My Heartland Home: Breanna Harris shares sentimental memories of growing up in Cape Girardeau
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - Here at KFVS, we are fortunate to have so many colleagues who grew up right here in the Heartland.
Anchor and reporter Breanna Harris was raised in Cape Girardeau. She showed us one place that brings back special memories.
When I think about Cape Girardeau, the community I grew up in, the one thing that comes to mind is my home church Greater Dimension Ministries.
Apostle William Bird, Sr. and his wife Rose Mary Bird have had a huge impact on my life.
He died more than seven years ago but his son, William Bird, Jr., is continuing the legacy he built.
“My dad is a powerful man. He was my motivator, he was my encourager. He’s one that kind of let us all kind of be part of this ministry,” said Bird, Jr.
Pastor William Bird, Jr. shares fond memories of his father with me. Memories of how Apostle Bird made each person feel special.
“He had a way of just talking to you to make you feel important because you were important to him because he was concerned about your wellbeing, and I still get people who come to me today and say, ‘man, I really miss your father. I can go to him and talk to him.’ There are people that I never thought he had a conversation with but would come down here and talk to him in his office and spend time with him and he said he always had an answer, he always had a scripture, he always had a way of easing the situation if it was something that was kind of crucial or whatever,” Bird, Jr. added.
Bird, Jr. said he’ll never forget his father’s commitment to his community.
“He just knew how to move in and out of the community and the people that he served and ministered to and that’s one of the things I loved about him other than him being the best father in the world. I think he’s one of the greatest men to walk the face of the earth other than Jesus,” said Bird, Jr.
Although he had big shoes to fill, Pastor William Bird, Jr. said there’s one thing his father shared with him that made him feel more at ease.
“That I didn’t have to walk in his shoes, just follow the path and just be the best that you can be and the thing that I loved about him is because he touched so many people in the community. Just to know that the legacy still lives on, not just through us but through others, that actually have been a part of this ministry and how they’re continuing to work in ministry is just fantastic,” Bird, Jr. said.
Pastor William Bird, Jr. said along with his siblings they will continue to honor his father’s legacy through ministry, community and academic.
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