Sept. 6, 2026 Editor, The News-Gazette: We are members of the Lexington Presbyterian Church who were invited by our pastor, Drew Ditzel, to attend several services this summer of the First Baptist Church of Lexington, as part of a project on which he was working. All of us attended at least four such services and were delighted to worship with the First Baptist congregants and to hear Pastor McKinley Williams preach.
Imagine our shock and surprise to hear and to read in your paper and The Rockbridge Advocate that Pastor Williams has been arrested and charged with a number of serious financial crimes. Our hearts and support go out to the members of the First Baptist Church as they navigate this difficult and unsettling situation and seek to preserve their church’s favorable reputation in our community. We keep Pastor Williams in our prayers as he deals with these charges.
We will do our best to find ways to be of help to the First Baptist Church, and we encourage others in this community to do likewise.
HARDIN MARION MAURINE HOUSER MIKE GILMORE KARLA BUNN DAVID DUGAN Lexington Presbyterian Church members
