By David Dawson
ddawson@tnbaptist.org
Gayle Haywood, center, was honored and recognized during a recent service at Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood. Haywood is retiring after 40 years of ministry at Brentwood.
BRENTWOOD — Gayle Haywood received two standing ovations during a recent Sunday morning service at Brentwood Baptist Church.
Still, pastor Mike Glenn made it clear that no amount of applause would be sufficient to express the church’s appreciation for Haywood, who is retiring after 40 years of service at Brentwood.
“There are not many times in our lives when we get to look at greatness,” Glenn said to the congregation during a ceremony honoring Haywood. “But standing next to me right now is greatness.”
Haywood served in a variety of roles during her tenure, ranging from children’s ministry to senior adults and seemingly all demographics in between.
Vicki Hulsey, childhood specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, worked with Haywood on various projects and events through the years, and said Haywood’s impact on ministry in Tennessee has been enormous.
“Gayle’s legacy will continue long after her retirement,” said Hulsey. “What an example she has been for countless ministry leaders as they’ve been able to see the benefits that come with ministry longevity in the same church family. From preschool to senior adults, Gayle has poured her life into reaching, teaching and ministry.”
Haywood joined the staff at Brentwood Baptist Church in 1981 in the role of the preschool and children’s minister.
She then transitioned to family minister in 1999, in which she oversaw the women’s ministry, the marriage enrichment ministry and the counseling center, among other duties. She took on the role of small group minister in 2002, before becoming the minister for senior adults in 2009.
Ken Corr, congregational care minister at Brentwood Baptist, said he is awed by Haywood’s level of commitment to her church and the families she has served.
“I have been a Baptist minister for more than 45 years, and, in all that time, I’ve known very few ministers with the integrity, humility and Godliness of Gayle Haywood,” he said.
Mike Glenn
Haywood has served under only two pastors in her 40 years at Brentwood — Bill Wilson, the founding pastor of Brentwood who hired Haywood to serve on his staff, and Glenn, the current pastor.
“In the 50-year history of this church, the consistent thread for the past 40 years is Gayle Haywood,” said Glenn. “That’s remarkable.”
Corr noted that recent studies have revealed that ministers, on average, stay at one church for four years, which makes Haywood’s longevity all the more impressive, he said.
“In all these years, Gayle has been able to make these transitions because she has been able to grow and to learn,” Corr said.
Corr also recognized Haywood’s family, including her husband, David, for the sacrifices they have made in regard to “sharing” Haywood with the church.
“During these years, Gayle Haywood has been my colleague, my mentor, my spiritual director — but more than all of that, she has been my friend,” Corr said.
In 2006, in honor of Haywood’s 25th anniversary of serving on staff, the Brentwood Baptist trustees established the Gayle Haywood scholarship fund — which sponsors seminary students who are members, or who have family who are members, of Brentwood. The Gayle Haywood seminary grant has sponsored nearly 40 students.
Stephanie Attanasio, the Kairos Connection Minister at Brentwood Baptist, is a past recipient of the scholarship, and she spoke at the ceremony honoring Haywood.
“I just wanted to say thank you for your ministry and your legacy that allowed me — and so many others — to pursue seminary,” Attanasio said. “Your legacy will live on here at Brentwood and through ministers all around the world.”
Corr said the coming days will be challenging for the Brentwood staff without Haywood.
“We honestly don’t have any idea how much Gayle does for this church,” said Corr, before adding with a reflective laugh: “But we’re about to find out.” B&R
