James Otis Hayes III, 81, of Longview, Texas, known as Possum, died December 11, 2025. As a high school sophomore his family joined the Pine Tree Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Later, he and wife Paula Ray Sutton Hayes were charter members of St. John’s Cumberland Presbyterian Church in White Oak. After that congregation closed, they moved to Elmira Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church in 1989 where he served as an elder. James served in the US Navy in the Vietnam era. Paula is treasurer of Trinity Presbytery.

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Matthew Gore

Matthew H. Gore is a historian and journalist with a deep commitment to preserving and interpreting the past. He holds a BA in History, a BA in Journalism, and an MA in History, all from Western Kentucky University, which honored him with their prestigious James H. Poteet Award. He also pursued doctoral studies at the University of Kentucky. Gore has contributed extensively to both academic and popular publications, specializing in religious history, particularly within the Cumberland Presbyterian tradition. He is best known for his book The History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Kentucky to 1988 (2000), and his work has also ranged widely, covering subjects as diverse as The Origin of Marvelman (a British superhero of the 1950s and 1960s), the relative scarcity of East German philatelics, and the biography of British pulp artist Denis McLoughlin. Gore has spent much of his career in service to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, where he holds key roles in communications, historical preservation, and publishing. Since 2018, he has served as editor of the Cumberland Presbyterian magazine for the Ministry Council of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church A past president of the Society of Tennessee Archivists, Gore is widely recognized for his leadership in archival work and his passion for sharing the narratives of faith communities with broader audiences.
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