Michael C. Parrott (Ashley), Devin Y. Forehand (Cedric), Minister S.F. Parrott, Jr. (Lonica), Darren Charles Parrott, Stefanie Parrott, Elder Justin Philip Parrott (Marteace), DeAndrea Faith Parrott Bethea (William), Shashauna Dyanne Parrott Anderson (Ulysess), Elder Mark E. Parrott, II (Carolina), Ebonee M. Parrott Smiley (Malcolm), Karlton D. Parrott and Janay N. Parrott; 18 great nephews and nieces; her devoted friend, Jacquelyn M. King; her beloved First Baptist Church of Hampton Family and a host of other relatives and devoted friends. Lovingly Submitted by the Family And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 1 st Corinthians 1:13 (KJV) Rev. Dr. Joan S. Parrott 11 A Celebration of Life
Pallbearers Deacon Family Ministry The Parrott Brothers Honorary Pallbearers Nephews Floral Bearers Board of Trustees and Usher Ministry Honorary Floral Bearers Nieces Expressions of Gratitude Thank you all for your prayers, well wishes, kindness, concern and love during this time. Your expressions have blessed us immensely. A special thank you to the wonderful members of First Baptist Church of Hampton for caring for our sister. The First Family has been there during dark times in her life and your love lifted her and your encouragement blessed her beyond measure. Pastor Parrott truly loves First Baptist Church of Hampton and we thank you for giving her the opportunity to fulfill her final God-given assignment to serve as your loving, faithful and praying Pastor. The Interment Hampton Memorial Gardens, Hampton, Virginia Repast The repast for family, out of town guests and friends will take place in The William D. Booth Activity Center following the interment. Professional Services Entrusted To: Whigham Funeral Home 580 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard Newark, New Jersey 07102 973-622-6872 Assisted By: O.H. Smith and Son Funeral Home 3009 Chestnut Avenue Newport News, Virginia 23607 757-380-8871 Rev. Dr. Joan S. Parrott 12 A Celebration of Life
Order of Service Enter to Celebrate! Call to Celebration Apostle Michael A. Rogers Vice Presider, Bibleway Worldwide Procession of Family and Clergy Praising God in Song Great Is Thy Faithfulness First Baptist Church of Hampton Combined Choirs Old Testament Readings Isaiah: 40:21-31 Psalm 27:1-14 New Testament Readings 2 Timothy 4:6-8 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Prayer of Comfort Reverend Dr. Otis Moss, III Senior Pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ Musical Selection Reflections Church, Community and Friends (2 minutes or less please!) Morning Inspiration Brother Nicholas Bassey Reflections First Baptist Church of Hampton Ministry in Dance First Baptist Church of Hampton Dance Ministry Reflections The Parrott Brothers Sermonic Preparation Message of Hope Bishop Claude Richard Alexander Senior Pastor, The Park Ministries Recessional
Her Journey Limitless Love for God s People: His Gift and Her Assignment According to St. Augustine, there was a break in the relationship between God and His people. As we travel through the passages of life, our souls are in a constant state of yearning to be reunited with our Father in Heaven. This journey is filled with the ups and downs of our human existence. In His infinite love, wisdom and desire for us to accept His love and the gift of eternal life with Him, our Father sent His ultimate gift of His Son to bring us back to Him. Imagine, that kind of love to sacrifice His Son and our Savior Jesus Christ together with the blessed Holy Spirit just so we would know how deep His love is for us. God also ordained prophets and anointed servants to help guide us as we journey through the relentless passage to the awesome reunion with Him. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5) The Reverend Dr. Joan S. Parrott was one ordained, anointed and appointed by God to guide us on the journey back to God. His Gift to the world because of His limitless love for His children. On January 22, 1954 in Newark, New Jersey the Lord blessed Mother Ann and Bishop James W. Parrott with a beautiful daughter. She joined two older brothers as the third child with three boys to follow her birth. She was given the name Joan or Gift of God as her parents recognized her strong, courageous, sensitive, independent and determined spirit. As her parents nurtured and guided her, it became apparent that she was unique and that God had an assignment that was delegated to her. Something special that He needed her to do. So, He placed her in the Parrott Family, in the community and His church to do what no one else could do. So, in this household filled with an abundance of love, instruction, guidance, Biblical teaching, and anointed preaching, preparation for her assignment began at an early age. As Joan nestled under the wisdom of her beloved grandmother, Mother Susan Rebecca Gaston Parrott, she became aware that God will use anyone for His purposes even women! Under the sweet humble spirit of her Mother, she learned the power of fervent, authentic prayer. Mentored by her father, she developed a passion to serve the least of these. She became a vibrant champion and advocate for anyone she deemed to be mistreated, abused, neglected, in need, in pain, cast aside or unloved. Don t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture to preaching and teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Timothy 4: 12-16) Joan was the first person baptized in her father s church, Lighthouse Temple. Being shy, petite, a girl, an introvert preferring to hide and sit in the back of the church; God has a sense of humor. He embodied her with a most powerful, huge, deep voice. Rev. Dr. Joan S. Parrott 4 A Celebration of Life
After working with the Internal Revenue Service as a Regional Program Manager, Joan represented her father at a meeting of the clergy discussing the state of the city of Newark since the 1967 Riots. The only female in attendance, she was asked to pray. After the prayer, one of the pastors prophesied that she was called and needed to enroll in Seminary to prepare for her assignment. This was a complete shock to her. The veil was removed. Joan s trajectory began to soar. She enrolled in Union Seminary in New York, graduating with a Master of Divinity degree with honors. She was licensed and ordained by Bethany Baptist Church in Newark (the first woman ordained in the church s history); became the Director of Missionary Recruitment/Volunteer Services Program for the American Baptist Churches USA where she also served as Deputy General Secretary for Cooperative Christianity representing the denomination in their ecumenical relationships with the World Council of Churches, serving as Vice President of the National Council of Churches, USA and Chair of the NCCC Moscow Chaplaincy Program. She received a Certificate in International Ecumenical Studies at the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey, Celigny, Switzerland. She had two private audiences with the late Pope John Paul II. Advancing in education, she received a Doctor of Ministry Degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. Continuing to prepare, Joan was recruited to the inaugural class of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the John F. Kennedy School of Government as a Harvard University Community Builder Fellow. God then sent her to serve as Vice President of the Children s Defense Fund at Haley Farm The Children s Defense Fund s school for servant-leadership development and inter-faith Chapel for spiritual renewal. She provided the leadership over the construction and administration of the Riggio-Lynch Chapel dedicated in July 2004. The next phase of her journey led her to serve as Executive Pastor of University Park Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina and then Executive Pastor and Interim Pastor of First Baptist Church of Hampton. The culmination of Dr. Parrott s assignment was historic when she was elected as the first female senior pastor in the 154-year history of First Baptist Church of Hampton! He has shown you old man, what is good. What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8) A prophetic preacher with a prophetic concern and the need to speak truth to the injustices in society, she challenged people to work toward making God s church relevant even when society closed their eyes and ears to reality. Her sermons often stunned and shocked the congregation as she addressed current societal injustices and how they paralleled similar Biblical occurrences. Face Your Storms like an Eagle Her journey was paved with many highs and lows. When diagnosed with cancer, she exemplified the example of her sermon Face Your Storms like an Eagle. In this sermon Pastor Parrott explained that an eagle doesn t run from a storm. Instead, the eagle appears to turn away however, the eagle is actually positioning itself so that it may see the eye of the storm and flies directly into the center of the storm using the torrents and winds to be vaulted above the storm, eventually rising above the storm. Rev. Dr. Joan S. Parrott 9 A Celebration of Life
Pastor Parrott never gave in. She began each day by thanking God for keeping and blessing her with another day. Her mission was to do something to bless her brothers and sisters and to make God smile. Pastor Parrott was neither bitter nor angry about the cancer diagnosis. She believed if He gives us good, who are we not to accept the bad. She was grateful for another chance to get it right. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16) Pastor Parrott is known as the Praying Pastor. She believed in the power of prayer and encouraged all to pray throughout the day never making a decision without seeking God s will and guidance. Her father taught her to pray the prayer Lord please don t let me hurt anyone and don t let anyone hurt me each time they entered a vehicle. This prayer of protection has been shared with many who now follow Pastor s example. No meeting or gathering at First Baptist Church began without a season of prayer. Pastor often asked How do we know God s will if we don t talk with Him? Prayer was the bedrock of her life. Pastor Parrott felt so strongly about the necessity for prayer that she instituted an early morning prayer service called Koinonia. Each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 6:30 a.m. Pastor, the First Family and community members gathered in the Patterson-Gaines Memorial Chapel for a period of silent prayer. The beauty and sacredness of this quiet time with the Lord and our brothers and sisters was a perfect way to begin the day. Our praying Pastor was moving First Baptist to become the praying church. Her daily podcasts were a resource for hungry souls. Her comforting voice as she read Scripture and offered a closing pastoral blessing reminded us of God s limitless love for us. His master replied, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things: I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master s happiness! (Matthew 25:21) Our dear beloved Reverend Dr. Joan S. Parrott completed her assignment in the beauty of a sunny afternoon on Sunday, August 12, 2018. A few weeks earlier she expressed great joy with the expectation that God was about to do a TreMarvelous work. Yes, He has. He blessed us with a vessel who so loved Him and us that she used all of her gifts, skills and talents to serve His children with love and completing her assignment with excellence, joy and thanksgiving. Thank you Pastor Parrott. May we always remember your benediction to us I love you and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it! Pastor Parrott leaves to cherish her memories her beloved brothers, District Elder James W. Parrott, Jr. (Judith); Bishop S.F. Parrott, Sr. (Jeannice); Apostle A. Philip Parrott (Dyanne); Elder Mark E. Parrott, Sr. (Dorie); Elder Dennis M. Parrott, deceased (Yvonne); uncles, Apostle Daniel Clark and David Clark; aunts, Mother Betty Elizabeth Martin, Janiece V. Clark and Louise Clark; a cousin, Reverend T.J. Martin; nephews and nieces, James W. Parrott, III (Heinisha), Susan E. Driver (Rayneil), Rev. Dr. Joan S. Parrott 10 A Celebration of Life
When she opened her mouth, people would stop, look at her and say I don t believe that heavy voice is coming out of that little girl. She got the attention of everyone in the room. God will equip you with the tools you need to do the assignment He ordained for you. Thus, began Sister Joanie s reluctant season of public speaking. When forced to speak, sing a solo, direct the choir or give a testimony, she would breakdown and cry while the church would say collectively, bless her Lord, which meant we will pray for you but crying or not you are going to finish your song or your speech! Her father pushed her beyond her shyness as she had to prepare for her assignment. Recognizing the needs of young people to have a safe place to discuss intimate problems and challenges in their lives, Sister Joan created the ministry Love Unlimited. This group bonded and grew to over 100 youth who felt free to discuss personal issues that could not be discussed in a regular church setting. The theme of this necessary ministry was 1 Corinthians 13. Each member was required to memorize this Scripture and they did it. Sister Joan wanted them to know deep in their hearts what real love is and how deeply God loved them. Even today, as they are now adults, the participants testify as to the gift Love Unlimited served as an anchor in their lives. Sister Joanie exhibited her limitless love for God s youth. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of trust. (2 Timothy 2:15) As she continued to train for her assignment, after graduating from Montclair State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology, Joan s journey took many turns. She served as a fourth grade teacher; an adult high school counselor, Executive Director of the Lighthouse Community Service a shelter for homeless men, women and children in the city of Newark, New Jersey. Lighthouse was a holistic center for persons recovering from homelessness and hunger serving as an agent for the least of these. Joan knew that she needed to broaden her preparation even though she was not sure where her God-given path would lead. Despite the objection of her family, Joan became a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer Rural Health Worker and Administrator in Matameye, Niger, West Africa. Witnessing the life cycle of birth and death due to the demon of malnutrition in the impoverished country was more than sobering. During this two-year period of sequestration from family, friends and life in the United States, she heard the Lord s voice confirming that she was anointed for His purpose. However, the question taunted her spirit how and what would God have me to do? I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me? (Jeremiah 32:27) Back home after serving in Africa, Joan continued her preparation for her assignment. Her love for God s children deepened as she sought to discover what she was called to do. One night the Lord awakened her from a deep sleep in the middle of the night. He instructed her to write it! She was obedient and the vision was inflamed in her heart. But she still did not know how she was to do what He required. Rev. Dr. Joan S. Parrott 5 A Celebration of Life