Looking for a fun and uplifting way to stay active, flexible, and refreshed?
First Baptist Church Statesboro offers PraiseMoves, a refreshing blend of movement, encouragement, and community. This welcoming, nondenominational program combines stretching, strengthening, and balance exercises with gentle reflection and positive fellowship. Designed for all ages and fitness levels, each class renews both body and spirit.
PraiseMoves has been at First Baptist Church for more than two decades. Instructor Gloria Leeb, Certified PraiseMoves Instructor (CPI), brought the program to Statesboro in 2003 after returning home to care for her mother, Frances Tillman, the first PE teacher at Sallie Zetterower Elementary.
“It was in my nature to exercise,” Gloria said. “PraiseMoves has been such a blessing! Meditating on Scripture while holding a posture has put God’s Word in my heart.”
PraiseMoves was founded by Dr. Laurette Willis in 2001 and has since spread worldwide, with certified instructors teaching on six continents. Each posture is paired with a verse of Scripture or an encouraging message, offering a mindful way to move and reflect. The exercises promote flexibility, coordination, and balance while easing stress, tension, and stiffness.
In 2011, Becky Johnson, CPI, joined Gloria in leading the classes. “I had become burned out at local gyms, but when Gloria invited me to PraiseMoves in the early 2000s, I found what I was missing,” Becky said. “After several years, I felt led to become certified myself. It has been life-changing.”
Together with fellow CPI Laverne Batten, the team offers classes for every need: advanced, general, and modified.
“Our standard encouragement is, ‘Just come and do what you can,’” Becky explained.
Classes are FREE, with offerings accepted to help cover instructor certifications and training.
Participants range widely in age and background, coming from across Bulloch County and beyond. The classes have built more than physical strength—they’ve created community. Sally Waters, a 12-year participant, shared, “So many wonderful things take place in our PraiseMoves class. Our bodies get stretched, our hearts and minds renewed in God’s truth, and the fellowship is more than sweet.”
Newcomer Ursula Crawford added, “I was looking for a Christian-based exercise program. As a full-time caregiver for my mother, I needed an outlet. I hardly missed a class; it’s been good for my body and soul, and I’ve gained new friends.”
Another class participant reflected, “PraiseMoves holds a special place in my heart. It’s a pillar of my health journey and a motivation to stay moving.”
Classes meet Tuesdays and Thursdays at First Baptist Church Statesboro:
- Modified Class: 11:00am (chair-assisted options for flexibility and strength)
- Advanced Class: 5:30pm (floor work and more challenging postures)
Couples and men’s classes have also become popular during evening sessions.
PraiseMoves at First Baptist Church truly is a refreshing blend of faith, movement, and community. “Everyone needs to know about PraiseMoves,” Johnson said. Stay active, flexible, and refreshed!
For more information, email Becky Johnson CPI at [email protected] or go to the website at www.PraiseMoves.com.