COVERINGS’ Covergirl: Dr. Peggy Scott

COVERINGS: Many of our readers have been touched by the Mega-Ministry of your sister Dr. Carolyn Harrell, and unaware that she has gone home to be with the Lord. Though thousands of us loved her, you were her closest confidente and shared in her ministry. What is life like without her?

Dr. Peggy Scott: Where do I begin and how do I share with you my most intimate thoughts about missing someone who was so well loved by so many. Not a year since her death have I not met someone who did not know Carolyn had passed away. There were some unusual circumstances surrounding the announcement of her passing that I will not discuss out of respect and love for other family members. It would serve no godly purpose to share those events. I only mention it because after seven years there are some who are only now hearing of her departure. Just last month I was contacted via email by someone wanting to know whatever happened to Carolyn Harrell; where is she and why have we not heard from her in a long time.

In 1999 and 2000 respectively, Carolyn and I relocated from California to the East Coast. I relocated to Virginia and Carolyn moved to Maryland after resigning as the Pastor of formerly, Word Harvest Worship Church, Pomona California and Founder of Covenant Women Ministries due to an illness that affected her mobility.

I vividly remember the last summer Carolyn and I were together as if it was yesterday. It was the summer of 2001 and I was taking her out for an afternoon drive. We were going to Outer Banks, NC about forty-five to sixty minutes from our birthplace, Chesapeake, VA the South Norfolk neighborhood. Carolyn was living with our cousin for a few months to give her daughter, Tamika a respite.

It was difficult seeing a person who was so full of life and joy; and now her body is racked with pain and she needs assistance to walk. The trip was interrupted because of the pain; and we had to return home. We only made it as far as Elizabeth City unable to complete our trip to Nags Head and Duck, NC, the OBX, Outer banks.

We who were aware of Carolyn’s condition all held on with hope and in faith that she would recover from the illness but that was not the case. One of the most challenging moments for me was when Carolyn was hospitalized in Virginia and the side effects of the medication caused her to experience hallucinations. As real as the hallucinations appeared to her; it was still very painful for me to watch. It was not the quality of life Carolyn desired and I believe she asked God to take her home.

I remember our first trip to Nigeria in the 80’s and we were the guests of the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa and his wife Rev. Margaret Idahosa. Margaret and Carolyn bonded and pledged their sister hood. Carolyn was scheduled to be one of the Women’s Ministry Conference Speaker. Everything was all planned and suddenly Carolyn became ill; she was nauseas and unable to stand. No matter what we gave her nothing seemed to work; prayers were rendered but to no avail.

I was so disenchanted, I wanted Carolyn to share her message of hope with the thousands of women gathered in Benin City, Nigeria. As I went to my room accompanied by some Christian sisters from California, and members of the Church; I expressed my dismay and stated something to the effect that I wish it was me sick instead of Carolyn. No sooner than I made that statement I became ill and fainted and fell on the bed. One of the young ladies with us was a registered nurse (RN) and she said that I appeared to turn green and she was searching for my pulse. Finally, I was revived and we were able much later to laugh about it. I only mention this to share with you the extent of my love and commitment to my sister.

So you see that’s why I remained committed to my sister for all of those years in ministry. Only you who are family members in ministry with loved ones can understand the depth of what I am saying. You hurt when they hurt and you rejoice when they rejoice.

There is nothing you won’t do to make your love ones’ burden a little lighter. When others think that your motive for being around is suspect, or negative; you endure and persevere because of your love for them and commitment to God. Some may think it is because you are a family member. Initially, it may be true but as you stay the course until released by God you discover that the path you are traveling is the path of co-laboring and submission, a path of training orchestrated by God.

What is my life like without my beloved sister? It is so much different than I imagined. We use to sit around and joke about what we were going to do together in our senior years. There’s probably not a message preached that I don’t make reference to something she taught me; some spiritual principle. She was so real, so genuine and wanted the best for anyone who came into her life. I know several now prominent persons that she reached out to and encouraged before anybody knew them nationally; from singers to motivational speakers to preachers. She would take the clothes off her back, the rings on her fingers, the shoes off her feet and give them away. Oh! Indeed she was a saint because, she was a child of God. She was not
perfect but forgiven as we all are.

I learned so much about ministry from Carolyn. She was my mentor and big sister. Many of her God inspired messages such as “One Man Put Me Down and One Man Picked Me Up,” “I’m Next,” “Woman Thou Are Loosed” (the original), “Never Gonna Give Up,” and “Don’t Hang Up Your Harp,” still rings on the inside of me.

Talking about Carolyn for this article has been such a personal joy. She secretly slipped away from us to a better place. May these few memories of Carolyn bring you joy and put a smile on your face as you remember her. For those of you who did not have the privilege of meeting Carolyn, may this expose give you a glimpse of a glamorous Christian woman. Many of the life messages I learned from her are too numerous for this article. I have to admit I not only learned some things to do, but some things not to do. The loss of Carolyn is not the end of her impact on others; I believe that anyone who encountered Carolyn Lorraine Scott Harrell still holds a wonderful precious memory of her.

One closing announcement, Carolyn’s beloved and only daughter, Tamika passed away March 2008 on Good Friday.

Please watch for the upcoming book, “Life with Carolyn: A Magnanimous Journey.” The book is a limited edition, but ladies can reserve their copies now on my web site: www.practicaltruths.com or contact me at: peggyscottministries@msn.com. If anyone has stories and experiences with Carolyn that they would like to share please feel free to email them to me with a contact name and number.

COVERINGS: As a minister, how do people respond to your “glamorous style?”

Dr. Peggy Scott: I am assuming that glamorous is defined as being attractive and exciting. I agree that there is an association or perception of glamour connected with being a female preacher. One’s femininity should not be denied, shunned or hidden because you are a preacher.

You are a female who happens to be called to preach the gospel or a preacher called of God who happens to be female. “Yes, we have come a long way baby,” from the days when women preachers tried to preach, and sound like men. In my opinion, the glamour is not one’s physical attributes alone but the “glamorous view of ministry” from without which is a misnomer and misleading. It is the anointing, the treasure of God’s Spirit within us that others may view as attractive and exciting. We must remain true to ourselves and be as glamorous as we like without taking on a celebrity and competitive approach to presenting the best of who we are. It is what some may describe as a drawing, an attraction which is really the Spirit of Christ within us and that some who are uninformed, and mistakenly give more salutation to the vessel than to the maker of the vessel.

Glamour is what you do with what you have; how you package and present yourself. Confidence and love; wear them well and people will be attracted to you because of who you are and what you project.

I enjoy shopping for clothes, shoes and cosmetics; always looking for a bargain and a sale. A glamorous preacher, I don’t know that is for others to decide.

With a little investment we can all be glamorous in our individual unique way. Instead of competing with one another; we can learn to appreciate the beauty within all of us.

*To continue reading our interview with Dr. Peggy Scott, pick up an issue of COVERINGS.