Greetings Pastor Jon:
Thanks for keeping us up to date concerning your father’s health. Janice and I are deeply saddened at the passing of your dad. You know the providential circumstances that will not allow us to be there in person to speak about our friend. Being asked to speak at your dad’s home-going service is a great honor, and we deeply regret not being able to fulfill this request.
Our friendship with Wes and Miss Peggie goes back nearly 40 years. Without question, the Potter’s came to the Mid-Atlantic Conference at the right time. Coming to Baltimore placed him in our strongest missions-supporting church. Not long after Wesley arrived, he discovered a problem that not only affected his church but the whole conference. Wes’s leadership qualities were on full display as he quickly brought the problem to light and forged a solution that brought healing to the situation. It was no surprise to anyone that at the next conference Wesley was elected to the conference board on which we served together for the rest of his tenure in the conference.
Under his leadership, the Baltimore church experienced growth and soon it was obvious that a larger facility was needed. Wesley led in the sale of the old property and the purchase of a new site to be known as Kingsway Christian Center. The transition from the sale to the start of building on the new property was supposed to take one year. Three years later, with a dwindling congregation and with Baltimore County throwing every road block in the book at them, they were still stuck in a school auditorium. Wes asked me to speak to his church family on a Sunday night. There may have been 60 people present --a far cry form the nearly 300 he left the old building with-- and some of those wondered why they ever made such a bold move. Not so Brother Wesley. He never looked back and today the Kingsway church is one of the finest facilities in the Mid-Atlantic Conference. Leadership counts, and Wesley Potter had that in abundance.
It was no surprise when Wes was elected as Conference Bishop. Again under his leadership the conference experienced rapid growth. At first he continued to serve as Pastor at Kingsway as well as Conference Bishop for 8 years. Talk about spinning plates! Finally the needs of the conference were such that a pastor was elected for the church and Wesley served the remaining 6 years of his tenure as full-time Bishop. The MAC owes a great debt to the Potter’s for their 23 years of sacrificial service.
Wesley loved people and was generous with his time to make each person feel special. As I visited churches in the conference, I was always asked about the Potter’s.
The Potter’s treated us to many fellowship opportunities where pastoral couples could openly share the joys and challenges of ministry. We shared heart-to-heart and those meetings gave us courage to press on.
Brother Potter loved to laugh. He always had a story to tell. Sometimes the humor was at his own expense. He was preaching one Sunday and in his message he used the lines from the well-known song, “Home on the Range. When he got to the line, “Where the deer and the antelope play,” he said, “Where the deer and the cantaloupe play.” The congregation burst out laughing. He looked at Miss Peggie and asked, “Why are they laughing?” Miss Peggie said, “Wes it’s not where the cantaloupe play, it’s where the antelope play.” Wesley said, “That’s what I said-–where the deer and the cantaloupe play.” The people laughed again and Wesley pressed on.
There are way too many personal remembrances to recount-–Homecoming services, our 25th anniversary celebration with Janna singing our special song, revivals preached, camp meetings, IPHC meetings attended, family visits, phone visits after Wes stepped down as Bishop and moved back to SC and then on to Texas.
As you know Wesley struggled with his memory at the last, and we were not able to speak with him on the phone as before. Some weeks ago Miss Peggie called and told me Wesley wanted to speak to me. He took the phone but then had problems remembering what he wanted to tell me. Miss Peggie reminded him as she knew the reason he wanted to call. He said, “I love you, Wes.” I knew that but it was sweet to my ears to hear him say it.”
Now that Wesley has moved into the Father’s House, I know he’ll save me a place at the table and we’ll finish that conversation.
To the family, let me tell you what you already know so well. Wesley loved you with all his heart—it was a sacrificial love that kept on giving. As I say, I know you know that but I pray it will be not only a sweet sound to your ears but a healing balm to your grieving hearts.
"Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to Him Who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen" (Jude 24-25).
[Editor's comment: What a marvelous eulogy Bishop Wesley Russ has written about his treasured and trusted friend, Bishop Wesley Potter. I read ever word with great interest and confirm what Wesley Russ has said about Wesley Potter. Thank you Wesley for such a magnificent tribute to a great man, a genuine Christian, a Spirit-lead and anointed leader, and a friend to many. May God bless his memory and motivate us to give our very best to God and His people.]
Thanks for keeping us up to date concerning your father’s health. Janice and I are deeply saddened at the passing of your dad. You know the providential circumstances that will not allow us to be there in person to speak about our friend. Being asked to speak at your dad’s home-going service is a great honor, and we deeply regret not being able to fulfill this request.
Our friendship with Wes and Miss Peggie goes back nearly 40 years. Without question, the Potter’s came to the Mid-Atlantic Conference at the right time. Coming to Baltimore placed him in our strongest missions-supporting church. Not long after Wesley arrived, he discovered a problem that not only affected his church but the whole conference. Wes’s leadership qualities were on full display as he quickly brought the problem to light and forged a solution that brought healing to the situation. It was no surprise to anyone that at the next conference Wesley was elected to the conference board on which we served together for the rest of his tenure in the conference.
Under his leadership, the Baltimore church experienced growth and soon it was obvious that a larger facility was needed. Wesley led in the sale of the old property and the purchase of a new site to be known as Kingsway Christian Center. The transition from the sale to the start of building on the new property was supposed to take one year. Three years later, with a dwindling congregation and with Baltimore County throwing every road block in the book at them, they were still stuck in a school auditorium. Wes asked me to speak to his church family on a Sunday night. There may have been 60 people present --a far cry form the nearly 300 he left the old building with-- and some of those wondered why they ever made such a bold move. Not so Brother Wesley. He never looked back and today the Kingsway church is one of the finest facilities in the Mid-Atlantic Conference. Leadership counts, and Wesley Potter had that in abundance.
It was no surprise when Wes was elected as Conference Bishop. Again under his leadership the conference experienced rapid growth. At first he continued to serve as Pastor at Kingsway as well as Conference Bishop for 8 years. Talk about spinning plates! Finally the needs of the conference were such that a pastor was elected for the church and Wesley served the remaining 6 years of his tenure as full-time Bishop. The MAC owes a great debt to the Potter’s for their 23 years of sacrificial service.
Wesley loved people and was generous with his time to make each person feel special. As I visited churches in the conference, I was always asked about the Potter’s.
The Potter’s treated us to many fellowship opportunities where pastoral couples could openly share the joys and challenges of ministry. We shared heart-to-heart and those meetings gave us courage to press on.
Brother Potter loved to laugh. He always had a story to tell. Sometimes the humor was at his own expense. He was preaching one Sunday and in his message he used the lines from the well-known song, “Home on the Range. When he got to the line, “Where the deer and the antelope play,” he said, “Where the deer and the cantaloupe play.” The congregation burst out laughing. He looked at Miss Peggie and asked, “Why are they laughing?” Miss Peggie said, “Wes it’s not where the cantaloupe play, it’s where the antelope play.” Wesley said, “That’s what I said-–where the deer and the cantaloupe play.” The people laughed again and Wesley pressed on.
There are way too many personal remembrances to recount-–Homecoming services, our 25th anniversary celebration with Janna singing our special song, revivals preached, camp meetings, IPHC meetings attended, family visits, phone visits after Wes stepped down as Bishop and moved back to SC and then on to Texas.
As you know Wesley struggled with his memory at the last, and we were not able to speak with him on the phone as before. Some weeks ago Miss Peggie called and told me Wesley wanted to speak to me. He took the phone but then had problems remembering what he wanted to tell me. Miss Peggie reminded him as she knew the reason he wanted to call. He said, “I love you, Wes.” I knew that but it was sweet to my ears to hear him say it.”
Now that Wesley has moved into the Father’s House, I know he’ll save me a place at the table and we’ll finish that conversation.
To the family, let me tell you what you already know so well. Wesley loved you with all his heart—it was a sacrificial love that kept on giving. As I say, I know you know that but I pray it will be not only a sweet sound to your ears but a healing balm to your grieving hearts.
"Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to Him Who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen" (Jude 24-25).
[Editor's comment: What a marvelous eulogy Bishop Wesley Russ has written about his treasured and trusted friend, Bishop Wesley Potter. I read ever word with great interest and confirm what Wesley Russ has said about Wesley Potter. Thank you Wesley for such a magnificent tribute to a great man, a genuine Christian, a Spirit-lead and anointed leader, and a friend to many. May God bless his memory and motivate us to give our very best to God and His people.]