Dr. Randy Valimont

Calcutta Mercy is saddened by the death of Pastor Randy Valimont. In addition to being a dear friend, Randy has been a passionate supporter of the work of Calcutta Mercy to feed, educate, and medically assist. Here is a statement from the family and details of his funeral.

Statement from the Valimont Family and Griffin First Assembly

On Thursday, October 31st at 4 PM our Pastor, Father, Mentor, and Friend went home to be with his Lord. We are grateful for the multitudes of prayer on his behalf. In this moment, we ask that you continue to pray for the Lord’s covering and the Holy Spirit’s peace to permeate our family and life. Thank you for your concern, but we ask that you allow us, the family, to grieve and respect our privacy during this moment. The Lord has surrounded us with beautiful lifelong friends in this community and around the world. As one large family of Christ and community of Griffin, we will grieve and grow together.

Pastor trusted the Lord. He leaned on him for guidance and dedicated his life to him. We will continue to do the same. The Lord has never left us. He has never forsaken us. Even in this moment his presence is thick. Our Father never looked to the left or the right but pressed on toward Gods will. Let us turn our face toward him in gratefulness and praise his name. He is still holy and has never changed.

One church can change the world. Pastor believes in this message and lived it out daily. His life has affected so many and his soul lives on in this church.

Visitation will be Tuesday, November 5, 2019 from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm at Griffin First Assembly. A funeral service will be Wednesday, November 6, 2019 at 11:00 am at Griffin First Assembly.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Missions fund at Griffin First Assembly so that we can fulfill pastors dream of building a bigger lifeboat.

Thank you for you prayers. We appreciate your love and concern.

Tribute from Conner-westbury funeral home

Dr. Randy Valimont was born on June 8, 1960 in Johnson City, New York and died on October 31, 2019 in Griffin, Georgia. He leaves behind is wife of 39 years, Jelly (Geraldine) Jordan Valimont, daughters Jordan Valimont Bobo of Griffin, Georgia, Danielle and her husband, Praveen Bala, of Lighthouse Point, Florida, Alayna Valimont of Griffin, Georgia, grand-daughter Jaeli Kai LaRaé Bobo-Valimont, grandson, Shiloh Lane Bala, nephews Alden Meeks and Reagan Meeks of the home, parents, Norman and June Valimont of Victor, Montana, mother-in-law, Olene Talbert Jordan, of Gainesville, Georgia. He also leaves brothers Raymond and Amy Valimont of Douglasville, Georgia, Jeffrey and Joni Valimont of Victor, Montana, Mohamed and Parvine Fotouhi of Brookline, Massachusetts, Ken and Janet Boyles of Tampa, Florida, sisters Suzanne and Mike Gavazzi of Bradenton, Florida, Niloo Fotouhi and Nozar Afkhami of Phoenix, Arizona, sister-in-law, Linda and Charles Green of Calais, Maine, a host of aunts and uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins throughout the country and the world. Dr Valimont was pre-deceased by father-in-law, Rev. Gerald McCoy Jordan of Gainesville, Georgia, sister-in-law Christy Meeks of Gainesville, Georgia, brother-in-law, Steve Meeks, of Gainesville, Georgia, grand-parents, Ray and Lottie Lukensow of Goose Creek, South Carolina.

Dr. Valimont was a graduate of Southeastern University where he received his bachelor’s degree in theology, Logos University where he received his master’s degree and doctorate in Pastoral Leadership. He was also the recipient of two conferred doctorates.

Dr. Valimont served in many ministry capacities throughout his years of ministry and preached in more than 60 nations of the world. He served as a youth pastor at First Assembly of God in Oxford, Florida and at First Assembly of God in Springdale, Arkansas. In 1984, he and Jelly moved to Toccoa, Georgia where he served as senior pastor at Glad Tidings Assembly of God. In 1993, he received a call to become the senior pastor at First Assembly of God in Griffin, Georgia, where he served for 26 years.

During his years in Griffin, Georgia, he led the church into many building programs to help serve the needs of the growing church and the community. The constituents of the church grew from 400 attendees to more than 7000 on 7 separate campuses. The congregation of Griffin first Assembly also includes a Griffin Christian Day Care Center, Griffin Christian Schools, Valor College of Ministry, Touch of Healing Counseling Center, Prayer Mountain Boys Academy, and Fresh Touch Radio and Television.

Dr. Valimont was instrumental in developing a mission program at Griffin First Assembly. This program supports various missions projects and missionaries throughout the community and around the world. These missions are primarily to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ but are also humanitarian in nature. During the 26 years of his pastorate at Griffin First Assembly, Dr Valimont raised more than $28 million for missions. According to statisticians, this translates to 99,319,997 people who accepted Christ as Savior as a result of this money going to the mission projects. This does not include lives that were changed through humanitarian endeavors.

During his years in Griffin, Dr. Valimont also served as the chaplain to Spalding County Sherriff’s Department, ministering to local law enforcement officers and the community both in times of crisis and celebration.

Dr. Valimont served on many para-church boards as a board member, but also as a leader, helping meet the needs of people who might otherwise be overlooked. Although he served on governing boards which are too many to mention throughout the years, his most recent commitments include the following: Calcutta Mercy Ministries is a ministry he led in feeding, educating, and medically assisting 25,000 children per day. Emerge Ministries is a crisis counseling center for pastors and leaders that Dr. Valimont served as a board member. Other boards that Dr. Valimont served were Southwestern Assemblies of God University, Global University, Network211 (a world missionary outreach focused on global evangelism and discipleship via the internet), Global Teen Challenge (an international residential program for those suffering from substance abuse or self-destructive behaviors), and Unsion Radio and Television.

Randy Valimont was known for his dauntless vision and passion for Christ. He inspired people to live bold and innovative lives, using every means available to convey that message.

People were the most important aspect of Dr. Valimont’s life. He was always reaching out to the hurting, the destitute, and the lonely, sharing his faith so that others could come to know Jesus. He was a man of great faith and knew that nothing could stop the power of God. He believed in the miraculous. There was no task, no problem that would stand in the way of what he felt God wanted him to do. In the words of so many, Randy Valimont was larger than life.

The last month of Dr Valimont’s life, was devoted to missions emphasis at Griffin First Assembly. His last sermon to the church was entitled, “Do We Have Enough Lifeboats?” To help facilitate his vision for providing for missions, the family asks that in lieu of flowers a donation would be given to Griffin First Assembly missions in his name. A lifeboat will be available for anyone wishing to bring their donation to the viewing and funeral.

A visitation will be Tuesday, November 5, 2019 from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm at Griffin First Assembly. A funeral service will be Wednesday, November 6, 2019 at 11:00 am at Griffin First Assembly.