VISIONS. Children's Ministry Is THIRD QUARTER 10 NEW FACES IN CBF/GA PULPITS 3 HELPING CHILDREN GROW A LIVING FAITH GIVING REPORT

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1 2018 THIRD QUARTER Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 3 HELPING CHILDREN GROW A LIVING FAITH GIVING REPORT 10 NEW FACES IN CBF/GA PULPITS VISIONS 13 NEW INITIATIVES AND CHANGES FOR CBF/GA Children's Ministry Is... MARTHA KATE HALL, Associate Coordinator for Congregational Life, mkhall@cbfga.org In this issue of Visions, you will read stories of some wonderful moments in ministry with children and families across the state of Georgia. Children s ministry is near and dear to my heart, because I have served in children s ministry and also now have two children of my own. Here are a few of my own observations regarding children s ministry. 1. Children s Ministry is Christ-centered. In all we do, say, and teach, the redemption story of Christ and learning how to live as Christ must be the focus. As infants and toddlers, children in the church ideally are shown the unconditional love that God has shown to humankind. As they grow and mature, children learn more about God s redemptive work in our world. 2. Children s Ministry is a partnership between church and home. The church should be a place where parents and guardians can find support and resources to help them nurture their children. Likewise, parents must help the church by reinforcing the lessons taught at church. There is no better way for a child to learn what it means to live as Christ than through the example set by a parent. 3. Children s Ministry involves the whole church. Children s ministry needs the support of the pastor and other staff to succeed, and many volunteers are required to maintain successful programing and activities for children. The church has made a commitment to teaching and nurturing these children in faith, and that requires time and energy. 4. Children s Ministry takes a holistic approach. It takes more than just one program or event for a children s ministry to flourish. A balance of different types of programs and events is required for a successful and complete ministry program. Just as children are all different, so children need to experience a variety of learning styles and activities. 5. Children s Ministry is valuable. Faith formation that occurs during childhood is most often the faith that will stay with children through adolescence and into adulthood. A thriving children s ministry also attracts young families and can help churches grow. Both of these are crucial to the longevity of the church. These guidelines may seem basic, but I believe that we need to be reminded of even these simple things from time to time. All too often, we become wrapped up in the messiness of church and forget about the youngest members of our congregations, who are perhaps the ones who need our churches the most. I hope you will learn from the stories shared in this issue of Visions and will consider the ways in which your church is ministering well to your youngest members and how you might grow your own children s ministry in the future.

2 A FEW WORDS FROM OUR COORDINATOR A Little Child Shall Lead Them Most likely, you don t know Ms. Esther, Ms. Naomi, or Ms. Rhea. These ladies, among others, figure prominently in my childhood. At the small, rural church where I grew up, we didn t have a children s minister. We had a cadre of committed volunteers who gave their very best selves to children through Sunday morning teaching and Wednesday night Mission Friends. Looking back on those days, I realize that a great deal of theological sophistication was missing. As far as I know, not a single person was consulting biblical commentaries or great works of theology as they prepared for us each week. I don t know if any of our teachers went to any associational or state training conferences, but I d be a little surprised if they did. No, these ladies (and, yes, as in most of our churches, our children s leaders were all ladies) didn t have seminary degrees or training like many of us would prefer. Instead, they brought a love for children and God s kingdom with them every time we gathered on Sundays or Wednesdays. Thankfully, they are not alone. In a good number of our congregations, children and their families are welcomed each week by ministers and volunteers who genuinely believe Jesus words from Matthew 19:14: Let the little children come to me. Don t stop them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people who are like these children. (New Century Version). In this scene and in his broader ministry, Jesus lifts up children because they show us how to be a better part of this new kingdom. Our children are dependent upon us for their needs and even some of their wants, teaching us how to rely more on God s provision than our own might. They are relatively small and powerless, reminding us that we must become small so God s kingdom can become great. For Jesus, children are the ultimate examples of trust and wonder that are essential to being a part of God s kingdom. Frederick Buechner says, Jesus was not being sentimental. He was saying that the people who get into heaven are people who, like children, don t worry about it too much. They are people who, like children, live with their hands open more than with their fists clenched. They are people who, like children, are so relatively unburdened by preconceptions that if somebody says there s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, they are perfectly willing to go take a look for themselves. In my seminary days, I was the youth and children s minister at Northeast Baptist Church in Atlanta, one of our CBF/GA partner congregations. I had worked with youth at a church throughout my college years, but I had never really worked with children. Sometimes, our youth bring a jaded and even cynical approach to life and faith, thanks in large measure to us adults who want them to become adults too quickly. But the children with whom I worked brought wonder and joy to our church. Small, seemingly inconsequential things like animal crackers and apple juice, stickers and coloring sheets, butterflies and ladybugs, mattered a great deal and brought great delight to them. They knew how to pay attention to the smallest details of God s big world. If teaching us to pay attention, to stand in wonder and joy, and to love unconditionally are what children bring to our congregations, that would be more than enough. By simply being present in our lives, they bring us closer to Jesus, who welcomed them with open arms. If you or your congregation would like to connect more fully to CBF/GA and our children s ministry network, please contact Martha Kate Hall at mkhall@cbfga.org. May we all find ways to welcome the children unto us, for we may find out that they hold the keys to the kingdom of God for us all. JODY LONG Executive Coordinator jlong@cbfga.org 2 December Third Quarter / January 2018 VISIONS / February 2016 VISIONS

3 HELPING CHILDREN Grow Creative Ideas in Children s Ministry A LIVING FAITH CHILDREN S MINISTRY is generally considered to be a vital component in healthy churches, and churches across CBF/GA constantly are looking for new and creative ways to enhance and extend their efforts in this area of ministry. On these pages, we share ideas from four churches in CBF/GA life which are discovering new avenues for teaching children what it means to be followers of Christ and integral participants in the family of God. Children s ministry leaders statewide are hard at work bringing a new look to work with our youngest participants: from a summer Bucket List project undertaken by several churches to a Godly Play curriculum emphasis, from fresh looks at discipleship programs for older elementary children to comprehensive spiritual formation efforts that meld the attainment of particular benchmarks for learning with end-of-year mystery trips. Though the ideas and avenues vary, the goals are similar, to help children grow into a living faith that will last them a lifetime. If you work with children s ministry and want to connect more purposefully with children s ministry leaders from across Georgia, please contact Martha Kate Hall, Associate Coordinator for Congregational Life for CBF/GA, at mkhall@cbfga.org. Bucket List Sometimes the best ideas in ministry happen by accident. This summer, several CBF/GA children s ministries participated in a project called The Bucket List, which came about because of a donation of sand buckets to one participant in a CBF children s ministers peer learning group. As Sarah Murray, Minister to Families with Children at FBC, Griffin, relates, One member, Katie Vance Lucas, started by sharing that she d had someone donate sand buckets and would love to find a purpose for them, maybe a summer bucket list. From there the discussion thread became a collection of ideas. We all got excited and thought we d like to do the same project, so we each agreed to take one item from the Bucket List, write up the directions and/or prayers for publication, and submit it to the shared Google document. The basic premise was that each family would receive a sand bucket filled with elements of the Summer Bucket List. These children s ministers asked families to use these simple devotional practices throughout the summer as ways of connecting with one another and caring for their neighbors. They asked that families take and share pictures of themselves with the God is Here sign, reminding all that God is everywhere we are vacations, staycations, baptisms, swim practices, travel ball, hikes, chalking a neighbor s driveway, baking cookies.everywhere. Some activities on the Bucket List were a God is Here sign, Screen Free Family Time, Cheerful Chalking, Road Trip, and Helping Our Neighbors in Need. Becky Caswell-Speight, Minister to Families with Children at Smoke Rise Baptist Church, reports great success with the Bucket List this (continues on next page) Third Quarter 2018 VISIONS 3

4 summer. Children in that congregation especially enjoyed the Cheerful Chalking activity, which involved using sidewalk chalk to draw pictures and write encouraging words on driveways and sidewalks. Some families extended this project to decorate the driveways of older adults in the church, much to the delight of those members! Her own family used the map in the Road Trip to track license plates as they travelled. Seeing how many states were represented just in the Atlanta area helped reinforce with her children how connected and interdependent we are with other people. The members of the peer learning group, self-named The Wise Guides Collective, are willing to share these Bucket List resources with others. Please contact Katie Vance Lucas at or any of the CBF/GA participants (Becky Caswell-Speight, Sarah, Murray, and Julie Long) in the group for more information. Discipleship Groups Several CBF/GA churches have taken the traditional idea of discipleship classes for older children to a new level, with good results. At First Baptist Church of Christ in Macon, Making Disciples offers 3rd-5th grade kids a chance to be matched with an adult mentor who becomes active in the learning process. In addition to meeting as a group in four learning sessions over several months, each child and mentor participate together in projects and activities outside of class. The curriculum is adapted from Making Disciples, by William Willimon. Teaching sessions are led collaboratively by the Pastor and the Minister of Children and Families. An introductory getting to know you session with kids, mentors, and parents includes sharing of faith journeys. The four teaching sessions cover a variety of topics, including God, Jesus, the Bible, the Church, Worship (baptism and communion), church membership, and ministry. The class is informational, but the purpose of the program is to be formational, as children experience the joys and struggles of the life of faith. Families are also encouraged to participate in the experience by participating in certain projects throughout the class. At Smoke Rise Baptist Church, 5th grade is treated as a special transition year and is moved out of the children s are but not yet to the youth area. They are called The Ascension Group, and all events of the year point to Ascension Sunday, roughly 40 days after Easter, which marks the children s ascension from the children s program and is the day when the participants present before the congregation boards they have been working on throughout the year in various activities and classes. Regular curriculum is used for the first half of the year, and then the emphasis moves to each child s learning to tell his or her story. A 5th grade retreat is held in January, with emphasis on who each child is and on their place in the church. The group works toward Children s Day in May, which the children totally plan around the theme the pastor suggests. As the year passes, there are evening events, led by the youth pastor and children s minister, designed to bridge the space between the children s and youth programs of the church. On Wednesdays in summer, the now rising 6th graders join in youth activities. They also enjoy a one-day First Trip, Last Trip to mark their passage from children to youth. 4 Third Quarter 2018 VISIONS

5 Mystery Trips First Baptist Church, Augusta, has created Inside/Out, a spiritual formation program designed for 1st through 5th graders. According to Melissa Willis, Minister to Preschool and Children, Inside/Out is a biblical skills and missions building block designed as a fun and engaging way for children to build their Bible skills and to learn about how and why the church does ministry in its community and around the world. The program encompasses Sunday morning and Wednesday evening study time, with missions as the Wednesday evening focus, using the Spark curriculum produced by Smyth & Helwys. Children are challenged with a thoughtful list of age-appropriate assignments and projects that allow a child to accrue points throughout the year. Organized mission projects are planned for each month throughout the year to support the missions element of Inside/Out. At the end of the year, if a child has made a reasonable attempt to engage and to learn the objectives, he/she is invited at attend an overnight Mystery Trip in May. A slightly different approach is taken by First Baptist Church of Christ, Macon, through its Benchmarks for Children s Ministry. Objectives are set for children in all areas, from Sunday School to Children s choirs and children s missions, to special worship, discipleship, Bible skills, and Baptist Heritage classes. Specific goals and expectations are set for children s learning. Again, for children who meet certain developmentally appropriate benchmarks, a one-day mystery trip is offered annually. Godly Play In January 2017, Peachtree Baptist Church in Atlanta launched Godly Play curriculum for their children during the Sunday school hour. According to Leslie Brogdon, Children s Minister, the results have been wonderful for the spiritual exploration and formation of the church s children. Using Montessori-style educational approaches, children in Peachtree s Sunday School classes are encouraged to think creatively about Bible stories, to respond in acts of worship, and to grow in their understanding of faith, church, and Scripture. Says Leslie, We believed so strongly in a curriculum that encouraged our children to wonder about God that we hired an intern, sent volunteers to Godly Play training, shared our vision with the congregation, and allowed ourselves about 8 months to get everything well prepared. We had a lot of questions about how well this would work with students ranging from age 2 to 8 and from class sizes of 3 to 15, but it has worked beautifully. So what is Godly Play? The founder of Godly Play, Jerome Berryman, writes, Wondering brings us to knowledge of God, ourselves, and others in a deep and convincing way.... The wondering together produces thinking Christians who can enter into dialogue, share their experiences of God, and together discover God s calling for them. (Teaching Children and Worship and Teaching Godly Play). The rhythm of Godly Play follows the rhythm of worship and can include gathering together, listening to the Scriptures, responding to a lesson, sharing a feast, and saying goodbye with mutual blessing. One goal of Godly Play is to help prepare children to join adult worship. Godly Play focuses on three types of stories, each representing a different aspect of our Christian language: sacred stories, parables, and liturgical action stories to describe how God redeems through Christ and how the practices of baptism and communion relate. It also includes contemplative silence, as a way to encourage experiencing the presence of God. Godly Play encourages a child s innate desire to be in relationship with God, in part by providing a secure, ageappropriate environment for children to discover a love of learning and the ability to direct themselves. In the spirit of Matthew 18:2-4, Godly Play encourages a child-like faith. Godly Play understands a childlike faith to be a wondering faith, as children wonder about their lives, their purpose, and their relationships. Leaders, who are active as storytellers in this curriculum, are present to guide children even when there may not be easy or ready answers to their wonderings. Godly Play offers children a living faith: the stories, language and practices of the church. And it cultivates their wondering skill to last a lifetime. Godly Play s goal is to form committed Christians whose faith will stand up to the trials of life as they grow. Third Quarter 2018 VISIONS 5

6 SENIOR ADULT EVENTS THREE Senior Celebrations Set for Fall Marietta Lyons Moultrie Each Senior Celebration will begin with check-in and coffee at 10 a.m. and worship at 10:30 a.m. Lunch and entertainment follow, and each program will end by 2 p.m. Jody Long, the new Executive Coordinator of CBF/GA, will attend and will share briefly with each group during lunch. Registration fee: $15.00 (includes lunch). Registration opens online September 15 at Please note: online payment will be taken at the time of online registration. If you prefer to pay by check at the door, please register by calling call Renée Bennett at (478) (cell) or at (478) Payment this year is by card online or by check only at the door. We will not be accepting cash at the door as in the past. October 30, 2018 First Baptist Church, Marietta Speaker: Steve Davis, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Carrollton... Steve Davis grew up in Dothan, Alabama, and graduated from Samford University in Birmingham. He earned his M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and then the Th.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, majoring in Old Testament studies. He served ten years in college ministry, primarily at Houston Baptist University. Steve has been a pastor for about 25 years and has served as pastor of First Baptist, Carrollton, since Entertainment: Mary Burndrett, violinist November 8, 2018 The Oaks Baptist Church, Lyons Speaker: Nathan LaShoto, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Claxton... Nathan LaShoto became the Pastor of First Baptist Church of Claxton in December 2017, following several years of ministry in North Georgia. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of North Georgia. Nathan attended seminary at Candler School of Theology, where he earned his Master of Divinity degree. Nathan is deeply committed to seeing First Baptist Church live Christ, by following Christ s example of being redemptive in message, gracious in approach, and loving in spirit. Entertainment: Mary Alice Wilder, Minnie Pearl Impressionist Pick a location that s convenient to you, and we ll see you there! Marietta November 15, 2018 Trinity Baptist Church, Moultrie Speaker: Jerry Mahan, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Fitzgerald... Jerry Mahan is Senior Pastor of FBC Fitzgerald, GA. He is a graduate of Jacksonville State University, Southern Seminary and Fuller Seminary. He served three terms as a trustee of Mercer and two terms as a trustee of Southern. Entertainment: Country music and hymns with John Grobe and Scott Graham Lyons Moultrie Save the Date for Our 2019 Senior Adult Retreat! April 28-30, 2019 First Baptist Church, Saint Simons Island Put this on your calendars now, and look for more retreat information in January, 2019! 6 Third Quarter 2018 VISIONS

7 STUDENT EVENTS Mid-Winter Retreat for College Students February 15-17, 2019 Camp Thunderbird, Lake Wylie, South Carolina (near Charlotte, North Carolina) This year s retreat theme is Life in Transition and will be centered around faith and the crazy transitions of life that come during our young adult years! MWR is open to any and all college-aged young adults and their leaders (campus or congregation) and is co-sponsored by CBFNC, CBFSC, and CBF/GA! A Georgia Youth Choir Festival February 15-17, 2019 Mercer University, Macon, GA Registration opens October 1 Co-sponsored by CBF/GA and Mercer s Townsend School of Music Cost: $50 per person (NOTE: hotel is not included, but group blocks will be reserved at area hotels.) Amplify is an exciting event for middle and high school students interested in learning more about the ways they can serve God through worship arts. Centered on a group choral experience, students will spend time working on group choir pieces as well as exploring their choice of a variety of additional tracks related to the worship arts. Throughout the weekend, students will explore ways to use vocal music, instrumental music, written and spoken word, visual arts, dance and drama to deepen their worship experiences. Choir leaders will also be provided with a time of learning and sharing. The choir will be led by Stanley Roberts, of Mercer University and First Baptist Church of Christ, Macon. march mission s madnes March 15-17, Johns Creek Baptist Church, Alpharetta March 29-31, Fellowship Baptist Church, Americus/Maranatha Baptist Church, Plains (includes a visit to the Habitat Global Village) Preacher: Ruth Perkins Lee, Director of Church Engagement, CBF Global Cost $50 per person (NOTE: does not include hotel.) This year groups will make their own hotel reservations. Group blocks will be reserved at area hotels. More details and registration will be available October 1 at Contact Martha Kate Hall at mkhall@cbfga.org or visit our website, for more information about these student events. Third Quarter 2018 VISIONS 7

8 GIVING REPORT BELOW YOU WILL FIND the church giving year-end report for fiscal year 2017/18. These figures include gifts sent directly to CBF/GA or through CBF/Global to CBF/GA. The next report, which will be available late next summer, will cover our current fiscal year, which is July 1, June 30, If you have any questions about this report, please contact our office. CHURCH... CITY... BUDGET......STATE MISSIONS... OTHER... TOTAL First Baptist Church...Griffin... $ 38, $ 1, $ 1, $ 41, First Baptist Church...Augusta... $ 34, $ 4, $ 39, First Baptist Church...Dalton... $ 21, $ 21, First Baptist Church...Columbus... $ 20, $ 20, First Baptist Church of Christ...Macon... $ 19, $ 1, $ 20, Highland Hills Baptist Church...Macon... $ 18, $ $ 19, Johns Creek Baptist Church...Alpharetta... $ 5, $ 11, $ 17, First Baptist Church...Eatonton... $ 15, $ 2, $ 17, Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church...Atlanta... $ 16, $ 16, First Baptist Church...Athens... $ 15, $ 1, $ 16, First Baptist Church...Morrow... $ 13, $ $ 1, $ 15, Madison Baptist Church...Madison... $ 13, $ 13, First Baptist Church...Gainesville... $ 13, $ 13, Central Baptist Church...Newnan... $ 11, $ 11, First Baptist Church...Lavonia... $ 9, $ 9, Haddock Baptist Church...Haddock... $ 9, $ $ 9, First Baptist Church...Tifton... $ 8, $ 8, Tabernacle Baptist Church...Carrollton... $ 8, $ 8, First Baptist Church...Forsyth... $ 8, $ 8, First Baptist Church...Carrollton... $ 7, $ 1, $ 8, First Baptist Church...St. Simons Island... $ 7, $ $ 8, First Baptist Church...Claxton... $ 7, $ 7, First Baptist Church...Commerce... $ 7, $ $ 7, First Baptist Church...Marietta... $ 6, $ 6, Christ Church...Cairo... $ 2, $ 2, $ 2, $ 6, Smoke Rise Baptist Church...Stone Mountain... $ 6, $ 6, First Baptist Church...Hawkinsville... $ 6, $ 6, Heritage Fellowship...Canton... $ 5, $ 1, $ 6, Trinity Baptist...Moultrie... $ 6, $ 6, Community Baptist Church...Milledgeville... $ 3, $ 2, $ 6, Celebration Church...Hoschton... $ 5, $ 5, First Baptist Church...Rome... $ 5, $ 5, First Baptist Church...Milledgeville... $ 5, $ 5, Milledge Ave. Baptist Church...Athens... $ 4, $ 4, Heritage Baptist Church...Cartersville... $ 4, $ $ 4, Parkway Baptist Church...Duluth... $ 4, $ 4, Vineville Baptist Church...Macon... $ 4, $ 4, College Hill Baptist Church...Mount Vernon... $ 3, $ $ $ 4, Haven Fellowship Church...Conyers... $ 4, $ 4, Dunwoody Baptist Church...Dunwoody... $ 3, $ 3, First Baptist Church...Jasper... $ $ 3, $ 3, First Baptist Church...Cornelia... $ 3, $ 3, Third Quarter 2018 VISIONS

9 CHURCH... CITY... BUDGET STATE MISSIONS... OTHER... TOTAL Garden Lakes Baptist Church...Rome... $ 3, $ 3, First Baptist Church...Hartwell... $ 2, $ $ 3, First Baptist Church...Roswell... $ 3, $ 3, Central Baptist Church...Gray... $ $ 2, $ 2, Wieuca Road Baptist Church...Atlanta... $ 2, $ 2, North River Baptist Church...Roswell... $ 2, $ 2, Royston Baptist Church...Royston... $ 2, $ 2, Fellowship Baptist Church...Fitzgerald... $ 2, $ 2, Rocky Creek Baptist Church...Forsyth... $ 2, $ 2, Monticello Baptist Church...Monticello... $ 2, $ 2, First Baptist Church...Warm Springs... $ 2, $ 2, Second Avenue Baptist Church...Rome... $ 2, $ 2, First Baptist Church...Jefferson... $ 2, $ 2, Horizon Baptist Fellowship...Summerville... $ 2, $ 2, The Oaks Baptist Church...Lyons... $ 2, $ 2, New Heights Baptist Church...Macon... $ 2, $ 2, Maranatha Baptist Church...Plains... $ 2, $ 2, Mount Zion Baptist Church...Macon... $ 2, $ 2, First Baptist Church...Fort Oglethorpe... $ 1, $ 1, First Baptist Church...Fitzgerald... $ 1, $ 1, Ila Baptist Church...Ila... $ $ $ 1, First Baptist Church...Savannah... $ 1, $ 1, First Baptist Church...Marshallville... $ 1, $ 1, First Baptist Church...Covington... $ 1, $ 1, Northside Drive Baptist Church...Atlanta... $ 1, $ 1, Dahlonega Baptist Church...Dahlonega... $ 1, $ $ 1, First Baptist Church...Ringgold... $ 1, $ 1, Rehoboth Baptist Church...Cave Spring... $ 1, $ 1, Scott Boulevard Baptist Church...Decatur... $ 1, $ 1, First Baptist Church...Manchester... $ $ $ First Baptist Church...West Point... $ $ First Baptist Church...Decatur... $ $ $ First Baptist Church...Evans... $ $ NLC Ministries, Inc...Marietta... $ $ $ Union Baptist Church...West Point... $ $ Union Baptist Church...Warthen... $ $ Peachtree Baptist Church...Atlanta... $ $ First Baptist Church...Tucker... $ $ Briarcliff Baptist Church...Atlanta... $ $ Cornerstone Baptist Church...Snellville... $ $ Amazing Grace Baptist Church...Tucker... $ $ First Baptist Church...Riverdale... $ $ $ TOTALS:... $ 483, $ 23, $ 20, $ 527, Individual Gifts: $ 60, Total Giving: $ 588, BUDGET includes missions, congregational life, administration, personnel, communications, and fellowship. STATE MISSIONS includes projects such as church starts, student summer internships, disaster response, interfaith dialogue, and leadership development. THE ABOVE LIST IS NOT A CBF/GA CHURCH DIRECTORY. It is a report of those churches that have supported our budget or state missions ministries in the stated year. All contributions listed came directly to CBF/GA from the individual church, or they came through CBF/Global. To give to both CBF/GA and CBF/Global, the individual or church must write two separate checks or request that one organization pass a certain amount or percent along to the other. In Georgia, funds are not automatically forwarded from one organization to the other without a specific request from the donor. CBF/GA appreciates your missional giving, and our aim is to provide complete and accurate accounting. If for any reason you think the data is incorrect or incomplete, please let us know. Third Quarter 2018 VISIONS 9

10 New Faces in CBF/GA Pulpits Get to know our new ministers now serving in churches across Georgia CHIP REEVES is pastor at Community Baptist Church in Milledgeville. He is a 1999 graduate of McAfee School of Theology and also worked for McAfee as director of admissions. Chip has served in ministry from campus centers to congregations and hospitals in South Carolina, Georgia and Maryland. Prior to coming to Milledgeville, Chip served at First Baptist Church of Augusta as interim minister of pastoral care and University Hospital as chaplain intern. Chip and Trisha have been married 22 years. They have 2 adopted sons Justin and Brandon. Chip is a native of Reevesville, South Carolina and he does have to tell people, Yes, that s a real place. WILLIAM DEAL began serving as Senior Pastor of Royston Baptist Church on July 1, Prior to accepting the call to Royston, William served as the Minister of Youth and Young Adults at Derbyshire Baptist Church in Richmond, VA. He also served as Associate Pastor at FBC Boone, NC and as Minister to Students at FBC Tucker, GA. William earned a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Samford University and a Master of Divinity from McAfee School of Theology, where he convinced a beautiful and fiercely loving fellow seminarian to marry him and join him as a partner in ministry and in life. William and Mary Kate are the proud parents of 2 and 1/2 year old twin girls, Adeline and Dorothy, who keep them busy and laughing. William loves his dogs, the Atlanta Braves and the Alabama Crimson Tide, woodturning, cooking, eating, and laughing. ROB NASH is pastor of Heritage Fellowship in Canton, while also serving as the Arnall-Mann-Thomasson Professor of Missions and World Religions and as Associate Dean at the McAfee School of Theology of Mercer University. He previously served as Global Missions Coordinator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Nash s career has bridged Baptist college and seminary classrooms and the pastorate, including teaching positions in religious studies at Shorter College and Judson College in Alabama and service as pastor of three churches in Kentucky and Alabama. He attended The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky and Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, Georgia. Even growing up in the Philippines, where his parents served as Baptist missionaries, Rob gained from his dad a love for the Georgia Bulldogs and the Atlanta Braves! His parents calling helped to shape his commitment to missions and to the ways in which local churches can have significant impact in their local communities and across the globe. He is married to the former Guyeth Godwin, a psychotherapist in private practice in Rome and Kennesaw, Georgia. The Nashes have two adult children, Lindsay and Douglas. DAVID JORDAN is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Decatur. The author of three books, numerous published articles, poetry, an on-line sermon series, and a short story, he also takes pastors and lay people to the Holy Land every two years. While there, he is one of the few pastors to also lead groups on the Jesus Trail through Galilee, hiking in the footsteps of Jesus forty miles from Nazareth to Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee. Before coming to Georgia, David ministered with and to four churches in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and North Carolina. He has offered leadership in a number of peace and justice initiatives, including racial reconciliation, environmental concerns, interfaith dialogues, and educational programs involving Palestinians and Israelis, Muslims, Christians and Jews. 10 Third Quarter 2018 VISIONS

11 David s great grandfather was the Pastor of First Baptist Decatur from David and his wife Beth, also a Baptist minister and CPE Supervisor, have three grown children. JONATHAN SPENCER became pastor of Northeast Baptist Church, Atlanta, in January, He has previously pastored churches in Atlanta and in Baltimore, Maryland. Jonathan also works as a chaplain for Mesun Hospice in Lawrenceville and is a graduate of Appalachian State University and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is endorsed as a chaplain by the Alliance of Baptists. Jonathan is married to Sarah Hamm Spencer and is the father of three adult children, Cameron, Lily, and Caleb. He has a heart for social justice work, spiritual practices, interfaith dialogue and the freedoms of the Baptist tradition. He appreciates the work of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and looks forward to networking. NATHAN LASHOTO became the Pastor of First Baptist Church of Claxton in December 2017, following several years of ministry in North Georgia. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of North Georgia. Nathan attended seminary at Candler School of Theology, where he earned his Master of Divinity degree. Nathan s primary responsibilities include preaching, teaching, organizing worship, pastoral care, and assisting lay leadership and church staff. Nathan is deeply committed to seeing First Baptist Church live Christ, by following his example of being redemptive in message, gracious in approach, and loving in spirit. CBF OF GEORGIA ON THE ROAD: June through August 2018 In each issue of Visions, we ll try our best to keep you updated as to the travels and visits of the CBF/GA staff throughout our state and with our partners in ministry. If you d like Jody or Martha Kate or any of our staff to speak, preach, teach, consult, lead, or minister with your congregation, please contact the CBF/GA office for more information. These are the places we have been June through August: CBF Global General Assembly, Dallas, TX FBC Cornelia FBC Dalton FBC Fitzgerald FBC Griffin FBC Hawkinsville FBC Lavonia FBC Marietta FBC Roswell Heritage Baptist, Cartersville Johns Creek Baptist, Alpharetta McAfee Community Partners Dinner Milledge Avenue Baptist, Athens Northside Drive Baptist, Atlanta Parkway Baptist, Duluth Peachtree Baptist, Atlanta Rocky Creek Baptist, Forsyth Rome Area CBF Ministers Group (Heritage Baptist, Cartersville; FBC Rome; North Broad Baptist, Rome; Second Baptist, Rome; Horizon Baptist Fellowship, Summerville in attendance) Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist, Atlanta DENNIS CONWAY is now pastor of Rehoboth Baptist Church, Cave Spring. Third Quarter 2018 VISIONS 11

12 CBF/GA Seminary Scholarship Recipients Emily Harbin Hannah Rule Kent Russell Harrison Litzell Emily Harbin grew up in Dalton, Georgia, where she was an active member of First Baptist Church. She attended the University of Georgia, working with the Boys and Girls Club in Athens and completing several internships. During a summer at Camp Twin Lakes, she worked directly with children and teens facing serious illness, disability, and neglect. Completing a summer internship at Lake Oconee Community Church in Greensboro, Georgia, she first felt her call to ministry, as she directed a church-sponsored summer camp for children in Greensboro living in poverty. In May 2015, Emily joined Madison Baptist Church in Madison, Georgia, as the Director of Youth and Children s Ministries, where she was given space to discern and grow into her call to ministry. Emily began her studies at McAfee School of Theology in August of 2017 and currently serves as College Minister at First Baptist, Athens. She enjoys working in the Athens community that served as home during her formative college years. Emily plans to graduate from McAfee in May of 2020 and wants to continue her ministry in the local church. Hannah Rule (formerly Hannah Paul) grew up in Macon, Georgia, and graduated with a Bachelor s of Science degree in Chemistry from Georgia College and State University. She worked as a forensic chemist for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for five years. From the time Hannah was in college, she volunteered with her church s youth group. Having grown up the daughter of a youth pastor, and having remained a volunteer after his death in 2010, she began to feel a call to ministry. Her father s minister friends quickly became her mentors, helping her discern God s call to go to seminary to pursue her passion and calling to counsel teenagers and families. Hannah is in her second year of seminary and is the youth pastor at Parkway Baptist Church. She hopes to learn and partner with those at McAfee, Parkway, and the CBF to grow in her ministry and her calling. She is also excited to be newly married to the love of her life! Kent Russell is working on his M.Div. at McAfee School of Theology and is the Inventory Control Coordinator for Run Fit Sports. He attends Vineville Baptist Church in Macon, Georgia, and has been involved in CBF/GA events such as March Mission Madness and the Georgia Youth Choir Festival. Kent s nine years of experience in the retail sporting goods business has shown him that there is always a desire for sports equipment. Kent s dream is to have a sporting goods store selling this desired equipment stateside and then send soccer equipment overseas to help jump-start soccer leagues in villages. so that children have equipment necessary for play. Kent s vision incorporates multiple passions of his, which include faith, children and sports. Kent has a clear sense of the impact sports have on the world and senses the role sports can have in bringing unity. He hopes to have the ability to bring these passions together to instill positivity and give hope to those who need it most. Harrison Litzell is a second year McAfee student working towards an M.Div. with a Christian Ethics Certificate. He works as the Children s Ministry Intern at Smoke Rise Baptist Church and as an assistant to faculty and staff at McAfee. Harrison is a seventh generation Native Floridian who moved to Atlanta after a fouryear stop in East Tennessee to attend Carson-Newman University. At Carson-Newman, Harrison studied in the Religion department while working with children and youth at a local church. He felt a call to full-time ministry while in high school through the guidance of his youth minister and grandfather, a Baptist minister for the past fifty years. He loves his work with children and youth and has a passion for education for all ages. Harrison plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Christian Ethics and hopes to continue his ministry through working in the church and the educational field. Harrison and his wife, Ashley Litzell, live in Tucker, Georgia, and love the community they have found in their new city. 12 Third Quarter 2018 VISIONS

13 2018/19 State Missions Offering Supports New Initiatives EACH FALL, WE BEGIN TO EMPHASIZE our annual CBF/GA State Missions Offering, which accepts donations throughout the year. Last year, from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018, you and your congregations gave $30, to support young leadership development and neighborhood ministry efforts around Georgia. With the theme of Together, CBF/GA is excited to introduce two new exciting, collaborative missions initiatives that will be supported by our 2017/18 State Missions Offering. Offering receipts will be divided equally between these two new initiatives. First, we are entering into a partnership with CBF Global s Together for Hope: A Rural Poverty Coalition. Many of you know that CBF began Together for Hope nearly 20 years ago, with the aim of having a ministry presence in the twenty poorest counties in the United States. As Together for Hope nears its twentieth anniversary, its focus is being re-imagined and expanded to become a coalition to address persistent rural poverty in the 300 poorest, by median average income, counties in the United States. The state of Georgia is home to 40 of those counties, and we are committing ourselves to be a part of this new coalition. On the state level, we are concentrating our first efforts in Sumter County, home to CBF/GA partner congregations Fellowship Baptist Church in Americus and Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains. Your offering will be used in part to fund our initial efforts to begin a significant ministry presence there. Second, we are beginning a Congregational Ministry Grant program, through which CBF/GA will offer grant monies available for congregations to support new ministry and missional endeavors. Beginning in the late winter/early spring of 2019, congregations can apply for a matching grant of $1,000 to $2,000 that can be used to supplement these new efforts. Our hope is CBF Georgia STATE MISSION OFFERING Together that these grants will spur innovative and creative ministry for your congregations that will be transformative for your members and your neighbors. In return, CBF/GA wants to tell your story of how these new initiatives are enhancing your congregation s capacity to be the presence of Christ in your community. This year, the CBF/GA State Missions Offering promotional materials will be featured in the 4th quarter issue of Visions, planned for early December, and will be available on our website, for you to download and use with your congregations. If you will need pre-printed materials, please contact our office at or contact Renée Bennett at rbennett@cbfga.org. Materials will be available in early October. Coordinating Council Meeting Brings Changes for CBF/GA THE COORDINATING COUNCIL MET on Tuesday, August 21, at the CBF/GA office in Macon. Here are some highlights from the meeting: During the morning session, Council members spent time discussing our Why, based on Simon Sinek s work, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Action. We explored the foundational questions of why does CBF/GA exist and what is it about CBF/GA that inspires Council members and churches to be involved in CBF/GA? This conversation will continue throughout the next few meetings. Our Finance Committee presented two items: our end-of-the-fiscal year financial numbers and the results from our audit, begun last November near the conclusion of Frank Broome s tenure as Executive Coordinator. Our finances are in good shape and we had a good year of giving overall. As for the audit, our bottom line financials are good but there were a few procedural items for us to correct going forward. Those changes have already been implemented and we are seeing good results. Finally, as a result of the findings of the audit, it was recommended that CBF/GA change its financial year schedule, moving from a July-June fiscal year to a more calendar-based January to December budget year. This move will be phased in over the next year and a half and will be complete beginning in January Additionally, this change means that we will shift our annual gathering from the spring to the fall to coincide with budget adoption procedures. Our 2019 State General Assembly will be Sunday, November 3 through Tuesday, November 5, at First Baptist Church of Columbus. There will be no State General Assembly in the spring of More details will be forthcoming over the next months. For more information, contact Jody Long at jlong@cbfga.org or Third Quarter 2018 VISIONS 13

14 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia P.O. Box 4343 Macon, GA phone fax October 30 Senior Celebration, First Baptist Church, Marietta November, 2018 November 8 Senior Celebration The Oaks Baptist Church, Lyons November 13 Coordinating Council Meeting, Macon February, 2019 October, 2018 November 15 Senior Celebration Trinity Baptist Church, Moultrie February Collegiate Mid-Winter Retreat Camp Thunderbird, Lake Wylie, SC (near Charlotte, NC) February AMPLIFY, A Georgia Youth Choir Festival Mercer University, Macon March, 2019 March March Mission Madness Johns Creek Baptist Church, Alpharetta March March Mission Madness Fellowship Baptist Church, Americus Maranatha Baptist Church, Plains March Mission Madness is an event for youth groups offering opportunities for fellowship, worship, and mission work. April, 2019 April Senior Adult Retreat First Baptist Church, Saint Simons Island June, 2019 June CBF Global General Assembly Birmingham, AL march mission madnes June 20 CBF/GA Meeting at the CBF Global General Assembly. This event allows participants to meet together and hear about CBF/GA s work. November, 2019 November 3-5 CBF/GA Fall General Assembly, First Baptist Church, Columbus As needed CBF/GA is available to help with: Disaster Relief Response Educational Conferences Ministry Network Initiatives Mission Training Peer Learning Groups s Reference and Referral Training Staff Retreats Sunday School Training 14 Third Quarter 2018 VISIONS Pull & Post Event Card

15 the frank & susan broome endowment fund AN UPDATE ON THE CBF/GA ENDOWMENT WAS PRESENTED at the Coordinating Council meeting on August 21. As of July 30, 2018, the balance in the Frank and Susan Broom Endowment Fund was $963, In July of 2017, the balance was $893, Individual donations for fiscal year 2017/2018 totaled $21,572.39, while church donations for the fiscal year totaled $5, In the fiscal years that represent the Endowment Campaign thus far, 2016/ /18, the total of individual donations is $56,472.39, and the total for church donations is $ The Endowment distribution for 2018 is $37, % ($27,902.21) of this will be available for the Coordinating council to use to promote the mission and ministry of CBF/GA, while the remaining 25% ($ will be reinvested into the corpus of the Endowment. This summer, we used Endowment distribution funds to place Student.Church interns in eight congregations in partnership with CBF Global and CBF/GA. FBC Cornelia, FBC Dalton, FBC Griffin, FBC Marietta, FBCX Macon, Peachtree Baptist Church, Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church, and Smoke Rise Baptist Church each hosted interns for the summer. We also sponsored two additional Student.Go interns at the Andrew P. Stewart Center in Atlanta this summer with earnings from the endowment. The Endowment Board continues to encourage CBF/GA churches to work toward the other goal of the Campaign: to have 100% of local churches affiliated with CBF/GA establish and/or grow their own endowments. Advice for churches is available through the CBF Church Benefits Board or through Darrell Watson, Chair of the Endowment Board of CBF/GA. You are invited to contribute to the Frank and Susan Broome Endowment of CBF/GA, through online donation at or by mailing a check to CBF/GA, P.O. Box 4343, Macon, GA Thank you for your continuing support! I/we commit to give $ to the Frank and Susan Broome Endowment of CBA/GA by Spring General Assembly This gift is in honor/memory of. Name Address City State Zip FINANCIAL UPDATE BUDGET RECEIPTS AS OF 7/2018 (fiscal year begins in July) Year to Date Budget Requirement: $42, Year to Date Budget Receipts: $26, Year to Date Expenses: $25, July 2018 Budget Requirement: $42, July 2018 Budget Receipts: $26, Above Expense $1, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia P.O. Box 4343, Macon, GA phone fax CBF/GA Staff executive coordinator Jody Long jlong@cbfga.org associate coordinator for congregational life Martha Kate Hall mkhall@cbfga.org assistant to the coordinator for networking Renée Bennett rbennett@cbfga.org assistant to the coordinator for communications and resources Melissa Kremer mkremer@cbfga.org administrative assistant Rachel Greco rgreco@cbfga.org CBF/GA Coordinating Council moderator Keithen Tucker, Eatonton moderator-elect Wendy Peacock, Americus clerk Glenda Kessler, St. Simons Island finance chair Ron McClung, Haddock treasurer Neil Heath, Macon Steve Ayers, Lyons Lamar Barden, Rome Geraldine Bridges, Commerce Nancy Bryson, St. Simons Island Jeremy Colliver, Stone Mountain Gwen Cottrell, Decatur Joe Davis, Dalton Howard Hooper, Columbus Jake Hall, Macon Gail Hammock, Griffin Jennifer Jindrich, Carrollton David Keel, Augusta Norma Rushing, Atlanta Matt Sapp, Canton Vanessa Strickland, Royston David Tew, Morrow Sarah Timmerman, Cairo Michael Tutterow, Cartersville Student Representatives Heather Franklin, McAfee School of Theology Kent Russell, McAfee School of Theology Endowment Management Board Chair Darrell Watson VISIONS is published four times a year by CBF/GA. All questions and comments may be directed to Melissa Kremer at the CBF/GA office at , ext. 4. July 2018 Expenses: $25, Above Expense $ K 40K 60K 80K 100K 200K 300K 400K 500K Third Quarter 2018 VISIONS 15