I'm not a member of this church but I've had experiences with it since my childhood. My father was an alcoholic pretty much starting in his teens. He was the reason we had a broken home and disrupted family. He tried to stop and dry out several times when I was a toddler. He failed to do it on his own, but Brother Dewayne Kirk took some time to council my father and encouraged him to attend church service at Pleasant Hill. We, as a family unit, attended Sunday services for a period and it seemed to help my father in some ways. It was a daily battle for my father, but we were too young to truly understand his struggles. We were told by others that our father was the town drunk and we took it as that was his job title. He would be discovered passed out on a bench and someone would bring him home. He would start attending Pleasant Hill again and something finally touched him just right and gave him more determination to get sober. He had Bro Kirk perform a baptism and committed himself to turning over a new leaf. He did improve and held down a job for a while, but once, in the middle of the night, he ran barefooted over frozen ground to "flee the demons he saw that were chasing him". After that we committed to Pleasant Hill and Bro Kirk pretty faithfully for a while. If it weren't for the patience and personal beliefs of Bro Kirk I don't think my father would have lived beyond his 40s. Bro Kirk would also deliver the eulogy at my father's funeral service in 2006. Bro Kirk also officiated at my wedding exactly 26 years ago. The church was selling Brunswick stew today and when I spoke to Bro Kirk I reminded him that he joined us and that we were still together. He is a very personable and sincere person. If you can't feel relaxed around him then you probably require medication. I've had a couple of surgeries and, even though I was not a member of Pleasant Hill, Bro Kirk would've visited me. Matter of fact, he has visited other members of my family that have been hospitalized and many times I have been to visit someone and would see Bro Kirk there as he would be visiting others. You'd be very hard pressed to find any nicer people than the ones associated with Pleasant Hill. They are there for their own and strangers as well. They are dedicated to the children's programs and have various "cookings" throughout the year to raise funds to further that program. The Brunswick stew was today (Sat), but the members began the cooking process on Thursday. There were 7 cast iron cauldrons set up and someone dedicated to stirring them constantly. They cook tamales a few times a year and that is a huge undertaking in itself. It's a flurry of activity with a constant flow of people picking up their orders. I can't pinpoint or determine what my aversion or disinclination to attending a church is, because the only experience I've had is through this church. I admire and respect everyone associated with this church and have never had a bad experience. If I lived closer I may attend a service occasionally. If you are not affiliated with a church or particular denomination you really can't go wrong with sitting in on Bro Kirk a Sunday or two. read more

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