Matthew approached me about writing about an “unsung” hero, a member of our church whose contributions may sometimes go unrecognized. I was at first honored that he would ask me to choose such a person, but then anxiety kicked in about who I was going to choose and whether I would honor them well enough. I’m very reserved and not typically one to go up to someone and ask, "hey, can I write about you?" But honestly, it didn’t take me long to decide on someone. Matthew had suggested maybe I choose someone personal to me, and I recently saw some photos of Reta Douglas contributing to some very important ministries at our church. I knew what she meant to my family, but I had no idea she was also involved with so many.

When I first approached Reta about speaking with her, her initial response was “of course, but I don’t really do much around here.”

As I mentioned, Reta was one of the first people to approach my family when we started attending GO. She is one of the most genuine and kind people. She gifted both my boys right after they were born with burp cloths that she had hand-stitched their names on. It was such a thoughtful gift and something I still have today even though they are well past the burp cloth phase. She greets us every Sunday with a smile and hug that is so comforting. That’s just the personal things she does. But do you know what she does for the church as a whole?

Reta and Bob were high school sweethearts and married for 66 years. Bob loved Ol’ Miss football, but I won’t hold that against them. Bob was in the Airforce, and they later settled in the Midsouth area when Bob got a job at Memphis State, now known as UofM, teaching computer engineering technology. Reta later went back to school for her teaching certification and started teaching at Southaven High School. After retirement, Reta and Bob would take their RV around to different parts of the country and sojourners, a lot of their work was physical—repairs to Christian youth camps and Christian children’s homes as well as evangelistic. They joined Goodman Oaks in 2009.

Reta states that she is not as active as she would like to be, that sometimes her health gets in the way. But I say she’s very active. Did you know that on Monday mornings she and Barbara Craddock come to the church to pick up the communion cups left from Sunday? Did you know that she is also a part of the encouragers class and that she helps cook meals for funerals? Leaders for these ministries are wonderful, but if we just had leaders then I’m not sure we would get anything done. We need the people that are in the middle. That volunteer their time to do the “little” things. I say “little” but it’s not really little at all; it’s what makes the church and the world go ‘round. Reta’s modesty about her efforts in the church is humbling. Because honestly, it’s more than I have ever done.

I was nervous about putting this out there, mainly because I don’t want people to judge my writing. But what a blessing this opportunity has been for me personally. It took me out of my comfort zone, and I got to know someone I have known for almost 9 years now much better. I got to sit and learn about Mrs. Reta’s history, most of which I am keeping to myself. Her strength and faith are something I pray I will get to someday. We enjoyed lunch on a beautiful day, and most of the time we talked about my boys, even though we were there to talk about her; somehow, they kept coming up. But she grasped onto every word, nodding, looking into my eyes, giving me her full attention. She talked a lot about others in the church and who else we needed to spotlight. She wanted to make sure I knew that it’s not just her. And isn’t that what the church is all about? Community, working together, showcasing each other, loving each other all in the name of Jesus.

- Amy Moore