Rutherford Weekly

Prison, Drugs, Then A 20-Step Walk Toward One Prayer Meth cost him everything. Jesus gave it all back. Those nine words sum up Chad Conner's testimony. At 19, he lost it all to meth for 19 years. In 2014, he took 20-steps from his seat in the Souls Harbor Tabernacle in Mooresville and never thought about drugs again. "Please don't call me a recovering addict," he said. "That makes it sound like I've got something left to do. Jesus has already done it all." He compares his 20- step journey to the 12-step programs that seek to help people "recovering" from drugs, alcohol and other addictions. He said his 20 steps took the whole load. But unlike many who believe a profession is faith is all there is to it, Connor has been energized for ministry. He wants other people to have what he's got. His Redeemed Food Ministry delivers food, "to people who don't have cars and can't make it to food banks." But he added, "We also deliver fans in the summertime, heaters in the winter; and Bibles anytime." Just as the coronavirus was hitting in February, he and his wife, Amanda stood on the corner of Main and Church streets in Forest City giving away Bibles. "Most of what we do is just to get our foot in the door to share Jesus," he said. As a Meth addict, he was convicted of four felonies and spent time in prison. "Meth cost me my house, my car, my job, everything. Jesus has given it all back. I've got a house, a job (he trims trees,) a car," and he and Amanda were married in March. How does he know he's doing the right thing? "This happened just a few days ago," he said. "We went to this run-down trailer. The door was propped open because of the heat. When we walked up with a fan, she didn't reach for the fan. She reached up to heaven and started praising God. There's nothing like that." If Chad can help you, he's open to your calling him at 828-305-4475. And where does he get the funds to do what he does? "I told God if he would supply, I would deliver. People sometimes just walk up to me in Walmart and say, 'God told me to give you this.'" Conner said. He also gets support from the church he attends, Pleasant View Community Church just off Doggett Road. Many of the Bibles he gives away are in large print. "If people can't read them, they aren't going to do anybody any good," he said. The Bible giveaway in February cost him roughly $1,000. So far God has supplied and Connor has delivered. His six-year-long journey with Jesus and miracles shows no signs of letting up. He is so grateful for those 20 steps he took to that altar in Mooresboro. He sums it all up with, "One prayer changed everything." N.C. TRACTOR & FARM SUPPLY 299 Railroad Ave., Rutherfordton • 828-288-0395 Mobile: 828-429-5008 • mf1dpshehan@gmail.com IF YOU BUY IF YOU BUY ANYWHERE ANYWHERE ELSE YOU ELSE YOU WILL PAY WILL PAY TOO MUCH! TOO MUCH! PROUDLY SERVING RUTHERFORD, CLEVELAND, GASTON, LINCOLN, POLK COUNTIES AS THE AREAS HOMETOWN MASSEY FERGUSON DEALER. SMALL TOWN FRIENDLY, BIG TIME RESULTS ISSUE NO. 30 •July 30, ISSUE NO. 30 •July 30, 2020 • 2020 • RutherfordWeekly.com • 828-248-1408 RutherfordWeekly.com • 828-248-1408 Our 28 th Year IN GOD WE TRUST! IN GOD WE TRUST! Article by Pat Jobe Article by Pat Jobe 135 West Main Street, Spindale, NC 28160 828-395-2140 Hours: 11-8 Tuesday-Thursday 11-9 Friday & Saturday DINE IN • CARRY OUT • CATERING www.circlebBBQ.com www.circlebBBQ.com Food truck dates available Food truck dates available ©Community First Media Community First Media 10 10 % OFF OFF TOTAL BILL TOTAL BILL *Must mention ad* Excludes alcohol. Expires 9-30-20 Chad Connor poses with a sign that gives his favorite life message and his two children, Charlotte (left) and Maximus. Connor trims trees for a living, but his avocation is Redeemed Food Ministry which off ers food, fans in the summertime, heaters in the winter, and Bibles anytime. He can be contacted at 828-305-4475. It Takes A Village Last Spring Rutherford County's beloved public radio station WNCW, located on the campus of Isothermal Community College in Spindale, NC had to postpone its fundraiser twice, while watching the COVID-19 pandemic unfold. Concerts were canceled, festivals were no more, people were out of work and the much needed volunteers could no longer come to the station. When the fundraiser fi nally happened, a handful of staff members hunkered down, answered phones and entered data for more than 80 hours, in one week, raising a record breaking $265,000. "We had a feeling it would be successful," said Business and Development Specialist Vicki Dameron. "Many people were reaching out prior to the fundraiser via social media, cards, letters, and phone calls letting us know how important WNCW was to them during the coronavirus crisis. They could turn on the radio and know we were there for them. It really had a calming effect on people. Music and art does that, and I believe our listeners and musicians felt, and still feel, a sense of normalcy knowing we're there for them in a time when everything seems to be crazy and out of whack." WNCW staffers have been busy making sure to keep the music alive and to do everything they can do to help musicians and venues stay viable. It's not easy. Like many organizations, the music and entertainment businesses have been hit hard. WNCW Director of Radio Operations Dave Kester knows only too well what the crisis has done to the world of music. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, WNCW has been committed to keeping our audience up to date with the latest news and information regarding the pandemic, but also maintaining the eclectic music programming that we've been known for since the station went on the air 30 years ago," said Kester. "We also recognized the serious effects the pandemic has had on the music industry. With venues shut down due to the social distancing requirements, listings on our Live Music Calendar became non-existent. Most all local, regional, and national musicians started doing live streaming of performances with no audience, so in support of the artists, we offered a free live performance streaming shows listing where we would have normally run the Live Music Calendar. The artists have always supported WNCW, so we thought we should return the favor. We've also recently partnered with a group putting on a series of weekly streaming performances by different artists each week." The key right now is to be creative. The station and many of WNCW's beloved musicians have been doing just that, using social media sites like Instagram and Facebook, along with YouTube and Vimeo to produce live streams, videos, personal insights and uplifting material to share and promote music, art and what it's like to watch the world deal with a pandemic of this magnitude. Story continued on page 6. Meth Took All, Jesus Gave Back

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