HEAVENER—Members of Heavener, Big Creek gathered Sunday, July 19, following the morning worship service to dedicate a newly completed home for Pam Gniech, the widow of the late Steve Gniech, whose ministry touched churches and communities across southeastern Oklahoma.
Gniech served as pastor of Big Creek from 1995 to 2000. He passed away on Dec. 3, 2013. For the past 13 years, Pam lived in the former auditorium of Heavener, Pilgrims Rest, where a portion of the building had been converted into modest living quarters. Pilgrims Rest was the final church Gniech pastored.
The project began with a simple concern. Deacon Rick West of Big Creek recognized that Pam did not have a suitable home. “Pam was essentially homeless,” West said. “She had no place that truly belonged to her.”
West shared the need with the congregation, and the church responded immediately. “When the idea was presented at a business meeting, the church voted unanimously to move forward,” said Pastor Philip Jones. “Our members believed providing Pam with a safe home was a ministry worthy of our prayers, our resources, and our labor.”
Planning for the project began in August 2025. The church approached Pam with the idea of building a home designed to meet her needs. Together, they settled on a modest floor plan consisting of a living room, kitchen, one bedroom and one bathroom.
As word spread throughout the community, support began arriving from people whose lives had been touched by Rev. Gniech’s ministry. Financial gifts, building materials, volunteer labor, and countless prayers poured in as the project gained momentum.
The effort soon became a testimony to the cooperative spirit of Oklahoma Baptists and the Leflore Association. While Big Creek Baptist Church led the project, Tishomingo, First, under the leadership of Pastor Jeremy Parham, Pilgrims Rest, and Madill, First made significant financial contributions that helped make the new home possible.
“What began as the concern of one deacon quickly became a ministry embraced by several churches and many individuals who simply wanted to help,” Jones said. “It was inspiring to watch believers from different congregations unite around a common purpose—to provide a safe place for a faithful pastor’s widow to call home.”
Additional volunteers also played an important role. The Leflore Baptist Association’s “Thumbusters,” a team that assists churches with carpentry and construction projects, donated their time and labor. Local builder Ray Doyle and his crew volunteered to complete portions of the construction. Derrick Baker, owner of a local HVAC and plumbing company, installed the home’s plumbing and HVAC systems. Big Creek’s youth group, Matt Speers alongside numerous church members also contributed to the project.
Pam admitted she was initially reluctant to accept such a generous gift. “When Rick first approached me about letting the church build this home, I told him I needed to pray about it,” she said. The following week, part of the roof in her living quarters collapsed. “I knew then that God was telling me to let the church do this for me,” she said. Pam expressed heartfelt gratitude to the churches and the many individuals who donated materials, volunteered their time, prayed faithfully, and encouraged her throughout the project.
Jones said the completed home represents far more than a construction project. “It reflects the willingness of Oklahoma Baptists to work together to meet a need and care for those who have faithfully served in ministry,” he said. Jones hopes the story will encourage other churches to recognize and meet the needs of retired ministers and their wives. “I know there are other pastors and pastors’ wives who are in need—people who have faithfully served the Lord their entire lives,” Jones said. “My hope is that when others read this story, they will be moved to step up and help.”
From left to right: Deacon Rick west, Pam Gneich, Deacon Derick Baker, Deacon Joe Hickman, Pastor Philip Jones
