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Aaron Terlecki retires as Dickson County jail chaplain to focus on church





Former Dickson County Jail Chaplain Aaron Terlecki (left) officiated at the wedding of former inmate Richard Hereth. SUBMITTED

Former Dickson County Jail Chaplain Aaron Terlecki (left) officiated at the wedding of former inmate Richard Hereth. SUBMITTED

Burns Baptist Church Pastor Aaron Terlecki is a living testament of 1 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Terlecki retired as Dickson County Jail Chaplain last month after seven years in order to attend to the growing needs of his church.

Terlecki said he always had a heart for that type of ministry because his father and brother spent several years in prison.

“It seems I was tailor-made for that position, and I could’ve continued on in that position. I’ve always been well aware of the trauma and drama of that kind of lifestyle, and what families have to deal with. That went towards preparing me mentally and emotionally to minister affectionately and passionately for that work,” Terlecki said.

Terlecki said he became a Christian at 7 because of the influence of his grandfather Wayne Langford, who was also a pastor.

“My heroes have always been preachers. He was a role model for me of someone who loved God and loved people,” he said.

Starting first as a volunteer, Terlecki began teaching Bible studies at the jail. Soon, he was nominated by the Dickson County Ministerial Fellowship to serve on the Dickson County Jail Chaplaincy Board.

He was on the board only a short time when the then-chaplain resigned, and Terlecki was nominated as his successor. The chaplain position pays a stipend provided by the ministerial fellowship and Dickson County churches.

Terlecki said his time as a chaplain opened his eyes to inmates’ drug problems and that no life is too far gone for Christ to reach.

“Get a hold of Jesus Christ in a real and personal way, and He will change your life. I would tell the inmates, in Ecclesiastes 7, God made man good, but man has sought out many schemes. We’re all broken, we’re all in need of a Savior. You can say whatever you want to someone, and they’ll receive it if they sense that you love them,” Terlecki said.

Dickson County Sheriff Tim Eads said Terlecki did an excellent job as chaplain.

“He was a warm person. He cared about the staff, and he cared about the inmates, and he kept several ministries moving at the jail,” he said.

Interim Dickson County Jail Chaplain Tom Todd, who worked with Terlecki before his retirement, said, “His mission was to bring Jesus to the inmates, which he has done very effectively. Aaron loves to preach and teach the Word at jail or about anywhere he has an audience.”

Terlecki changed the life of Richard Hereth, who is a former inmate multiple times at the jail. Hereth said Terlecki, who noted Hereth’s love for reading, would bring him a new book to read each time Terlecki came to the jail.

When Hereth left the jail, Terlecki gave him his card and told him to call if he needed anything. A short time later, when Hereth became homeless, Terlecki housed him at the church for six months. Hereth, who was addicted to opioids at the time, said he left after stealing from the church. He said he had felony charges for his drug use and planned suicide when he got a call from Terlecki.

“He said to me, ‘Richard, if you do the right thing, I will be with you through every step of the way.’ And he was. I let him pick me up and take me to the jail,” Hereth said.

Hereth became an addictions counselor and started a family.

“I have a life I never thought I could have, and a lot of it is due to Aaron and what he did for me,” Hereth said.

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