John Ford

John H. Ford was born to Wellmon Ford and Nancy Luella Rogers Ford on June 9, 1922. He had two brothers and seven sisters. In 1942 he married Marie Flowers. They had two sons and four daughters: Michael, John, Jean, Nancy, Linda & Luanne.

He was drafted into the army during World War II. He served in the European Theater Operation, then he spent almost two years in Iceland.

John and wife, Marie, received the Holy Ghost in 1949. During this time, they held services in individual homes, tents, and brush arbors, baptizing the converts in creeks and ponds. The Fords, with a few others built a church in Burnside, Mississippi, before a pastor was elected. The church was affiliated with the UPC organization, and the congregation elected W.R. Ford as pastor (not related to John Ford).

John Ford received his call to ministry in 1955, and he was elected pastor at Burnsville. A little later, he was elected pastor to Macedonia UPC. For a while, he pastored both churches. He would have church in Macedonia on Saturday Night and Sunday morning. In Burnside, he had service on Wednesday, Sunday afternoon, and Sunday night. Later, he combined the churches at a location halfway between the two churches.

The Fords moved their family to Memphis, June 4, 1960, where John Ford pastored South Memphis UPC. Later he started a new church in East Memphis. During the time he pastored in East Memphis, the church built two sanctuaries.

After his wife, Marie, died in 1979, he continued to pastor the East Memphis church for a short time. In 1980, he resigned from the church and began to preach revivals. During this time, he married Dean Tubbs. They evangelized for five years.

In 1985, he was asked to oversee the Water Valley UPC. At the time, the church was heavily in debt with only 18 attending, including children. After a year, he was elected as pastor. With God's guidance he was able to pay off the church in five years. He remodeled the church three times and had the parking lot paved.

In April 2009, he became Senior Pastor. He served as Senior Pastor until his death on March 17, 2010.