Pastor J.C. Stokes said the construction of a fellowship hall at St. John Missionary Baptist Church was the culmination of God’s promise and his own call to serve.
After taking the pulpit at St. John, Stokes said God laid upon his heart the desire to construct a new building for the church. He answered the call by offering to donate his own land on Highway 51 to build a new church, however, he said that wasn’t the solution God had in mind.
The current church, built in 1987 on Eskridge Road, was not large enough to hold fellowship activities, and the church’s kitchen wasn’t adequate for the church’s needs.
The church approached the owner of property adjacent to the church, and the owner graciously donated six acres of land to construct a new fellowship hall. Church members stepped up and offered their various talents in the construction, donated funds, and offered support in various other ways.
On February 9, 2019, the congregation of St. John dedicated its new fellowship hall with a ribbon cutting and Black History dinner in the new building.
“Many years ago, God gave me a mandate,” Stokes said. “His command was to ‘build a building.’ However, this building would not be one of bricks and mortar, wood or nail. The building He spoke of consists of flesh and bone, heart and spirit. I have come to understand God’s intent for me and how He wants this to unfold in Carroll County Mississippi, within our community. My vision is one of unity. My desire is to unify the Christian community in this area so that our many hands working together will be able to accomplish far more than any one group can separately. Together, we can overcome the issues that have plagued our community for far too long. We can impact the lives and families of our community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Stokes said he realized God’s will at work in the construction of the fellowship hall. In fact, the building was constructed debt-free.
“The Lord allowed us to build the building with more in the treasury then when we began,” Stokes said. “We are standing on the promise God made.”
Stokes praised the leadership of the Building Committee, particularly the leadership of Deacon Charlie Tyson, who Stokes called the “architect of the interior” of the hall.
“After the outside of the [fellowship hall] was erected, Deacon Tyson said he would do the frame up,” Stokes said. “He made sure everything was done proper, and he never asked for a dime. He saved the church thousands of dollars.”
Stokes said Tyson’s health limited some manual labor required during the construction of the hall, but he managed everything from a rolling chair and the help of dedicated volunteers.
“He only received love,” Stokes said of Tyson. “He never grumbled. I never saw him upset. He took care of God’s business. He wanted to save the church.”
Stokes said even before he had presented the idea of building a fellowship hall to the congregation, he and Tyson were united on the idea.
“I will always call him my brother,” Stokes said.
The dedication of the new fellowship hall was met with celebration from the congregation, family, and friends of the church.
“We had food – all the good old fashioned food,” said wife Lurean Stokes. “It was really good. We had a full house, people were standing.”
For Stokes, the dedication of the fellowship hall at St. John was another chapter in the work he was called by God to do many years ago.
Stokes was born in Coila to John Henry and Mary Stokes, the fourth of five children of the couple. He grew up on his parent’s farm.
“Growing up, we had 27 head of cows, hogs, chickens, horses, a couple of mules,” he said. “We used our land. We planted corn, peas, and had an orchard with apples and plums. My mother had a big garden, and she didn’t allow any animals in the garden. We kids moved the plow. We opened the garden for everyone in the community.”
After graduating from Marshall High School in 1966, he joined the U.S. Air Force and served 14 years, including active duty in Vietnam. He received three Air Force accommodation medals during his service.
After he was discharged from the Air Force, Stokes opened Stokes Auto, a successful auto repair, sales and lease business in Leavenworth, Kansas. Lurean Stokes went back to school where she used her education to pursue a career in healthcare. She retired from Greenwood Leflore Hospital as a patient advocate in the admissions office.
“I got to know all the patients,” Lurean Stokes said.
The Stokes were always active in their church. In fact, the couple, who was married 53 years this month, met at church when they were children.
“I was called into the ministry in 1979,” Stokes said. “I knew I was called, but I didn’t receive it. I didn’t think it was right, so God made me a deacon for 24 years.”
Stokes attended Bethel Bible School in Leavenworth and was ordained and served as a deacon for Independent Missionary Baptist Church of Leavenworth.
“When I opened my business in 1980, I told the Lord if he made the business successful, I’d give back, and I think that is why it flourished,” Stokes said.
Stokes said his years serving as a deacon helped train him for his role as pastor.
“I preached as a deacon, did funerals, weddings,” Stokes said. “The Lord allowed me to do pastoral work as a deacon. [A pastor and a deacon] are the same, but one is called by God, and the other is called by the people. He prepared me to be pastor.”
Stokes said he was always strong in his faith. He drove the church van for 22 years, and he learned how to take care of those in his congregation.
“I thought it was enough,” Stokes said.
However, Stokes said God had bigger plans for him.
He remembered lying in bed one night, and hearing someone call his name.
“I said, ‘Here I come,’ but there was no one there.”
A month later, he once again heard someone call his name.
“I said, ‘Here I come,’” Stokes said. “But there was no one there. My wife asked me who it was, and I said no one was there. She said, ‘You know who it is.’”
Stokes said he became emotional, and accepted the call. Then laid down to sleep.
“It was the best night of sleep I’ve ever had,” Stokes said.
The next morning, when he opened the Bible to read, he saw God’s word with a new understanding.
“God had opened up the scriptures, and I could understand,” Stokes said. “From that day, I became very comfortable at that point. My calling was real. I love God’s people. It’s not how much you know, it’s how much you love.”
After 37 years away, the Stokes returned home to Carroll County. It was there where Stokes answered his call to ministry, preaching his first sermon at Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Coila and was later licensed and ordained.
In 2006, Stokes was called to serve as interim pastor at Winona Baptist Church, where he stayed for nearly two years. Then he took the pulpit at Hayes Creek Missionary Baptist Church, where he served until he was led to St. John.
“I feel grateful that the Lord allowed me to do all that he allowed me to do,” Stokes said. “I don’t need a lot of things, just love and life.”
Since taking the pulpit at St. John seven years ago, Stokes has taken the ministry outside the walls of the church, he started the Open Bowl Soup Ministry in 2012. The ministry’s purpose is to “spread warmth and love by delivering soup for the soul as well,” Stokes said. It serves Carroll, Montgomery, Holmes, and Grenada County.
“While this ministry brings food to the hungry, it more importantly brings God’s love and word to the people with in their homes,” Stokes said.
At first, the ministry included visiting 85 homes monthly. Eventually, the ministry expanded, and through a collaboration with North Carrollton United Methodist Church, they are ministering to 125 to 140 households each month.
Stokes is also active in the community in other ways, serving as co-chairman of the Pelucia Rural Water Association, chairman of North Central Planning and Development District Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council, and also chaplain for Veterans helping Veterans of Carroll County.
When the Stokes returned to Carroll County, they moved into the house he grew up in. They completely renovated the house and added an additional 1600 square feet to it. They needed room for their growing family.
The Stokes are the proud parents of four children.
Aleshia Stokes Williams is a Senior Chief Equipment Operator with the U.S. Navy, now in her 26th year of service. Stationed in Gulf Port, Williams was the first African American female to serve as a senior chief equipment operator at her paygrade.
Daughter Neryl Williams followed her mother’s footsteps into the field of medicine. She is an ultra sound technician in San Antonio. Her husband, James, is the pastor of a church for the deaf and delivers his sermons in sign language. Neryl interprets for him.
Daughter Sharon Stokes Ralls lives in Warner Robbins, Ga., and is an entrepreneur – owning a skating rink, planning weddings, and managing rental properties.
The only son, Marlon D. Stokes lives in Sierra Vista, Arizona, where he is a gospel recording artist and producers, and he also teaches music workshops in Japan and around the United States.
The Stokes have 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
“I thank [God] for keeping me and my family most of all,” Stokes said.
