Watch the Official Homegoing Service of Pastor Emeritus Ernest Bothuel by clicking this link: http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/embed_viewer/21837
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For Immediate Release:
Saginaw’s Oldest Living Historic Preacher Passes Away At The Blessed Age of 100.
SAGINAW — For roughly six decades the Rev. Ernest W. Bothuel was the Senior Pastor of the Bethlehem Baptist Church serving thousands of families over his 63-year 9-month term as a religious leader for the Saginaw County Community, he retired as pastor in March of 2014.
Rev. Bothuel’s favorite saying was “Jesus came not to be served, but to serve,” I just want to be a servant, and that’s what he did for much of his life he said.
Bothuel was born and raised in Georgia. He worked at his family’s farm with his five brothers and two sisters. He later moved to Atlanta, where he loaded and unloaded freight trains at the Railway Express for four and a half years.
Bothuel found his way to Saginaw in 1942 for “a better way of living” as a General Motors factory worker. It was at about that time that Bothuel said he received his call in ministry.
“There was a revelation; when the Lord calls, he puts it inside and it starts growing outward,” Bothuel said. “He felt the urge to do it.”
He studied at the Saginaw extension of the American Baptist College, received his degree in ministry and later taught Bible theology and the history of the church for five years.
Bothuel began preaching in 1949 and on Oct. 24, 1950, founded Bethlehem Baptist Church. He held services in the home of one of the church’s seven members. The neighborhood church grew to 30 members who helped to build the first church in 1952 on Bundy, just feet away from its current building, constructed in 1972 after the church’s membership increased to 80 members. The original church building is now home to Immanuel Church Ministries. He served as the first president of the Saginaw Valley Baptist District Association’s Congress of Christian Education.
“His greatest accomplishment was just being faithful, faithful to God’s people, to the community and to Saginaw,” Bothuel said.
Bothuel was named a Saginawian of the Year by The Saginaw News in 2004 for his work with the Saginaw Clergy Coalition Against Violence and Neighborhood House community center. He was later instrumental in the creation of faith-based community organization Parishioners on Patrol in 2006. On December 4th, 2016 under the current leadership of Pastor Lafayette Simpson the Bethlehem Baptist Church presented his first Founder’s Day where he was officially named the Pastor Emeritus for his leadership and service as the first Pastor. During that day he also was recognized for his many years of service with accolades from our past President Barack Obama and State of Michigan house representatives and governor.
Bothuel was known for taking his ministry into the streets of Saginaw to preach to everyone from at-risk youth to the homeless, hospitals and the county Jail. He has administered baptisms in the Saginaw River, weddings, funerals and licensed / ordained many preachers and deacons over his many years of service, he even baptized our current Pastor; Rev. Lafayette Simpson when he was 7 years old.
Even in retirement Rev. Bothuel said he remained focused on preaching love for others and continued to teach and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. He said he even though he retired he still served because you can never quit the call of serving. God retires preachers. When he retired, it was He who retired me.
After his many years of serving; Rev. Ernest W. Bothuel gained his heavenly reward peacefully on Monday, March 18th, 2019, just 20 days shy from his 101st birthday. He leaves behind to cherish his loving memory; wife, Doris Bothuel, children, Ernestine B. Walker, Debra (Vaughn) Murray, Dianne Gissendanner and Faye Presley and numerous grand-children, great-grand-children and great-great-grandchildren, and his legacy continues through his founding church Bethlehem Baptist Church 3309 Bundy Street.
Saginaw’s Oldest Living Historic Preacher Passes Away At The Blessed Age of 100.
SAGINAW — For roughly six decades the Rev. Ernest W. Bothuel was the Senior Pastor of the Bethlehem Baptist Church serving thousands of families over his 63-year 9-month term as a religious leader for the Saginaw County Community, he retired as pastor in March of 2014.
Rev. Bothuel’s favorite saying was “Jesus came not to be served, but to serve,” I just want to be a servant, and that’s what he did for much of his life he said.
Bothuel was born and raised in Georgia. He worked at his family’s farm with his five brothers and two sisters. He later moved to Atlanta, where he loaded and unloaded freight trains at the Railway Express for four and a half years.
Bothuel found his way to Saginaw in 1942 for “a better way of living” as a General Motors factory worker. It was at about that time that Bothuel said he received his call in ministry.
“There was a revelation; when the Lord calls, he puts it inside and it starts growing outward,” Bothuel said. “He felt the urge to do it.”
He studied at the Saginaw extension of the American Baptist College, received his degree in ministry and later taught Bible theology and the history of the church for five years.
Bothuel began preaching in 1949 and on Oct. 24, 1950, founded Bethlehem Baptist Church. He held services in the home of one of the church’s seven members. The neighborhood church grew to 30 members who helped to build the first church in 1952 on Bundy, just feet away from its current building, constructed in 1972 after the church’s membership increased to 80 members. The original church building is now home to Immanuel Church Ministries. He served as the first president of the Saginaw Valley Baptist District Association’s Congress of Christian Education.
“His greatest accomplishment was just being faithful, faithful to God’s people, to the community and to Saginaw,” Bothuel said.
Bothuel was named a Saginawian of the Year by The Saginaw News in 2004 for his work with the Saginaw Clergy Coalition Against Violence and Neighborhood House community center. He was later instrumental in the creation of faith-based community organization Parishioners on Patrol in 2006. On December 4th, 2016 under the current leadership of Pastor Lafayette Simpson the Bethlehem Baptist Church presented his first Founder’s Day where he was officially named the Pastor Emeritus for his leadership and service as the first Pastor. During that day he also was recognized for his many years of service with accolades from our past President Barack Obama and State of Michigan house representatives and governor.
Bothuel was known for taking his ministry into the streets of Saginaw to preach to everyone from at-risk youth to the homeless, hospitals and the county Jail. He has administered baptisms in the Saginaw River, weddings, funerals and licensed / ordained many preachers and deacons over his many years of service, he even baptized our current Pastor; Rev. Lafayette Simpson when he was 7 years old.
Even in retirement Rev. Bothuel said he remained focused on preaching love for others and continued to teach and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. He said he even though he retired he still served because you can never quit the call of serving. God retires preachers. When he retired, it was He who retired me.
After his many years of serving; Rev. Ernest W. Bothuel gained his heavenly reward peacefully on Monday, March 18th, 2019, just 20 days shy from his 101st birthday. He leaves behind to cherish his loving memory; wife, Doris Bothuel, children, Ernestine B. Walker, Debra (Vaughn) Murray, Dianne Gissendanner and Faye Presley and numerous grand-children, great-grand-children and great-great-grandchildren, and his legacy continues through his founding church Bethlehem Baptist Church 3309 Bundy Street.
You may make contributions in honor of The Late Reverend Ernest Bothuel mailing donations to :
Bethlehem Baptist Church
C/O Ernest Bothuel Legacy Fund
3309 Bundy Street
Saginaw, MI 48601
Or Giving Online:
https://squareup.com/store/bethlehem-baptist-church-6
Bethlehem Baptist Church
C/O Ernest Bothuel Legacy Fund
3309 Bundy Street
Saginaw, MI 48601
Or Giving Online:
https://squareup.com/store/bethlehem-baptist-church-6