Golden boy Galbraith now ‘50’ at UCPC
Frank Galbraith got to know the Rev. Leonard Turner, senior pastor at Union Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and having worked with the church’s youth as a non-member for several months in the early 1970s, he was surprised to find out one fact about UCPC.
Being told by Turner in a phone conversation that UCPC didn’t have a choir at that time, Turner said Galbraith kept asking, “‘You don’t have a choir?’
“I said, ‘no you dummy, I told you we didn’t have a choir,’” Turner recalled — getting big laughs — during a special ceremony earlier this week honoring Galbraith’s 50 years as UCPC choir director.
“He said, ‘you’ve got a choir director now,’” the long-time pastor recalled about Galbraith taking the job, and reestablishing the choir, in 1973.
A popular history teacher for almost 40 years at Farragut Middle School (and a World War II historian) who has used his musical talents to both entertain and help spread God’s message — not to mention his athletic skills as one of the nation’s top senior badminton players — Galbraith, 82, was honored alongside many family members in the church’s gym Sunday, June 4.
Early during the ceremony, Galbraith honored his wife, Cheryl Galbraith, with the popular song “Through the Years” he sang while playing the piano. “Next Sunday is our 45th anniversary, and I’ve been wanting to sing a song to her for a long time,” he said.
Several UCPC and family members shared their feelings and stories about Galbraith, both serious and humorous — including one member who said the honoree helped lead him to become a Christian, while another said the choir director helped her rededicate her life to Jesus — during an “open mic” session.
“God put this man and I together,” Galbraith said to the gathering about Turner. “I came down here and did a show for Valentine’s (Day) on a Thursday night.”
While telling a few small stories to the gathering, Galbraith recalled meeting Turner for the first time. “I liked him right then,” the honoree said. “So, I had him up to school on the next Tuesday; I had a Bible class after school.
“I started working down here — we worked with the kids — and for one solid year I came down early in the mornings (on Sundays), and I would leave the services and go back to (my church in) Concord. … And then come back Sunday nights here,” he added.
From that beginning point, “Leonard and I, we started doing revivals,” Galbraith said about using his singing talents to go with Turner’s preaching. “… A lot of churches then were small. They needed reviving.
“And when God put us together, we could come into a place” to where, led by the Holy Spirit, “we saved many people — and then the word spread,” the honoree added. “We have done 116 revivals all over the place.”
Summing up 50-plus years at UCPC, “It’s been an honor to be here,” Galbraith said. “… Thank you so much and God Bless you.”
A plaque honoring Galbraith, which was made by Sandra and Rick Hill, was presented to the honoree.
