Some years are defined by accomplishment. Others are defined by transition. For Myers Park Baptist Church, 1997 became a year of living faithfully between chapters. As Rev. John Walsh concluded his ministry and the congregation entered a season of reflection, members faced difficult questions about identity, relationships, and the future. Yet what emerged was not a story of uncertainty alone. Through visionary generosity, renewed worship spaces, faithful servants, compassionate lay ministry, and careful preparation for new leadership, the church discovered that seasons of change can also become seasons of growth. The events of 1997 reveal a congregation learning how to honor its past while courageously preparing for what God would do next.

A Time of Transition 
One of the most significant developments of 1997 was the resignation of Senior Minister Rev. John Walsh after approximately two and a half years of ministry. Having arrived in August 1994 following his service as chaplain at Middlebury College, Walsh spoke candidly about the challenges of moving from academic ministry into congregational leadership. He reflected on the pressures of pastoral ministry, the inevitable comparisons with previous ministers, and the personal toll criticism can exact upon both a pastor and a family.

Although John Walsh, Karen Walsh, and their children, Matthew and Caitlin, had come to love Charlotte and the Myers Park Baptist community, Walsh shared that his immediate plans were simply “to heal, to rest.” Recognizing the pain and uncertainty felt throughout the congregation, the Board of Deacons sought to guide the transition with honesty, compassion, and gratitude.

The church planned several opportunities to celebrate the Walsh family's ministry and presence among them. These included a reception coordinated by Marcia Bowers, a congregational affirmation and blessing on Walsh’s final Sunday, and the commissioning of a portrait project coordinated by Lala Gribble. The completed portrait would eventually join those of Myers Park Baptist’s other senior ministers in Heaton Hall.

Yet church leaders viewed the moment as more than a search for another pastor. They saw it as an invitation to strengthen communication, encourage reconciliation, and engage in thoughtful reflection about the congregation’s future.

John Wilkerson and the Work of Interim Ministry 
To help navigate this important season, the Board of Deacons unanimously voted on March 10, 1997, to secure an interim ministry specialist. The church turned to John A. Wilkerson, an experienced pastor and interim ministry leader with more than twenty-eight years of pastoral experience.

Wilkerson brought expertise in conflict resolution, organizational leadership, and congregational transitions. His ministry extended beyond the local church into the broader community. While serving a congregation in Salisbury, North Carolina, he helped organize the Rowan-Salisbury Human Relations Council and a crisis assistance ministry. His work in human relations and crisis response earned him the Citizens Award of the North Carolina Human Relations Council in 1987. His wife, Marge Wilkerson, was already a member of Myers Park Baptist Church.

Wilkerson emphasized that an interim period should not be viewed merely as a waiting season. Instead, it could provide an opportunity for a congregation to address unresolved concerns, clarify its mission, strengthen relationships, and better understand its unique identity. His perspective resonated with church leaders who hoped Myers Park Baptist would emerge from the transition stronger and more unified.

The Board of Deacons acknowledged that genuine hurt existed within the congregation. At the same time, they embraced the possibility that this season could foster healing, intentional planning, deeper unity, and renewed vision for ministry.

Dr. Donald R. Mitchell Called as Interim Senior Minister 
The next significant step came on May 12, 1997, when the Board of Deacons unanimously approved the recommendation of the Transition Team to call Dr. Donald R. Mitchell as interim senior minister.

The search had been extensive. The Transition Team established criteria, reviewed candidates, conducted interviews, and placed significant emphasis on specialized interim ministry training. Their goal was not simply to secure temporary leadership but to find an individual capable of helping the church address unresolved issues, clarify its mission, and prepare thoughtfully for its future.

Mitchell brought a remarkable breadth of experience. Born in the South Island of New Zealand, he studied at Otago University and London University before serving as a missionary teacher in Peru, where he met and married his wife, Grace Mitchell. He later earned a Master of Divinity and doctorate in theology from Princeton Theological Seminary.

During his distinguished career, Mitchell served as president of King College in Bristol, Tennessee, for more than a decade and later provided interim leadership for several churches in the Charlotte area. Congregations consistently praised his preaching, leadership, administrative abilities, and skill in managing conflict and transition. He had also completed sixty hours of specialized interim ministry training through the Interim Ministry Network.

Grace Mitchell, who earned a Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky, taught Spanish in the Kings Mountain school system. Together they had two grown daughters. The congregation looked forward to welcoming the Mitchells, with Suzanne Harley of the Transition Team inviting all church members to participate in the installation service scheduled for June 1.

A Sanctuary Renewed Through Sound 
While leadership transitions dominated much of the year's conversation, another transformative project reached completion.

After two years of planning and construction, Myers Park Baptist celebrated the completion of a $350,000 renovation designed to improve the acoustics of the sanctuary and restore the church’s treasured Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ.

Senior Minister John Walsh described the challenge of creating a worship environment where sound would serve the congregation rather than overwhelm it. Acoustical consultant Joseph Myers of Kirkegaard and Associates helped guide the project and challenged the church to consider a fundamental question: What should the sanctuary be ideal for? For Myers Park Baptist, the answer was clear: congregational worship.

The renovation included reshaped ceilings, hard-surfaced materials, sound-reflecting panels, organ chamber modifications, and the addition of new pipes. Allen Hull, a member of the renovation committee, remembered that worshipers had often struggled to hear one another sing before the improvements.

The project was made possible through the extraordinary generosity of the family of Doc Jones Thurston Jr., longtime church member, founder of Thurston Motor Lines, and founder of Thurston Aviation. His family contributed the full cost of the project in his memory. The dedication service included chamber music selected from Thurston’s favorite compositions.

Among those helping shape the project's success was David Eplee, a Kirkegaard staff acoustician who had previously worked on the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. Church organist Anita Bultmann Tritt emphasized the desire to create a worship space that supported Myers Park Baptist’s “eclectic ecumenical high church approach,” balancing the needs of congregational singing, choral music, organ literature, and spoken proclamation.

The organ itself underwent extensive restoration. Roger Colby restored the console, while tonal finisher Steuart Goodwin of San Bernardino, California, installed seven new ranks of pipes and carefully adjusted the organ’s thousands of existing pipes. The result returned the instrument to its intended American Classic sound.

Members immediately noticed the difference. Virginia Jowett described a new sense of involvement and a “quiet dignity” in worship, while Arno Hart expressed appreciation that he could finally hear the words of the hymns more clearly. Tritt observed that worshipers who once felt isolated now experienced greater connection and participation.

The restoration culminated in a dedicatory concert by internationally recognized organist David Higgs, featuring works by Maurice Duruflé, Robert Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn, and Marcel Dupré.

A $5 Million Vision for the Future
Even during a season of transition, the church was invited to dream boldly about the future. In 1997, Myers Park Baptist received news of an extraordinary gift opportunity from the Cornwell and Spangler families. The C. D. Spangler Foundation committed up to $5 million toward the purchase of property and the construction of a family life center, provided the congregation determined such a project aligned with its vision and mission.

The gift was given in memory of William D. “Bill” Cornwell and in honor of his wife, Ilease Cornwell. Importantly, the donors entrusted Myers Park Baptist with determining the center’s programming and purpose.

The vision emerged from work led by Ralph Alexander and the Outreach Committee, who had spent more than eighteen months studying the church’s outreach opportunities and facility needs. Church leaders received the proposed gift with profound gratitude and a sense of responsibility.

By December, the Board of Deacons formally named the proposed facility The Cornwell Center. More than a building project, the vision invited the congregation to imagine how its physical resources could strengthen ministry, outreach, learning, fellowship, and community engagement for generations to come.

Honoring the Ministry of Carole Outwater 
The year also brought significant moments of gratitude and recognition. After twenty years of service through the Through-the-Week School, Carole Outwater announced her retirement, effective May 31, 1998. Outwater had deep roots within Myers Park Baptist, having grown up in the congregation before joining the school faculty in 1978. Following a period of service as interim director in 1985, she became the permanent director and devoted herself to children, families, teachers, worship, and music ministry. Her leadership helped shape generations of young children during some of their earliest experiences of learning and community. In recognizing her retirement, Joe Aldrich expressed the congregation’s gratitude for her faithful service and enduring contributions to church life.

Grace Phifer Retires After Twenty-Five Years 
Another beloved servant concluded a remarkable chapter of ministry in 1997. Grace Phifer retired after twenty-five years of service in three different areas of Myers Park Baptist Church, most recently serving as executive assistant to the senior minister. In a tribute offered by Joe Aldrich, Phifer was praised not only for her organizational excellence and professional skill but also for her compassion and pastoral sensitivity. Throughout countless moments of celebration, challenge, and crisis, she became a trusted friend and steady presence for church members and staff alike. Her retirement marked the conclusion of a ministry characterized by faithfulness, care, and quiet dedication.

New Stephen Ministers 
On August 24, six new Stephen Ministers were commissioned during worship: Jim Henderlite, Skip Gribble, Tammie Lesesne, Ted Lucas, Bill Menzies, and Ralph Short. Their commissioning reflected Myers Park Baptist’s conviction that ministry belongs to the entire people of God. Through confidential one-on-one relationships, Stephen Ministers extend compassionate care to individuals experiencing grief, illness, transitions, and personal struggles. Their service strengthened the congregation’s ability to care for one another and demonstrated the church’s continuing commitment to lay ministry as an essential expression of Christian discipleship.

Remembering John Walsh 
Even as the congregation moved forward, it continued to honor the ministry of John Walsh. On September 14, the church unveiled Walsh’s portrait in Heaton Hall. The portrait, painted by noted artist Lucie Baxter Dulin, was presented with the Walsh family in attendance and the entire congregation invited to participate. The occasion provided an opportunity not only to recognize Walsh’s service but also to affirm his place within the continuing story of Myers Park Baptist Church.

Preserving the Church's Story 
The year concluded with an important contribution to the preservation of the church’s history. Myers Park Baptist published the first edition of By a Dream Possessed, a work chronicling the church’s founding, major milestones, historical documents, and distinctive identity. The publication captured the story of one of the nation’s most unique Baptist congregations and ensured that future generations would have access to the vision, convictions, and experiences that had shaped the church’s first fifty years.

Looking back, 1997 stands as a year of discernment more than decision, preparation more than arrival. The congregation said goodbye to Rev. John Walsh, welcomed the guidance of John Wilkerson and Dr. Donald R. Mitchell, celebrated the faithful ministries of Carole Outwater and Grace Phifer, commissioned new Stephen Ministers, rededicated a transformed sanctuary, embraced the visionary possibility of The Cornwell Center, and preserved its own history through the publication of By a Dream Possessed. It was a year filled with endings, but even more importantly, it was a year devoted to laying foundations. In the space between what had been and what would become, Myers Park Baptist Church chose reflection over reaction, hope over uncertainty, and faithful preparation over haste. The result was a congregation positioned not merely to move forward, but to do so with renewed clarity, purpose, and confidence.