{"id":1235,"date":"2024-11-05T18:23:18","date_gmt":"2024-11-05T18:23:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/socialmogul.us\/RyeValleyHistory\/?p=1235"},"modified":"2024-11-05T18:29:50","modified_gmt":"2024-11-05T18:29:50","slug":"reverend-roy-redding-a-missionarys-journey-through-southwest-virginia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/socialmogul.us\/RyeValleyHistory\/reverend-roy-redding-a-missionarys-journey-through-southwest-virginia\/","title":{"rendered":"Reverend Roy Redding: A Missionary\u2019s Journey Through Southwest Virginia"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Roy Warren Redding was born on October 12, 1900, in Franklin County, Kentucky, the youngest of six children to Jake and Linda Lyman Redding. He spent his childhood in the small community of Switzer, located just north of Frankfort. It was here, at the age of 11, that he preached his first sermon at the Rocky Branch School, a one-room schoolhouse that he attended. Despite the six-mile walk to school, it became a sacred place for Roy, especially on rainy days when he would baptize converts and preach on the schoolhouse floor.<\/p>\n

At age 12, Roy experienced a pivotal moment in his faith when he accepted an invitation to follow Christ. “I had to borrow two dollars and fifty cents from my brother, Charlie, to buy clothes for my baptism,” Roy recalled. “I paid him back by selling rabbits at 10 cents a piece.” A deep, burning desire to become a missionary took root in his heart, and each evening, he would pray alone in the back of the barn, asking God to show him His will. He ordered two sermon books from Sears, thinking he might leave home to become a minister without anyone knowing. But God had other plans.<\/p>\n

His pastor, Dr. Charles Stevens, soon approached him with the very question Roy had been waiting for: \u201cDo you feel called to the ministry?\u201d With a joyful \u201cyes,\u201d Roy was introduced to Bible schools that would help him further his calling. Though Dr. Stevens offered him $25 to get started, Roy refused and instead borrowed $75 from a friend. Tying a rope around an old suitcase, he walked 15 miles to the railroad station, singing “Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone” as he went.<\/p>\n

Roy traveled 150 miles by train to attend his chosen school and worked as a church caretaker for $25 a month. During his studies, a missionary from the American Sunday School Union spoke to students about mission work, inspiring Roy to apply for a position. He was accepted and assigned to Southwest Virginia, where he would spend the next several decades of his life.<\/p>\n

Roy\u2019s missionary work spanned several counties in Southwest Virginia, including Smyth, Grayson, Lee, Tazewell, and many more. He conducted over 1,150 Bible schools and organized summer Bible camps in three counties. His travels often took him to remote, underserved communities, such as Groseclose, where he walked 15 miles to assess the area. A local man warned him, \u201cYou\u2019ll never come out of that place alive\u2014the bootleggers will think you\u2019re a detective.\u201d Undeterred, Roy organized his first Sunday School in Groseclose, and with the help of his friend, Reverend C. H. Atwell, who donated land, a church was established there.<\/p>\n

\"\"Throughout his years of service, Roy encountered numerous challenges and memorable experiences. On one occasion, he and his wife became stranded on a muddy road while traveling to an evening service. With no money, Roy borrowed a logging chain from a nearby farmhouse, leaving his wife as collateral. Despite the difficulties, they managed to get their car unstuck, though they arrived at their destination only at 4 a.m., covered in mud and soaked through. (Photo near the Odd Fellows Hall in Sugar Grove, VA, Roy and Nell Redding.)<\/em><\/p>\n

Roy\u2019s missionary work took him across Southwest Virginia, logging more than a million miles. Over his lifetime, he conducted over 2,500 funerals and officiated at 1,500 weddings. Despite threats from moonshiners and other challenges, Roy remained committed to his calling. One former Smyth County sheriff, Sam Dillard, said that after one of Roy\u2019s revivals in 1937, the impact on local moonshine activity was greater than all law enforcement efforts over the previous 20 years.<\/p>\n

Roy married Nell Rouse in 1932, but tragically, she passed away from leukemia in 1974. In 1975, at the\"\" age of 75, Roy remarried to Margie Barker, and they moved to Washington County. Roy continued his ministry until his passing on January 28, 1992, at the age of 91. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Marion, Virginia. Margie, his second wife, passed away in 1993. (Roy and 2nd Wife Margie Redding, photo at left. Photo from Valley View Baptist Church Collection)<\/em><\/p>\n

Roy Warren Redding\u2019s life is a testament to dedication, faith, and the power of one person\u2019s commitment to spreading the Gospel. His legacy of service in the mountains of Virginia continues to inspire those who follow in his footsteps.<\/p>\n

*Source: Valley View Baptist Church History & Virginia Dare Baker Photo Collection<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Roy Warren Redding was born on October 12, 1900, in Franklin County, Kentucky, the youngest of six children to Jake and Linda Lyman Redding. He spent his childhood in the small community of Switzer, located just north of Frankfort. It was here, at the age of 11, that he preached his first sermon at the Rocky Branch School, a one-room schoolhouse that he attended. Despite the six-mile walk to school, it became a sacred place for Roy, especially on rainy days when he would baptize converts and preach on the schoolhouse floor. At age 12, Roy experienced a pivotal moment in his faith when he accepted an invitation to follow Christ. “I had to borrow two dollars and fifty cents from my brother, Charlie, to buy clothes for my baptism,” Roy recalled. “I paid him back by selling rabbits at 10 cents a piece.” A deep, burning desire to become a missionary took root in his heart, and each evening, he would pray alone in the back of the barn, asking God to show him His will. He ordered two sermon books from Sears, thinking he might leave home to become a minister without anyone knowing. But God had other plans. His pastor, Dr. Charles Stevens, soon approached him with the very question Roy had been waiting for: \u201cDo you feel called to the ministry?\u201d With a joyful \u201cyes,\u201d Roy was introduced to Bible schools that would help him further his calling. Though Dr. Stevens offered him $25 to get started, Roy refused and instead borrowed $75 from a friend. Tying a rope around an old suitcase, he walked 15 miles to the railroad station, singing “Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone” as he went. Roy traveled 150 miles by train to attend his chosen school and worked as a church caretaker for $25 a month. During his studies, a missionary from the American Sunday School Union spoke to students about mission work, inspiring Roy to apply for a position. He was accepted and assigned to Southwest Virginia, where he would spend the next several decades of his life. Roy\u2019s missionary work spanned several counties in Southwest Virginia, including Smyth, Grayson, Lee, Tazewell, and many more. He conducted over 1,150 Bible schools and organized summer Bible camps in three counties. His travels often took him to remote, underserved communities, such as Groseclose, where he walked 15 miles to assess the area. A local man warned him, \u201cYou\u2019ll never come out of that place alive\u2014the bootleggers will think you\u2019re a detective.\u201d Undeterred, Roy organized his first Sunday School in Groseclose, and with the help of his friend, Reverend C. H. Atwell, who donated land, a church was established there. Throughout his years of service, Roy encountered numerous challenges and memorable experiences. On one occasion, he and his wife became stranded on a muddy road while traveling to an evening service. With no money, Roy borrowed a logging chain from a nearby farmhouse, leaving his wife as collateral. Despite the difficulties, they managed to get their car unstuck, though they arrived at their destination only at 4 a.m., covered in mud and soaked through. (Photo near the Odd Fellows Hall in Sugar Grove, VA, Roy and Nell Redding.) Roy\u2019s missionary work took him across Southwest Virginia, logging more than a million miles. Over his lifetime, he conducted over 2,500 funerals and officiated at 1,500 weddings. Despite threats from moonshiners and other challenges, Roy remained committed to his calling. One former Smyth County sheriff, Sam Dillard, said that after one of Roy\u2019s revivals in 1937, the impact on local moonshine activity was greater than all law enforcement efforts over the previous 20 years. Roy married Nell Rouse in 1932, but tragically, she passed away from leukemia in 1974. In 1975, at the age of 75, Roy remarried to Margie Barker, and they moved to Washington County. Roy continued his ministry until his passing on January 28, 1992, at the age of 91. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Marion, Virginia. Margie, his second wife, passed away in 1993. (Roy and 2nd Wife Margie Redding, photo at left. Photo from Valley View Baptist Church Collection) Roy Warren Redding\u2019s life is a testament to dedication, faith, and the power of one person\u2019s commitment to spreading the Gospel. His legacy of service in the mountains of Virginia continues to inspire those who follow in his footsteps. *Source: Valley View Baptist Church History & Virginia Dare Baker Photo Collection<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1237,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,17,18,2,74,154,158,159],"tags":[22,161,19,75,162,160,15,103],"class_list":["post-1235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adwolfe","category-baptist","category-churches","category-communities","category-methodist","category-moonshiners-bootleggers","category-quebec","category-valley-view-baptist-church","tag-adwolfe","tag-baptists","tag-churches","tag-methodist","tag-quebec","tag-roy-redding","tag-sugar-grove","tag-thomas-bridge"],"yoast_head":"\nReverend Roy Redding: A Missionary\u2019s Journey Through Southwest Virginia - Rye Valley History<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/socialmogul.us\/RyeValleyHistory\/reverend-roy-redding-a-missionarys-journey-through-southwest-virginia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Reverend Roy Redding: A Missionary\u2019s Journey Through Southwest Virginia - Rye Valley History\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Roy Warren Redding was born on October 12, 1900, in Franklin County, Kentucky, the youngest of six children to Jake and Linda Lyman Redding. He spent his childhood in the small community of Switzer, located just north of Frankfort. It was here, at the age of 11, that he preached his first sermon at the Rocky Branch School, a one-room schoolhouse that he attended. Despite the six-mile walk to school, it became a sacred place for Roy, especially on rainy days when he would baptize converts and preach on the schoolhouse floor. At age 12, Roy experienced a pivotal moment in his faith when he accepted an invitation to follow Christ. “I had to borrow two dollars and fifty cents from my brother, Charlie, to buy clothes for my baptism,” Roy recalled. “I paid him back by selling rabbits at 10 cents a piece.” A deep, burning desire to become a missionary took root in his heart, and each evening, he would pray alone in the back of the barn, asking God to show him His will. He ordered two sermon books from Sears, thinking he might leave home to become a minister without anyone knowing. But God had other plans. His pastor, Dr. Charles Stevens, soon approached him with the very question Roy had been waiting for: \u201cDo you feel called to the ministry?\u201d With a joyful \u201cyes,\u201d Roy was introduced to Bible schools that would help him further his calling. Though Dr. Stevens offered him $25 to get started, Roy refused and instead borrowed $75 from a friend. Tying a rope around an old suitcase, he walked 15 miles to the railroad station, singing “Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone” as he went. Roy traveled 150 miles by train to attend his chosen school and worked as a church caretaker for $25 a month. During his studies, a missionary from the American Sunday School Union spoke to students about mission work, inspiring Roy to apply for a position. He was accepted and assigned to Southwest Virginia, where he would spend the next several decades of his life. Roy\u2019s missionary work spanned several counties in Southwest Virginia, including Smyth, Grayson, Lee, Tazewell, and many more. He conducted over 1,150 Bible schools and organized summer Bible camps in three counties. His travels often took him to remote, underserved communities, such as Groseclose, where he walked 15 miles to assess the area. A local man warned him, \u201cYou\u2019ll never come out of that place alive\u2014the bootleggers will think you\u2019re a detective.\u201d Undeterred, Roy organized his first Sunday School in Groseclose, and with the help of his friend, Reverend C. H. Atwell, who donated land, a church was established there. Throughout his years of service, Roy encountered numerous challenges and memorable experiences. On one occasion, he and his wife became stranded on a muddy road while traveling to an evening service. With no money, Roy borrowed a logging chain from a nearby farmhouse, leaving his wife as collateral. Despite the difficulties, they managed to get their car unstuck, though they arrived at their destination only at 4 a.m., covered in mud and soaked through. (Photo near the Odd Fellows Hall in Sugar Grove, VA, Roy and Nell Redding.) Roy\u2019s missionary work took him across Southwest Virginia, logging more than a million miles. Over his lifetime, he conducted over 2,500 funerals and officiated at 1,500 weddings. Despite threats from moonshiners and other challenges, Roy remained committed to his calling. One former Smyth County sheriff, Sam Dillard, said that after one of Roy\u2019s revivals in 1937, the impact on local moonshine activity was greater than all law enforcement efforts over the previous 20 years. Roy married Nell Rouse in 1932, but tragically, she passed away from leukemia in 1974. In 1975, at the age of 75, Roy remarried to Margie Barker, and they moved to Washington County. Roy continued his ministry until his passing on January 28, 1992, at the age of 91. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Marion, Virginia. Margie, his second wife, passed away in 1993. (Roy and 2nd Wife Margie Redding, photo at left. Photo from Valley View Baptist Church Collection) Roy Warren Redding\u2019s life is a testament to dedication, faith, and the power of one person\u2019s commitment to spreading the Gospel. His legacy of service in the mountains of Virginia continues to inspire those who follow in his footsteps. *Source: Valley View Baptist Church History & Virginia Dare Baker Photo Collection\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/socialmogul.us\/RyeValleyHistory\/reverend-roy-redding-a-missionarys-journey-through-southwest-virginia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Rye Valley History\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/162341033791855\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-11-05T18:23:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-11-05T18:29:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/socialmogul.us\/RyeValleyHistory\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Reverend-Roy-Redding.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"426\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"612\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/socialmogul.us\\\/RyeValleyHistory\\\/reverend-roy-redding-a-missionarys-journey-through-southwest-virginia\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/socialmogul.us\\\/RyeValleyHistory\\\/reverend-roy-redding-a-missionarys-journey-through-southwest-virginia\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/socialmogul.us\\\/RyeValleyHistory\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6308938c62392deddff1e341295e52f6\"},\"headline\":\"Reverend Roy Redding: A Missionary\u2019s Journey Through Southwest Virginia\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-11-05T18:23:18+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-11-05T18:29:50+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/socialmogul.us\\\/RyeValleyHistory\\\/reverend-roy-redding-a-missionarys-journey-through-southwest-virginia\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":737,\"commentCount\":2,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/socialmogul.us\\\/RyeValleyHistory\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/socialmogul.us\\\/RyeValleyHistory\\\/reverend-roy-redding-a-missionarys-journey-through-southwest-virginia\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/socialmogul.us\\\/RyeValleyHistory\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/Reverend-Roy-Redding.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Adwolfe\",\"Baptists\",\"Churches\",\"Methodist\",\"Quebec\",\"Roy Redding\",\"Sugar Grove\",\"Thomas Bridge\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Adwolfe\",\"Baptist\",\"Churches\",\"Communities\",\"Methodist\",\"Moonshiners & Bootleggers\",\"Quebec\",\"Valley View Baptist Church\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/socialmogul.us\\\/RyeValleyHistory\\\/reverend-roy-redding-a-missionarys-journey-through-southwest-virginia\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/socialmogul.us\\\/RyeValleyHistory\\\/reverend-roy-redding-a-missionarys-journey-through-southwest-virginia\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/socialmogul.us\\\/RyeValleyHistory\\\/reverend-roy-redding-a-missionarys-journey-through-southwest-virginia\\\/\",\"name\":\"Reverend Roy Redding: A Missionary\u2019s Journey Through Southwest Virginia - 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He spent his childhood in the small community of Switzer, located just north of Frankfort. It was here, at the age of 11, that he preached his first sermon at the Rocky Branch School, a one-room schoolhouse that he attended. Despite the six-mile walk to school, it became a sacred place for Roy, especially on rainy days when he would baptize converts and preach on the schoolhouse floor. At age 12, Roy experienced a pivotal moment in his faith when he accepted an invitation to follow Christ. “I had to borrow two dollars and fifty cents from my brother, Charlie, to buy clothes for my baptism,” Roy recalled. “I paid him back by selling rabbits at 10 cents a piece.” A deep, burning desire to become a missionary took root in his heart, and each evening, he would pray alone in the back of the barn, asking God to show him His will. He ordered two sermon books from Sears, thinking he might leave home to become a minister without anyone knowing. But God had other plans. His pastor, Dr. Charles Stevens, soon approached him with the very question Roy had been waiting for: \u201cDo you feel called to the ministry?\u201d With a joyful \u201cyes,\u201d Roy was introduced to Bible schools that would help him further his calling. Though Dr. Stevens offered him $25 to get started, Roy refused and instead borrowed $75 from a friend. Tying a rope around an old suitcase, he walked 15 miles to the railroad station, singing “Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone” as he went. Roy traveled 150 miles by train to attend his chosen school and worked as a church caretaker for $25 a month. During his studies, a missionary from the American Sunday School Union spoke to students about mission work, inspiring Roy to apply for a position. He was accepted and assigned to Southwest Virginia, where he would spend the next several decades of his life. Roy\u2019s missionary work spanned several counties in Southwest Virginia, including Smyth, Grayson, Lee, Tazewell, and many more. He conducted over 1,150 Bible schools and organized summer Bible camps in three counties. His travels often took him to remote, underserved communities, such as Groseclose, where he walked 15 miles to assess the area. A local man warned him, \u201cYou\u2019ll never come out of that place alive\u2014the bootleggers will think you\u2019re a detective.\u201d Undeterred, Roy organized his first Sunday School in Groseclose, and with the help of his friend, Reverend C. H. Atwell, who donated land, a church was established there. Throughout his years of service, Roy encountered numerous challenges and memorable experiences. On one occasion, he and his wife became stranded on a muddy road while traveling to an evening service. With no money, Roy borrowed a logging chain from a nearby farmhouse, leaving his wife as collateral. Despite the difficulties, they managed to get their car unstuck, though they arrived at their destination only at 4 a.m., covered in mud and soaked through. (Photo near the Odd Fellows Hall in Sugar Grove, VA, Roy and Nell Redding.) Roy\u2019s missionary work took him across Southwest Virginia, logging more than a million miles. Over his lifetime, he conducted over 2,500 funerals and officiated at 1,500 weddings. Despite threats from moonshiners and other challenges, Roy remained committed to his calling. One former Smyth County sheriff, Sam Dillard, said that after one of Roy\u2019s revivals in 1937, the impact on local moonshine activity was greater than all law enforcement efforts over the previous 20 years. Roy married Nell Rouse in 1932, but tragically, she passed away from leukemia in 1974. In 1975, at the age of 75, Roy remarried to Margie Barker, and they moved to Washington County. Roy continued his ministry until his passing on January 28, 1992, at the age of 91. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Marion, Virginia. Margie, his second wife, passed away in 1993. (Roy and 2nd Wife Margie Redding, photo at left. Photo from Valley View Baptist Church Collection) Roy Warren Redding\u2019s life is a testament to dedication, faith, and the power of one person\u2019s commitment to spreading the Gospel. His legacy of service in the mountains of Virginia continues to inspire those who follow in his footsteps. *Source: Valley View Baptist Church History & Virginia Dare Baker Photo Collection","og_url":"https:\/\/socialmogul.us\/RyeValleyHistory\/reverend-roy-redding-a-missionarys-journey-through-southwest-virginia\/","og_site_name":"Rye Valley History","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/162341033791855","article_published_time":"2024-11-05T18:23:18+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-11-05T18:29:50+00:00","og_image":[{"width":426,"height":612,"url":"https:\/\/socialmogul.us\/RyeValleyHistory\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Reverend-Roy-Redding.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Admin","Est. reading time":"5 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