Marion County native Charles Graves is a retired presiding elder serving over 40 years in the AME Church.
He says that he and Senator Clementa Pinckney had a very close relationship.
“He would confide in me because his family is where I’m from, Marion County,” said Graves
He says they would keep in touch with one another through counseling and church conferences.
“I did what I could to make sure he got where he needed to go. He was really helpful. Every step he made he accounted for it,” says Graves.
A passion for serving others.
Graves says Senator Clementa Pinckney was interested in helping people all the time, all the way. He says Pinckney was a very very energetic and an intelligent young man.
Merrit Graves is Charles Graves son and the pastor of Mount Zion AME Church in Florence.
He and Pinckney also met through church meetings, but formed an even closer bond in their fraternity.
“That kind of drew us closer together. Always found him to be very conscientious, very cordial. The same every time you see him,” mention Graves.
Charles Graves says he knew all the preachers, the girls and Reverend Daniel Simmons who served under his leadership.
Slowly recovering from a heartbreaking tragedy.
“We’re leaning on each other shoulders. We’re talking about it. We’re not pretending like it didn’t happen. We’re talking about it and praying our way through it,” said Merritt Graves.
“Of course we kind of kick it to the back of our mind that its not true for a day or two until it wears off,” said Charles Graves.
He says that he and Senator Clementa Pinckney had a very close relationship.
“He would confide in me because his family is where I’m from, Marion County,” said Graves
He says they would keep in touch with one another through counseling and church conferences.
“I did what I could to make sure he got where he needed to go. He was really helpful. Every step he made he accounted for it,” says Graves.
A passion for serving others.
Graves says Senator Clementa Pinckney was interested in helping people all the time, all the way. He says Pinckney was a very very energetic and an intelligent young man.
Merrit Graves is Charles Graves son and the pastor of Mount Zion AME Church in Florence.
He and Pinckney also met through church meetings, but formed an even closer bond in their fraternity.
“That kind of drew us closer together. Always found him to be very conscientious, very cordial. The same every time you see him,” mention Graves.
Charles Graves says he knew all the preachers, the girls and Reverend Daniel Simmons who served under his leadership.
Slowly recovering from a heartbreaking tragedy.
“We’re leaning on each other shoulders. We’re talking about it. We’re not pretending like it didn’t happen. We’re talking about it and praying our way through it,” said Merritt Graves.
“Of course we kind of kick it to the back of our mind that its not true for a day or two until it wears off,” said Charles Graves.