Joe Bryant

My family on the Booker side (my mother’s family) have been in the church since 1866 when the missionaries first came south.

I was baptized in the RLDS in 1951 on the Brewton Alabama Reunion grounds. I can remember being taken there on foot by my maternal grandmother. I had many good experiences on those grounds.

I remember as a child playing in the old concrete ditch and as a teenager working in the concession stand and later being asked to act as a deacon to take offering.

I met my future wife Glennis on those grounds in 1962. She was just shy of her sixteenth birthday.

We were married in December of 1963. We have been blessed with two sons, six grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, two of which are deceased.

I was ordained a Priest in, I think 1974 and an Elder in 1977. We left the Brewton Alabama congrefation in 1980 and moved to Vicksburg, Mississippi where we attended the Jackson, Mississippi congregation until late 1985.

Those of us that knew that the church was headed in the wrong direction started meeting at a separate location in Jackson, Mississippi. After most gathered to the Center Place we were meeting in south Mississippi, close to the Louisiana state line. After most gathered to the Center Place we met for a while in a building owned by brother Ken Byrd.

Glennis and I sold our business and home in 2006 and were able to gather to the Center Place in 2007. I have had more opportunities to serve in various capacities than I ever imagined. My wonderful wife has been by my side supporting me all this time.

I have been blessed to serve as the president of the Elders Quorum, General Conference manager, Presiding Elder of First Congregation, the Standing High Council and President of the High Priest Quorum. Glennis and I gathered to serve out Heavenly Father by serving others. We are so very pleased to be in the Center Place!