Maranatha Baptist Church member and friend reflects on Jimmy Carter's lasti

PLAINS, Ga. (WSAV) – Former President Jimmy Carter's longtime church, Maranatha Baptist, is preparing to bid farewell to the hometown hero.

WSAV spoke with church leaders about how the small congregation is preparing a service on the world stage.

"Jimmy Carter was one of the greatest Americans our nation has ever had," said Jan Williams, a longtime member of Maranatha Baptist Church.

A longtime friend, Williams was in the Carters' lives before they took the world stage.

"When he won the election, I asked him, 'Mr. Jimmy, where are you going to live when you're not the president anymore?' And he said, 'I'm coming back home to Plains.' And I said, 'I'm going to hold you to that,'" said Williams.

Not only did keep his promise, but Carter and Williams worked together every Sunday for decades.

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"He was a very humble man. I often would say things to him like, 'Do you have any idea how many people you have touched in the world?' … He'd say, 'I don't need any praise. I just want to be what I'm supposed to be, to give praise to Jesus Christ,'" shared Williams.

She was also Amy Carter's school teacher. Williams would help her write thousands of fan mail letters; she believes that the writing helped her neighbor win the presidency.

"I would hand type letter by letter on a manual typewriter… we always said, 'Please ask your mom and dad to vote for my daddy.' And we won! The first election. So, I was very proud," said Williams.

From hosting hundreds of guests each Sunday to delivering food to families in need throughout Plains, Maranatha was at the heart of the Carter lifestyle.

"Our (church's) biggest desire, now that we have lost him, is that we can continue to show the world who he was. And she (Rosalynn)! She was just as big in our eyes as he was," said Williams.

The former president taught Sunday school lessons at Maranatha until 2019.

Maranatha Baptist Church has been preparing for Carter's funeral for almost four years. He will be laid to rest in a private graveside service, in a plot visible from the front porch of the home he shared with his wife.

The church says the former president would be pleased if you're not a church member, to "Find somewhere that you can be part of a group trying to pass the word on."