OUR VISION & MISSION STATEMENT
VISION STATEMENT
Creatively connecting souls to Christ on a deeper level
MISSION STATEMENT
Creatively connecting souls to Christ and courageously engaging culture through the transformative power of the Gospel and the love of Christ
Rev. Reginald A. Rutherford, Ph.D.
Our Pastor
Rev. Rutherford was born in Chicago, Illinois to the late Solomon and Florestine Rutherford. He was raised and educated in Jackson, Tennessee where he attended Brown’s Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. It was there at Brown’s Chapel at age 12, young Reginald gave his life to Christ. After high school, he served our country in the Armed Forces in the United States Army Infantry and was honorably discharged in 1989.
In 1992 Rev. Rutherford relocated to Smyrna, Georgia, where in 1998 he met his late wife, the lovely Shyrona Miller. They were united in holy matrimony for 23 years until her heavenly departure. The Rutherford’s have 4 outstanding children: Denesha, Donavan (deceased), Aaliyah, and Destani.
On August 12, 2023, God sent Rev. Rutherford a new blessing, his beautiful wife, Ms. Carla T. Fults of Falls Church, Virginia.
Rev. Rutherford joined the Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Marietta in 2004, and for 17 years proven to be a blessing to and among the Pleasant Grove church family. His faith, persona of blessed assurance, and brotherhood guided him into church leadership and in February of 2007 he was ordained as a Deacon.
After serving God and Pleasant Grove with meritorious service as a Deacon for one year, he graciously accepted his calling to preach the Gospel on July 13, 2008 and was licensed on October 11, 2009 under the leadership of Pastor Rev. Dr. Benjamin Lockhart, Jr. and later ordained under the leadership of Pastor Rev. Dr. Sammie J. Dow, Jr.
Rev. Rutherford served as Associate Clergy at Pleasant Grove MBC, but his presence is felt far and wide in a plethora of capacities. From 2014-2018, he served as Director of Missions. Also, he served as Sunday School Superintendent from 2018 until accepting the calling as senior pastor at Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in Nelson, GA on August 9, 2021.
Pastor Rutherford is a highly regarded leader of leaders.
He earned his PhD in Christian Education at Antioch Baptist Bible Seminary in 2019. He also has a Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Faith and Community
Pastor Rutherford’s mantra and service to God and community is: “As Born-Again, Blood-Brought believers, If we’re going to ‘talk the talk’, we’ve also got to ‘walk the walk’ with a new mind-set and consistency of attitude and behavior, walking in stride with Jesus every step of the way.”
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. – Ephesians 4:1-2
Pilgram Missionary Baptist Church, Nelson Georgia
Pastor Reginald A. Rutherford has chosen to walk the walk as the esteemed senior pastor of Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, Nelson Georgia.
our First Lady
Carla T. Rutherford
First Lady Carla T. Rutherford
Carla T. Rutherford, Esq., is an inspirational dreamer; although, often described as a visionary. Mrs. Rutherford has been blessed with many spiritual gifts but believes her most adorning quality is that she is a woman of faith. Since a young child, she has always believed God has a special calling upon her life. She credits her love for our Lord and Savior, and for people to her southern roots, Christian upbringing and the love, support, and persistence of a strong family.
Mrs. Rutherford was born and reared in Macon, GA, where she spent her formative years until moving to the DC Metropolitan area (aka DMV-DC, MD, and VA) to pursue her education in the nation’s capital at Howard University. She has a love for helping people and changing systems through policy, practice, technology, and the law, all in hopes of improving the human condition. By following her natural abilities and through prayer and guidance from God, she has been blessed to serve and work professionally for over 30 years in the area of health and human services.
Currently, Mrs. Rutherford is the Director of Interstate Affairs and Compact Operations with the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), which serves as the Secretariat and national office of the Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (AAICPC).
Prior to joining APHSA, Mrs. Rutherford, (formerly Fults) served as the Director of Social Services at Travelers Aid Washington, D.C., where she directed the agency’s social service programs and created program provisions and collaborative networks to assist state and local governments in providing services to indigent clients. Mrs. Rutherford also worked as a home-based counselor for children in foster care where she provided counseling and behavior modification plans for families and children.
Carla F. Rutherford, Esq. earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland Frances King Carey School of Law and is a member of the Maryland Bar. She earned her Master of Social Work (mental health) and Bachelor of Business Administration (international business with joint concentration in finance and management) from Howard University.
Continuing to walk by faith, Lady Carla married Rev. Dr. Reginald Allen Rutherford in August 2023. In this new chapter as the wife of her husband and best friend, Pastor, Reginald Allen Rutherford - Mrs. Rutherford holds fast to the guiding scriptures that are written on her heart and have carried her through life thus far:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your path. Proverbs 3:5
But now faith, hope and love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
To whom much is given, much is required. Luke 12: 48
About Us
Est. 1910
The Historic Pilgrim Baptist Missionary Baptist Church
The Historic Pilgrim Baptist Missionary Baptist Church
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The Historic Pilgrim Baptist Missionary Baptist Church
The Historic Pilgrim Baptist Missionary Baptist Church
The Historic Pilgrim Baptist Missionary Baptist Church
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Christ-centered Worship
The Historic Pilgrim Baptist Missionary Baptist Church
Christ-centered Worship
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Hospitality Team
Hospitality Team
Praise
Hospitality Team
Hospitality Team
Hospitality Team
Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church
1775 Pickens Street, Nelson Georgia 30151
Copyright © 2024 Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church - All Rights Reserved.
Reginald A. Rutherford, Ph.D., Senior Pastor
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