By Baptist and Reflector

CHATTANOOGA — On June 27 the church rectory of Northside Community Church here was damaged by fire.

The rectory was home to Mitchell Reaves, pastor, and five members of his family.

The building, which formerly was an educational building and wasn’t needed for church activities, was insured. Repairs have been estimated at about $300,000, reported Reaves.

Work will begin to repair the 10,000-square-foot rectory soon. [Read more…]

By Chris Turner
Director of communications, TBC

BRENTWOOD, Tenn.— The Executive Board Ministry Staff of the Tennessee Baptist Convention has named a long-time disaster relief and ministry veteran to lead its state disaster relief effort. The appointment culminates a nearly one-year national search process.

Wesley A. Jones, a former state disaster relief leader in Iowa and former International Mission Board missionary in Guatemala, was chosen to fill the role of Disaster Relief Specialist. The announcement of Jones’ hiring comes after disaster relief veteran, David Acres, retired last September. Jones is scheduled to be in his role with the TBC Sept. 1, 2015. Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief has been led by interim leader and retired TBC employee, Mike Overcash, since Acre’s retirement.

“We are very excited to have Wes joining our team and serving Tennessee Baptists in this role,” said Randy C. Davis, executive director/treasurer of the Executive Board ministries. “He brings a great deal of experience to the position. Our Tennessee Baptist disaster relief volunteers are a dedicated group of individuals who love to both serve and share the gospel. We wanted to find someone who shared that same passion, and we believe Wes does.” [Read more…]

By Baptist and Reflector

ALAMO — On July 14 a fire broke out in Cairo Baptist Church, Alamo, which may have completely destroyed the church’s main building. An educational building was not affected. The town is located about 15 miles northwest of Jackson.
There is no sign of criminal involvement and the cause is undetermined, reported Bob Dennison, pastor.

The church was insured for about $200,000 but that will not adequately cover all the damage, added Dennison.

At this time the congregation of about 65 people is meeting in the educational building. [Read more…]

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

LIVINGSTON — Many different languages were heard here, but mostly from adult sponsors and counselors. The children and teens spoke English — about American music, Facebook, and favorite soccer teams.

The campers of All Nations Camp represented 15 different countries they or their families are from. Now immigrants to the United States and Tennessee, they live in the U.S. where they enjoy being part of the increasingly pluralistic U.S. society.

But they face many stresses. At camp, for five days, those stresses faded as they spent time with fellow immigrants just like them. The campers ranged from ages 7-17 and represented Romania, South Korea, Africa, Nepal, and many Hispanic countries. [Read more…]

By Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave $2,768,320 through the Cooperative Program in June.

After eight months of the current fiscal year, Tennessee Baptists have given $22,399,423.

The amount is $54,421 or 0.2 percent over what was given during the same time frame last year.

The total, however, is $433,910 or 1.90 percent below budget needs for the year.

TBC Executive Director Randy C. Davis noted that in the July 1 issue of the Baptist and Reflector there was an article about more than 13,000 people coming through the Jesus Tent at Bonnaroo.

They were served by Tennessee Baptists who introduced them to Christ and many were saved, he observed.

“That’s Great Commission giving through the Cooperative Program at work in Tennessee. Thank you TBC churches for your faithful giving,” he said.

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

CHATTANOOGA — When Eric Stitts, pastor of Bayside Baptist Church, Harrison, heard of the domestic terrorism attack on two military facilities in the city on July 16, his first thought was disbelief.

Then he turned his thoughts and prayers to the many policemen in his church who he knew would be called to the scene.

As it turned out, one of those officers (Dennis Pedigo), was one of two people wounded during the incident which took the lives of four United States Marines and a Navy sailor. The shooter, Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Kuwait, was later killed. [Read more…]