WV Executive Board Honors Retiree and Makes Plans for Annual Convention

Transcription

1 A Cooperative Program Ministry October, 2007 Gladly telling the stories of God s work in and through WV Southern Baptists VOL. 37, NO. 9 WV Executive Board Honors Retiree and Makes Plans for Annual Convention Nineteen members of the WVCSB Executive Board gathered at the facilities of First Baptist Church of Sutton September 22 to conduct business and to honor retiree, Kay Boyd. Eight Board members were absent, four with excused absences and four unexcused. Board members began their day of meetings in sub-committees receiving reports from staff members and handling other items of seasonal business. The photos that follow show the different subcommittees as they met. of the Board meeting and at a reception following. During her tenure she served with 6 executives, three interim executives, and 22 convention presidents. When Boyd left her role she was honored with a luncheon and gifts by her Scott Depot co-workers. During the Board meeting she received an engraved plaque and Robert Miller, Church Development, is shown above and the balance of the committee he chairs are shown below. Host pastor, Rev. Bill Hopkins, pictured above, and his gracious congregation did an admirable job of taking care of Board members and special honoree Boyd. A group of ladies from the congregation (Three are shown below. The lady in the middle is Hopkins wife, Jean) provided refreshments and the noon meal for a total group of around forty people, including a cake decorated just for the special occasion. (See the cake at the top of the next column) Kay Boyd who recently retired as the Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director after nearly 32 years of service, was honored during the plenary session October 2007 a beautiful Seiko wrist watch. In the photo above, C.J. Adkins, WVCSB President, is shown presenting the plaque to Kay Boyd during the plenary session of the Board. In the photo below, Terry Harper, WVCSB Executive Director is shown presenting the Seiko wrist watch. Members of the Evangelism Committee are shown below, and the Missions Committee are shown at the top of page four. Below them are some of the Finance Committee members. Shown in the photo Continued to page 4...

2 If you plan to attend Prayer Conference 2007, please preregister online at prayerconference2007.com so that the meeting coordinators will be better able to meet your needs. THE WEST VIRGINIA SOUTHERN BAPTIST (USPS ) John W. Adams, Editor Published ten times per year by The West Virginia Convention of Southern Baptists Number One Mission Way, Scott Depot WV Note: No paid advertising or subscriptions accepted. This paper is fully funded by Southern Baptists in West Virginia. Periodicals Postage Paid Scott Depot, WV and additional mailing offices POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Number One Mission Way Scott Depot, WV From the Executive Director: I am looking forward with great anticipation to the annual meeting of the West Virginia Convention of Southern Baptists to be held in Martinsburg, WV on November 2 and 3. We will meet at the Westview Baptist Church where Brother Johnny Kelly is the Pastor. Most of you will remember that Johnny is the immediate past President of our convention. This will be different from any meeting that we have had at this church before because this congregation has moved into their new state-of-the-art worship center. It has great seating, marvelous lighting and a wonderful sound system. We thank the folks of Westview for sharing their facilities with us, not only for the convention meeting, but also the Prayer Conference which will follow. Our convention meetings of late have really been more like homecomings than business meetings. There is great preaching and singing plus wonderful times of fellowship. We do pause to take care of a few business items along the way. West Virginians are known for their warm hospitality and when they get together they do enjoy one another. Also Baptists are known for loving to eat, so we will likely do some of that as well. I hope you will come early since the Pastor s Conference will begin at 1:30 PM the afternoon of November 1 and continues through that evening. The ministers wives will also have an afternoon session that will conclude with an evening meal (all ladies are invited). You must make a reservation for the meal by contacting Florence Ann in our office. The convention meeting will begin the following morning (November 2) at 9:00 am. The Prayer Conference which will follow our convention annual meeting and will continue through the following week is a most important event. In fact the President of the Southern Baptist Convention said that it could well be one of the most important events of the year. I agree with him. I hope that you can and will come. I believe that God will speak to you there, so try to get there for at least part of the conference. If you simply cannot attend, you can still participate. You can do this by praying for the event. Pray for the speakers and pray for those in attendance. Ask God to do something that only He can do. We need revival in our land. I hope that we are willing to repent of our own sins and that we are willing to return to God and seek His face. Then and only then will we hear from heaven and God will heal our land. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your Executive Director. It is such a joy to work among you sweet folks. My schedule for the future: October 7 Speak at 20 th Street Baptist, Kenova October 11 New Minister Orientation October 14 Speak at First, Ceredo October 15 Meet with Douglas Beggs of NAMB October 16 Speak at the Mountain State Association October 18 Speak at North Charleston Baptist October 20 Attend the Immanuel Association October 28 Speak at Grace Baptist Church, Parkersburg The WVCSB is Building Strong Foundations for a Strong Future We are focused on ministries that Build the Kingdom: Missions and Evangelism Prayer and Spiritual Renewal Communication and Public Relations Strengthening Churches Fellowship...Fulfilling the Great Commission 2

3 Editor John Adams God has been calling His people to prayer. In the process, He called one of his pastors to a radical step of obedience. Thank you Dan Biser for being an obedient servant! Thank you for planning Prayer Conference November 3-11 at Westview Baptist Church in Martinsburg, on the heels of what promises to be a loving family reunion of WV Southern Baptists at our annual convention, praying people from around the world will gather to worship, to pray, to repent, to learn, and to ask God to awaken us to Him and the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit. I hope you have made plans to participate. If so, I also hope you have preregistered at prayerconference2007.com. Local coordinators need your preregistration information because this is a nationally advertised event and the church can only accommodate around 500 attendees at a time. (You actually register for only the sessions you are able to attend.) The latest information from the conference website lists a wonderful group of featured speakers. You would be fortunate to attend a conference with even one of these leaders, better yet the dozen who plan to speak. For example, attendees at the focus event for women on November 9-10 will have the opportunity to hear Elaine Helms, lead person at NAMB for prayer and spiritual awakening among women. Also featured will be Bobbye Rankin, wife of the president of the International Mission Board, Jerry Rankin. Finally, Tex Tippit, wife of Sammy Tippit will also share with conferees at the women s conference. The faculty list for the general sessions reads like a Who s Who in the area of prayer and spiritual awakening. T.W. Hunt, author of PrayerLife and The Mind of Christ kicks the conference off on November 3 and 4. He will share the podium November 4 with Francois Carr from Revival for South Africa. Greg Frizzell from the office of prayer in the Oklahoma Convention, will join the two of them on November 5. Carr and Frizzell will be joined November 6 by John Franklin, author of And the Place was Shaken: How to Lead a Powerful Prayer Meeting. Internationally read and admired Henry Blackaby, best known for coauthoring Experiencing God, will share the pulpit with SBC president Frank Page on November 7. Then one of Blackaby s sons, Richard will join Sammy Tippit from Texas and John Franklin for the November 8 agenda. Richard Blackaby and Sammy Tippit will be joined by Al Whittinghill of Ambassadors for Christ International on November 9 and 10. Al Whittinghill will close out the conference on November 11. Of course, all such plans are subject to the will of God. Late changes to the agenda will be available on-line at the website listed earlier in this article so that will be your best source for any changes to the published plans. This is a prayer conference. A big part of the agenda will be praying together as the People of God. One of the assignments for the featured speakers is to lead conferees to pray, not just teach them about prayer. Many of us have looked toward this event with hearts that are hungry for a great spiritual awakening. This generation of the church in America has never seen a nationwide movement of the Holy Spirit in the Church and in society at large. I am convinced that if God does not break free in the hearts of the Church in America, we will find ourselves in the same situation as much of Europe today. Our buildings will become museums, monuments to an unbelieving generation of Christians who would not allow God to call us to repentance and renewal. Join the hundreds of people around the world who are praying that this conference will become the springboard to revival in America and worldwide. If possible, attend all or part of Prayer Conference You will not regret giving your time and money to this event, I can promise you that! Ministers Wives Annual Mtg. & Dinner November 1 1:00 p.m. through dinner Westview Baptist Martinsburg, WV Theme: Prayer for Spiritual Awakening II Chron. 7:14 Speakers: Terry Adams Budapest Missionary & Cheryl Adams A WV State Missionary s Wife Special Music: Georgie Biser and Daughters Cost: $5 per adult and $2.50 for children s Happy Meal (Call to preregister now.) Childcare provided. October

4 Continued from page one... below them is Fred Morgan who has served as the Recording Secretary for the WVCSB almost all of its existence. Known for his sense of humor when he doesn t have his pen in hand, Fred is all business when the plenary session of an Executive Board meeting is in progress or during one of the sessions of the annual convention. After an hour and a half of committee deliberations, Board members took an hour lunch break then convened in the auditorium for their plenary session. Dr. Seth Polk, seen in the photo above, reporting on behalf of the Administrative Committee, moved the approval of a revised General Policies and Procedures for Office Employees. The motion passed with no discussion. Tim Kearney moved the approval of the annual convention program as developed by the Order of Business Committee on behalf of the Administrative Committee A copy of the proposed program is included later in this edition. Kearney is shown below serving cake and ice cream at the reception that followed the plenary session. Tim is in the foreground. The Board elected Rev. Frank Pilcher to serve as the association missionary for the Tri-County Baptist Association. Pilcher and his wife Cheryl are the parents of eight children, seven of whom were with them and are shown in the photo below. The eighth is a college student. They will move from Ripley, Tennessee to the Tri- County area before our readers receive Bob Blevins pictured to the right who pastors Bradshaw Mountain Church. Blevins and his wife Oakie served 16 years as IMB missionaries in Namibia, Africa and recently spent six weeks revisiting the church sites where they served. Blevins commented that every part of our trip was positive. They were met in Johannesburg by two families with whom they had served, one in 1979 and the other in the 1990 s. After spending a few days in South Africa they traveled on to Namibia for the balance of their trip. Bob was able to preach two services in the church they started in 1979 and was pleased to find that the church was healthy and growing. They were meeting in their own building after using rented facilities for 27 years. Their new facilities were dedicated last year. Blevins was elated to find that all but a handful of the churches they had started while in Namibia were still meeting, most of them growing, some of them quite large. The pastors and congregations have established greatly improved communication systems. Most of the leaders have cell phones largely due to the comparatively low cost of cell phone service there. Many of the churches have expanded their facilities and are in the process of making additional improvements and modernization. One of the churches is now running over 800 in attendance with several others having in attendance. If there was a sad note at all to this wonderful missionary report it was the realization that several of the people with whom Bob and Oakie served have died, including three pastors. On a more positive note, thanks to the hope of the resurrection, the Blevins will get to see those friends at a future date which God alone knows! 4 this edition in the mail. The Board approved the 2008 Budget and Calendar that will be sent on to messengers for their consideration at the November 2-3 convention at in Martinsburg. The budget will include 38% to go to the SBC Executive Committee for Cooperative Program mission support. One of the highlights of the plenary session was a report from Board member

5 WVCSB ANNUAL MEETING November 2-3, 2007 Theme: Celebrating A Year of Prayer & Spiritual Awakening November 2, Morning Session 9:00 Call to order; congregational worship; welcome and prayer 9:10 Business; report of registration; organization of the convention; order of business committee report; recognition of colleges and seminaries; announcements; Southeastern Seminary report; Liberty University partnership report. 9:30 Associational video; testimonies Celebrating 300 Years of Cooperation Through the Association. 10:00 Congregational worship; credentials committee; presentation of 2008 calendar and budget; introductions of resolutions 10:20 SBC Executive Cmt. Report 10:30 North Am. Miss. Brd Report 10:40 Worship 11:00 Report from the WVCSB Exec. 11:30 Closing prayer Afternoon Session 1:30 Call to order; prayer; congregational worship 1:45 Testimonies Celebrating 300 Years of Cooperation Through the Association 2:15 Introduction of ministers in new positions 2:25 Congregational worship 2:30 Business; election of officers (president, first vice president); discussion of budget; nominating committee; miscellaneous business 2:50 Executive Board Report 2:55 Guidestone Report 3:05 LifeWay Report 3:15 Business; election of second vice president and recording secretary. 3:25 Worship 3:45 WVCSB President s Address 4:15 Closing prayer Evening Session 7:00 Pre-session concert 7:15 Call to order; welcome, prayer. 7:20 IMB Report 7:30 Florida/WV partnership report 7:40 Associational testimonies 8:00 Worship 8:20 T.W. Hunt Address November 3 Session 9:00 WV Baptist Foundation Mtg. 9:10 WVCSB Convention convenes; congregational worship; prayer. 9:20 Associational Testimonies 9:40 Business; resolutions cmt. report; calendar and budget votes. 9:55 Congregational worship 10:00 Convention sermon 10:20 Cmt. on Cmt. report; time, place & preacher cmt. report. 10:30 Worship 10:50 SBC president s address 11:20 Officer installation 11:30 Prayer & Adjournment Prayer Conference 2007: First Person by Rev. Dan Biser MARTINSBURG, W. Va. (BP)--A call to assemble is being issued to every state leader, pastor and layman across our nation. Please join me in prayer that the people of God will heed the call. All of us see the cost of sin in our churches, pastors and families. We know that the only hope available is found in repentance and a return to an obedient walk with our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thankfully, promises of God's deliverance and help in such times are sprinkled throughout the Bible. The call to assemble is a prayer conference entitled "Broken Before the Throne," scheduled for Nov at Westview Baptist Church in Martinsburg, W. Va. The invitation is coming to you during this most desperate time of our nation, encouraging you to seek a closer walk with Christ and to lead your people to do the same. A.W. Tozer declared, "Whatever is holy is healthy; evil is a moral sickness that must end ultimately in death." How many times in recent days have people asked or wondered, "Why are we so morally sick?" My belief is that we are morally sick as a nation because holiness is absent in people of faith. I'm praying and believing that we can and will return to a right relationship with God that will make us holy through Christ. At Keswick, the location for a Great Awakening movement in the past, a few concerned believers assembled because they were deeply distressed by the coldness and deadness in the church and by the lack of holiness in Christians. John Hyde assembled the Sialkot convention in India for similar reasons. As both groups prayed and humbled themselves, they found God's mercy and power poured out in abundance. To my knowledge there has been no such assembly within the Southern Baptist Convention in recent years, perhaps even decades. That is not to say that there has not been a desire or attempt to conduct such events. No doubt God's faithful servants are tucked away in many places, laboring night and day for His Kingdom and yearning for spiritual awak- Continued to page 8... October

6 Dr. Stephen N. Rummage Preaching Pastor Hickory Grove Baptist Charlotte, NC Dr. Luke Kauffman Retired Pastor & Professor Lynchburg, VA H. Kenneth Stidham, Jr. Senior Pastor Good Shepherd Baptist Scott Depot, WV Dan Biser Pastor Zoar Baptist, Augusta, WV Fox's Hollow Baptist, Romney, WV Albert Epps Jr. Minister of Music Westview Baptist Martinsburg, WV Westview Baptist Church, 301 South Louisiana Avenue, Martinsburg, WV ( ) 6

7 The images on this page were taken by Brandon Carter, Youth Pastor at Cross Lanes Baptist Church, and are a good example of what happened all across the U.S. as groups of young people gathered around the flag pole at their school to pray for God to help them bring the Gospel to their campus during the school year. According to the national website for See You At the Pole, this annual event isn t about groups, grades, clothes, or churches. It s about praying. It s about all of us coming together and laying aside all the labels for one day, simply to call out to God, just as Jesus did in John 17 and say, Lord, may we be one in youwhether jocks, preps, geeks, Pentecostals, Baptists, Catholics, freshmen, or seniorsmay the world believe that You are real and have sent us to touch others through you, regardless of the dividing lines drawn by a broken world! WV Evangelism Director, Campus and Student ministry consultant Jacob Atchley stated, SYATP is a wonderful opportunity for local churches and associations to participate in the lives of students on school campuses all across West Virginia. I am excited to report that many youth pastors, youth workers, and church members participated in reaching out to communities and schools. Each year students take one day and focus on taking a stand on their campus. We must be faithful in praying for and supporting them as they stand up for Christ in what may be extremely difficult circumstances. Many students go far beyond taking a stand at school campuses all across WV and the world. Churches should plan now how they will support their students during the September 24, 2008 See You At The Pole experience. Quoting again from the SYATP website, It s tough being a Christain student today. We re forced to make a lot of choices about who we are, and who we re not. We re supposed to be deciding on our future, when the present is hard enough to deal with. We have a lot of dividing lines drawn for us. They re invisible, but we see them the pole once a year. They make efforts to proclain Christ day by day in their schools. SYATP is only one opportunity for both young and older Christians to come together to seek God to make an impact on clearly every day. The grade we re in, the kind of grades we make, overachievers, underachievers, geniuses, slackers. The groups we hang with - goths, sk8rs, gamers, or geeks. As a Christian, the church we attend, how we pray, the way we worship, and how we interpret the Bible. And yeah, even in 2007 race can still divide. Many of us are asking, Where do I belong? Who cares about me? Why don t I fit in? Congratulations to the young people who met at the pole to pray for their classmates and teachers. Perhaps a Great Awakening will come on campuses around the country because of their prayers! October

8 Jacob Atchley and youth leaders from across West Virginia met in Scott Depot on September 18. They met to finalize plans for the summer 2008 Centrifuge. The summer camp, conducted by Lifeway, has been exceedingly popular the two years it has met in West Virginia. The 2008 camp is scheduled for July 7-12, again at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Cleveland Hope Team Grateful for WV In a letter dated August 14, 2007, team members for the Cleveland Hope: Building Bridges of Love project expressed their appreciation for WV mission teams who have traveled to Ohio to assist them in reaching various spiritual goals. The letter follows. We just wanted to write you a note to say thank you so much for coming to serve with Cleveland Hope this year. Your help at the Village Chapel with the various ministry projects was tremendous. We really appreciate all your hard work and servant s attitudes. We are so thankful for teams like yours who are willing to come along side and partner with another church to help them serve their community. We hope that serving here in Cleveland has been a growing experience for you and your team. It often seems that God does as much in the individual s life that comes to serve as He does in the lives of those they touch in the Cleveland area. It is our hope that each of the members of your team was able to try new things and allowed God to stretch and grow them in their faith during their experience. Cleveland Hope really values partnership and we have seen God do some amazing things through partnership efforts. Here are some examples of the supernatural synergy that unfolded when churches partnered together during the month of June: 433 professions of faith 788 volunteers from 15 different states across the United States served in Cleveland 17 baptisms in our area churches 85 evangelistic events Thank you for your part in all of these activities. We hope you ll return to Cleveland next year and many more times after that. Please let us know if there is ever anything we can do to help you. In His Service The Cleveland Hope Team One hundred and four men and boys gathered at Camp Caesar in Cowan, WV, for the annual Men and Boys Retreat. Dr. Greg Wrigley, event coordinator is pictured above. Rain hindered some of the activities on Friday afternoon, but did not keep anyone from enjoying a great supper or the evening worship and free time. Saturday was beautiful. Many enjoyed fishing, archery, air rifle shooting, softball, football, and just goofing off. Pictured below are the winners of the various competitions held at the Retreat. Make plans now to be at the 2008 Retreat, September Continued from page 5... ening. T.W. Hunt has said, "God has His remnant always in place and among us." I am seeking to assemble that remnant of intercessors to pray with unity. With such desperate times pressing upon us, should we not carefully consider a desperate plea for prayer and this call for a holy assembly? I am pleading with you to join me in this sincere call to assemble. Martinsburg is accessible from the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., airports, and it's only a few minutes from Interstate 81 in the eastern panhandle of the Mountain State. While you may feel challenged by the distance from your home to this location, careful study of who participated in the Great Awakenings of the past shows they came from near and far to be where God was meeting with His people. I t has been written that Hudson Taylor of China Inland Mission traveled specifically to Keswick, England, because that was where God was shaping men for the mission field. That was where God was speaking and anointing people for His service. We are in need of such a move of God again today. This is my vision for the next Great Awakening in America, and I have sought to share it as clearly as I am able to do. I believe that history has taught us that God meets with His people when they come together to repent and pray. He has promised, "Draw nigh unto Me, and I will draw nigh unto you." I believe that He will do so at Broken Before the Throne. Dan Biser is pastor of Zoar Baptist Church in Augusta and Fox's Hollow Baptist Church in Romney, W V

9 West Virginia Prayer Focus Your state convention staff meets each working day for a brief time of prayer. We pray for missionaries, campuses, associations, churches, and chapels by name each day. We invite our readers to pray as well. New Work: Crosspoint Church in the Greater Huntington Association, Greg Lucas, church planter. Praise: The church purchased property this past year. Pray for: The congregation as they develop this property for ministry. All the ministries to impact lives with the gospel. Ministry Focus: State Convention (November 2-3); and Prayer Conference, Broken Before the Throne (November 3-11) both at Westview Baptist Church, Martinsburg. Scripture: "Look [around West Virginia] among the nations and watch--be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you. Habakkuk 1:5 NKJV Weekend Prayer Focus: Prayer Conference Leaders Resources: The Doctrine of Prayer and The Mind of Christby T. W. Hunt. An apology is in order to Mountain State Association and Dr. Don Deel. The prayer calendar for the WV State Missions week of prayer indicated that the Mountain State Association is searching for a missionary. This was a MISTAKE! Dr. Don Deel continues to faithfully and effectively serve his association. Under his leadership, the number of churches in the Mountain State Association have increased from about 34 to 45. Take time to give praise for the faithful service of one of God s great men and pray that the association will continue to grow. Date Nov. 5 Nov. 6 Nov. 7 Nov. 8 Nov. 9 Nov. 12 Nov. 13 Nov. 14 Nov. 15 Nov. 16 Nov. 19 Nov. 20 Nov. 21 Nov. 26 Nov. 27 Nov. 28 Nov. 29 Nov. 30 Dec. 3 Dec. 4 Dec. 5 Dec. 6 Dec. 7 Association Pioneer Potomac Highland Tri-County Upper Ohio Valley Allegheny Coalfields Greater Huntington Immanuel Monongahela Mountain State Pioneer Potomac Highland Tri-County Upper Ohio Valley Allegheny Coalfields Greater Huntington Immanuel Monongahela Mountain State Pioneer Potomac Highland Tri-County Campus Bluefield State Concord Univ. Marshall Univ. Mt. State Univ. WVU Morgntwn Bluefield State Concord Univ. Marshall Univ. Mt. State Univ. WVU Morgntwn Bluefield State Concord Univ. Marshall Univ. Mt. State Univ. WVU Morgntwn Bluefield State Concord Univ. Marshall Univ. Mt. State Univ. WVU Morgntwn Bluefield State Concord Univ. Marshall Univ. Church Faith, Weston Fellowship, Princeton First, Bluewell First, Brandywine First, Burlington First, Ceredo First, Chester First, Craigsville First, Fairlea First, Fort Ashby First, Hinton First, Huntersville First, Princeton First So., Fairmont First So., Grandview First So., Nemours First So., Sutton Foxes Hollow Freedom, Beckley Freedom, Nutter Fort Friendly Gilbert Creek Good Shepherd Chapel Chinese Mission Christian Family Fellowship Faith, Winfield Faith Fellowship, Athens Freedom, Charleston Gateway Glade Community Greater Things HarborLight Harvest Time Hope, Richwood Lighthouse, Charleston Lighthouse, Ivydale Marland Heights New Life, Arnoldsburg Oak Creek Pipestem Community Shining Light Solid Rock South Wheeling So. Bapt. at Flatwoods So. Bapt. at Salt Rock SBC at Wayne Broken Before the Throne 2007 Prayer for Spiritual Awakening Conference November 3-11 Westview Baptist Church in Martinsburg October

10 News from West Virginia Churches Witcher held a back-to-school bash which featured a DJ, games and the gospel. Nearly 100 tracts were distributed, along with 40 backpacks filled with school supplies. Best wishes to church member Charlotte Dooley, who recently celebrated her 102nd birthday! A Christian magic show was held for the children in September. Bernard Toppings is pastor. Borderland averaged 40 in attendance for Vacation Bible School in June. Significant progress was made this summer on the building project, with invaluable help from Weakley County Baptist Association in Tennessee. Michael Hatfield has been called as bivocational pastor. Michael, along with wife Doreen, and their children Emily and Nick, has previously served at other churches in the Coalfields Association. Pastor Bob Blevins and his wife Oakie of Bradshaw Mountain Community Church in Paynesville made a recent trip to Namibia, Africa, where they served as missionaries for 16 years. While there they sought to make contact with several folks they led to Christ and churches they helped establish over the years. Many of these have been cut off from our missionaries for quite some time due to most having to leave this war torn country. Mike York, Associational Missionary to the Coalfields Association reports the association is hoping to establish a missions partnership with them to help in continuing God s good work begun through Bob and Oakie. Chattaroy, W.L. Bostic pastor, baptized two new members recently. Average attendance for VBS was 60. A ministry booth was manned during Williamson s King Coal Days to give away Bibles, tracts, and water. The church is participating in a Fall Festival with other area churches. Included in the day s activities will be games, miniature golf, gospel singing, and food. Condolences are extended to the family of Roy Dotson upon his death on Aug. 3. Roy served as a deacon and was active for many years with the Coalfields Associational Executive Board. Vacation Bible School enrollment at East Williamson was 136, with an average attendance of 94. A church picnic was held at the Williamson Swimming Pool and Park. A new semester of F.A.I.T.H. Sunday 10 School outreach began in September with a banquet. Bob Norman is the pastor. Gateway, Julian, had an average attendance of 50 at Vacation Bible School in July. Gilbert Creek s average attendance for VBS was 27, with three professions of faith and five other decisions to serve Christ. A Mission VBS was held at Marytown with an average attendance of 29 and seven professions of faith. A sevenman mission team from Lake Norman, NC, painted the entire exterior of the church including doors, windows and carport. They are planning to return in the spring to replace the roof. The food and clothing ministries have been active, assisting numerous families each month. John Thompson is pastor. Horsepen, where Jerry Rose is pastor, baptized one and added two new members recently. Revival services were held in Sept. with John Hunt preaching. HarborLight in Oceana held several Vacation Bible Schools, block parties and revivals this summer and completed several remodeling projects. Three new members were baptized in August. A Backto-School Bash & Cookout was held Sept. 1, and 65 book bags with school supplies were given out. The coffee fellowship ministry meets on Monday and Wednesday mornings. A special service and cookout featured local law enforcement who brought their police dog and talked with the youth group about drug prevention. The pastor is Jim Davis. Living Stone, Delbarton, hosted the Youth Works ministry this summer who did housing repairs and Vacation Bible Schools. A group from Alabama also helped with VBS. A special service was held at Mark Sizemore s home in July with a cookout and a pool baptism service for five people who had made recent professions of faith. Pastor Britt Moore is conducting football game day chapels for Glenville State College where his son Chase is a freshman player. The pastor s sister, Lynn Caudill, has recently returned to the church and is leading music and worship. Peytona had an average attendance of 90 for Vacation Bible School in July. They also hosted an outreach VBS at the Racine Park with an average attendance of 60. An August Back-to-School Bash was well attended and 130 backpacks filled with school supplies were given away. While praying for a pastor, a lot of work has been going on fixing up the parsonage and seeking God s will. Wharton, Darrell Searls pastor, had an average attendance of 45 in Vacation Bible School in July. A recent baptism was held as a result of VBS. Homecoming services were held Sept. 23 followed by dinner. Camden Flats Baptist in Glenville has welcomed a new pastor, Dwight Goff from Elizabeth, WV. Five new families have recently joined the church, among them Mrs. Gail Collins, the answer to prayers for a new piano player. Two young men have been saved and three will soon be baptized. The church attendance is growing to the point that there are plans to expand the parking lot. The goal of 50 in attendance at Game Day Central VBS was surpassed. One young girl gave her heart to the Lord at VBS. The celebration finale was a family picnic with over 150 attending at Cedar Creek State Park. The highlight of the event was a ride on hayless double wagons pulled by Deacon Rolland Coberly at the wheel of his tractor. The WMU sponsored a Locks of Love hair cut-a-thon resulting in 144 inches of lovely locks being donated to the organization that gives free wigs to children who have no hair due to medical conditions such as cancer treatments. One mother, Missy Steiger, and her four daughters and a stepdaughter donated several feet of their hair! Seven Wee Care Kits made of items such as toothbrushes, toiletries, snacks, combs, etc., were donated to local hospitals for use by family members who unexpectedly face an overnight stay due to a child s or other loved one s emergency. The AWANA youth program kicked off the new year with a carnival. Over fifty children and an abundance of willing leaders, with Leigh Kinder as Director, are meeting weekly on Sunday evenings to study God s word and to praise the Lord. The pastor has organized Extreme Campus Ministry, where college students meet every Sunday night on the campus of Glenville State College to study the Word and gain Christian encouragement. They are Continued to page 11...

11 News from West Virginia Churches Continued from page sponsoring G Force, an inspirational Christian strength team on campus to minister to students this fall. Abundant Hope (previously known as Shining Light) held VBS at 4-H camp. Average attendance was 16 children each night. Family Night featured hotdogs, nachos, and cake. As a result of VBS they have the privilege of picking up two children and bringing them to church. The children, in turn, are bringing their friends. The children s ministry is growing by leaps and bounds. The church hosted an Evangelism to Cults Seminar in August, attended by people from all over the surrounding area. Paul Harris is leading the church. Calvary, Chapmanville, pastored by John Freeman, held the annual Sunday School picnic at Chief Logan State Park. AWANA kicked off another year with a swim party. There was a great turnout, along with some new prospects. The church is hosting a 5th quarter after each Chapmanville football game to try and draw in more young people and reach out to the community with something for the teens to do after the game. The Chinese Baptist Fellowship had a recent profession of faith. A Saturday picnic was held at Barboursville Park with at least 55 in attendance. Pastor Thomas Koh, visiting from Singapore, brought an evangelistic message at the conclusion of the picnic. First Baptist, Ceredo, baptized two in August. Two hundred-fifty book bags were filled with school supplies and given to Wayne County Schools. Rodney Hale is the pastor. Hamlin has been given the opportunity to distribute baby food to those in need living in Lincoln County. Church member John White received information from a Baptist church in North Carolina regarding the availability of baby food. Local business G L Stone & Sons provided a truck and manpower to drive to NC, and several other local businesses provided other necessary equipment to unload and store the food in Hamlin. Hamlin Baptist is pastored by James Caldwell. July and August brought much rejoicing at Highlawn, Huntington, as God blessed with one person saved, four baptized, and five new members. A church picnic was held in July, featuring the Kingsmen Quartet, inflatable games, contests, and (of course) fried chicken. Over 100 children were on a mission for God during VBS, where the theme was Sonforce Kids: Special Agents. A group of 21 youth and adults traveled to the Bahamas in July and returned with wonderful testimonies about God s blessings while there. Mark and Susan Hatfield, who serve as missionaries to Kenya, were special guests on July 29. The Senior Adults traveled to Jenny Wiley State Park and also enjoyed a picnic at Barboursville Park. A Block Party was held in August, attended by over 400 people from the community; approximately 250 packets of school supplies were given out to school-age children. A Promotion Day Breakfast was held for children from preschool through Grade 5. A new College and Career Sunday School class has started. Kenneth Ayers serves as transitional pastor. Locust Grove, where Randall Robertson is pastor, had two baptisms in August. Many people attended the Back To AWANAs Bash. Greg Lovins is serving as Commander for this year. A group of 14 from Berkeley Baptist participated in a mission trip to Pineville, WV. While there they held a mini block party with games, food, and drawings. Prizes were school supplies, and each of the children present received a backpack. The annual church picnic was held in August at the Hancock pool and New Lions Pavilion. George Hopkins is pastor. Berean Baptist, Lindell Smith pastor, baptized six in August. A group of 14 attended a Leadership Conference at the Ridgecrest Conference Center. Calvary, Belington, hosted a number of volunteer groups this summer who have helped them add two classrooms and two restrooms to their building for some much needed space. Two were baptized recently. Charity, Wyatt, sent another eight boxes to the service men and women serving in Iraq last month and plan to follow that up again in three months. The church is rejoicing over two saved in August and one baptized. Revival services were held in September with preaching by Darren Powell, Jacob Atchley, Chad Hutson, and Pastor Dan Adkins. Freedom, Nutter Fort, baptized two children and one teenager in August. They held their annual Family Fun Day Sept. 16 with a covered dish dinner, two inflatables, and various games and prizes. The church is pastored by Jimmy Sanders. New Creek, Thomas Roatch pastor, had a great month with VBS, handing out school backpacks, and light bulbs. Most importantly, fifteen were saved and nine baptized in August. They are grateful that the Lord has given them a van to transport people to church. Mountaineer Campus Ministry at West Virginia University started the semester off with a lot of activities. In a joint venture with the United Methodist and Presbyterian student groups, they passed out free hotdogs, lemonade and cookies to students moving into Arnold Hall. That evening they took part in a campus organization fair designed just for freshmen. A picnic was held the Sunday before classes began, and on Tuesday more than 100 cold drinks were distributed on campus to thirsty students. Attendance at the first MCM meeting was over twenty, nearly half of them students who had not been involved previously. They finished off the week with a game night and pizza at the Campus Ministry Center. Michel Boyer is the MCM Director. Brenton Baptist held Vacation Bible School in August with an enrollment of 132 and an average attendance of 95. There were thirteen professions of faith during the week. Tommy Knotts is the pastor. Grace Baptist in Fayetteville had a wonderful crowd for the dedication of their new building September 16. One hundred sixty seven people enjoyed the festivities that included a sermon by guest preacher, Dr. Don Deel, Mountain State Associational Missionary during the morning worship service and the dedication sermon by Grace s pastor, Rev. Delbert Walker. Seven members of the Builders for Christ organization attended the meeting to celebrate with the congregation. Everyone enjoyed a catered meal in a tent on the grounds. October

12 WVCSB Administrative Committee Endorses Capitol Information Service for Christian Leaders Calendar The WVCSB Executive Director and the Administrative Committee of the WV Executive Board have been searching for a way to assist individuals, churches and associations with the time consuming task of staying abreast of developments in WV state government, especially in areas of action that could weaken families, communities or the moral fabric of society. They have recently endorsed an organization designed to serve this specific ministry need. The organization is called Heritage Communications of West Virginia. The service is called Capitol Information Service for Christian Leaders. The president of the organization is John Carey. The cost of the service is $100 per year per church and promises to keep pastors and Christian leaders aware of what lawmakers are planning and deciding on a year-round basis concerning issues which they care about. Heritage will attend all the monthly legislative sessions, meet privately with lawmakers, and report our findings on a monthly basis through our confidential briefings newsletter. During the regular session, we will provide weekly and even daily reports as needed. In addition to a full year of monitoring and reporting, Heritage will also provide our communication resources for churches free of charge for one full year. These resources, such as bulletin inserts, fact sheets, and even videos, provide a convenient way for a pastor or church leader to keep his congregation informed and educated concerning issues of importance as they arise. Commenting on what motivates his work in this area of ministry, Carey stated, Too often, Christian leaders in the Mountain State have discovered the existence of legislation which weakens families and communities only after it has become law or has gained such momentum in the legislature that it cannot be stopped. With the recent expansion of gambling in West Virginia, many are asking, What is next? What are legislators discussing and planning now, and what bills of concern will they introduce in the next legislative session? Unfortunately there has never been a service available in our state which could keep Christian leaders informed - until now. As the founder of Heritage Communications, I have worked at the Capitol since 1999 to build relationships and open doors of communication with lawmakers and key staff members. Over the years, I have served various Christian associations, churches, private schools, and many families by providing legislative consultation services. My efforts have been applauded by legislators, acknowledged by attorneys before the State Supreme Court, and have resulted in the protection - as well as the advancement - of fundamental freedoms. It is my hope that Heritage will be able to begin serving the Southern Baptist churches of West Virginia with quality monitoring and reporting services... It will interest our readers to know that John Carey states that I have read the Baptist Faith and Message booklet and can acknowledge that I am in full agreement with all the statements affirmed therein. A letter containing correspondence from Carey with more information and a remittance form has been sent to WV pastors from the offices of the WVCSB in Scott Depot. Additional information about Heritage can be viewed at their website, heritagecwv.org. If you are interested in additional information focusing on other areas of Christian ethics and religious liberty, you can visit the SBC website for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission at The ERLC is an SBC entity that addresses such issues as the 10 Commandments, Abortion, Addictions, Cloning, Creation/Evolution, End-of-Life Issues, Homosexuality, Human Rights, Immigration, Legislation, Marriage, Persecution, Religious Liberty, Stem-cell Research, Bioethics, Environment, Capital Punishment, Christian Citizenship, Church & State, Community Service, Education, Human Rights, Hunger/Homelessness, National Persecution, Racial Reconciliation, Social Issues, War, Birth Control, Disabled, Infertility, Origins, Suicide, Abuse, Children, Elderly, Living, Marriage, Parenting, Pop Culture, Sexual Purity, Singles, etc. November 1 WVCSB Executive Board Pastors Conference Ministers Wives Conf. November 2-3 WVCSB Annual Convention November 3-11 Prayer Conference 2007 November 4 Daylight Saving Time Ends November WVCSB Offices Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday December 2-9 Week of Prayer for International Missions December 24-Jamuary 1 WVCSB Offices Closed for Christmas and New Year s Day Holidays