Game Changers: The Conscious Culture 2019 Community Edition 45 Years of Community Servi | Page 23

For over 44 year s, Rev. Dr . Edw ar d W. Lee has
witnessed astonishing growth, as pastor of the
Shiloh Baptist Church and that is nothing short
of a miracle. With God?s guidance in 2006 Shiloh
successfully transitioned into a new 30,000 sq.
ft. edifice with a seating capacity of 1100 ? a big
jump from the 350-seat legendary church of
former days. For Shiloh, this feat was no small
task, but was made possible with a simple
vision: G.R.O.W.~ Grow the people, Reach our
destiny, Operate in our gifts and Win our
Community.
Rev. Lee was licensed to preach in March 1963 by
Shiloh?s former pastor, the late Reverend R. H.
Milner. He attended Inter-Denominational
Theological Center (Evening Classes) in Atlanta
(1962-64) and was ordained as a minister in
October 1964. He received a Bachelor of Arts
Degree from Morris Brown College in Atlanta
(June 1969) and received his Doctor of
Philosophy in Religion from North Carolina
College of Theology, Wilmington, N.C. (May 6,
2008).
As Pastor, Rev. Lee knew that in order for Shiloh
to grow in every way and reach the destiny that
God wanted for the church, he and his flock
needed to use their God-given spiritual and
natural gifts to win the community. In June
2016, the number of ministers, ordained and/or
licensed by Pastor Lee, increased from 13 to 19.
These ministers are generally referred to as
? sons and/or daughters of Shiloh?.
with multi-purpose space and plans for an Early
Childhood Development Center. The Family Life
Center now operates Shiloh?s Early Learning
Center and After School Program. During
Shiloh?s 147th Church Anniversary, in honor of
Rev. Lee, the Center was named the ? Rev. Dr. E. W.
& Betty A. Lee? Family Life Center.
Rev. Lee is blessed to be able to devote his life to
fulltime ministry. There was a time when he
worked a fulltime job while concurrently serving
as the pastor of Shiloh. He was the Executive
Director at the Campbellton YMCA before retiring
~ after 33 years of service (June 2002). He was
also blessed to have a room named there in his
honor.
Rev. Lee currently serves as a Chaplain for the
Henry County Police Department. He has served
as Chairman of the Henry County United Way
Advisory Board, President of the Henry County
Ministerial Alliance, past Board Chair as Director
of the New Era State Congress of Christian
Education and was a member of the Board of
Directors for Henry County Residential Housing.
As a result of his service in McDonough and
Shiloh?s long-standing as a beacon in the
community, former Mayor Richard Craig of
McDonough declared Sunday, April 3, 2005, as
? Reverend Edward W. Lee Day?. On March 21, 2014
he was awarded the Carrie Mae Hambrick
Community Service Award by Henry County?s
NAACP. He has also been featured in the ?We Are
Henry? Magazine?, ?The Southern Journal?, ?The On
Common Ground News?. In addition, Rev. Lee was
named ?Chaplain of the Year? for 2016 by the Henry
County Police Department.
Being passionate about bringing the next stage
of Shiloh?s growth to fruition, he was
instrumental in the congregation?s commitment
Rev. Lee has been married for 51 years to his
to a three-year journey called ? BLESS? which
allowed fundraising to construct a 33,000-sq. ft. dynamic wife and soul mate, Betty. They were
blessed with two sons, Ted (Melba) and Eric (Meik)
Family Life Center. At the end of the BLESS
and five grandchildren; Eric, Elizabeth, Emanuel,
Campaign which ended May 2013, Rev. Lee
spear-headed Shiloh in launching an additional Endia and Ellis.
two-year Stewardship HARVEST Campaign. On
November 30, 2014 Rev. Lee spearheaded the
Groundbreaking Ceremony for this new Center
and on August 21, 2016 the Family Life Center
officially opened for occupancy with
multi-purpose space and plans for an Early
Childhood Development Center. The Family Life
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