L

L. W. "Jeff" Jeffrey

Minister of Music

After completion of his elementary education, Jeff attended Bethel College in Hopkinsville, Kentucky on a full time music scholarship. Jeff then was awarded a full time music scholarship at Belmont University in Nashville graduating with a Bachelors of Art with a major in Performance Music and a minor in Psychology and Drama. He also attended several classes in Musical Art at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.

Jeff was ordained as a Southern Baptist minister by Ohio Valley Baptist Church in Ledbetter, Kentucky in 1957. After his ordainment into the ministry, Jeff discovering felt that God was leading him to Music Ministry.

During his college years he served several churches in part-time capacity as either the Minister of Music and/or Youth. Some of the churches where Jeff has served include First Baptist Church, Fayetteville, Tennessee; First Baptist Church, Portland, Tennessee; Glendale Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee; and First Baptist Church, Goodlettsville, Tennessee.

His service to full time ministry (including the role of Assistant Pastor) includes Northside Baptist Church, Valdosta, Georgia; York Terrace Baptist, Sheffield, Alabama; Christ Church, Nashville, Tennessee; Pennington Bend United Methodist Church, Nashville, Tennessee; Braden United Methodist Church, Braden, Tennessee; Mason United Methodist Church, Mason, Tennessee; Goodlettsville Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Goodlettsville, Tennessee, before joining us here at Beech Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

During the 1970's while serving local church, Jeff was the Vice President of Choral Works for Benson Publishing. During this time, Jeff worked with numerous gospel music greats including The Bill Gaither Trio; The Imperials; The Florida Boys; Reba Rambo; and Naomi and The Sego Brothers. While with Benson Publishing, Jeff produced numerous children's albums, albums for solo artists as well as college groups. It was also during this time with Benson Publishing, Jeff began a choral arranging partnership with E. Elmo Mercer. This partnership continues still.

Jeff was the founder and director of community concerts in and around the Rivergate community. This Community Choir had in excess of 150 singers from more than 20 churches in the Rivergate area. The Community Choir performed numerous concerts and raised funds for The Goodlettsville Help Center; The Samaritan Center in Hendersonville; The Red Cross; The New York Fireman/Police Fund (911) and performed the Fourth of July Concerts at Moss-Wright Park in Goodlettsville which was the highlight of the Fourth of July celebration.

Jeff will readily admit that the greatest fulfillment in his career has always been recruiting individuals for musical groups and choirs. He is always fulfilled to watch an individual's growth musically and spiritually.

When Jeff started his ministry at Beech, the Adult Choir had approximately 12 participating members. Now, with an average Sunday morning worship attendance averaging 220-240 persons, Beech's choir members average 55 in number.

Jeff organized the first Children's Choir for Beech Cumberland Presbyterian Church which started with approximately 14 participants. This year, Beech boasts of 39 children singing in our Children's Choir.