Pastor Michael T. Pickett

Pastor Michael T. Pickett was born in Brighton, England on October 13, 1943. He was raised in a family with four brothers and four sisters, and he and some of his sisters attended the Church of England, where he joined the choir.  He loved good music from an early age.  He worked in a hardware store when he left school. In 1963 he met Ann Snuggs while they were vacationing in Switzerland. Friendship continued and Michael moved to Harpenden, north of London, where he worked in another hardware store and became a department manager. At the same time he started regularly attending Bethel Strict Baptist Chapel Luton. In 1965 Michael and Ann were married. It was hard times at first financially, but he was offered another job which enabled them to make a down payment on a house. In the following years, four children were born. He later went into a grocery and post office business with his father-in-law. After the family grew it was again difficult to make ends meet and they all moved to Kent to run a larger village grocery store and post office. It was soon after that Michael felt the Lord’s hand on him and he was baptized in Southborough Chapel. Again, after moving a couple of times they ended up in Cowfold and attended Shoreham Chapel. It was here where he felt the calling to the ministry. Going through hard times with many things, he became very depressed. While out on a walk one evening, he told his wife he was thinking of committing suicide, but as soon as he said this, he heard God call him and say, “go preach”. He was very troubled what this all meant, but God did not leave him, and he was sent out to preach from Shoreham. After a few years he was called to become pastor at Bodle Street Chapel in Sussex. He remained there about nine years. He received another ‘call’ after visiting with Choteau Old Paths Chapel. The pastor’s wife said to him “Henry needs help” He felt the Lord calling him there with the words of Acts 16:9 “Come over into Macedonia and help us”. He gave up the pastorate at Bodle Street, put his house in for renting, all belongings were packed and sent to America. He was then told he had cancer. But this encouraged him that the Lord was still with him.

After six months of treatments, he was able to come to Choteau. He worked for Gospel Mission Books, and later became pastor in Choteau, Montana in 2004.  His heart was in the work at the Mission in getting the gospel out to as many as possible through the good literature. He went to many places in America and other lands while he continued to be a faithful pastor in the church in Choteau.

Survivors include his wife, Ann of Choteau; son, Jonathan of Cornwall, England, Adrian of Stotfold, England; twin daughters, Gail of Mitcham, England and Anna of Eastbourne, England; and thirteen grandchildren.

Michael was a faithful pastor, husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend and he loved to socialize with as many people as he could. He had many friends in America, England, Canada, and Australia. He loved to try to help anyone lonely, afflicted or just wanting to share their burden.  He will be missed by all, but we know he is now with his Lord and Master, whom loved and served.

Funeral service will be held Friday, January 15, at 11:30am at Old Paths Baptist Church in Choteau.

Social distancing protocol enforced.

Watch Funeral service scheduled for 11:30am on Friday, January 15, 2021, by clicking on link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82112344803?pwd=cVExanhPZkJMZXNUM0RJTU10ZHFvZz09

Zoom meeting will not start until approx 10 minutes before scheduled service.