by June Portnoy

For the past 23 years, Gary Taylor has lived in Morrisville and ministered as the Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Morrisville. During this time, he has also served in the military, going on two tours of overseas duty.

Plus, he and his wife of 34 years have raised five children, one of whom was born with Down syndrome and one who was incapacitated after enduring a heart attack at the young age of 21.

Despite Gary’s busy schedule and family tragedy, he continues to “keep the faith,” devoting his life to supporting his family, community and nation.

For all of these reasons, Harold Wilcox, a lifetime Morrisville resident, nominated Gary for this month’s Times Publishing Newspapers’ Hometown Hero award.

“Gary is always there for anyone who needs him,” says Harold.

Being there for his family has been a top priority for Gary. He and his wife, Lois, both children of pastors, are the proud parents of Joshua, 19, Jamie, 22, Caleb, 24, Jonathan, 28 and Charissa, 30. They were all home schooled, but are well known in the area because they all played sports at Morrisville High School.

Parenthood has had its challenges for Gary and Lois. Joshua was not only born with Down syndrome, but also with a hole in his heart. He was in and out of hospitals for the first five years of his life.

Jonathan was a senior at Cedarville University studying to become an electrical engineer when he suffered a severe heart attack that resulted in brain damage. Today, Jonathan requires round-the-clock care and remains on a feeding tube.

“We could have easily placed him in a nursing home, but I believe that we have a responsibility to care for our family, and we wanted him with us,” says Pastor Taylor. “We try to make his life as comfortable and pleasant as possible by surrounding him with his family.”

“Pastor Taylor is probably the strongest Christian man I know,” says Harold. “Lots of people would have walked away from their religion after enduring all he did with his sons, but his faith has remained strong, which sets a great example to the community.”

One of Pastor Taylor’s top priorities for the First Baptist Church of Morrisville is that the church be as involved in the community as possible.

“We participate in almost everything in town, as well as hosting various events throughout the year,” says Pastor Taylor. “I want to show the community that we are here to help.”

“Statistically, the average pastor stays at his church for about three years,” says Harold. “Morrisville has seen so many pastors come and go, but Pastor Taylor is the exception.”

“Because I have lived and worked in Morrisville for so long, people know who I am and what to expect from me,” says Pastor Taylor. “I believe this gives me credibility. People who join this church are looking for a stabile environment.”

When Jonathon had his heart attack in 2008, Pastor Taylor had to find a new home that was handicapped accessible. 

“I could have moved anywhere, but I refused to move out of Morrisville,” says Pastor Taylor. “I believe Morrisville is a valuable town and a well-hidden jewel. I am committed to this community and to the people who live here.”

He is also committed to his nation and supportive of our military. 

“I wanted to have the same experience as these vets, so I could better empathize with them,” says Pastor Taylor.

As a result, he served in the National Guard for 20 years, and for the past three-plus years has been a member of the Army Reserves. While with the National Guard, Pastor Taylor served in Kosovo from 2003 until 2004, and as an Army Reserve, he served in Kuwait from 2010 until 2011. During both tours he served as a chaplain. 

Pastor Taylor currently serves in the Atlantic Division, 75th Training Command at Fort Dix, training other chaplains prior to being deployed. 

“I could not do my pastor or military job without the support of my wife,” says Pastor Taylor, who nominates Lois as his Hometown Hero. “While I was away twice for a year at a time, she took care of our family and remained active in church ministry. She is always lending a hand to the church, and is known in the community for hosting a chapel program at our home for some of the school sports teams.”

Together, Pastor Taylor and Lois are making the world a better place to live.

PHOTO CAP: Pastor Gary Taylor and his wife, Lois.