Glenn & Charlotte Palmer
Glenn was born in England of an English mother and an American father, who was in the military there. Therefore, Glenn has dual nationality and no restrictions to stay in the UK. Glenn grew up in Virginia, and at the age of 14, he trusted Christ as his Savior. He met and married Charlotte in September 1974. Charlotte was saved in 1968 and accepted the call to full-time ministry a few months later. They went to England in 1975 to visit relatives and there the Lord spoke to Glenn about the need for Bible-preaching churches. As they prayed that someone would go and start a church, the Lord revealed His will for Glenn to do just that in a missions conference in March 1976. Glenn and Charlotte (TTU graduate 1973) moved to Chattanooga for Glenn to attend Tennessee Temple University for preparation to go to the mission field.
The Palmers were accepted by Baptist International Missions, Inc. (BIMI), in March 1981. Glenn graduated from college in May 1981 and they began deputation. Glenn and Charlotte arrived in England in October 1984 with two children, Charity and James ages 6 and 4. As God gave direction, Glenn and Charlotte settled in Spalding and started Calvary Baptist Church. A community center was rented and the church was organized in 1988 with 12 members. Over the years there have been over 700 children and young people come through the Sunday school with many of their parents in the special services. The church has grown in membership with over 40 baptisms.
The ministries of the church included tract distribution, evangelism, and support of five missionaries. Also, other ministries were three retirement and nursing homes, Bible institute, Morning Coffee outreach, Mothers and Toddlers Group for the community, Crusaders Youth Club, monthly ladies Bible study and fellowship, and a weekly mission project with Armenian Ministries.
Glenn was the UK Director for the ROGMA International (Rod of God Ministry) correspondence Bible studies with 9 students. One of the young men in the Calvary Baptist Church Monday night Bible institute went on to do more training and is now a missionary in Romania. Another young man is now studying to go to the mission field and a third has spent a summer working in camps in Moldova. Glenn also taught in the School of Evangelism for three years and participated in Open Air meetings.
The Lord wonderfully provided a church building in September 2010. There was much work needed on the building—new roof, windows, doors, insulation, kitchen, flooring, three French drains, and a gravel car park. All the projects were completed and the Lord led the folks to give extra to provide for many other items. Much of the work was done by Glenn and men of the church.
March of 2015 the Lord led Glenn to a young man who was finishing his Bible degree and seeking a place to pastor and serve the Lord. Kevin Cowdrey and his wife, Clare (whose father is a national pastor), along with their two children, came to the church once a month for eleven months to speak and for the people to get to know them. In February 2016 Calvary Baptist Church called Brother Cowdrey as their national pastor and he accepted the call and was inducted as pastor on April 24, 2016. The Palmers' ministry of the Lord for church planting and turning the church over to a national had been accomplished.
Due to Glenn's health issues of back surgery and damaged nerves for 7 years from shingles, they sought God's direction for the next step in their service for Him. They felt it was His will to become a part of the ARM ministry of BIMI and were accepted into this work September 2016. Glenn and Charlotte expressed that it was a joy to know that they could still be servants of the Lord. Their home base will be in Chattanooga in order for Glenn to be able to get some medical assistance through the VA for his back.
As the Lord opens the doors of service through ARM, Glenn and Charlotte will be able to bring experience and to offer training to the fill-in work in English-speaking countries. The Palmers will be available to assist missionaries who need a furlough or need to raise more support and also help in special meetings and ministries of some of their supporting churches.
Future plans for the Palmers include a missions trip to Armenia. Glenn was privileged to be a part of the founding of a work there which has its home base in England and is a part of the missions outreach of Calvary Baptist Church. It was a joy for Glenn to go to Armenia in 1995, 1998, 2001, and 2014 to help with Bible distribution, preaching, and humanitarian aid. Also, a missions trip is planned to Romania to work with a Gypsy ministry and possibly to Moldova to work with a camp ministry.
Your prayers and financial support are needed to make this ministry possible for them. They want to be fruitful for the Lord and serve Him as He opens the doors.