BAPTIST ASSOCIATION. Office Hours: Mon. - Thurs. 8:30- Elizabethtown, NC Mercer Road BLADEN. P.O.

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1 The Blade Volume 15 - Issue 1 January OUR CHURCHES: Abbottsburg Beard s Chapel Bethel Bladenboro, First Briar Branch Butters Center Road Christ Community First Baptist Church Clarkton First Baptist Church of Delco Council Cypress Creek Dublin, First Elizabethtown Faith Friendship Galeed Good News Grace Hickory Grove Lisbon Love Grove New Center Northside Open Door Min. Peace Renacer Richardson Riverside Sandy Grove Second Chance Shady Grove Suggs Grove Tar Heel Union Grove West Bladenboro White Lake White Oak Whites Creek Zion Hill As the 2018 year begins, may we find strength in unity. Building on the Only Foundation: Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 BLADEN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION P.O. Box Mercer Road Elizabethtown, NC Office Hours: Mon. - Thurs. 8:30-4:30 Phone: bbadom@embarqmail.com Non-Profit Organization US POSTAGE PAID Elizabethtown, NC Permit No. 35 Rev. David Foster Director of Missions Mrs. Connie Holland Administrative Assistant / Clerk 2018 North Carolina Baptist Serving Christ... TOGETHER Return Service Re-

2 Birthday s & Anniversaries for Our Pastor s and Wives JANUARY BIRTHDAYS 3 Mrs. Bertha Strole, Shady Grove 4 Rev. Richard Smith, Cypress Creek 9 Rev. Leon Warren 15 Mrs. Wanda Helms, Beards Chapel 21 Rev. Lonnie Varman, White Lake 27 Mrs. Tiffany McGill, Dublin 28 Mrs. Robin Donaldson, Northside WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES 9 Rev. & Mrs. David Foster, DOM Bladen Baptist Association 10 Rev. & Mrs. Larry Hayes, Good News 10 Rev. & Mrs. Walter Hayes, Suggs Grove 17 Rev. & Mrs. Kincy Barrow, Whites Creek 28 Rev. Tom & Kay Martin CHURCH ANNIVERSARIES 1 Rev. Larry Hayes, Good News Rev. Jack Miller, Council Rev. Cipriano Moreno, Renacer FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS 8 Rev. Charles Hester, First Bladenboro 10 Rev. Jerry Fisher, Christ Community 13 Mrs. Faye McMillan, Friendship 26 Mrs. Peggy Sue Hayes 28 Rev. David Foster WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES 25 Rev. & Mrs. Darin Andrews, Richardson CHURCH ANNIVERSARIES 7 Rev. Nathan Morton, Elizabethtown Rev. Barry Helms, Beards Chapel MARCH BIRTHDAYS 10 Rev. Tom Martin 16 Mrs. Shirley Miller, Council 16 Rev. Barry Helms, Beards Chapel 19 Rev. Bruce Miller, Hickory Grove 24 Mrs. Pat Smith, Grace WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES 31 Rev. & Mrs. Leon Warren CHURCH ANNIVERSARIES 14 Rev. Buddy Cain, Peace Rev. Kincy Barrow, Whites Creek PRAY FOR OUR PASTORS & CHURCHES GROUP VII Bethel Rev. Thomas McCuddy Center Road (No Pastor) Love Grove (No Pastor) Tar Heel Rev. Devon Varnam Open Door Rev. Randy Andrews GROUP VIII Dublin Frist Rev. Cameron McGill Elizabethtown Rev. Nathan Morton Sandy Grove Rev. Bill Cooper White Lake Rev. Lonnie Varnam Second Chance Rev. Dwight Holland GROUP I Briar Branch Rev. Carlton Bryan Faith Rev. Bobby Winebarger Suggs Grove Rev. Walter Hayes, Interim White Oak Rev. Danny Lewis Delco, First Rev. Thomas McClusky Continue Praying for our Churches Without Pastors or Interims... Center Road Love Grove Gifts to Budget (Jan - Dec.) Abbottsburg: $ Beards Chapel: $ Bethel: $ Bladenboro, First: $ Briar Branch: $ Butters: $ Center Road: $ Christ Community: $ Clarkton, First: $ Council: $ Cypress Creek: $ Delco, First: $ Dublin First: $10, Elizabethtown: $ Friendship: $ Galeed: $ Good News: $ 0.00 Grace: $ 0.00 Hickory Grove: $ Lisbon: $ Love Grove: $ 0.00 New Center: $ Northside: $ Open Door Min: $ Peace: $ 0.00 Renacer: $ Richardson: $ Riverside: $ Sandy Grove: $ Second Chance: $ Shady Grove: $ Suggs Grove: $ Tar Heel: $ The Lake Church: $ Union Grove: $ 1, West Bladenboro: $ White Lake: $ White Oak: $ Whites Creek: $ Zion Hill: $ Misc.: $ 1.71 Budget Gifts to Date: $ 126, Budget Needs to Date: $ 137, Behind Budget Needs: $ -11,479.84

3 Baptist Men s Day (January 28th) The fourth Sunday in January is the designated day each year for Baptist Men s Day. Churches use this day to remind their entire congregation of the importance of Baptist Men s ministry within the church, community, and the world. In 2018, the 84th observance of Baptist Men s Day falls on January 28. If this is not a convenient date for Baptist Men s Day in your church, please feel free to plan it for another Sunday. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Baptist on Mission Region Rally Thursday, February 15, 2018 Mount Vernon Baptist Church 3790 Faison Hwy, Clinton, NC, NC A meal is provided for the NC Mission Rallies at no charge, but reservations are necessary to ensure an accurate meal count. The cut off date for reserving a meal for each Celebration is one week prior to the event. To register, go to baptistonmission.org and click on the "Details/Register" button at the bottom of the page under "Regional Rallies Projects". You can also register by phone by calling Kailyn Eskridge at The meal will begin at 6:00pm, followed by the program from 6:50pm-8:30pm. If you are unable to attend the meal, you are welcome to attend the program itself. International Women s Day (March 8th) International Women s Day is celebrated on March 8 every year. On this day, people celebrate womanhood; commemorating the inspiring role of a woman in our life. Each country celebrates the day with a touch of culture to express their love and honor for the role of women in people s lives. A graceful woman gets strength from troubles, Smiles when distressed and Grows even stronger with prayers and hope! Wishing you a very happy women s day, So be grateful because today is your day!!! Happy Women s Day!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2018 Standard Mileage Rate Beginning on Jan. 1, 2018, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be: 54.5 cents per mile for business miles driven, up one cent from the rate for cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes, up one cent from the rate for cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations

4 A very special Thank You to everyone who was or is involved in building wheel chair ramps. There is always an overwhelming need for ramps throughout the county. If you or someone you know would like to help build wheel chair ramps, please contact Bladen Baptist Association ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ VOCATIONAL EVANGELISTS RETREAT Vocational Evangelists Retreat Jan , 2018 Caraway Conference Center Sophia, N.C. Speakers: David Bruce & Alex McFarland What is it? The Vocational Evangelists Retreat is a conference for those whose ministry vocation is focused primarily on evangelism and sharing the gospel through preaching, teaching or in creative ways, such as illusions, comedy, music, drama or art. Registration is required at NC Baptist Singers & Orchestra in Concert Elizabethtown Baptist Church Monday, January 22, :00 PM 9:00 PM Striving for choral and musical excellence, the choir presents sacred choral music that represents many styles. Each time the group gathers, they share a deeply spiritual experience. In rehearsal, they worship God through the texts they sing and the stories they share with one another. As a community of dedicated church musicians, they pray for one another, laugh with one another and cry with one another. In concert, they offer their musical gifts to God as others are led to worship God. In all they do, they seek to reflect Christ s love and to give God the glory through their worship together. You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:1-2 NKJV

5 Woman 2 Woman I hope this finds you doing well! Last year at Tar Heel Baptist Church, I started a Woman 2 Woman Bible study to CONNECT women of different generations with God and each other, to help women GROW together in their faith as they study God s Word and learn from each other s experiences, and to SHARE what God s Word says about being a woman of God with those in their community and world. The ministry is based on Titus 2:1-5, and I wrote a series of 8 lessons (including a Q&A as the eighth lesson) on Titus 2:3-5 concerning what older women are to teach younger women. At THBC, we have seen God do some amazing things through this Bible study, with one of the most significant being that we have seen ladies in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s all come and study God's Word together and build relationships with one another that did not previously exist. I would like to make this Bible study available to women's ministries and churches in our association and the surrounding area. If you or your church would like a free copy of the Titus 2:3-5 Bible study, please contact me, Ginnie Varman. My contact information is: Phone: ginnievarnam@gmail.com Facebook: (Devon-Ginnie Varnam). NC OPERATION INASMUCH TRAINING 2018 REGION 3 Garland First Baptist Church 227 E 4th St, Garland, NC Saturday March 3, :00AM 12:00PM NC OIAM Training will prepare you to organize a one-day mission event for your church. There is no cost to attend but we ask that you register so that we can plan for your participation. A light lunch will be provided. Newcomers will learn the "how to" of NC Operation Inasmuch. Those with experience in NCOIAM are encouraged to participate so that others can learn from you. The format of the training will be a facilitation of conversation and discussion on the ins and outs of organizing for NCOIAM NO COST, but Registration is Requested Register at: Operation-Inasmuch Thank you in advance! In Christ, Ginnie Varnam

6 FROM THE DOM. The most powerful tool we have as human beings is our words. With them we can lift up or tear down, refresh or repress, inspire or insult. How we use our words are completely, and absolutely, up to us. Listen to how James describes the power of the tongue: It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. James 3:8,9. On a recent Saturday, Beth and I traveled back to my former church community in Galatia for a wedding. There were many encouraging words spoken. We were able to see some close friends and share what God was doing in Bladen churches. We heard good reports of the work in which the members of Galatia were involved. Those words brought hope, encouragement, and inspiration. After leaving the wedding and reception, we made two visits. One was to a young man who had been in an single vehicle accident back in the summer. His injuries were very severe. His physical and speech therapy are progressing, but very slowly. He was able to understand and respond to our comments and questions. This young man was able to communicate by giving a thumbs-up. He did it several times throughout our visit. Beth gave him a Christmas card just before leaving and he said, Thank you, in a very low whisper. Words are very powerful. The second visit was to a man in his late 60 s. He is a veteran, highly decorated for his service to our Country. He was high up in the intelligence training for the military. Since his retirement from the service, he had moved back home to Galatia. He was an active church member and a good friend. He would often come by and just talk. I always enjoyed his visits. A couple of years ago he was diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer s disease. Over the months his condition worsened, and he knew it. He knew there would come a day when it was no longer safe for him to stay at his home. After leaving Galatia as pastor and coming to the BBA, this man s family put him in a residence home for Alzheimer patients. So, Beth and I wanted to see him. My heart broke with I first saw him. He remembered me. There were many words spoken about many things. Before leaving, I gave this dear friend a huge and told him that I loved him. He pulled back and looked in my eyes and said, I love you, and a tear rolled down his cheek. One rolled down mine, as well. Those were powerful words. At the beginning of this new year, let us remember the power of our speech. Let us use our words to give life. Paul writes, Therefore encourage one another and build one another up I Thess. 5:1. I think that is great advice for all of us. Bladen Baptist Association Meeting The Executive Committee Meeting will be at Second Chance Community Church, 207 S Poplar St. Elizabethtown (near the post office) Tuesday, January 16th at 7:00 Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Little Things Make A Big Difference Did you know that last year over $10,000 was collected just by recycling used ink cartridges? Let s work together in Bladen County and double that amount by doing something so simple; dropping off used ink cartridges. It takes very little time and effort and makes a big difference in many lives!! Drop off used cartridges. Bladen Baptist Association Monday Thursday 9am 4pm Share this with everyone you know, especially your local businesses!