A Baptist minister who felt the joy of abundance, the sting of disgrace and the hand of forgiveness is remembered.
By JON WILSON and WAVENEY ANN MOORE
Published May 12, 2004
ST. PETERSBURG - The Rev. Wilkins Garrett Jr., a charismatic minister who built a small oasis of worship into one of the city's most dynamic churches before falling from its grace, died at home Saturday under hospice care. He was 53.
The Rev. Garrett took over as pastor of Mount Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in 1981 when he was 30 years old.
At 955 20th St. S, the church was in what was then one of the city's rougher neighborhoods. Drug deals and gunfire took place almost daily.
The Rev. Garrett, who freely admitted he was a recovering drug user, waded into the challenge.
"Under his leadership, Mount Zion was on the cutting edge of always doing ministries to meet the needs of the people," said the Rev. Louis Murphy, who is now the pastor at Mount Zion.
From the pulpit, the Rev. Garrett railed against drugs and violence. On the street, he took up the cause of youth, establishing a school for suspended youngsters and starting a substance abuse ministry. He opened a soup kitchen to feed the homeless.
"He often said to his congregation that God had called him to minister in the heart of the inner city," said Frank Peterman, a state representative who is a minister. Peterman said the Rev. Garrett was instrumental in his own call to the ministry.
Under the Rev. Garrett's leadership, Mount Zion built a huge complex with a new church building, a school and a social services arm whose specialty was helping people buy their first homes.
Membership reached 2,500 and the Rev. Garrett corralled hundreds of thousands of grant dollars to fuel the church's outreach.
Deputy Mayor Goliath Davis called the Rev. Garrett a pioneer in faith-based collaboration between government and the religious community.
In 1994, Walter Cronkite narrated a CBS documentary titled Victory Over Violence that featured the Rev. Garrett and the church.
The same year, crews laid foundations for Bay Vista Estates, an 8-acre development that church leaders envisioned at 54th Avenue S and Seventh Street. It was to be a subdivision of affordable housing, a rent-to-own arrangement supported by government financing. Neighbors objected, and the plan was modified.
"He did a lot to help the least of our community. His experience in life gave him a kind of connection," said the Rev. Wayne Thompson, pastor of First Baptist Institutional Church.
"He wanted to do something to help people struggling with the same types of things he struggled with. He was a brilliant teacher. He could handle the word of God very ably and competently. I'm going to miss him in the community. You could always count on him to stand with you on tough issues," Thompson said.
The Rev. Garrett transformed Mount Zion into a multimillion-dollar enterprise, credited with making life better for hundreds of people. But in the mid 1990s, life turned bumpy.
He had a serious illness, which caused him to lose weight and start rumors about his long-term health. Some in his congregation were annoyed at his continued support of the Rev. Henry Lyons. In 1997, he drove his car into a tree. Police found his blood alcohol level to be twice the limit at which the law presumes impairment, and he pleaded no contest to DUI, records show.
Bay Vista Estates, meanwhile, had been struggling from the start. Fifteen of its 24 lots went unsold. A $400,000 balloon note had gone unpaid.
In 1999, the Rev. Garrett suddenly resigned his pastorate as Mount Zion battled financial problems and a shrinking membership.
"A lot of people don't understand that being out front, being the leader, you're under constant demonic attack," Murphy said.
"All of us who profess Christianity have to keep our eyes fixed on Christ. We have to keep our focus. All of us are capable of falling if we keep our eyes off the Lord," said Murphy, who is celebrating his fifth anniversary as head of the church.
Mount Zion has recovered from its financial problems, Murphy said. "We have given over $1.1-million to reduce the mortgage, and we will soon pay the mortgage off."
The sale of the failed subdivision in 2000 relieved the church of some debt. Its membership has been rebuilt.
A week after resigning from Mount Zion in 1999, the Rev. Garrett returned to the pulpit as pastor of Living Word Community Church, which he closed after three years.
He preached elsewhere, too, including Thompson's First Baptist Institutional Church and other churches around the state. "We were not going to let him rust out. We in the ministerial community continued to embrace him, because I don't believe you just throw people away," Thompson said.
Later the Rev. Garrett became a member of Pinellas Community Church, where last year he spoke in support of its pastor during a time of trouble involving church finances. He who is without sin, cast the first stone, said the Rev. Garrett, paraphrasing Jesus' words.
He never grew bitter about his departure from Mount Zion, Thompson said. "I know in his heart he just loved the church, the people. He didn't have any ax to grind."
The Rev. Garrett's family declined to comment for this article.
Others still recall his power as a pastor. Peterman said when he was called to the ministry in 1995, he had been ready to attend services at his own church but instead went to Mount Zion. During the service, the Rev. Garrett gestured toward the area where Peterman sat.
"He said, "There's somebody over in this section who has been called,"' Peterman said. "He confirmed my calling. I went back from that point crying."
