b'OBITUARIESRev. Dr. Russell Porter, Sr.July 26, 1946May 19, 2020"For You did not choose me, but I chose you andand Rose were united in Holy Matrimony. leadership programs, an urban leadership institute ordained you that you should go and bear fruit, andRuss and Rose were blessed with four wonderfuland a business incubator.that your fruit should remain." children.Russ spent mornings teaching the childrenOver the years, He served the church and broaderJohn 15:16 the importance of reading the Word of God. Plantingcommunityinmanycapacities.Forseveralyears R ussellMarquettePorterwasborninEnidthe seed of ministry in his children he emphasizedheservedasacolumnistfortheDenverUrban Oklahoma on July 26, 1946 to Pastor P.H. PortertheimportanceofusingtheirgiftsandtalentstoSpectrum writing monthly articles In the Pulpit.Sr. and Missionary Thelma E. Nuckols-Porter. Heserve others.He was also a Psalmist and prolific song writer. wastheseventhchild,surroundedby3brothersWhileraisingafamilyandactivelyminister- Pastorpublishedseveralsongsthatinclude:A and6sistersinahouseholdofprayerandfaith.ing,PastorPorterreceivedaBADegreeinPublicPortrait of Love, Heres Love,God is Love, andThePortersbuiltastrongphilosophy,thecentralAdministrationandLawatRegis/LorettaHeightsJehovah God. He served as the weekly host for his purpose of dependency on the Word of God and HisCollege. Additionally, he received Ministerial Trainingradio broadcasts, Christians in Action and Love In anointed plan into the lives of their 10 children. throughDenverSeminary,UnionAction. He was also privileged to A key element of Russs Character was developedSchoolofTheologyatUniversityserve on the executive committee as he spent a great deal of time learning and memo- of Colorado. He holds an honoraryandCo-PrayerChairmanforthe rizing poems with his siblings. Such as: DoctoratefromtheUniversityof1987BillyGrahamCrusade.Dr. Once the trap was bated with a piece of cheese, itthe Rockies. Porter served on the World Mission tickled the little mouse so that it almost made himPastor Porter received his call toTaskForce,AmsterdamSteering sneeze thegospelministryin1967andCommittee,andasaChaplain Come little leaves said the wind one day, comeserved as an Assistant Pastor to hisfortheDenverBroncosFootball into the meadows with me and playput on yourbrother, Bishop Phillip H. Porter atTeam.garments of red and gold for the winter has comeAll Nations COGIC.Thereafter, heThroughoutRusslifehisgoal and the days grow cold beganChristianCorpsMinistrieswasbuildingpeople,discipling Thesearesnippetsofpoemsthatdelightedtheand was called to ministry at theandhelpingothersrealizetheir Porters house in that small town called Enid.RussUniversityofNorthernColoradoown God given gifts and abilities adopted Dad and Mom Porters strong philosophy,in1977.ChristianCorpsto expand Kingdom Work.and it became the central theme for his life. International grew and was desig- In2013PastorRusshealth nated as a national demonstrationbegantodecline.Asaresult, Russ was a budding track and field star and rep- project for Church and Communityhis focus on Community Ministry resented his school in the 50-, 100-, and 200-yardcollaboration.TestifyingbeforeRev. Dr. Russell M. Porter, Sr. involvement was realigned to the dash events.As he grew, he continued to representthe sub-committee on housing andOrganic Church ministry model. his Junior High School as a sprinter. He expandedcommunity development of the USDr.RussbelievedthatBuilding his athletic career into football performing as a run- HouseofRepresentativesandtheThriftOversightPeopleandDreamsshouldbeexpandedbythe ning back and corner back.This fueled Russs long- Committee for the US Treasury Department, Pastorchangingoftheministrystrategy.Therefore,he term dream to attend Arizona State College and par- Porter provided invaluable insights into how a smalllaunched the Village Organic Church. He believed ticipate in the 1968 Summer Olympics; however, heurbanchurchworkingwithpartnerscouldtrans- manypeoplearentbeingreachedwithtraditional suffered a severe injury that hampered his sprintingform our nations communities. Church gatherings.He began to promote in-home abilities and curtailed these long-range goals. Professionally, Russ was employed by the ColoradoChurchgatheringthatmeetpeoplewherethey Growingupinaraciallysegregatedcommunity,Judicial and Criminal Justice System as a Probationare.Pastorimplementedeffectivestrategiesthat he and his siblings had to learn at an early age howandParoleofficerforapproximatelytwentyyears.mightpossiblyreachtheunchurchedandspread to survive in that intense and volatile environment.Hewitnessedthefailureofnumerousprogramsthe Gospel. Thus, he began launching the Organic On one occasion, Russ and his Dad were landscap- built on the philosophy that those in power knowIn-Home Church concept in Homes of his parishio-ing a yard in northwest Enid when several boys onwhatisbestforthosewhoarepowerless.So,ners that continues to this daybicycles taunted and teased them with racial slurs.togetherwithchurchandcommunity,Dr.PorterReverend Dr. Russ Porter Sr. departed this life to Slaves,Slaves,MungerSlaves,theycried.Russenvisioned, planned, and initiated a people- sensitivethe embrace of the Lord on May 19, 2020 in Denver, recalls that his Dad went to his car, with tears run- approach to community ministry - Christian CorpsColorado. He is preceded in death by his wife First ning down his face, took the Bible from his car andInternational, Inc. LadyRosemaryPorter,FatherReverendPhillip shook it at the boys who had taunted them. This hadIn 1982, Pastor launched His Congregation HeresH.PorterSr,MotherThelmaE.Porter,brother a lasting social and spiritual impact on him. Love Christian Fellowship and served the Park HillBishop Thomas Porter, sister Missionary Geraldine During the summers of the early 60s, Russ spentcommunity in Northeast Denver. The Church spear- Meeks, nephew Rev. Dewayne Porter, brother Walter time with his brother Phil and sister in law- EdgarheadedseveralYouthandCommunityOutreachLunsford. LeeinDenverColorado.RussfinallymovedtoPrograms in the Northeast Parkhill community.Denver in the summer of 1963. He attended schoolInaddition,heassistedDenverSeminaryinThoselefttocherishhismemoryandmourn atDenverEastandenjoyedcompetinginvariouslaunching a scholarship program for urban pastorshislossincludeshischildren;Russell(Shantell) athletics including track and football. while serving as adjunct professor of Urban Studies.Porter Jr., Rochelle Porter, Rhonda(Darnell) Hubbart, In the summer of 1965, Russ met a young womanFurther, Pastor Porter wrote and developed the MetroReginald Porter,brothers;Phillip (Edgar Lee) Porter namedRosemaryHendersonatarevivalservice.areaTransitionalHousingProgramtoservetheandMichael(Sharon)Porter,andsisters;Shirley TheybegandatingandGodwasbusydrawingaColoradohomelesspopulation,whichiscurrentlyMorris ; Sandra Blake-Toles,Vera Porter, Nettie beautiful canvas as Russ and Rose became acquaint- being administered under the Direction of The RoadWatkins, Lois (Jeff) Tunstall, 9 grandchildren; Tyre ed. Their families mingled and discovered commonHome Project. Mckay,Britnay(Aaron)Talley,JoshuaCarter, interest and similar goals. In March of 1966, RussTurninghisattentiontowardtheNorthwestReginald Porter Jr,Bianca (Joe) Hill, Jecole Hopkins, introduced Rosemary to his mother (by phone). SheAurora Community, Pastor Russ utilized ChristianLaniceHopkins,Ashanae(Davion)Oliver,3god expressed her surprise and closed the conversationCorps to build a Child Development Center, whichchildren; 14 great grandchildren; a host of nieces, with a prayer. Those were the last words she spoke toprovided affordable and quality childcare, developednephew, cousins and other relatives and friends; and Russ and later that month, she went home to be withtrack and field, basketball and youth clubs, afford- theHeres Love /Christian Corps International Inc. the Lord. Four months later, on July 25, 1966 Russable housing , employment service programs,youthChurch FamilyOBITUARIESElder Jonah Hasting,July 26, 1946May 19, 2020BODY OF CHRIST NEWS JUNE 2020 13'