Life and Ministry of Rev. Elmer Cross
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| This web page is Dedicated in Memory of Reverend and Mrs. Elmer Cross |
| Information is taken from excerpts of a booklet published by Vickie Wilson, Church Editor of Life Tabernacle Church, in Anniston, Alabama. This information was gathered from notes and taped interviews of Reverend Cross. |
In Durant, Oklahoma, on March 23, 1924, Lonnie and Moody Cross were
blessed with the birth of twins - Elmer and Thelmer. At the age of 3
months, Reverend Cross' sister Thelmer passed away. Reverend
Cross had three other siblings, all boys. They were raised in a Christian
home where church attendance and Christian values were lived and
taught.
In those days, church services were sometimes held in "open air" or
"brush arbor" meetings. It was at one of those meetings, on July 15,
1940, that Rev. Cross surrendered his life to Jesus. He repented of his
sins and was baptized in Jesus name. He received the Holy Ghost with
the evidence of speaking in other tongues. He was 16 years old.
Reverend Cross said, "I remember that night well. Reverend Jess
Middleton was preaching a revival and at the end of the service at altar
call, I went to the altar. I have never been the same."
Sometime after his conversion, he began to desire preaching the word
and he began to visit services held by Reverend Flannigan. It was at this
church that he received encouragement to follow God's call.
He started preaching and holding revivals after moving to Hugo,
Oklahoma. It was there that he met Sister Annie J. King. They were
married when Reverend Cross was age 18.
Sister Annie Cross followed him wherever he would go to preach the
gospel. She was always at his side helping him with the ministry. They
were blessed with three children - Lanita, Rayford, and Cindy.
During World War II, in June 1943, Rev. Cross
was drafted into military service. As he was
conscientious objector, he served as a medic
in the 504 Bomber Wing Squadron 421. He
was stationed on Tinian in the Pacific Ocean
in the Marianas Islands. Rev. Cross was able
to minister to the physical, emotional, and
spiritual needs of fellow servicemen. He
preached and baptized men in Jesus Name.
After serving 2 1/2 years, he was discharged
from the military in November 1945.
In January 1946, Reverend Cross enrolled in the International Bible
College in San Antonio, Texas. The 2 1/2 years at the college prepared
him for his ministry. He graduated in May 1948.
While in Bible college, a fellow student brought in a prayer request from
the L.D.Hardy family of Victoria, Texas. The Hardy's little girl had a
serious kidney problem and needed an operation. They began to pray.
Mrs. Hardy took the little girl in for the operation and, after an
examination, the doctor declared her to
be healed and she no longer need the
operation.
In July 1948, Rev. Cross began holding
meetings in the Hardy family's living
room in Victoria, Texas. This was his
first mission church that he pioneered.
Interest in the church grew because of
the miracles that God was performing.
In the first revival, there were 14 filled
with the Holy Ghost. God made a way
for them to build and the Victoria Church
started with 35 members in attendance.
Rev. Cross pastored there until 1956.
Reverend Cross was ordained as a minister of the United Pentecostal
Church on July 22, 1949 at the UPC Conference in Kilgore, Texas.
He moved to Alvin, Texas, where he again
pastored a new home mission church. They
purchased a building and grew in number. He
remained there until 1962. That church is still
thriving today as Hope Tabernacle. You can
visit their web site at www.HopeTab.com.
Reverend Cross continued to follow the Lord's leading and in 1963, he
took the office of pastor of a thriving church in Liberty, Texas, and
pastored there for five years.
In 1968, Reverend Cross took a rest and gained new strength while
sitting under the leadership of Pastor Thomas Craft in Jackson,
Mississippi.
In 1969, he felt led to pastor a church in Plains, Mississippi. In the
beginning, there were 14 in attendance. During his five years in Plains,
they remodeled the church and built the
congregation to 75 in attendance. In
1974, he resigned this church to begin
a new work in Pearl, Mississippi.
They rented a building in Pearl, MS, and
began to worship there. There were four
families attending in the beginning. They were all so cooperative and
helpful. The church was well established and growing when he resigned
in the early part of 1977.
In the latter part of 1977, Rev. Cross and Sister Annie Cross
moved to Lanett, Alabama. He rented a building and began to
have meetings in the early part of 1978. They were able
to buy a house with several acres of
land. They added on for more Sunday
School area. Many repented and were
baptized in the name of Jesus and
filled with the Holy Ghost.
During his tenure in Lanett, Alabama,
he served one year as Presbyter over
Section 4 for the Alabama District of
the United Pentecostal Church
International in 1981.
In 1989, Reverend Cross had five heart bypasses. In 1990, Sister
Annie Cross passed away. With the death of Sister Annie Cross,
along with ill health himself, Reverend Cross resigned First
Pentecostal Church after 12 years of faithful service.
In 1992, Reverend Elmer Cross married again, this
time to a widow -- Sister Mae Vincent. Together
they moved to Marion, Alabama, to pastor a church
in 1994.
In February 1995, Reverend Cross suffered a stroke
and had to retire. They moved to Anniston, Alabama,
and worked with Reverend Robert Hall in the church
there (Life Tabernacle). He served as Elder and
Trustee while Sister Cross served as a Sunday
School teacher and as a mighty prayer warrior.
In 2004, they moved back to the Lanett, Alabama, area to be close to
their family. Reverend Cross again attended First Pentecostal Church,
one of the very churches that he had pioneered. He continued there until
his death on September 13, 2005.
Vickie Wilson said, "As my interview with Reverend Cross came to a
close, I was compelled to ask him one final question and that was 'When
you look back at all you have accomplished through God, how does it
feel?". His reply was "Looking back, it all seems like a dream to me.
The Lord opened doors everywhere I would go to do a work for God.
God allowed me to work with a company that would pack my family up
and move us wherever we were going to take on new churches. The
people came and worked and people seemed so hungry for God. I am
not saying that there were no hardships, but the joy and the good things
outweigh the trials and hardships. God has been so good to me. It just
seems like a dream." --Reverend Elmer Cross
blessed with the birth of twins - Elmer and Thelmer. At the age of 3
months, Reverend Cross' sister Thelmer passed away. Reverend
Cross had three other siblings, all boys. They were raised in a Christian
home where church attendance and Christian values were lived and
taught.
In those days, church services were sometimes held in "open air" or
"brush arbor" meetings. It was at one of those meetings, on July 15,
1940, that Rev. Cross surrendered his life to Jesus. He repented of his
sins and was baptized in Jesus name. He received the Holy Ghost with
the evidence of speaking in other tongues. He was 16 years old.
Reverend Cross said, "I remember that night well. Reverend Jess
Middleton was preaching a revival and at the end of the service at altar
call, I went to the altar. I have never been the same."
Sometime after his conversion, he began to desire preaching the word
and he began to visit services held by Reverend Flannigan. It was at this
church that he received encouragement to follow God's call.
He started preaching and holding revivals after moving to Hugo,
Oklahoma. It was there that he met Sister Annie J. King. They were
married when Reverend Cross was age 18.
Sister Annie Cross followed him wherever he would go to preach the
gospel. She was always at his side helping him with the ministry. They
were blessed with three children - Lanita, Rayford, and Cindy.
During World War II, in June 1943, Rev. Cross
was drafted into military service. As he was
conscientious objector, he served as a medic
in the 504 Bomber Wing Squadron 421. He
was stationed on Tinian in the Pacific Ocean
in the Marianas Islands. Rev. Cross was able
to minister to the physical, emotional, and
spiritual needs of fellow servicemen. He
preached and baptized men in Jesus Name.
After serving 2 1/2 years, he was discharged
from the military in November 1945.
In January 1946, Reverend Cross enrolled in the International Bible
College in San Antonio, Texas. The 2 1/2 years at the college prepared
him for his ministry. He graduated in May 1948.
While in Bible college, a fellow student brought in a prayer request from
the L.D.Hardy family of Victoria, Texas. The Hardy's little girl had a
serious kidney problem and needed an operation. They began to pray.
Mrs. Hardy took the little girl in for the operation and, after an
examination, the doctor declared her to
be healed and she no longer need the
operation.
In July 1948, Rev. Cross began holding
meetings in the Hardy family's living
room in Victoria, Texas. This was his
first mission church that he pioneered.
Interest in the church grew because of
the miracles that God was performing.
In the first revival, there were 14 filled
with the Holy Ghost. God made a way
for them to build and the Victoria Church
started with 35 members in attendance.
Rev. Cross pastored there until 1956.
Reverend Cross was ordained as a minister of the United Pentecostal
Church on July 22, 1949 at the UPC Conference in Kilgore, Texas.
He moved to Alvin, Texas, where he again
pastored a new home mission church. They
purchased a building and grew in number. He
remained there until 1962. That church is still
thriving today as Hope Tabernacle. You can
visit their web site at www.HopeTab.com.
Reverend Cross continued to follow the Lord's leading and in 1963, he
took the office of pastor of a thriving church in Liberty, Texas, and
pastored there for five years.
In 1968, Reverend Cross took a rest and gained new strength while
sitting under the leadership of Pastor Thomas Craft in Jackson,
Mississippi.
In 1969, he felt led to pastor a church in Plains, Mississippi. In the
beginning, there were 14 in attendance. During his five years in Plains,
they remodeled the church and built the
congregation to 75 in attendance. In
1974, he resigned this church to begin
a new work in Pearl, Mississippi.
They rented a building in Pearl, MS, and
began to worship there. There were four
families attending in the beginning. They were all so cooperative and
helpful. The church was well established and growing when he resigned
in the early part of 1977.
In the latter part of 1977, Rev. Cross and Sister Annie Cross
moved to Lanett, Alabama. He rented a building and began to
have meetings in the early part of 1978. They were able
to buy a house with several acres of
land. They added on for more Sunday
School area. Many repented and were
baptized in the name of Jesus and
filled with the Holy Ghost.
During his tenure in Lanett, Alabama,
he served one year as Presbyter over
Section 4 for the Alabama District of
the United Pentecostal Church
International in 1981.
In 1989, Reverend Cross had five heart bypasses. In 1990, Sister
Annie Cross passed away. With the death of Sister Annie Cross,
along with ill health himself, Reverend Cross resigned First
Pentecostal Church after 12 years of faithful service.
In 1992, Reverend Elmer Cross married again, this
time to a widow -- Sister Mae Vincent. Together
they moved to Marion, Alabama, to pastor a church
in 1994.
In February 1995, Reverend Cross suffered a stroke
and had to retire. They moved to Anniston, Alabama,
and worked with Reverend Robert Hall in the church
there (Life Tabernacle). He served as Elder and
Trustee while Sister Cross served as a Sunday
School teacher and as a mighty prayer warrior.
In 2004, they moved back to the Lanett, Alabama, area to be close to
their family. Reverend Cross again attended First Pentecostal Church,
one of the very churches that he had pioneered. He continued there until
his death on September 13, 2005.
Vickie Wilson said, "As my interview with Reverend Cross came to a
close, I was compelled to ask him one final question and that was 'When
you look back at all you have accomplished through God, how does it
feel?". His reply was "Looking back, it all seems like a dream to me.
The Lord opened doors everywhere I would go to do a work for God.
God allowed me to work with a company that would pack my family up
and move us wherever we were going to take on new churches. The
people came and worked and people seemed so hungry for God. I am
not saying that there were no hardships, but the joy and the good things
outweigh the trials and hardships. God has been so good to me. It just
seems like a dream." --Reverend Elmer Cross
CHILDHOOD -
CONVERSION -
CALL TO MINISTER
THE GOSPEL -
THE GOSPEL -
MEETS AND MARRIES
ANNIE J. KING -
ANNIE J. KING -
MILITARY SERVICE
WORLD WAR II -
WORLD WAR II -
BIBLE COLLEGE -
FIRST HOME MISSION
CHURCH, VICTORIA, TX -
CHURCH, VICTORIA, TX -
ORDAINED UPCI -
ALVIN, TEXAS -
www.HopeTab.com
www.HopeTab.com
LIBERTY, TEXAS -
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI -
PLAINS, MISSISSIPPI -
PEARL, MISSISSIPPI -
| Reverend Elmer Cross and Sister Annie J. Cross in 1984 |
MARION, ALABAMA
ANNISTON, ALABAMA
Rev. Elmer and Mae Cross
with Rev. Robert Hall
in Anniston, Alabama
with Rev. Robert Hall
in Anniston, Alabama
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| To contact the webmaster of this web site, please email webmaster@fpcoflanett.com. |
LANETT, ALABAMA -
Rev. Cross conducting services
in Lanett, Alabama. On the
organ is Sister Pam Kopec who
is a member of First
Pentecostal Church today!
in Lanett, Alabama. On the
organ is Sister Pam Kopec who
is a member of First
Pentecostal Church today!
The Church in Victoria Texas
Rev. Elmer Cross
& Mrs. Mae Cross
& Mrs. Mae Cross
The Church in Alvin, Texas.