Pastor Fuzz preached his sermon, “Stairway to Heaven” from a 14-foot ladder.
Over the years, the Rev. Enoch Fuzz, pastor of Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church and a preacher for 48 years, a teacher, a friend, a guide, a community leader and a messenger, spreading God’s word to many people in many places. In the past he often visited other churches as a guest speaker. Imagine the reaction when the pastor would show up as the guest speaker about to deliver his sermon and he brings in a 14-foot ladder!
On Saturday, November 8th, the Rev. Enoch Fuzz was one of several honorees at the NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet & 102nd Anniversary Celebration. As he was said to be known around the city as “the Singing Preacher”, he accepted his award beginning with singing one line of song, “I want to live the life I sing about.”
Fuzz has lived the life he sings about, preaches about, teaches about and all of the abovementioned. He was the recipient of the NAACP Lifetime Service Award. While he was among many great leaders, such as Rev. James “Tex” Thomas, former pastor of Jefferson Street Church, Rev. Venita Lewis, posthumous Rev. Inman Otey and posthumous Bishop Michael Graves, who all received the same award of recognition; Ludye Wallace, Jacqueline Sims, Dr. Adrianne Battle received the Legacy Award; Dawn Harrington, Jamel Campbell-Gooch, recipients of Dr. Charles E. Kimbrough Medal of Honor; and Nancy Cooper, Gordon Larkin, recipients of the President’s Award at the reception ceremony prior to the main dinner program.
Music City Center’s Davidson Ballroom had a full house as the guests learned of many who have been on the trail for freedom in and through their serving at the NAACP. Rev. Fuzz, along with a multitude of others, served in many capacities over the years. As the banquet theme stated, “The Journey Continues,” each individual has a journey that continues in a magnanimous way. Although Pastor Fuzz remains on his journey with stage four lung cancer, he also continues his journey with support in the legacy of the NAACP.
Jessica Williams and Shirley Thompson guests with Rev Fuzz at NAACP awards ceremony.
A guest at the banquet, Rev. Curtis Bryant, recalls that the Rev. Enoch Fuzz had come to preach a revival some years ago. As he used that ladder, that was mentioned in the opening statement, someone tried to hold him, and Rev. Bryant recalled Pastor Fuzz saying, “Don’t hold me, hold the ladder!”
In earlier years, Pastor Fuzz was at church or visiting and he sometimes showed up with that ladder, to preach his sermon, “Stairway to Heaven.” He didn’t just “preach” it, he used the ladder to climb the rungs, one-by-one with the intention of showing how high you will go, but only one step at a time. While people were afraid of him falling, they would try and hold him as he didn’t just quickly go up and come down. He preached and spoke from each rung with an intense message of assurance. Little would he know that those sermons on the ladder would be his life-long testimony during this time of his current journey and in the lives of us all. As the ladder stays grounded, he continues to move upward. No matter what is going on in life’s situations, just keep climbing! I guess he did know. He keeps preaching the message without the need of the ladder, only walking as a living testimony.
Continue to pray for Pastor Fuzz. He continues to pray for the world and for you as you are a part of his journey. Visit his Facebook status where you will find him sharing his concerns, praise in pictures, testimony and song. As we continue to follow God’s guide, keep following his weekly journey, Cancer: My Journey in Time. And, a special note of thanks for continuing to read and share this journey. May it be a blessing in your life.
