Music minister retires after 27 years at Atlanta First Baptist
The Baptist pastor wished his music minister of 27 years love and good fortune at Atlanta First Baptist Church Sunday. Dale Perkins is retiring after 27 years of music with the congregation.
“We love you and appreciate you,” Brother Wes Mills said of Perkins, his right hand singer, musician and leader of spirit.
Then the pastor turned to the 54-voice choir sitting behind him and said, “Now that doesn’t mean you get to go with him. We’ll see you at choir practice Wednesday night.”
The congregation roared with laughter. Music Minister Perkins had been quite a leader, well-liked and good-humored.
For Perkins, this long stay at Atlanta First Baptist is all in the family. His father, Dale David Perkins Sr., had led music for 40 years at the Mobberly Baptist Church in Longview. Both had earned master’s degrees in church music, travelled America with their youth and adult programs and added to the profession of church music.
The father was a pioneer in the ministry of church music. There weren’t such leaders when he became a full-time music minister in the 1950s. He went on to pioneer the dramatization of major musical works such as Handel’s “Messiah,” Theodore Dubois’ “The Seven Last Words of Christ” and Mendelssohn’s “Elijah.”
Dale, his son, would introduce church music in full color productions with established professional artists performing as in an extravaganza, the congregation filling vital roles.
“It was unique. No one else used those types of personalities. Our church’s music was just so compelling because the people joined in,” Dale Perkins said.
Still, Sundays in and Sundays out, it was membership in the family, of being a part of peoples’ lives that made his ministry successful, he would say.
The most important part of his 27 years?
“Longevity. This helps you get into the lives of people. Tenure is what develops. We marry, carry and bury each other. That’s the best part about it. Being on mountain tops together,” the music minister said.
Perkins will not be fully retired. He will consider helping other music programs develop. His family is involved in their father’s church-related creation, “Perkins Partnership Ministries.”
He’s also chaplain for this region of the Texas Highway Patrol and Cass County Sheriff ’s Department.
“And they have told me they won’t let me go,” he said. “It will continue, and I’m excited about it.”
He says he also has 19 grandchildren whose lives he and his family want to be involved with.
Perkins had studied at East Texas Baptist University and earned the master’s degree in music at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Music was his love.
He says he didn’t want a large send-off on his last service Sunday at the church which was followed by dinner in fellowship hall. The decorations were of cowboy riding and ranching which he enjoys.
Now if left to his druthers, he’ll sing gladly from the seats of the congregation.
“It’s never been applause for me. If someone comes to know Christ particularly through music, then when that happens, I’ve gotten all I need.”