Calvary Baptist Church founder Fred Powers passes away

Calvary Missionary Baptist Church founder Fred Powers was a man dedicated to God, so much so that more than 20 years ago he gave up a high-paying day job so that he could continue pastoring a church.

At the time, Powers was pastor at Watson Chapel and was serving as the assistant manager at Belks in Corbin. When the store decided to start opening on Sundays, it was going to require Powers to quit his job as pastor because he was going to be required to open and close and Sundays, his son, Rob Powers recalled.

“He walked away from a really high paying, stable job to continue pastoring. He never regretted it,” the younger Powers noted. “The Lord blessed him over the years. We never went without anything. He was proud of the fact that God had supplied our needs and he felt like because he stepped out on faith that God would continue to do that and he did.”

Fred Powers, 65, of Williamsburg, passed away Sunday at Hospice Compassionate Care Center in Richmond.

Rob Powers said about 30 of his father’s closest family members and church family had gathered to say goodbye and tell his father what he had meant to them Sunday. In the end it was a very peaceful passing.

“He was just a huge influence on so many people here in Whitley County,” Rob Powers said. “We are definitely going to feel the loss here at our church and in our family.”

One of Fred Powers many accomplishments in life was being a founding member of the gospel music group, “The Heavenly Heirs.”

In August 1992, he felt lead by the Holy Spirit and founded Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in his childhood neighborhood, according to his obituary. He continued serving there as pastor until his death Sunday.

“He kept his church number one in his life,” said long-time friend Mike Lawson, who lived with Powers for several years while he was in high school. “He was like a dad to me.”

Lawson said that Powers would have been humbled by the outpouring of support that people have shown since his death but that he would probably have been upset by all the fuss.

“He would want all the glory to go to the Lord,” Lawson added.

Visitation will be after 6 p.m. Wednesday at the church. Powers will lie in state at the church until the funeral, which is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday at the church.

Rev. James Hodge and Rev. Rob Powers will be officiating.

Following the service he will be laid to rest in the Ellison Addition of Highland Park Cemetery.

Ellison Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

For complete obituary information, see page B-5 in this week’s edition of the News Journal.