L&T Publisher Earl Watt

Rex Petty became the pastor for Faith Tabernacle in the 1980s, and he became more than just a servant to a congregation.

I believe it’s safe to say that Pastor Petty was the community’s pastor.

From the time he started his service he went outside the walls of the church to touch others.

One of the earliest works for Pastor Petty was showing movies in Light Park before modern technology. He showed movies with projectors and a tarp hanging between trees, and anyone who came was welcome.

Pastor Petty was a key player in the Liberal Ministerial Alliance for decades. With churches being separated by denomination, the Ministerial Alliance looked to find common ground among all churches, and that seemed to be a mission for Pastor Petty.

Throughout the years he was a point person for several of the activities of the Ministerial alliance, from holiday meals to the annual Baccalaureate ceremony for Liberal high School.

Pastor Petty kept the churches engaged with donating to make sure every senior would receive a Bible.

And Pastor Petty wasn’t afraid to pick up the phone and call the radio station or the newspaper to make sure we were aware of an upcoming event so that we could get the word out.

One of his most well known activities became the annual Super Bowl party, and he would reach out to find special speakers to come and provide an inspirational message during the big game. Many times he was able to get a former NFL player.

And he wasn’t just bringing them in for his church. Pastor Petty would contact local schools and let them know that a former NFL player would be available to come speak at their school, and many times Pastor Petty would escort his special guests around Southwest Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle to speak to young people.

Pastor Petty was a regular at city commission, county commission and school board meetings to offer an opening prayer for our elected officials when most people are ready to call it a day.

Pastor Petty was also a go-to for families in need of a pastor for a funeral or other spiritual need, even if they didn’t attend his church. Even if they didn’t attend any church.

Pastor Petty truly cared about Liberal and was instrumental in helping develop the city’s new slogan, “From Generosity to Prosperity.” The slogan was based on scripture, and it also reflected the actions of founder Seymour Rogers who gave his water away to travelers who passed through this part of the country.

Pastor Petty served, and he did so with compassion and integrity. In an era when pastors don’t last very long at the same church, he became perhaps one of the longest serving pastors, if not the longest serving pastor in Liberal’s history. That alone is a testament that may never be matched.

And Pastor Petty raised his family in Liberal and found the time to attend their various activities as well as those of the community at large.

Any one of his services to the community will be hard to replace, but all of them will be next to impossible. He just did so much for Liberal.

Pastor Petty recently announced his retirement from the pulpit as he and his wife Eydie prepare to move closer to their children and grandchildren.

Liberal will be hard pressed to find another so dedicated and willing to serve as it had with Pastor Petty.

While we will dearly miss his contributions, we wish him well as he moves on to the next chapter in his life.

Thanks you, Rex Petty, for being Liberal’s Pastor.