Memphis pastor dies from COVID-19
Russell played ‘major role’ in ministry at 2PC
A pastor of one of the largest congregations in East Memphis has died due to complications from COVID-19.
The Rev. Timothy Russell, 62, was Second Presbyterian Church’s pastor to middle adults, according to the church website. The church, which has a membership of about 3,000, is also known as 2PC.
Both an email from Second Presbyterian obtained by The Commercial Appeal and a social media post from Dean Weaver, an evangelical Presbyterian pastor based in Pittsburgh, confirmed Russell died of complications from COVID-19.
Weaver and Russell served together on the Revelation 7:9 task force, a group of evangelical Presbyterian
pastors. In an email sent late Monday, the Rev. George Robertson, Second Presbyterian’s senior pastor, said Russell “took a sudden turn for the worse this evening.”
Robertson wrote that Russell had loved singing the Psalms and that Russell’s last words said to him were from Psalm 126: “Those who sow with tears and weeping/ Will return with joyful song.”
Pastor describes final conversation with his friend
In a video shared online Tuesday afternoon, Robertson expanded on that last conversation.
“When I had my last conversation with him, he quoted to me Psalm 126 and then he asked me to read to him Psalm 98,” he said.
“And I want to try to imitate that conversation because you will appreciate how Tim would have interacted with me reading that Psalm — because he had it memorized. He didn’t really need me to read it.
“He echoed, he highlighted key words. He festooned his own praises onto the psalm as I read it.”
“I read, ‘Sing to the Lord a joyful song, for he has done great things.’ “
Then Robertson recalled Russell’s words: “‘Great things!’ he said. ‘Great things he has done! Bless him! Bless his name!’
“Can’t you hear him saying that?” Robertson told his audience. He continued his reenactment of the last conversation.
“For God the Lord is coming soon to judge the world he made. ‘Come Lord Jesus!’
“He’ll judge the world with equity and righteousness displayed.” Then he recalled Russell’s response: “Equity! Equity! He will judge with equity.”
Then he recounted a few more words from Russell: “‘Oh dear Lord,’ he said, ‘Oh dear father, have mercy on me and judge me with equity. And deliver me from my enemy.’ ”
With the reenactment of the conversation over, Robertson continued.
“The Lord did deliver him from that enemy and judged with equity. It’s not the kind of deliverance we wanted. But it’s what the good shepherd knew to be best.”
He told congregants to honor Russell’s memory once normal services resume by saying “Amen!” and “That’s the Jesus I know!”
He also asked them to sing more of the Psalms.
“And we will discover as commit more songs to heart, through psalm, that we will find ourselves to be more courageous, as Tim was. He wasn’t naturally courageous; he was made courageous by God’s word, hidden deeply in his heart.
“My brothers and sisters, I’m very, very sorry. I’m lost today without my chaplain. And I know you feel the same way. And I am praying for you, as I pray for me, that you will know God as the God of all comfort and the father of mercies.”
He closed by telling congregants to pray for Russell’s widow and that he would inform them of any funeral plans. He switched off the video.
Legacy remembered
Tuesday, a Facebook post from the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary said that Russell’s ministry “played a major role in the lives of many in RP circles and in the greater kingdom of Christ.”
Russell was previously the president of the Memphis College of Urban and Theological Studies, head of school at Lexington Christian Academy and chaplain and director of financial aid at Geneva College.
Over the weekend, the Shelby County Health Department reported the first county fatality of COVID-19. By Tuesday morning, the count of fatalities had risen to three. It was not clear whether Russell’s death was included among those fatalities.