church. Under their ministry at Chelsea 100-150 kids accepted Christ at church or special events. If regular attendants at other churches, they were encouraged to tell their pastors and parents. Around 50 children were baptized at CCC.

Rev. Alan Higdon, former K-Springs Church of God pastor and now family life pastor at CCC, will serve as interim children’s pastor.

Kids Day Extreme will be Saturday, June 11, 4-9 p.m. for kids 5 to 11. It’s free and includes inflatables, waterslides, free food and more. Phone 678-9565.

Shelba Nivens can be reached by email at Shelbasn@juno.com.