Fort Worth Police Honor Memory Of Volunteer Minister

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Hundreds gathered at Pilgrim Valley Mission Baptist Church in Fort Worth to say farewell to long-time pastor and community leader Weldon Daniels. Daniels died on December 26 at the age of 78 after battling illness.

"Today, we the church have come together in mourning but we don't cry, as he taught us not to," said Pilgrim Valley pastor Maverick Gayden as he addressed the standing room only crowd in the church. "He said its okay to cry, just cry looking up."

Daniels is remembered by family and friends as one of the first African-American police officers on the Beaumont police force. He served as pastor at Pilgrim Valley for almost four decades, finally retiring in 2007. And he was active in the communities around his church.

"It was in this spirit that Pastor Daniels gave of himself," said Reverend M.G. Felder who serves as chaplin for the Fort Worth Police Department as he read a comment sent by Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. "He honored his calling and his faith by working to make the city a better place."

Daniels founded Ministers Against Crime -- or MAC -- in the 90's. The ministers served as liasons to the police department. And even though they put themselves in danger, the ministers helped ease crime in their neighborhoods. Daniels also founded a minister's task force to combat gang related problems.

"His fervent effort with ministers against crime he not only did his pulpit duty that a pastor was supposed to do, he went outside these doors," Felder said.

MAC training for ministers continues, and the church leadership vows to carry on other community efforts too. Daniels children, though, had just one request of the congregation.

"Please pray for us," said Daniels' son Roderyck in an impromptu address to the congregation. "We're going to need it. There's going to be some tough days, weeks and months up ahead."