CONTINUING THE LEGACY

Growing up with a father who was a Sunday School teacher meant that without question, you would be present and accounted for each and every Sunday Morning. What made this Sunday School class different from many others, was the inclusion of information that was not in the printed booklet. It was interactive and talkative. Yes we did go over the lesson, but in a way the gave the biblical text real life application, such as increased vocabulary and cultural components about family and business. This way made the moral foundation of the biblical text truly applicable to life in the current world situation.

Later my father would continue mentoring and outreach that was far more reaching that a Sunday School class, and included inviting children who came from homes that did not attend church to go with him. This lead to a larger  than expected number of youth and teens that wanted to be in church, and even more, they wanted to be in a Christian environment. His phone would begin ringing extremely early on Sunday mornings with children trying to claim the limited spaces available for a ride to church. Due to the kids enthusiasm and desire it lead to others being recruited to help get the children to church each week.  From there, the day to day needs of the children took on a more organized form that included tutoring, mentoring and the arts. For the last 10+ years of his life, this was done via a non-profit, but did not take away from my father's faithful work within the church, but instead added to it.

My father always said, "God blesses us, to be a blessing". Gifts, talents and resources are not given to be part of a vacuum, but are given to further spread the love of Christ.

As I look back over much of the details over the years, this space is not enough to share it all, but it is clear that the thesis was ministry and the purpose could be found in the way that we closed out Sunday School each week by reciting the theme of the International Sunday School Department of the Church of God in Christ:

A CHILD SAVED, IS A SOUL SAVED - PLUS A LIFE.

Leadership Development Academy

The Richard Williams Jr. Leadership Development Academy is a Blount County based non-profit organization established to help address the needs of middle school-aged children. 

The academy partners with Alcoa/Blount County Schools, Maryville City Schools, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, and Knox County Schools, to identify and select the participants. 

Participants are not required to be affiliated with any religious organization or church. The participants in the Leadership component are enrolled in a 20-week course.

During the course, incentives are offered to reach a goal of perfect school attendance and honor roll status.

Through an initiative supported by the Church of God in Christ, and 

administered by the Blount County Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the 

academy partners with area community groups and schools to identify and 

select the participants, known as Leadership Cadets. The Leadership Cadets 

are not required to be affiliated with any religious organization or church. 


One Hundred percent of the young people completing  high school years as 

Leadership Cadets entered college. The Cadets who graduated in 2010 

received approximately $500,000 in scholarships and grants. The Academy 

expanded in 2011 to meet the increasing need to address changing societal 

challenges facing young people by working to provide the same level of 

impact in the lives of youth up to 21 years of age,  by creating

The Fred  Forster Institute.