Elder Roy Morris is retiring after seven years of ministry in the Yankton and Hurley district in South Dakota—but this isn’t his first time serving in the Dakotas, nor was it always a straight path. His story is one of early calling, painful detours, and God’s persistent leading—bringing him full circle, back to where it all began.
Originally from New York, Morris’ passion for ministry took root during his teenage years after giving his heart to the Lord. Encouraged by his local church members, he enrolled at Southern Adventist University in Tennessee. But life took an unexpected turn. “The first year I chickened out,” Morris admitted. He married young and joined the military, beginning what he calls a series of detours.
After his military service, he returned to Southern to continue his pastoral studies. Before finishing his degree, however, he accepted an invitation from Elders Don Shelton and Ron Wham to serve in the Dakota Conference. “We had a good time in the Dakotas the first time around,” he said. From McClusky to Mandan to Carrington, he served three districts in four years.
But life grew difficult. Roy and his first wife separated, and he left the ministry—spending the next decade as a truck driver. “It was a horrible experience, but it taught me a lot,” he reflected. “There’s nothing in the world worth doing except following Christ.”
Feeling the need for stability, Morris returned to New York. There, he worked in a factory, began attending church again, and slowly stepped back into lay ministry. “At first, I just sat in the back and kept my mouth shut,” he said. But soon, he was preaching again. Before long the president of the New York Conference welcomed him back to pastoral ministry with open arms, despite not having completing his degree, hiring him as part of a large cohort of new workers.
Around that same time, Roy met Priscilla, who was also returning to church. Their pastor and a few matchmaking church ladies played a hand in introducing them. “They were very successful,” Roy laughed. Priscilla’s heart for ministry matched Roy’s, and the two have now served side by side for 15 years.
After four years of paid ministry in New York, Roy might have stayed put—if not for an old friend. “Mike Temple would call me once a year saying, ‘Roy, you really ought to come back to the Dakotas.’” After several years of nudging, Morris finally agreed to share his number with conference administration. Conference president Elder Neil Biloff made the call and invited Roy and Priscilla to meet the churches in Yankton and Hurley.
“I went in with all these reasons to say No,” Roy recalled. “But every single one was answered—before I even asked.” The sincerity, warmth and openness of the district congregations won them over. On the drive back to the airport, Roy asked his wife if it meant they should start packing. “Yep,” she said.
Morris spent the last seven years of his ministry back in the Dakotas, right where his pastoral story began. “We didn’t quit because we were tired of ministry,” he emphasized. “We saw a need in our family.” Retirement will take them to Florida, closer to Priscilla’s relatives and Roy’s siblings in nearby North Carolina.
Though unsure what kind of ministry God has in store next, Roy remains open. “The Lord’s kept that veiled for some reason—but I know it’ll be good.”
His parting words? “If every Adventist church across North America could learn to be friendly like the churches here in the Dakotas, people would be drawn to that. And when they find love, they’ll find Jesus—and He’ll take care of the rest.”
Information provided by Pastor Roy Morris. Article compiled with assistance from ChatGPT.
