Return Service Re- Serving Christ... TOGETHER North Carolina Baptist Mrs. Connie Holland Administrative Assistant / Clerk connie.bba2016@gmail.com Rev. David Foster Director of Missions dtfoster@yahoo.com Office Hours: Mon. - Thurs. 8:30-4:30 Phone: 910-862-3496 BLADEN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 62 137 Mercer Road Elizabethtown, NC 28337 Non-Profit Organization US POSTAGE PAID Elizabethtown, NC Permit No. 35 OUR CHURCHES: Abbottsburg Beard s Chapel Bethel Bladenboro, First Briar Branch Butters Center Road Christ Community First Baptist Church Clarkton First Baptist Church of Delco Council Cypress Creek Dublin, First Elizabethtown Faith Friendship Galeed Good News Grace Hickory Grove Lisbon Love Grove New Center Northside Open Door Min. Peace Renacer Richardson Riverside Sandy Grove Second Chance Shady Grove Suggs Grove Tar Heel Union Grove West Bladenboro White Lake White Oak Whites Creek Zion Hill The Blade Volume 15- Issue 3 July Serving is not what we do but rather why we do. We should be doing all things because we desire to bring God glory. We cannot do it ourselves, but rather draw on strength from Him; as apostle Paul reminds us in I Peter 4:11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen
Birthday s & Anniversaries for Our Pastor s and Wives JULY BIRTHDAYS 2 Mrs. Ginnie Varnam, Tar Heel 8 Rev. Danny Lewis, White Oak 10 Rev. Cameron McGill, Dublin First & The Lake Church 13 Mrs. Aneva Conner, Riverside 16 Rev. Clayborn Faircloth 20 Rev. Dwight Holland, Second Chance Community 27 Mrs. Ella Rae Roberts WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES 10 Rev. Gary & Faye McMillan, Friendship 15 Rev. Cameron & Tiffany McGill, Dublin First & The Lake Church CHURCH ANNIVERSARIES 1 Rev. Danny Lewis, White Oak - 2006 1 Rev. Kevin Kinlaw, New Center 2010 7 Rev. Boyd Britt, Abbottsburg - 2013 SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS 5 Mrs. Lisa Andrews, Open Door Ministries 12 Rev. Warren Hill 15 Rev. Dewey Jackson 22 Rev. Kevin Kinlaw, New Center 26 Mrs. Chelsea McClusky, Delco 28 Rev. Dewayne Lambeth, Butters Baptist 29 Rev. Larry Hayes, Good News AUGUST BIRTHDAYS 6 Mrs. Leslie Miller, Hickory Grove 6 Mrs. Jane Kinlaw, New Center 8 Rev. Kincy Barrow, Whites Creek 12 Mrs. Brenda Rutland WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES 10 Rev. Carlton & LeAnn Bryan, Briar Branch 17 Rev. Bruce & Leslie Miller, Hickory Grove 24 Rev. Randy & Lisa Andrews, Open Door Ministries CHURCH ANNIVERSARY 1 Rev. Bruce Miller, Hickory Grove - 2014 21 Rev. Carlton Bryan, Briar Branch - 2011 SEPTEMBER WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES 4 Rev. David & Kathryn Anderson, West Bladenboro 23 Rev. Kevin & Jane Kinlaw, New Center 28 Dr. Mack & Ella Rae Roberts SEPT. CHURCH ANNIVERSARIES 3 Rev. David Anderson, West Bladenboro - 2017 7 Rev. Scott Conner, Riverside - 2014 15 Rev. Ricky Donaldson, Northside - 2013 Pray for Our Churches & Our Pastor s & Wives Abbottsburg: Rev. Boyd Britt Beards Chapel: Rev. Barry Helms & Wanda Bethel: (Seeking Pastor) Bladenboro, First: (Seeking Pastor) Rev. Charles Hester & Dot Briar Branch: Rev. Carlton Bayan & LeeAnn Butters: (Seeking Pastor) Center Road: (Seeking Pastor) Christ Community: Rev. Jerry Fisher & Vicky Clarkton, First: Rev. Mark Miller & Patty Council: Rev. Jack Miller & Shirley Cypress Creek: Rev. Richard Smith & Patricia Delco, First: Rev. Thomas McCluskey & Chelsea Dublin First: Rev. Cameron McGill & Tiffany Elizabethtown: (Seeking Pastor) Faith: (Seeking Pastor) Friendship: Rev. Gary McMillan & Faye Galeed: Rev. Warren Hill & Deanna Good News: Rev. Larry Hayes & Libby Grace: Rev. Arthur Smith & Pat Hickory Grove: Rev. Bruce Miller & Leslie Lisbon: Rev. Mark Creech & Missy Love Grove: (Seeking Pastor) New Center: Rev. Kevin Kinlaw & Jane Northside: Rev. Ricky Donaldson & Robin Open Door Min: Rev. Randy Andrews & Lisa Peace: Rev. Buddy Cain Renacer: Rev. Cipriano Moreno & Petra Richardson: Rev. Darrin Andrews & Beth Riverside: Rev. Scott Conner & Aneva Sandy Grove: Rev. Bill Cooper & Hillary Second Chance: Rev. Dwight Holland & Connie Shady Grove: (Seeking Pastor) Suggs Grove: Rev. Walter Hayes & Peggy Tar Heel: Rev. Devon Varnam & Ginnie Union Grove: Rev. Ray Carter & Gail West Bladenboro: Rev. David Anderson & Kathryn White Lake: Rev. Lonnie Varnam White Oak: Rev. Danny Lewis & Diffy Whites Creek: Rev. Kincy Barrow & Lori Zion Hill: Rev. Chris Hefner & Kristin Churches under Watch-Care: Greater Vision: Rev. Elvin Meares & Kathy The Lake Church: Rev. Cameron McGill & Tiffany Continue Praying for our churches without Pastors or Interims & churches under Watch-Care!
GET INVOLVED WITH THE WMU... SAVE THE DATE... Psalm 91 Bandana s for Troops Bladen Baptist WMU is partnering with Columbus Baptist WMU in purchasing Psalm 91 bandana s to distribute to deployed soldiers. The cost for each bandana is $5 The goal is to purchase 5,000 bandana s Please help meet this goal by: Sending donations to Bladen Baptist Association Memo: Bandana s for Troops Send as soon as possible! Executive Committee Meeting The July Meeting will take place on Tuesday, July 17th 7:30pm Clarkton First Baptist Church (10233 North College St. Clarkton NC 28433) WMU Red Box Prison Ministry This year s collection will be Toothpaste ( 6oz / 9oz tubes) **Do Not Remove From BOX** Annual Church Profiles Excited to Share! Excited to Fellowship! Church Clerks Join Me Tuesday, August 7th, 7:00pm Bladen Baptist Association Office Questions & Answer Time / Pick up ACP Packet Deadline for Donations: Tuesday, October 23rd by 4:00pm Drop off at the Bladen Baptist Association Thank You in advance for your donations!!
AS WE CONTINUE TO GIVE... 2018 Baptist Children s Home Food Round Up What happens when 40+ churches come together in one accord with one purpose. An Explosion of Unity!! It always amazes the guys from Two Men and A Truck when they come to the BBA to collect the offerings for Baptist Children s Home Food Round Up. A very special Thank You to everyone who helped, donated and prayed for this event. To God Be the Glory!! Amen! Wheel Chair Ramps Thank You, Thank You, Thank You to All who have helped by donating or by building. We have had a greater request this year than in the past and many have stepped up to help meet those needs. Again, Thank You! One of the greatest needs in the Bladen Association is monetary donations to build wheel chair ramps. If you are able to help, please make donations to Bladen Baptist Association / Memo: Handyman Operation In As Much And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25:40 Sandy Grove Baptist Church
Needs for Southeastern Carolina Crossroads As many of you may know SECC is operated by donations only. There are several items that are in great need constantly. IF you or your congregation, women s group, or men s group can help, please do so. KJV (large print) Bibles - Toilet Paper - Paper Towels 55 gal. & 13 gal. trash bags - Cleaning Supplies Copier Paper (8 1/2 x 11) - 3 ring binders (one inch) Hand Soap (bottles) Items can be dropped off at Bladen Baptist Association Monday - Thursday 8:30 am - 4:30pm Carolina Crossroads now has Outdoor Furniture For Sale Place Your Order Today! 910.549.8487 Friendship Baptist Church VBS / July 8 - July 11 6:30pm - 8:30pm The Gospel Story by Colors Galeed Baptist Church VBS / July 27 - July 29 Shipwrecked: Rescued by Jesus Friday, July 27th 6:00pm 9:00pm Saturday, July 28th 9:00am 3:00pm Sunday, July 29th 6:00pm 9:00pm Gifts to Budget (Jan - June) Abbottsburg: $ 0.00 Beards Chapel: $ 0.00 Bethel: $ 2,760.00 Bladenboro, First: $ 2,250.00 Briar Branch: $ 600.00 Butters: $ 1,500.00 Center Road: $ 3,294.07 Christ Community: $ 0.00 Clarkton, First: $ 1,912.33 Council: $ 600.00 Cypress Creek: $ 830.33 Delco, First: $ 1,144.47 Dublin First: $ 3,750.00 Elizabethtown: $ 0.00 Faith: $ 0.00 Friendship: $ 1,252.00 Galeed: $ 3,750.00 Good News: $ 0.00 Grace: $ 500.00 Hickory Grove: $ 1,650.00 Lisbon: $ 0.00 Love Grove: $ 0.00 New Center: $ 0.00 Northside: $ 1,239.84 Open Door Min: $ 399.51 Peace: $ 0.00 Renacer: $ 123.35 Richardson: $ 1,000.00 Riverside: $ 1,607.07 Sandy Grove: $ 2,250.00 Second Chance: $ 0.00 Shady Grove: $ 4,000.00 Suggs Grove: $ 1,800.00 Tar Heel: $ 7,685.16 The Lake Church: $ 1,800.00 Union Grove: $ 0.00 West Bladenboro: $ 1,050.00 White Lake: $ 830.00 White Oak: $ 1,300.00 Whites Creek: $ 1,202.23 Zion Hill: $ 1,500.00 Misc.: $ 2,144.73 Budget Gifts to Date: $ 55,725.09 Budget Needs to Date: $ 74,773.44 Behind Budget Needs: $ -19,048.35
In Mr. Alvin Butler s own words, I could never thank everyone enough for all they have done In March, Mr. Alvin Butler s life took a difficult turn due to a house fire. A time that no family ever wants to face. Through a community of churches, family and friends things began to look up. Beginning with a Barbeque Benefit and loving hearts of so many. Mr. Alvin now has a place he can call Home. The Cutting Edge: Elementary Greek was a required course for the seminary students working towards a Master of Divinity degree. Each M.Div. student had to complete the six hour course (one year) before moving on to New Testament Greek. This course had been given a nick-name, baby Greek. The reason: it keeps you up at night. Elementary Greek was required, but the six hours did not go toward the degree. So basically, you had to take this course, but received no credit for it. That was a tough pill to swallow for seminarians. The course, for me, it lived up to its nick-name. It required a lot of hours of study. We had to learn most of the Greek vocabulary. One way to learn the vocabulary was to carry around a single-ring of index cards with a Greek word on one side and the meaning on the other. You could tell the baby Greek students from everyone else because they would be reading through those cards every chance they had. This really was necessary if you were to pass the class. Many students didn t do the necessary preparation and they choose to drop out of seminary because of Elementary Greek. The ability to learn baby Greek was not so much about a person s academic excellence as much as it was about perseverance. You had to just keep at it. Keep working. Keep reading through those cards. Keeping late hours studying over all those Greek vocabulary words. Not giving up, giving in, or giving out. And, guess what? As I continued pushing on. As I kept studying those words, learning the language of the New Testament, something happened. Something finally clicked. I got it! It began to make sense. Things became clearer. I still had to work and study. However, Greek was no longer a burden. It became a blessing. That is so true in most of life. We all experience times and situations where it would be much easier to simply quit. However, nothing good comes from giving up. So we keep going. We keep pressing on. We keep pushing. We keep studying God s Word. At times, that can be burdensome. Yet, we persevere and do not give up. There is a verb used in Acts 2:42 that describes what we need to apply to our lives. That word is translated, continually devoting themselves. Life is hard. Burdens are numerous and heavy. The enemy wants us to give up, give in, and/or give out. When the battle is raging most intensely, continually devote our focus on God s presence and provision of His Word. That is the spiritual weapon that will sustain us to victory in the battle. Rev. David Foster Director of Missions