Still Standing Strong: Pastor and Sister Tatum—Seven Years of Shepherding God’s Saints.

THE CALL. THE COST. THE CROWN.

Sunday, September 21, 2025 at 3:30pm at New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church 2864 Mississippi Avenue Fort Worth, Texas.

Still Standing Strong: Pastor and Sister Tatum—Seven Years of Shepherding God’s Saints Since 2018. 1 Peter 5:2–4 – “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be… And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”

Mother Thelma Pruitt, Chair, 7th Anniversary Committee

Seven years is not the end of a journey—it is a milestone of faith. Like the stones of remembrance Joshua placed by the Jordan, this anniversary marks where God has brought us and points toward where He is leading us next.

In September 2018, God opened a new chapter in the life of New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church. He placed Pastor Kyev Tatum into the role of shepherd, but He never intended for the assignment to rest on one set of shoulders. It was always a shared calling, entrusted to two vessels joined as one.

God gave Pastor Tatum a voice of clarity, courage, and conviction—a leader to declare truth without compromise. At the same time, He gave Sister Tonya Tatum a spirit of steady influence—gentle, prayerful, and strong. She has been the encourager, the intercessor, and the quiet force that undergirds the ministry.

Together, they embody Genesis 2:24: “the two shall become one flesh.” In God’s design, their calling is not two separate paths—it is one holy assignment expressed in two distinct ways:

• Pastor leads.

• Sister influences.

• He proclaims. She sustains.

• He declares. She demonstrates.

Seven years later, the truth is clear: the two are one, and the one has been faithful.

On September 21, 2025, New Mount Rose will welcome Pastor Todd Watking and Wife and the Members of Mount Horum Missionary Baptist Church as our special guests as we celebrate our Pastor and Wife.

The Cost: Sacrifice Shared as One.

Shepherding God’s people carries a price. For Pastor and Sister Tatum, the cost has been real—but grace has always been greater.

• Through a pandemic, when fear and uncertainty covered the world, New Mount Rose never went silent. Pastor preached to cameras, through car windows, and over phone lines, while the church became a hub of relief—distributing food, water, supplies, and hope. Sister Tatum stood firm, reminding us that the church is not a building but a body.

• Through storms and setbacks, including the devastating freeze of 2021, they stayed the course. While others struggled just to survive, the Tatums served—proving leadership is measured not just in sermons but in sacrifice.

• Through national tragedies and local unrest, Pastor Tatum stood as a prophetic peacemaker—praying in Uvalde, walking Fort Worth’s streets, and speaking truth to power. Sister Tatum, with quiet compassion, offered presence when words fell short.

From this cost came fruit:

• Fun Over Guns to mentor young men.

• The Community Food Bowl to feed thousands.

• A testimony of leadership that rebuilds not just a church, but an entire community.

The Crown: Seven Years of Faithfulness

The number seven represents completion and fulfillment. This seventh anniversary is not just endurance—it is proof of God’s keeping power.

• Pastor has fed the saints with the Bread of Life.

• Sister has uplifted the saints with prayer, love, and encouragement.

• Together, they stand strong—not by might, nor by power, but by God’s Spirit (Zechariah 4:6).

Storms couldn’t drown them. Pandemics couldn’t silence them. Burdens couldn’t break them. They wear the invisible crown of faithfulness, awaiting the day when the Chief Shepherd Himself will place on them a crown of glory that will never fade.

The Stories: Living Testimonies.

Their ministry is written in lives transformed:

• A fearful member now walks in courage after a sermon on Uncharted Courage.

• A grieving soul found comfort in Sister Tatum’s whispered prayer.

• A young man redirected his life through Fun Over Guns.

• A hungry family found both groceries and grace at the Food Bowl.

These are the living epistles of their ministry. Pastor leads. Sister influences. Together, they change lives.

The Charge: Our Responsibility as a Church.

Anniversary celebrations remind us: leadership is sustained not by applause but by support.

Our charge is clear:

• Honor their sacrifices with faithfulness.

• Follow their leadership with unity.

• Cover them daily in prayer.

• Carry the vision forward with action.

When Pastor leads, we must follow. When Sister influences, we must respond. Their strength grows when the church walks in step with their calling.

The Celebration: Looking Forward in Faith.

Seven years is a stone of remembrance, but the best is yet to come. We see new ministries forming, new partnerships rising, new lives being saved, and new influence stretching beyond this city.

What God began in 2018, He will continue until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).

Still Standing Strong.

Seven years ago, Pastor and Sister Tatum said, “Yes, Lord.” That “yes” has become countless blessings for the church and the community.

Today, we say:

• Thank you, Pastor Tatum, for bold leadership and fearless preaching.

• Thank you, Sister Tatum, for quiet strength and steady love.

• Thank you, Lord, for uniting them as one in this holy calling.

The two are one. Pastor leads. Sister influences. Both stand strong.

And as we lift our voices in gratitude, we declare with faith:

“We’ve come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord.”

And by that same faith, we will move forward—still standing strong.