Pastor Arne Walker’s book, “Spirit Promptings,” has raised over $12,000 to date for Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic.
Sevierville, TN- May 28, 2021
Pastor Arne Walker of Gatlinburg, who has written several books, dedicated his latest one, “Spirit Promptings” to Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic and former Executive Director, Mary Vance.
Spirit Promptings is a compilation of columns that Pastor Walker has written for the Public Pulpit. This book took about a year to complete. He said, “I’m not really a writer. I sort of, in a stream of consciousness, when I am out on my prayer walk, I get thoughts and then I just write them down.” His thought-provoking prayer walks have become a huge blessing to Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic. To date, the Clinic has received donations totaling a little over $12,000.00 with additional donations anticipated. It has been a joy for the Clinic staff to see where the donations originate from because they are coming from all over the country. Pastor Walker said, “I’m blessed to have friends from coast to coast and internationally.”
When asked why he chose Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic to receive donated proceeds from his latest book he said, “I was part of the early beginnings. Dr. Reese came to me and described what she was seeing at Pi Beta Phi Elementary school and we said together, if that’s what’s going on, at what was at the time the best in terms of economic status grade school in the county, what can we imagine is going on elsewhere? That is when we began the work and the move from the school to a beginning ministry at the Fathers House, who graciously allowed us to use half of their youth building in Pigeon Forge. So, my interest was right from the beginning. I started out pre-med, so I have had an interest in medical issues all of my life and we have one son who is a doctor in Florida.”
In the past year, the Clinic has added 8 additional exam rooms and an educational room where this interview with Pastor Walker took place. As Pastor Walker commented on the space expansion, he stated, “Hopefully it will be able to serve the needs of the thousands of patients that the clinic serves because it bothered us, when I was on the board, that we were turning about 100 away every month.” The Clinic no longer turns patients away due to space constraints and continues to serve the community with an increased number of patient visits.
The Clinic will always hold a special place in the heart of Pastor Walker. He served on the Board of Directors in the early years and has continued to stay in touch and advocate for the Clinic. Pastor Walker said, “I found it a privilege, getting to know people during the 16 years that I served on the board.” The Clinic is very grateful for his years of leadership and dedication. Our service to others has been based upon the guiding principles established in those early years by founders, Dr. Reese and Sue Ellen Riddle, a group of visionary board members, and a dedicated executive director. Pastor Walker shares the many contributions of Mary Vance noting, “Mary gave flesh to her Christian faith by giving Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic foundational excellence.”
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