The Rev. Joel Walker has always felt that preaching was his true calling, and when Pleasant Hope Baptist Church in Silver Creek was in need of a pastor Walker jumped at the chance to serve.

“I’ve always known I would preach,” he said, “and Pleasant Hope Baptist Church seems like a good place for my wife Lauren and I to call home.”

Walker, who is originally from Birmingham, Ala., said he wants to work first to spread God’s word in the local community and then look at the entire country.

Members of the church have recently gone to Haiti on a mission trip and will be going to West Virginia this summer.

“Jesus Christ is the gateway to Heaven,” said Walker “and that is a truth that can be seen all over the world. There are people out there that need to know that they can be saved.”

Jim Mehaffey, who is the current chairman of the personnel committee and a former deacon, is very excited about his church’s new pastor.

“Joel is young and this is the first church where he is senior pastor,” Mehaffey said. “He is going to be what we have needed for a long time. Joel seems really ambitious, and I think he is going to build the church to where it should be.”

Pleasant Hope Baptist Church is located at 5395 Rockmart Road, Silver Creek. For more information about the church call 706-235-2800.