Rev. Knuckles The Rev. London C. Knuckles will speak Sunday, Nov. 22, at 11 a.m. during a Senior Citizens Day observance at Shady Grove Baptist Church.

Rev. Knuckles, retired pastor and Shady Grove’s Father of the Church, was called to preach in 1960. After that calling, and years of being a farmer, he felt the need to go back to school. He received his high school diploma from the Cherokee County Adult Education program in 1968 and also enrolled in seminary classes, attending Gardner Webb University, Southern Baptist Convention Seminary Extension and Mid-Atlantic Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received a A.A. in Religion in 1987 and a B.A in Religion in 1988. He also received a Certificate of Completion in Pastoral Counseling.

His pastoral ministry includes Haynes Grove, Cliffside, N.C.; Palmer Grove Baptist Church, Lawndale, N.C.; Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, Bessemer City, N.C.; Fosters Grove Baptist Church Cherokee Springs,; and New Vernon Baptist Church, Bostick, N.C. He now serves as an associate minister at his home church, Shady Grove.

He has also served on the Thickety Mountain Baptist Association executive board and trustee board and was employed and ministered at Cherokee County Memorial Hospital. He and Rev. Dewey Whittenburg Sr. organized Cherokee County Consistory No. 267, of which he served as Commander in Chief. He also served as Senior Warden of the Limestone Masonic Lodge No.117 and in 1996 received a plaque and lifetime membership for his years of dedication and outstanding service.

He retired from Cherokee County School District with 28 years of service.

Others on Sunday’s program will be the Rev. Warren Manning and the Rev. R. L. Brewton who will sing and make remarks, Elder Albert Richardson and the Rev. Dewey Whittenburg. The Senior Hymn Choir will provide special music.