He is positive. He is enthusiastic. He is involved. Ask anyone in Artesia who has come in contact with him.
For nearly two years, Keith Wilks has been the pastor at Thompson Chapel, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, 708 West J. J. Clark. He came to the church from a ministry in Tucson and before that, one in Clovis.
Wilks and his family have now been ministering for 13 years. He says pastoral appointments are made to the Ninth Episcopal District at an annual conference in June. Bishop Edward Lynn Brown oversees the district, the largest in CME, which covers a major portion of the western United States.
Pastor Wilks and wife, Roslyn have three children, Clifford 22 is in Phoenix, Denard 16 is in L. A. and Tiffany 18, taking a break from college at Arizona State, is here with mom and dad. She leads the praise and worship portion of the service at the church and Roslyn teaches Sunday school.
Born in South Central Los Angeles, Keith Wilks attended Catholic school from first through eighth grades. During a period thereafter, he says he was a rebellious youth and did not know the church.
When he started visiting his grandmother after she moved to Phoenix, he attended church just to please her. “Then,” he recalls, “I began listening and learning and that is when the Holy Spirit made clear my purpose in life.” He told the pastor of his decision and thus began his journey to become a minister.
According to Pastor Wilks, each place has been a different challenge. He says, “Here in Artesia, the challenge is growth. But, before we grow, we must develop what the church presently has. We have been well received in this church. The congregation is small, but very dedicated.”
Wilks explains that Mrs. Letha Thompson is Thompson Chapel’s mission president and secretary of the church, a very encompassing position. Thompson’s husband, Elmer, and Annie Langston are also dedicated officers of the church and together, the three form the foundation for the growth of Thompson Chapel, CME. Mrs. Langston says, “Pastor Wilks is a very good, spiritual minister and has brought that spirit into the church. We especially look forward to Wednesday bible study.”
Asked about CME, the pastor tells about its formation after the Methodist Church split north and south during the civil war. At its General Conference in 1866, the Church South directed that, if the colored membership desired it and the bishops approved, the Negro members should be formed into an independent ecclesiastical body. At Jackson, Tenn., in 1870, the name adopted by the new body was the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America.
In 1956, to encompass a wider congregation and become more inclusive, i.e., “God’s call to all people,” the church took the name Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.
February has been busy for Pastor Wilks. The Living Black History month program and dinner at the Bethel Baptist Church, with Mrs. Thompson as the speaker, was a combined effort of the Bethel, Thompson Chapel and Zion Church of God in Christ.
And last week, Pastor Wilks was one of 16 speakers on the Walk to Emmaus at Tres Rios, south of Carlsbad. Although the walk is traditionally Methodist, everything possible is done to eliminate sectarianism, says Wilks. All are welcome to participate.
With a casual atmosphere and formalities eliminated, the organizers hope, through a series of non-denominational talks, to help Christians be more effective in their lives, no matter what their church affiliation.
One participant at this past week’s Walk to Emmaus says, “Pastor Wilks is a spiritual leader, a tremendous speaker and he knows the Lord.”
When asked how he spends his free time away from CME, Wilks doesn’t talk about a golf game or a fishing trip like some people might, but about the Joshua Ministries and the birth of a computer literacy program for adults in Artesia.
The Joshua Ministries began when the Outreach Committee of the First United Methodist Church approached Wilks to coordinate a non-denominational, community program.
Carl Barnes, who is on that committee, speaks of Pastor Wilks as a motivator and as being very good with people. Barnes says, “He’s enthused and inspired. He is a positive influence in the community and sincere in what he believes.”
Joshua Ministries has held a resident appreciation week at Good Samaritan and formed a men’s group there, and is involved in other community programs, including the adult computer program.
Last spring, Barnes purchased computers from Artesia General Hospital. The Greater Artesia Foundation upgraded the computers, and Fenn’s provided software.
After the equipment was in place, Joshua Ministries met with Mayor Reyes and others to request space at the Artesia Center and to give assurance that theirs was not a religious endeavor, but just an effort to show somebody cares.
“The community has a great love for their youth, which is demonstrated every day. We wanted to do something for the heads of households,” Wilks said.
With the space secured, it was then time to enlist volunteers.
Asked why she volunteered for the computer literacy program, Erma Vazquez credits Wilks; “We could tell he really wanted to do something good.” She and two other Good Samaritan employees, Maria Close and Jeannie Landers, give up time every Thursday evening to help in the program.
Marty Petsonk, another volunteer in the program, keeps the computers in good repair and teaches advanced skills such as database, access, and excel.
Petsonk relates how he met Wilks through David Rogers, his pastor at First Christian Church. Wilks asked him to volunteer with the computer program and, Petsonk says, “We have been hitting it off ever since.” He adds, “Pastor Wilks is dedicated to this program, has done all the legwork and has gathered good people around him to get the job done.”
According to Vazquez, “The volunteers are not formal teachers, but we are sharing what we’ve learned in an informal atmosphere. We provide the basics in order for them to upgrade skills for a new job, to learn to do a resume or set up a business letter.” The program is open to the public and is held at the Artesia Center on Thursday nights at 6:30 p.m.
Wilks says, “Artesia is very receptive and conducive to improvements. It is one of the friendliest communities our family has ever lived. We have found doors more open than closed here.”
One of the pastor’s favorite scriptures reads, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Wilks believes his purpose is to always leave a place better than when he arrives.
Whether Pastor Wilks remains in Artesia at CME or is appointed to another church in another city, he will, without a doubt, continue trying to improve things with a positive attitude and with great enthusiasm.