MINISTER ROBERT RUSSELL
Robert Russell is honored to be the permanent part-time preaching and teaching minister of the Wieland Church of Christ. Robert was born in West Texas in the town of Morton. He grew up in Paris here in east Texas. Robert is the second oldest of seven children born to L.F. Russell and Janie (Graham) Russell. The Russell family lived on a 100 acre farm east of Paris. Between their chores on the farm, feeding cows, sheep and 500 laying hens, Janie made sure all her children went to church regularly, and the Lamar Ave. Church of Christ was their church home in Paris. All seven children were baptized at the Lamar Ave. congregation. Sadly, Robert's father passed away at the age of 42 leaving Janie to raise all seven children on her own.
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After graduating from Prairiland High School east of Paris, Robert spent the next 4 years in Lubbock at LCU. He received a bachelors degree in Biblical Studies in 1980. During his years at LCU Robert spent his summers as a youth minister at the Lakewood Church of Christ in Lakewood, CA. Upon graduation from LCU Robert moved back to California joined by two young men also from LCU, Hal Blackburn from Friona, TX and Steve Mass from Hartshorne, OK. Overssen by the elders of the Lakewood Church the three established a strong youth and campus ministry in the greather Long Beach/Lakewood area. Over 200 youth and adults were baptized during the ten years Robert and his co-workers were in Southern California.
One of the young people baptized was Diana Jackson, who became Robert's life long partner. Next year, Robert and Diana will celebrate their 40th anniversary together. They have three wonderful children, all graduates of Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. Lauren, the oldest is a Registered Nurse. She and her husband David split their time between Russellville, Arkansas and Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Lyndsie, their second oldest lives in Bentonville, Arkansas with her husband Colby. Lyndsie works with Autistic children and is soon to earn a Master's degree in that field. Jackson, their son and youngest child lives in Temple, Texas. Jackson is a musician, teaching mainly guitar to young students and Mikayla is a registered nurse.
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This year Diana and Robert found out they will become grandparents!! Both Lyndsie and Mikayla are expecting, and only a few weeks apart! Lyndsie is going to have a a baby girl in November and Mikayla will give birth in mid-December.
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After California, Robert and Diana spent 20 years in the Midwest serving congregations in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. In 2008, the family of five moved back to California, this time moving to Santa Paula in Ventura County. After ten years in Ventura County, and after all three children moved away to Harding, Robert and Diana made the decision to move back to Robert's hometown of Paris and preach part-time for a small congregation there in Paris. Diana took a job with the state of Texas working with Child Protective Services. She is a financial eligibility analyst, helping foster children qualify for assistance from Federal, State, and Local funding.
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We all lived through the pandemic and all the changes that brought. Robert and Diana moved their membership back to Lamar Ave. Church of Christ. He preached there a few times, taught adult bible classes, as well as men's Bible class every Wednesday night. Not content to sit in the pew, Robert began to search for a congregation to preach for on a more regular basis. Having read their ads in brotherhood posts, Robert applied for the work in Wieland. After a six month "courtship" the elders invited Robert to serve as a permanent part-time Preacher for the Wieland Church of Christ. We believe we have a good match.
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One thing Robert was attracted to, other than the serene country setting, was the longevity of former ministers who worked for the Wieland congregation. The fact that former preachers stayed for a decade and longer shows maturity and stability. We are all building on the work of others before us. We reap where others have sown, as Jesus told his disciples. We are all in this Heavenly work together. Robert desires to see unity and growth here in Wieland as well as the whole brotherhood.
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When not studying for lessons or preaching, Robert has engaged in buying and selling all kinds of antiques and other old stuff. Robert has two booths at the Town Square Antique Mall in downtown Sulphur Springs and he also sells at First Monday in Canton. His outdoor spot is on the south edge of the civic center parking lot. This antiques "hobby" has provided some support for the Russell family while enabling Robert from time to time to work for congregations unable to provide full support. Once or twice a year the Russell's have a yard sale, participating in the 400 mile long Highway 82 Yard Sale the first weekend of June each year.
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Please plan a visit to Wieland for one of our worship assemblies. Come eat pot luck with us on an upcoming fifth Sunday after morning worship.