Reflections
I am one of four generations of the Harry Norton family praising and worshipping God is this Church today. It all started in the home of my grandparents, Deacon and Mother Harry Norton and ended up here on Birch Street; the land which was owned by my grandfather, Joseph Bayer. Sr.
My roots go deep, being a pew baby brought up in Church, I was baptized in Jesus's name and filled with the Holy Ghost at the age of 13. I've been a member of this Church my entire life. As a child, I grew up as Deacon's kid, and I wasn't given a choice of whether to attend church or not. If the Church doors were open, and my parents were going, I was there. We were almost always the first to arrive and the last to go home. I have sat under all five of the anointed men whom God has placed here to Pastor this great Church.
In 1985, I was blessed to become the wife of Carlton Mark Avery. The two of us had a lot in common. Both of us were pew babies and Deacon's kids. Before we had children, we would often sit and talk about how we wanted out children's lives to be "normal." we wanted them to be involved in sports and extra-curricular activities. However, God had another plan.
In 1988, the Lord blessed us with a son, Carlton Mark, II. All we wanted for our firstborn child was a "normal" life. We would attend church and would almost always be the last to leave. Yet, God had another plan!
In 1989, the Lord called my husband to the ministry. I began to question God, about the "normal life" we wanted to have with our son. Soon Minster Avery began taking outside speaking engagements and our lives became very busy; trying to juggle work schedules, Church schedules and family schedules, but the Lord continued to bless us.
I have stated many times that God had another plan! In retrospect, I am thankful for saved parents who taught me as a child how to praise and worship the Lord. In 1993, my husband was installed as the Pastor of Christ Temple Church. Two weeks later, the Lord blessed us with our second son, Chandler Monroe. I remember thinking, "I am a new mother" for the second time and also a new Pastor's wife. This was a BIG step for our family. I struggled, because I knew that, in being the Pastor's wife it was no longer just about my husband's ministry. We were in this thing together, all four of us. It has been seven years and God has truly blessed our marriage and our children. As far as the "normal life" goes, my children are healthy, they play sports, are involved in school activities, but most importantly, they are both saved. I gave up on trying to give them a "normal life," because God has another plan!
