STANLY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION NOVEMBER

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1 STANLY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION NOVEMBER Hedge Road Albemarle, NC Phone: Fax: Hal Bilbo, D.Min., Lead Missionary Lee Proctor-Associate for Pastor-Care Penny Church Pastor s Wives Care Libby Hartsell, Administrative Assistant Rev. Adam Hatley, Moderator Organized 1885 Rev. Bounyong Vongsa, Lao Missionary DECEMBER 2017 CHURCH SECURITY American culture has grown less civil during our century. The rise of evil and rage is illustrated by the increased cases of violence on the streets, in homes, schools, and churches across our nation. Each attack exposes a security weakness and encourages copy-cat actors. This increase cannot be blamed simply on mental illness, religion or lack of gun control. Blame sinful hearts in a fallen world. For where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every kind of evil (James 3:16). Media responds by feeding public fear, warning people of the dangers of attending public gatherings, including church, but we cannot hide from evil. In response, every church needs a security plan to protect its children, youth and adults. Plans include prevention, evacuation, lockdown and intervention in response to potential situations. Local law enforcement, FEMA, your insurance company and your association have materials to help your church develop a security plan. I encourage you to start this process ASAP before settling into a false sense of safety. Dear Lord Jesus, watch over Your churches and grant us Your peace so we might be peacemakers in our troubled world. Amen. PASTOR/WIFE CHURCH STAFF/SPOUSE CHRISTMAS DINNER For SBA and MBA Friday, December 8-6:30 p.m. Stanly Baptist Association Hedge Road Albemarle, RSVP by calling the office at or office@stanlybaptist.org by Monday, Dec. 4. Thank you! Hope you re filled with His love and wrapped in His peace as we celebrate the miracle of His birth. Christmas Blessings! Hal & Karen Randy & Libby

2 UPDATE ON THE STANLY-MONTGOMERY CONSOLIDATION PROCESS The conversation and dynamics of joining two associations has raised the importance of our associations to their local churches. In fact, associations exist for the church - to assist local churches to be and do all God is calling them to. It is the first line of fellowship and collaboration with sister churches. It is its closest resource for assistance for its churches in transition or in trouble. The association matters. Thanks to all who have expressed this in hundreds of ways during the past months. On October 23, the Five Rivers Baptist Network proposal was presented to Stanly Baptist messengers and guests. After discussion, the motion was tabled to present at the April 24 th Spring Session at West Albemarle Baptist Church. It was clear that Stanly messengers desired to continue its partnership with Montgomery and welcomed the consolidation. Two changes to the proposal were requested for the next presentation: 1. a name that includes Stanly Montgomery Baptist and Association 2. keep the current charter and bylaws. On October 24, Montgomery Baptist messengers and guests received the update from the Stanly session. After some discussion, messengers indicated a willingness to join with Stanly once the two changes were made. On Tuesday, January 23, 2018, messengers from both associations are invited to join the Support Team from each association. At that time, the proposed name, charter and bylaws will be presented and discussed. A parallel document will be presented (current Stanly and Montgomery along with the proposed updated documents) to clearly compare and contrast changes. The Winter Newsletter edition will include this information in preparation for the Spring Session. At that session (Tuesday, April 24), messengers from Montgomery and Stanly will meet in multiple locations simultaneously to hear and decide on the consolidation proposal. This will be followed by a challenge from Richard Blackaby (live at West Albemarle Baptist and streamed to other locations). If your church would like to be one of the satellite locations, contact the association by the end of January so we can technologically prepare your church. If the merger plan is approved, the Fall Session will present the 2019 budget and officers. The new association will begin operation on January 1, Meanwhile, we will continue to join forces to better serve churches to the glory of God. There s no perfect church. There s no perfect association. However, let us press on to become better better connected, better organized, better servants for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

3 The Nuts and Bolts of Deacon Ministry January 18-19, 2018 North Carolina Baptist State Convention Chapel 205 Convention Drive Cary, NC This training will help you understand how to have an effective deacon ministry in your church, balancing spiritual qualifications of leaders with practical, hands-on ministry and administrative skills. We will provide you with tools to help you evaluate your own life as well as the health of your congregation and its leaders. We will explore how to listen to God and follow His will; how to use our spiritual gifts and personality types to benefit the church; how to minister effectively to the elderly, sick and grieving; and how to prevent or handle church conflict. For more info., please contact: Ken Tan - ktan@ncbaptist.org (800) ext or Maria Luoni - mluoni@ncbaptist.org (800) ext The Singing Americans of Stanly County In Concert December 3 3:00 p.m. Agri-Civic Center Bethlehem Morning Bethlehem Morning, tells the miraculous story of Christmas through traditional carols and Christmas favorites, but also reminds us that the story of God s love didn t stop there Other performances: Dec. 5, 6:30 p.m.-bethany Woods Dec. 7, 6:30 p.m.-stanly Manor Dec. 12, 6:30 p.m.-spring Arbor Dec. 14, 6:30 p.m.-trinity Place February 1, :30 p.m. Stanly Baptist Association Hedge Road - Albemarle, NC Topics will include: Preparing for retirement. Compensation planning. The Church Retirement Plan. Employer provided benefits. Managing designated funds. Reporting charitable giving. Tax updates. FAQs from affiliated churches. Participant questions and answers. You may choose the workshop that is most convenient for you. Workshops will be individually designed based on the interests of the area churches and their staffs. At the Albemarle event, Davis will also be available for 30 minute personal appointments at the Stanly Baptist Association from 3:00-5:00 p.m. To schedule your appointment, call Libby Hartsell at For more info., please contact: Davis Blount - dblount@ncbaptist.org (800) ext 5604 Mary Landis - mlandis@ncbaptist.org (800) ext 5637 Homecoming Christmas Concert Gaither Vocal Band Saturday, Dec. 2 6:00 p.m. Cabarrus Arena 4751 NC HWY 49 N. Concord NC Safe the Date KAREN PECK and NEW RIVER & the Isaacs February 24, 2018 Stanly County Agri-Civic Center, Albemarle NC 28001

4 CHURCH CONTRIBUTIONS FOR OCTOBER 2017 Church OCTOBER January-Oct. Church OCTOBER January-Oct. Albemarle, First , Mission 0 4, Anderson Grove Stanfield 0 0 Antioch 0 0 Mountain View 0 2, Aquadale , Mt. Calvary Ascension New London, First Badin , North Albemarle , Barbee s Grove , Norwood, First 0 0 Berea 0 1, Oakboro, First 0 1, Bethel , Oak Grove 0 0 Bethlehem Paul s Crossing 0 1, Big Lick , Philadelphia 1, , Calvary , Pleasant Grove 0 1, Canton 1, , Plyler 0 2, Centerview , Poplin Grove , Clear Water Porter 0 2, Community , Propel Cottonville 0 3, Prospect 1, , Dunn s Grove 0 0 Red Cross 0 1, Fairview 0 0 Richfield Fellowship 0 0 Silver Road First Hmong Silver Springs Freedom South Albemarle , Grace South Stanly 0 1, Harmony Stanfield, First Highland , Union Grove 0 2, Hill Side 0 0 Uwharrie Community 0 0 Immanuel , Vine Life Kendalls , Vortex 0 3, Kinza Memorial 0 3, Welcome Lakeview , West Albemarle 1, , Lao New Hope West Oakboro 0 0 Locust, First , West Stanly 0 2, Memorial 0 3, Mineral Springs TOTAL 12, , In addition to Church Contributions received for October, we also received monies from other sources totaling $99.55 which gives us a grand total for the month of October of $12, SEARCHING FOR A NEW PASTOR Barbee s Grove, Rev. Ed Lowder, Interim Bethel, Rev. Larry Beaver, Interim Paul s Crossing, Dr. Lee Church Philadelphia, Rev. Glenn Johnson, Interim Richfield, Chris Ehrlich, Interim West Stanly, Dr. Wayne Willis, Interim PASTORS: MARK YOU CALENDAR: PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER- BREAKFAST TUESDAY, JANUARY 9-9:00 a.m. Stanly Baptist Associational Office Come enjoy breakfast prepared by the PRC and learn more about ways they serve our community. This will be our monthly meeting.

5 2017 COUNTRY CHRISTMAS TRAIN DENTON FARM PARK, DENTON NC Ride the Handy Dandy Railroad and see the lights and Nativity movie along the way. Visit the church and sing carols. Explore the service station, Gingerbread House, General Store, Doll Museum and all the Arts & Crafts exhibits. Take the tram down to visit the Reid Plantation or ride the horse drawn wagon ride. Make sure to stop by Santa s cabin for a visit. Food available and more! For dates and group rates, please call or visit dentonfarmpark.com Sunday School Done Right, by Allan Taylor The Man I Want to Be, by Neal Jeffrey Have a New Kid by Friday, by Dr. Kevin Leman The Five Love Languages, by Gary Chapman Daniel, by Beth Moore Experiencing God, by Henry Blackaby God is Closer Than you Think, by John Ortberg If you would like to check any of these out, just come by the office and sign them out. (Thanks to the church who made this ACTIVITIES FOR NOVERMBER 22-Office Closed 23-Thanksgiving Day (Office Closed) ACTIVITIES FOR DECEMBER 07-7:00 p.m. Associational Prayer Time 08-6:30 p.m. Pastor/Wife-Staff- Christmas Dinner-Assoc. Office 21-Winter Begins 24-Christmas Eve 25-Christmas Day 26-Office Closed (Will open on Wed. Morning, Dec. 27) HELPING HANDS Making Christmas bright for Stanly County once again-your help is needed to insure that children in our area have something to wake up to on Christmas Morning. If you can help, please call for more information. You will be blessed!

6 Thursday, December 21 As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease. ~Genesis 18:22 BIRTHDAY PRAYER CALENDAR for NOVEMBER 19-Carine Yang-wife of pastor of First Hmong 24-Melissa Benfield-wife of pastor of Prospect 24-Brian Franklin-pastor of Plyler 26-Stoney Benfield-pastor of Prospect 29-Shirley Hoffman DECEMBER 01-Mark Little-Pastor of Silver Springs 03-Andy Jung-Pastor of First Baptist, Albemarle 17-Bill Cogley-Minister of Music-Highland 17-Carla McSwain-wife of pastor of Norwood 1 st 18-Bettye Barker-wife of pastor of Mt. Calvary 19-Gloria Hunsucker-wife of pastor of Vine Life 20-Stacey Laney-wife of Youth Leader-Highland 25-Jesus 26-Chuck Hensley-Pastor of South Stanly 27-Darlene Burris-wife of pastor of Grace 27-Wally Gilmer-pastor of Freedom 27-Tommy Ross-pastor of First Baptist, Locust 29-Charlotte Hartsell 30-Mindy Franklin-wife of pastor of Plyler 30-Mike Madaris-pastor of Highland CHURCH NEWS and Prayer Requests Ascension: Please be praying for Pastor Robert Wallace as he continues to have health issues. If you would like to send a card, his address is: 9187 Old Red Springs Rd., Red Springs, NC Bethlehem: Please be praying for Bethlehem and Pastor Lowell as he is experiencing some health problems. If you would like to send a card, the address is: Bethlehem Church Rd. Norwood, NC First Baptist, Locust will be leading a mission team to Hungary in July of They will be working with a local elementary school and their staff in the town of Nyirbogdany. The approximate cost is $2000 for airfare, lodging, incountry transportation and all in-country meals. If you are interested in going, please call the church Paul s Crossing: Please lift Paul s Crossing and Pastor Junior Medlin up in your prayers. Pastor Medlin has resigned due to health issues. If you would like to send a card, his address is Philadelphia Ch. Rd.-Oakboro Also, Pastor Lee Church (wife-penny) will be serving as Interim. May the Lord bless them as they serve. Porter: Please remember Pastor Kinney Wallace and his dear wife Marie. She continues to have health issues. If you would like to send a card, the address is: Pine Bluff Rd., Midland, NC West Stanly: Dr. Wayne Willis is serving as Interim. May the Lord bless as he serves.

7 There has been a definite chill in the air for the last week or so. The leaves have started changing colors, and falling, what a mess they make; but how beautiful they are before they fall. The Lord knew what he was doing when he provided us with the lovely fall leaves to enjoy. It is hard to believe the holiday season is upon us again. Many thanks to Avon Morton and her ladies for the wonderful food and for hosting our fall annual session at Big Lick Baptist Church. They did a wonderful job. We were small in number, but enjoyed the fellowship of each other. Ginger Harris, the administrator for Taylor House, did a wonderful job sharing what they do at the Taylor House. Although they are supported by the funds from the Baptist State Convention, they can always use a little lift, especially for the residents who have no family. They love having visitors year round, not just at holidays. If your youth or children groups are looking for something to do any time of the year, the residents would love a visit. They could also use monetary help for some of the residents who cannot afford their medications or hygiene items. Feel free to contact Ginger and she will be glad to share. Many thanks to all the churches who helped us collect candy for the women s prison red shoeboxes. The students at Stanly Early College bagged the candy for us and got 549 bags for me to take to Camp Mundo Vista on Friday, Nov. 3. What a beautiful drive it was. At our fall session, we voted and decided to only have one annual session a year instead of two. The meeting will be held in either October or April, before/after the cold season comes/goes. Not as many women attend, and it is getting harder to get churches to host. We felt this would be easier. Most of the information that is needed, I provide in my monthly article, and directors are always welcome to our quarterly meetings at the associational office. Remember dues are by the end of December so that Teresa can wrap up the books and see where we stand and what we can do financially. Dues are down also, so we need to be thrifty with how we use our funds. $2.00 per WMU member, includes GAs, RAs, and so forth. At our annual session the treasurer reported that we were under a thousand dollars. It has been a long time since we have been this low. We also need to discuss and decide how we are going to finance the scholarship. We will have several items to discuss at our next meeting, and they will be shared in the next newsletter. I hope each one of you, my sisters in Christ, have a most wonderful Thanksgiving. I am thankful every day for each one because of your love for Christ and mission work. You make my job easy. I also wish you a very Merry Christmas, and remembering to keep Christ in Christmas as it is being taken out in so many commercial areas, and He is the reason for the season we celebrate. Merry Christmas Sisters! Barbara

8 Happy fall dear friends! November is the month for our Baptist Children s Home Offering. I am going to share with you the story of nine year old Jake that was published in Charity and Children. He told of dreaming that he could fly away to a safe place; taking his little sister with him. You see, he lived in a home where his step-father got angry a lot and where his mom didn't seem to care; Jake and his sister would hide in his room for protection. One day he did fly away. He left with his sister early one morning; looked for food before they left, but there was none. They walked and walked; their feet hurt, but he knew they couldn't stop. He was afraid when he heard a car door slam, but relieved to see it was a policeman. He asked the policeman to help them because they were hungry and their parents hurt them. The policeman was kind and took them to his office where a social worker told them not to worry. They were taken to the Baptist Children's Home and before they knew it they were given new clothes, their own bedroom and lots of food to eat. The house parents prayed for them and with them. They had never eaten or had a home like this before. Jake thought "This must be what a real family is like." Through Baptist Churches and the BCH offering; homes have been made available for children like Jake and his sister. Please, prayerfully consider giving to the BCH offering and continue to pray for the children and workers.. Happy Thanksgiving, Judy Hartsell LOTTIE MOON CHRISTMAS OFFERING Week of Prayer December 3-10 The IMB has only had one goal since its founding in 1845 to take the gospel of Jesus to the lost people of the world. For 172 years, the gifts of Southern Baptists have driven this one sacred effort. Be a part of sharing hope by praying for IMB missionaries and giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. MERRY CHRISTMAS!