Briarwood Presbyterian to hold celebration of life for senior pastor killed in Shelby County crash

NEWS BEGINS WITH BREAKING NEWS. A CHURCH CONGREGATION IN MOURNING TONIGHT AFTER THE UNEXPECTED LOSS OF THEIR LONGTIME PASTOR. OUR WVTM 13, AARON LLEWELLYN, IS LIVE FOR US THIS EVENING. AARON, BRIARWOOD PRESBYTERIAN AND ASKING FOR THE COMMUNITY’S THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AT THIS TIME. IAN, BRITTANY THE BRIARWOOD COMMUNITY, BRIARWOOD PRESBYTERIAN COMMUNITY IS GRIEVING THE LOSS OF ITS LEADER TODAY. MANY PEOPLE ARE FEELING THIS LOSS NOT ONLY HERE IN ALABAMA BUT ACROSS THE WORLD. NOW, BRIARWOOD PRESBYTERIAN PASTOR DR. HARRY REEDER, THE THIRD, LOST HIS LIFE IN A CAR CRASH THIS MORNING NEAR DONOVAN VALLEY PARK ON DONOVAN VALLEY ROAD. MANY PEOPLE ARE REACTING TO THE SHOCKING NEWS EXPRESSING THEIR CONDOLENCES TO THE PASTOR’S FAMILY AND CONGREGATION. ONE PERSON CALLED HIM THE BEST TEACHER AND A WONDERFUL LEADER. SOME EVEN FEELING THE LOSS AS FAR AS THE PHILADELPHIA AREA, SAYING THEY JOINED HIS MINISTRY VIRTUALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC. A STATEMENT FROM EXECUTIVE PASTOR BRUCE STARLING SAYS IN PART, WE DO NOT GRIEVE WITHOUT HOPE BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR PASTOR IS WITH HIS SAVIOR AND HAS BEEN RECEIVED BY GRACE WITH WELL DONE. MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT. NOW AGAIN, THE OUTPOURING OF LOVE THAT THE CONGREGATION AND DR. RITA’S FAMILY HAS RECEIVED JUST SHOWS THE IMPACT THAT HE HAD NOT ONLY HERE, BUT ACROSS THE WORLD. AND WE’LL CONTINUE TO BRING YOU UPDATES AS WE GET THEM ON AIR AND ONLINE. BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, WE’RE L