The Rev. Turner will assist in church re-start in Carrollton

“Follow Your Dream.. Trust in the Lord, and have Faith...” That’s exactly what the Reverend Billy Turner, pastor at First United Methodist Church in Eunice, will do.
Rev. Turner’s last sermon at First United Methodist Church will be Sunday, June 22, almost two years to the day of his first one..
He will then depart Eunice to move to Carrollton with plans to re-start the New Faith Community, Carrollton Church.
The Rev. Turner said, “There is a movement in the country with United Methodist Churches which has changed from past years... it’s to re-start a church that has already been established. It’s the irst time in Louisiana the ‘restarting’ movement has taken place, and I will become a part of it.”
The Rev. Turner was called upon by the Louisiana United Methodist Conference “Cabinet”, which includes seven districts, a superintendent, and a Bishop recently. He added, “They meet in January through usually Easter season making and filling new appointments. A normal stay for a UMC pastor is 2 years, and sometimes a longer period.
Rev. Turner, added, “I’ve remained pastor at a past post for five years. They called me and asked me to go to New Orleans at the Carrollton church to restart the church.”
The Rev. Turner will co-pastor alongside Pastor Sione Tu’uta of Carrollton’s First Methodist Church. “Rev. Tu’uta is from Tonga and this church will be a multi-cultural church, including a congregation of African Americans, young and older generations, people from all around the world, plus students, etc.”
According to the Turner, when he arrives in Carrollton there will be a team of 30 volunteers that will assist him to end the existing church. “Then our mission is to re-start a new church.
The Rev. Turner added, “The La. Annual Conference of UMC, a total of 599 churches, will pump funds into the new church. The Carrollton church is 100 years old... our plans are to refurbish it, take out everything that is associated with their current name (signs, advertisements, etc). Our duty or calling is to re-start it from fresh.”
The 30 volunteers and two pastors of Carrollton FUMC will join together with a new name for the church, and Rev. Turner already has a name mind, and with a grin, he said, “Nola Crossroads.”
The Rev. Turner says he is up for the challenge, “I know this move is a calling from God... and a real challenge, a new adventure and it will be truly exciting.”
He predicts and expects that the current church in Carrollton will be closed for at least 3 months before a new one begins. “This assignment or move is far more different than I have experienced in all of my past 16 years of pastoring.
In all of Turner’s past moves he and his wife lived in church parsonages, not so with this move to Carrollton.
He said, “I don’t even know where I will live yet. I will have a housing allowance. I’m hoping to find a home close to the church community. From what I understand there’s a diversity of people in the community near the church...from students, to African Americans to the more rich-society upscale people.”
The Rev. Turner says he will miss Eunice and his church congregation. He has developed life-time friendships in Eunice. He added, “These last two years were a learning experience for me in terms of culture, especially Mardi Gras, and the foods.
“However, I have learned through all my experiences, you learn and grow from each church. Even through adversities you learn to grow.
“Each and every church is different, but one thing holds true, there is a connection...there are real good people in each church.”
Turner will continue to write his popular Sunday Eunice News editorial column.
John Kerase of Baton Rouge will serve as First United Methodist Church new pastor beginning June 29.