Jerry Lape
Bio: Carolyn and I were married on August 14, 1965. We both graduated from Ohio State University where we met on a blind date when I was a freshman and she was a sophomore. After serving in the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1969 at Fort Gordon, GA, we moved to Rochester, NY, for 8 months and then to Pittsburgh, PA, in 1970 where I worked for Allegheny Technologies Corporation and Carolyn taught in private Christian schools after our children started elementary school. Our son, Doug, lives in Columbus, OH, and our daughter, Becky, lives in Pittsburgh. Carolyn and I moved to Monroe, NC, in 2000 where I worked for Allvac, a subsidiary of Allegheny Technologies. We moved to Fort Mill in August, 2007, and joined FBCFM shortly after. I have served as Elder, Treasurer, and Sunday School teacher in several churches we have attended over the years.
Testimony: Neither Carolyn nor I came from Christian families. After our daughter was born in 1970, we both began wondering how we were going to raise this child. Carolyn suggested that going to church would certainly be a help, but I was not at all interested in that. Carolyn began attending a Methodist Church without me until one day the pastor asked her why I did not attend with her. She told him I would not attend because of all the hypocrites that go to church. He asked her if I would stop going to the grocery store because of all the hypocrites that shop there. That one simple question got me to attend church. In 1973 a couple from our church invited us to a small group Bible study on the Book of Mark. At the end of the 16-week study, we both saw our need to commit our lives to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Life certainly has not been easy for us since we made that commitment. But through trial and hardship we have seen how Jesus works and how He has grown our faith and trust in Him. We both love Jesus and attempt to serve Him each day. Through the years we have experienced His blessings in many ways and are so thankful that we made that commitment to Him in 1973.
