Carrying the Cross: A McKinleyville Pastor’s Journey from Loss to Triumph

Pastor James Ray with wooden cross

Residents of McKinleyville may have witnessed church members carrying a 13-foot tall wooden cross from the Northfork Full Gospel Church on Picket Road to the church’s new home on McKinleyville Avenue this December 16. The wooden cross was taken just over a mile, ending at a 30-year dream-come-true for one of the church’s leaders, 83-year-old Pastor James Ray.

Pastor Ray has had a life dedicated to faith and community service even in the face of heartache and loss. James Ray met and married his high school sweetheart, Mary Magdalen Nolan just months before her graduation from Arcata High School; Mary a mere 17 years old, and James two years older.

The two served their communities through their jobs, raising a family on the North Coast. Ray says he accepted Christ in his life thirty-eight years ago, setting him on a path of ministry that he had not anticipated. From ministering in the Humboldt County Jail, to Pelican Bay Prison, Pastor Ray has likely touched many lives.

But others have also touched his. During an unsettled moment in his life, the man of God turned to a fellow pastor for prayer. After prayer, the friend prophesized, according to Pastor Ray, “And he said, your ministry will not be minor, but major…I’m going to bless your latter days more than your first.”

After a life of service including helping congregations around the world find, build, and purchase their own churches, Pastor Ray faced incredible challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Not only did social distancing mandates limit the Northfork congregation’s ability to gather, but Pastor Ray and his wife both contracted COVID. In his eighties, the pastor said his doctor did not expect him to survive the illness. A vivid moment arose during his hospitalization when, facing darkness, Pastor Ray prayed for release, but he said he received a divine message emphasizing the importance of his existence in answering the collective prayers of his congregation.

James and Mary Ray

Though also battling COVID herself, Mary took care of her husband of more than six decades after he left the hospital. Pastor Ray was at times too ill to stand, his elderly wife struggled to lift him though she nursed him back to health, taking care of him “like a baby” he said, his voice thick with emotion.

Later as he healed, Pastor Ray was dealt another blow when the property the church had hoped to buy after 30 years of renting, was sold to someone else. Just days later, he and Mary received devastating news- Mary’s kidneys were failing and her time here on earth was up.

Mary passed away on January 31 of this year, just eight days after her diagnosis. In her final days, Pastor Ray cared for his wife, as she had cared for him. Their 62 years of marriage a testament to the love they shared.

Mary’s death and the loss of the church site were just two of the many tragedies that Pastor Ray faced during that time. He also experienced the loss of several family members and medical emergencies involving those closest to him. Thinking about the prophecy given to him, Pastor Ray said he thought, “Lord, if you’re going to bless my latter days, you’re going to have to get busy.” And, according to the Pastor, He did.

Before the difficulties that affected Pastor Ray’s family, another pastor, Roy Horton, felt a calling from God to assist him, as Pastor Ray had helped Horton’s family in the past. Part of this calling involved a vision of a cross being carried through the streets.

Horton approached Pastor Ray and talked about his calling to help. When tragedy struck, Pastor Horton was prepared to fulfill his calling, stepping in when illness and death knocked Pastor Ray’s door.

Dealing with the profound sadness of the loss of his wife Mary, whom had been instrumental in the establishment of the Northfork church and the search for a permanent home for the congregation, Pastor Ray bore witness to what he said was the incredible blessing of missed opportunity. Once devastated by the loss of the previous church site, Pastor Ray now considers that loss as a blessing. He said that the new church on McKinleyville Avenue, acquired debt-free, stands as a symbol of triumph over adversity. It not only meets the congregation’s needs but also includes a double-wide mobile home for the next pastor, ensuring the continuity of the church’s mission.

Northfork Full Gospel Church

When moving to the new location, the pastors and congregation decided to walk the 13-foot-tall wooden cross from the previous church site to the McKinleyville Avenue location, fulfilling Pastor Horton’s vision. Pastor Ray, walking with the cane, aided in the mission, recognizing the powerful moment, triumph, and guidance bestowed upon him in even his darkest days.

Pastor James Ray helping carry the wooden cross into the Northfork church’s new home.

Yesterday, December 28, marked what would have been Mary Magdalen Ray’s 81st birthday. On his beloved wife’s birthday, Pastor Ray presided over the Thursday night service at the Northfork Full Gospel Church on McKinleyville Avenue. “I miss her,” he stated, simple words filled with decades of love, commitment, and a shared faith that seems to transcend  time and distance.

But even as Pastor James Ray navigates the challenges of grief, his spirit persists. His overarching message emphasizes the transformative power of faith, community, and the enduring promise that, when guided by a higher purpose, the latter days can indeed be blessed more abundantly than the first.

The Northfork Full Gospel Church is located at 2333 McKinleyville Avenue where Pastor James Ray, Pastor Roy Horton, and Pastor Kevin Lockhart preside over 7 p.m. service on Thursdays, and on Sunday, worship services are at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. along with Sunday School at 10 a.m. A building dedication ceremony will be announced at a future date.