ALMA – The health and commitment of any relationship is not as apparent in the easy times as in the rough times. That truism was most recently lived out on the local church level in South Georgia in the ministry relationship between longtime pastor Roger Taylor and the congregation of Satilla Baptist Church.

Taylor, a picture of health, was elected moderator of the Consolation Baptist Association in the fall of 2007. But by the following September 2008 he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and a month later, liver cancer.

He offered to resign both positions but neither the church, where he had served for more than 20 years, or association would accept that option. Then-deacon chairman Randall Odum told Director of Missions Joe McGee, “Brother Roger has always stood by us and we will stand by him.”

The church stood by those words through victories and defeats in Taylor’s health, paying his income and providing spiritual support for 21 months until he passed away on July 7 – while maintaining their longstanding support to missions by giving 14 percent to the Cooperative Program and 14 percent to Associational Missions.

The story begins on November 30 after his diagnosis when Taylor and his wife, Annie Ruth, were driven to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, by members Aubrey and Linda Lynch. The pastor and his wife took a one-room kitchenette apartment for ten months so Taylor could receive chemotherapy at the world-renown medical center. Church members frequently drove to Texas to visit the couple and do all they could to encourage them and make them comfortable. When the Taylor’s personal cancer insurance housing benefit ended, Satilla took responsibility for the monthly expenses.

During those months in Houston, the congregation set up a phone system so Taylor could address the congregation over the church intercom prior to Sunday worship services. Often, many in attendance could not help but shed tears as their pastor spoke.

But the love for the Satilla pastor was not restricted to the church; pastors and church members throughout Consolation Association stood by Taylor during his illness. Numerous ministers took turns, with encouragement from their churches, to provide pulpit supply for the first four months. At one associational meeting nearly a dozen pastors gathered around him to pray for God’s healing

After the first four months the congregation realized it needed an assistant pastor to help during the process. While continuing to provide Taylor’s full salary, the church spent additional finances to add that staff position.

In late August 2009, Taylor and his wife returned to their home in Alma. Continuing its commitment, the church paid all expenses for the couple to make three trips back to Houston for in-depth tests on his progress.

For the next ten months the Taylors were visited by the church family in their Alma home and during four critical hospital stays in nearby Waycross. Constant efforts were made to meet their physical and spiritual needs. Women brought food while men washed down the house and completed other assignments as needed.

Then, during the early evening of July 6, Annie Ruth summoned Aubrey Lynch, a Satilla deacon; his registered nurse wife, Linda; and Tammy Nix to their home. They stayed the night while Linda served as liaison with Hospice Satilla to manage the night’s ordeal; Aubrey slept on the floor close to his pastor. The three of them were there when Brother Roger went to be with the Lord around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, July 7.

Brother Roger had freely voiced his appreciation for his wife, his church, the Consolation Association, and his friends from over the world for their demonstration of love, help and kindness. Yet, through it all, he gave God the glory.

Brother Roger was well-known throughout the area and left his mark for God on the surrounding counties. He was born July 29, 1940 and attended South Georgia College in Douglas. While serving in the United States Air Force (1960-1964), he married his sweetheart, Annie Ruth Holton, on February 12, 1961. They have one daughter – Rejeana Taylor Power of Winder – who has two sons, Taylor and Victor.

Brother Roger began his career as disc jockey for radio station WCQS, later WULF, in Alma, where he was known as “Rockin’ Roger T.” In July 1972 he was elected Bacon County Tax Commissioner and served in that office until his retirement in December 2004. He was a member of the Alma Lions Club for over 20 years.

Brother Roger received Christ on November 8, 1966. He immediately began his religious career at First Baptist Church of Alma, serving as a Sunday School teacher, a Royal Ambassador leader, Brotherhood president, and a deacon. As a lay preacher he served Southern Baptist churches in Appling, Bacon, Coffee, Jeff Davis, Pierce and Ware counties. He spoke in more than 300 churches.

Brother Roger was called and served as the “interim pastor” of Satilla Baptist Church in January 1988 and continued that role for 13 years until he was officially ordained, along with a young man of the church, at their ordination service on December 31, 2000. He and Annie Ruth became official members of Satilla, where he served for 22 years and 6 months until his death.

While ministering at Satilla, he baptized 78 souls. And, because of his love for missions, led his church to give 14% of its offerings to the Cooperative Program and 14% to Associational Missions. He served several positions in the association, and was a member of the Foundation Board of Southern Seminary, Louisville Ky.

Roger Taylor was known as a polished preacher in appearance and behavior. He was conservative in theology and believed in church discipline, but always in love with the motive to regain his brother or sister. He never “blew his own horn” for personal achievement but always gave God the glory whenever any good work was accomplished.