It is with a great deal of personal pride and pleasure that I introduce you to the recipient of the Hugh's News annual person of the year award for 2009. I have kept you in suspense long enough by waiting until now to reveal her name. It's hard to realize the month of February 2010 has almost come and gone. So, now is the ideal time to make this grand announcement. I wanted to make it after we had our new website and newsletter format.
Once again I have chosen an outstanding Christian lady in the International Pentecostal Holiness Church for this prestigious award--the highest honor I can give to anyone from my electronic news media nonprofit corporation serving IPHC ministries and the body of Christ worldwide.
I would call her a "Blue Laced Pentecostal." That is a term I learned when I was the pastor of my home church in Birmingham, Alabama, from an erudite high school English teacher in my congregation. One day when talking with her she told me that my secretary was a "Blue Laced Presbyterian." I had never heard that term before, and I asked her what it meant. She said, "It means the best, finest, a refined person, and the most outstanding representative of that denomination."
When you read the tribute to this great Christian lady who is a dedicated and loyal member of the Pentecostal Holiness Church you will clearly see why I chose her.
She knows the pain of grief in losing the love of her life through her husband's death. She was a loving and devoted wife, and shared with him in leadership in the church, as well as in their business ventures that proved to be successful. Their practice of tithing and giving is remarkable and so refreshing, as well as inspirational to all who will hear her story of trusting God as their Source of every good and perfect gift. Their faith enabled them to give to World Missions and Evangelism on a scale that is noteworthy.
She is an exceptional mother and grandmother as well as a wonderful mother-in-law.
She comes from a well-known IPHC family that had all girls. She is third in the birth order of these beautiful and talented girls. Her family heritage is outstanding and you will be able to see how God worked in the lives of her grandparents to bring them to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and into the fullness of the Holy Spirit. You'll learn about God raising her sister from death, and how this family believes in miracles.
Her involvement in the church in various roles of leadership will amaze you as you discover how God led her step by step as she gave her all to Him. Her ministry and influence have not been confined within the four walls of her local church or even our denomination. She has ministered in other churches as a Bible teacher, as well as ministering to one of the top collegiate basketball teams in the nation.
The interest she has in Christian higher education and giving to provide scholarships for youth is phenomenal. She has made a mark on the entire IPHC. Her husband also made his mark. If fact, there is a conference board room at the Global Ministry Center in Bethany, OK, named for him.
Her father and mother have served this church well in many leadership roles. Their influence upon Southwestern College (now Southwestern Christian University) and Oral Roberts University is noteworthy.
Because of their faith and carrying out sound Christian principles in business she and her late husband were successful in the moving and storage business that has blessed countless thousands of people. In fact they became partners in America's largest moving company, United Van Lines--providing fast, affordable moving services for personal moves or corporate relocation. You will see they firmly believed in the free enterprise system. They offered the best moving services of any company in the nation. Their treatment of employees with dignity and benefits for their faithful and loyal service has been a hallmark of their companies.
She is a great American and a Patriot with Christian beliefs and high moral values. She supports our military chaplains and the young men and women now serving in the armed forces of this great nation. She gave substantially to help me establish a scholarship endowment fund to provide scholarships for future military chaplains at Southwestern Christian University. She supports Chaplain Ministries, IPHC with her prayers and financial support as well as Hugh's News, Inc.
She is a member of the Board of Regents for Southwestern Christian University. She is a member of Christian Heritage Pentecostal Holiness Church in Memphis, TN.
Most all, she is a prayer warrior and an intercessor. I would never hesitate to ask her to pray for any request I might have for my family or my ministry.
Now, let me tell you the story about this lady who has been chosen for the 2009 Hugh's News Woman of the Year:
When I asked her about her accomplishments and areas of involvement for this article, Elaine Springer found it difficult to accommodate that request. She wanted to make it plain that she took no personal glory in anything she and her family have achieved, but is grateful to God and feels it a privilege that He has allowed her to be used for His glory.
Elaine's Biological Family
Evelyn Elaine Irvin Springer, widow of Clyde Howard Springer and daughter of the Rev. Mr. Thomas D. and Mildred Irvin, was born February 13, l933, in Memphis, Tennessee. Elaine was third of four sisters: Joy Irvin Watson (deceased, Mrs. James L.), Carolyn A. Irvin, and Pat Irvin Almond (Mrs. W. R.). Joy nicknamed her Deedee when she was a baby, so most of her church friends know her as Deedee or Elaine.
Elaine's Spiritual Family
Elaine has a rich spiritual family heritage which has continued to bless those through following generations. Her parents, grandparents and husband had a great influence on her. Her paternal grandmother's knees were calloused from praying. The other was her beginner class Sunday school teacher. Both of her maternal grandparents had come out of the Christian Scientist Church after being saved in an early Pentecostal Holiness tent revival.
Elaine's Church Family
Like many Pentecostal Holiness families of the day Elaine's family was at church "every time the doors opened" even when revivals lasted from two to five or six weeks! Knowing some of the background of her family helps to understand who she is today. She considers herself to be blessed by these family members, her pastors, and church leaders. She also credits her husband Clyde as being a tremendous blessing and influence in her life as they worked together for the Lord, and as they raised their family.
Her Father felt called of God to provide financial assistance to Pastors
An ordained minister in the Tri-State Conference (Tennessee, Mississippi, and Missouri), her father, starting as a young man, served as Conference Secretary-Treasurer for about forty years. As a businessman he also felt God had called him to be a financial adviser to help those who needed assistance as pastors, churches, or conferences back in the early days when that kind of help was not always available to many. As a young girl Elaine heard the General Treasurer of the Pentecostal Holiness Church and her father talking and voicing concerns about this matter and working to overcome it.
Earlier as a teen her father was church janitor, cleaning, opening and closing the church and "starting the fire." She also heard him tell how he met the Rev. Mr. L. R. Graham at the streetcar line when he came to Memphis to pastor their church for nineteen years. Brother Graham later performed the marriage ceremony for her parents.
A Miracle that raised Elaine’s Sister from the Dead
As Elaine’s sister Carolyn was dying of pneumonia at the age of two, her father rushed home to be with the family. He prayed for God to spare her life. After the prayer of parents and Brother Graham, their pastor, Carolyn miraculously came back to life. Elaine’s father and mother testified throughout their lives about this miracle.
Getting to Know Church Leaders and the People
Her father was the youngest deacon at the time at the First Pentecostal Holiness Church in Memphis until he was called to preach. He also served as Conference P. H. Y. S. (Pentecostal Holiness Youth Society) President. Twice a year the family of six would go to every conference church for him to preach and promote youth. Elaine and her sisters got to know many of the pastors during that period, as well during annual conferences and camp meetings. With their parents they also were privileged to know and enjoy fellowship with many visiting bishops, church leaders and evangelists who held revivals or presided at conferences.
A Correlation between Tithing and Success in Business
Working together, her father and mother started Bluff City Transfer and Storage Company, a founding agent of Atlas Van Lines, where he served as one of three trustees who ran the parent company. When they started the local company, her parents promised God that they would tithe twenty percent of their income, which they did the rest of their lives. The Irvin girls grew up in a Christian home where they were taught that God and the Bible were the foundation of their lives.
Elaine's father's involvement with Southwestern College and Oral Roberts University
Her father was asked to serve on the relatively new Southwestern Bible College Board to replace Oral Roberts when he resigned to enlarge his calling from God. Her father had a heart for the school and served on that board over thirty years with a number of years as chairman of the board. Later Oral selected him to be a Charter Regent on the ORU board when the university was started where her father served until retirement as Regent Emeritus.
The Family’s Involvement in Ministry in the Church
Her parents left a legacy of serving in the secretary-treasurer capacity and other areas, financial and otherwise. Elaine's mother filled that position in the local church for thirty to thirty-five years. After the death of their mother, her sister Pat Almond served likewise for five years (as well as Conference Women’s Ministries President for eight years, Sunday school teacher, and current church organist from age thirteen for over sixty years). Later Pat's husband, W. R. Almond, has served as local treasurer for nine years, as well as deacon for eight years, as building committee member. Elaine's father, husband Clyde and W. R. have all been used by God to secure financing for numerous local and conference projects and building programs.
Elaine was saved at the Age of Eight
Third generation Pentecostal Holiness on both paternal and maternal sides, Elaine has grandchildren who are fifth generation IPHC (International Pentecostal Holiness Church). Fourth generation Spirit-filled, she has grandchildren who are sixth generation Spirit-filled on both sides. Under the ministry of Pastor Bert Parmer Elaine was saved at the age of eight at Memphis First Pentecostal Holiness Church. Fifty-three years ago during a revival preached by the Rev. Mr. Otis Hopkins, brother of Pastor Paul Hopkins, she and her husband, Clyde, joined the church she had attended all her life, which had now moved and become the Lamar Avenue Pentecostal Holiness Church. This decision caused his parents and three of his family members to come to the altar and be saved, an answer to prayers of his grandmother and the church family.
Clyde and Elaine’s Ministry to the Church
Clyde and Elaine served in various areas of the local church through the years. He was deacon, superintendent of the Sunday school, teacher of junior boys, building committee chairman, delegate to Tri-State and General Conferences. He served on General Conference committees, boards, and the Bishop's Council. He worked with the late Bill Mash and others on the committee that restored the old Catholic building into the current headquarters building (now called GMC—Global Ministry Center), as well as helping to raise finances for it. Clyde and Elaine were impressed by God to make a donation for the board room renovation and furnishings. In many things they worked together, with her as a prayer support and confidant and adviser in the background.
Elaine developed the Gift of Teaching
Elaine started teaching in the First Pentecostal Holiness Church as a very young girl under the mentorship of Mrs. Roy E. Johndrow, the former Mae Greer from Holmes Bible College. Her first assignment was giving the missions Bible story for the vacation Bible school assembly; she was later asked by her to teach the two-year-old nursery class. Advancing through the years from children to teens and then to adults, she later began to teach in numerous homes through the years to ladies of different denominations who were hungry for the Word. Many who knew only about salvation received the baptism with the Holy Spirit after these classes! Students were hungry to hear about that and the need to be sanctified first, divine healing and second coming! She taught the “Pentecostal Holiness Focus on Doctrine” in an Episcopal church for months before Lent. The minister allowed her to pray with a lady in the chapel there to receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit. She also taught in another Episcopal and a Lutheran church at their invitation. She taught Sunday school, and Wednesday night classes through the years in her own church, now renamed Christian Heritage. An end-time study has often been requested for the Wednesday night class, and she responded to the challenge.
Elaine’s Roles of Leadership in the Church
During the years Elaine sang in the choir, was local Lifeliner (youth) director, Conference Lifeliner Secretary-Treasurer, local charter Young Woman's Auxiliary President under mentor Lila Isaac, who made a lasting impression on her for her wisdom and spiritual sensitivity. She also served as Women’s Ministries secretary-treasurer, VBS director, delegate to Tri-State and General Conferences, and member of first General Home and Family Life Board under the Bunkleys (Karl and Lois). Another important event in her life was going to the Holy Land with her husband and parents in 1963 on a trip led by master Bible teacher and historian the Rev. Dr. R. O. Corvin. He took willing participants to numerous extra places by starting sometimes at 6 a. m. and going sometimes to 9 or 10 p. m. so that so much more was covered than was scheduled in twenty-one days!
Clyde and Elaine’s Two Daughters and their Spouses
Clyde and Elaine met in church. They were married for almost forty-eight years when he went to be with the Lord on April 13, 1999, at the age of sixty-eight. After God, each one was the love of the other's life, and the children and grandchildren were the joy of their lives! Their marriage was blessed by two daughters, Karen Elaine Springer Fields Isaacman (Dr. Ken) and Lauren Leigh Springer Pickens (Mark S., Sr.), all of the Memphis area.
The Legacy of Leadership at Southwestern Christian University
Another part of the Irvin legacy concerns Southwestern Christian University. As mentioned earlier, Elaine's father, Thomas D. Irvin, not only served on the board but was Board Chairman for a number of years starting his first term under first President R. O. Corvin. Her husband Clyde served many years on that board in the next generation and was followed by Lauren's husband Mark in the following generation who also served as Chairman. Currently Elaine is serving on the Board of Regents under President Ed Huckeby.
The Joy of Giving
Still another part of the legacy has been the honor of tithing and giving offerings taught Elaine by her parents. Clyde's parents also tithed, even before they became Christians because of the teaching of his mother, a praying Pentecostal Holiness widow, so it was not hard for Clyde to join with Elaine to do so when she told him how important it was to her before they married. The Joy of Giving cannot be told enough. Even when Clyde was attending the University of Memphis and working part-time and Elaine was working, they tithed what little they had and gave what offerings they could give.
Clyde and Elaine's giving to support Christian Higher Education
The Springers were also responsible for establishing a student scholarship fund at Southwestern during the Rev. Dr. Ronald Q. Moore's tenure as president. They have been generous supporters of Southwestern Christian University. Additionally, they have given to Emmanuel College's President's Council every year for a number of years, a practice Elaine continues.
Interest and Involvement in World Missions
Other areas, such as missions, have been close to the heart of all this family. Clyde and Elaine have supported monthly through Christian Heritage Church four missionary families and have helped other missionaries and causes as well. They have also been generous supporters of Jim Eby's Mission Catalyst. Because of their involvement, mission fields across the globe have been blessed. The Springer family has been responsible for churches, schools, orphanages, medical clinics and wells in countries such as the Ukraine, Colombia, Peru, Pakistan and Sudan. Elaine has been a very prominent supporter of Hope4Sudan, a project headed up by her daughter, Lauren, that builds compounds with churches, schools, medical clinics and deep water wells in war torn Sudan.
Honoring God and Hard Work—A Key to Success in the Business World
Outside of church and family Clyde and Elaine were active in business and community. After learning the moving and storage business from Thomas Irvin, his sons-in-law James Watson (Joy Irvin) and Clyde Springer (Elaine Irvin) had the opportunity to buy a small United Van Lines stockholder agency, Armstrong Moving and Storage. It operated in a rented office and warehouse and had a tractor-trailer and a small truck and two employees. When interviewed by the board of directors of the parent company, they were asked their goal if approved. They replied that they would like to become United's #1 household goods mover.
Although these men told them later that they laughed at them and their goal, with God's help they achieved that goal and have been in second or third place when not in first for many years. (United went from fourth largest van line in nation to first.) Currently called Armstrong Relocation, the company has grown from one agency to over thirty across the nation. They prayed and sought out good people to manage each agency and made them partners with percentages of profits so that they watched expenses and made profits. When asked key to their success, Clyde and Elaine always answered, "Honoring God and Hard Work!" Clyde later became a member of that board for many years and was International Treasurer for many years before he died.
Following the footsteps of Thomas Irvin, he also became President of the Memphis and Shelby County Movers' Association, and the Tennessee Movers' Association. He also served as a director on the board of the industry wide American Movers' Association. Another honor was serving as Chairman of the Board of the Better Business Bureau of Memphis.
Involvement in Civic and Charitable Organizations
Clyde and Elaine were very active in civic and charitable organizations through the years. In Whitehaven (suburb of Memphis) Jaycees he was President and the Outstanding Young Man of the Year. In Jaycettes Elaine was the Charter President and the club won Outstanding New Club of the Year award. They were Chairman of Judges and Chaperones for Junior Miss and Miss Whitehaven. They chaired the Heart Fund drive and polio oral vaccine project. Clyde was President of the Sertoma Club and served on boards of Teen Challenge, Campus Life, and Recreational Services for Handicapped, Inc. She is currently on the board of the Forest Hill Civic Club.
Enjoyment of College Football and Basketball
They both enjoyed college football and basketball games and entertained business customers at dinner and games as a "clean" form of entertainment. They began to support the University of Memphis and became involved in projects and became donors for good related causes.
They traveled extensively, some for business, and some for family vacations. They took a humanitarian trip to the Ukraine with Dwain and Janet Griffin and many University of Memphis Tiger game trips.
Elaine Honored by the Athletic Department of the University of Memphis
Last school year of 2008 and 2009 Elaine was honored in September 2008 with the C. C. Humphreys Golden Tiger Award, given by the Athletic Department to supporter at the University of Memphis Hall of Fame induction. In March 2009 the basketball coaches and team named her #1 Tiger Fan at the basketball awards banquet, an award that had not been given in recent years. This was the first time ever that both of these honors were given to one person. God has opened areas of ministry through her friends in this area.
Elaine was allowed to fly with the coaches and players on the team plane in recent years. Although she has been a grandma for over twenty years, she became a great grandma for the first time in January 2008. The first time she got back from Oklahoma from this birth, the travel planner for the team, whom Elaine had known for years, began to call her "Grandma" and told the coaches and players to do so. Since that time she has been "Grandma" to them. Even the ones who are now playing professionally call her that.
Recently on her birthday she flew with the team to the University of Tulsa game, which they won. On the radio interview afterward with the coach and the emcee, the player of the week wished her a happy seventy-seventh birthday and dedicated the win to her.
Elaine's Gratitude for God's Abundant Blessings
Elaine Springer is thankful and grateful to God for the abundant blessings He has bestowed on her life, the rich heritage of her family, and the blessings on generations of children and grandchildren that follow her.
One thing is for certain, Elaine makes it clear that whenever any accomplishments and various honors she has received are mentioned, she will be the first to tell everyone that she takes no credit in anything herself, but wants all glory to go to God.
Editor's Closing Comment
What a joy it has been for me to work with Elaine (Deedee) Springer on this project. I knew early on in the year of 2009 that she would be the 2009 Hugh’s News Woman of the Year.
Elaine (Deedee) is an articulate speaker and a talented writer. Most of all, she is a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, a disciple, and a committed and loyal member of the church. She is a God-fearing woman who has used her resources and talents for the Glory of God and His Kingdom.
I trust that you will get to know Evelyn Elaine Irvin Springer whom I call Deedee. She is indeed a friend for all seasons. She is also “a Blue Laced Pentecostal.”
Will you receive the Benediction?
Proverbs 31:30-31
" . . . a woman who fears and reverences God shall be greatly praised. Praise her for the many fine things she does. These good deeds of hers shall bring her honor and recognition from people of importance.
TLB
Your friend in all seasons,
Hugh
Holmes Morgan
The Reverend Dr. Hugh H. Morgan
Chaplain, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF Retired
Director of Chaplains Ministries, IPHC
Vice Chairman, NAE Commission on Chaplains
CEO, Founder, President, Editor of Hugh's News & Commentary
President, Hugh Holmes Morgan Education Scholarship Fund, Inc.
You may write Hugh at his e-mail address: hugh@hughsnews.com
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