Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
Baptist and Reflector
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief, a ministry of the Tennessee Baptist Mission board, is hosting a 40th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, July 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the at the Missions Mobilization Center in Mount Juliet. (Address: 6434 John Hagar Road, Mt Juliet, TN 37122) [Read more…]
Editor’s Note: Visit baptistandreflector.org for complete coverage of the SBC annual meeting.
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org
Messengers at the SBC annual meeting raise their ballots while voting on one of the 20 proposed motions on June 12. — Photo by Matt Miller/Baptist Press
DALLAS — Though an attempt was made to exclude the vice president of the United States from speaking to Southern Baptist Convention messengers, Mike Pence addressed the convention in the June 13 morning session.
Pence’s appearance was one of several highlights during the annual meeting held June 12-13 in Dallas. The meeting drew 9,637 messengers, including 615 from Tennessee. Tennessee trailed only Texas (2,036) and Louisiana (718) in number of messengers. It was the largest attended convention since 2010. [Read more…]
From B&R staff
Tennessee Disaster Relief has been notified of a call out for Flood Recovery teams to travel to Maryland in response to the flooding in the Baltimore area roughly three weeks ago. Those who might be able to put together a team should contact Tennessee Baptist Mission Board disaster relief specialist Wes Jones at wjones@tnbaptist.org and George Blevins at yellowjacketnew@aol.com.
Baltimore County has asked that 400 homes be assessed. Current team needs include:
• IC team members
• Assessors
• Flood recovery teams
NOTE: Those interested in making donations for relief efforts can do so HERE.
Baptist Press
Bob Dixon
DALLAS — Chattanooga native Robert E. “Bob” Dixon, who pioneered Southern Baptist disaster relief ministry more than 50 years ago — seeing DR deployments as “invitations from the Father” — died May 10 at age 90.
Dixon was baptized at age 10 at Avondale Baptist Church in Chattanooga and was ordained into the ministry there in 1959. As a layman, Dixon worked with youth while still sensing a call to the ministry. In 1957, he moved to Fort Worth, Texas, with his wife Jean and their two daughters to attend Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and was hired at College Avenue Baptist Church as youth director. [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Lonnie Wilkey
For years, Southern Baptists have taken pride in disaster relief. Even when Southern Baptists were known for their infighting among themselves, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief was still viewed with respect and admiration across the nation.
When there was a disaster, the volunteers who wore yellow disaster relief T-shirts and caps were a welcome sight to people who had experienced a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, or any other event that disrupted lives.
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief was born in 1967. Today it encompasses 70,000 trained volunteers in all 50 states and 1,550 mobile units for feeding, chain saw, mud-out, childcare, and more. [Read more…]
By David Dawson
ddawson@tnbaptist.org
The members of a DR team from East Tennessee salute the flag at the home of Army veteran Myron Havrilchak. (Contributed photo)
SOUTHBURY, Conn. — Myron Havrilchak, a resident of Southbury, Conn., was among the thousands of homeowners who saw their houses and property substantially damaged by the tornadoes that recently swept through the area. [Read more…]
By Randy C. Davis
TBMB President & Executive Director
An EF5 tornado dropped from the skies five years ago and roared across Oklahoma’s open spaces at 200 mph. It locked on Moore, Okla., then slammed into the modest Oklahoma City suburb filled with middle-class, salt-of-the-earth people. It bulldozed an elementary school. It was over a mile wide and ripped a 17-mile path through the heart of that city. The devastation was comprehensive: 24 people killed, more than 200 injured, and more than $2 billion in damage.
And within hours, Oklahoma and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams swooped in to serve people. Among them were nearly 40 chaplains caring for the emotional and spiritual hurts of people. But the great thing about Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers is that every person goes as a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ, even if they are running a chain saw. [Read more…]
From B&R staff
FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief teams are being asked to mobilize for relief work efforts in Connecticut after tornados swept through New England last week. [Read more…]
Compiled by B&R staff
Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano has destroyed 36 structures, including 26 houses, since it began releasing lava through vents May 3. Photo from USGS.gov
FRANKLIN — The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board has contributed $10,000 to the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention (HPBC) for disaster relief efforts following eruptions on Hawaii’s Big Island.
Since May 3, the Kilauea volcano has been releasing lava through vents in the ground, destroying 36 structures, including 26 homes, the Associated Press reported. Some 60,000 gallons of flammable liquids had to be removed from a geothermal power plant near the vents, according to CBS News.
Congregations on the island have banded together to pray, secure housing for some of the area’s 2,000 evacuees and, beginning the week of May 13, operate a mobile shower unit, according to Chris Martin, executive director of the HPBC.
“The main focus of our people so far,” Martin told Baptist Press, has been ministry “to the needs that are immediate. But our history and our practice has been a long-term presence with those that have been affected by disasters.”
“Stepping in to meet needs,” Martin added, will “open great doors” for gospel witness.
The TBMB wants to be a partner with the Hawaii convention in opening those doors, said Randy C. Davis, executive director-treasurer of the TBMB.
“It is the custom of the TBMB to share the generosity of Tennessee Baptists when disasters happen in places across the U.S. and around the globe from our Disaster Relief general fund,” David said.
He noted there are DR donations made that do not have a specific need attached with them. “After personally speaking with Dr. Chris Martin and watching the growing need in Hawaii, I knew that Tennessean Baptists would want to help,” Davis continued.
“Initially, we are offering a financial gift to be utilized by their convention’s Disaster Relief volunteers,” Davis said. “The dramatic and developing situation in Hawaii calls for our constant monitoring and constant prayers.”
Martin expressed appreciation for the TBMB gift. “We are continuing to respond to the eruptions on the Big Island and flooding on Kauai. This gift will be a true blessing to our DR teams,” he noted.
“We are very thankful for the networking of TBMB and the HPBC churches and entities,” Martin added.
Gifts designated for “Hawaii Volcano Disaster” can be sent to Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, P. O. Box 682789, Franklin, TN 37068 or online at www.tndisasterrelief.org. NOTE: This article contains reporting from Baptist Press and B&R editor Lonnie Wilkey.
By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
Upon entering the refugee simulation, the women were given a number and instructed to put all personal belongings in a trash bag.
GATLINBURG — According to recent data released by the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR, there are 65.6 million displaced individuals, or refugees, in the world today. It is the highest number in recorded history and is growing by hundreds of thousands each year.
Sadly, when hearing numbers like that, there is a tendency to forget that there are faces behind the figures. It almost becomes lost that these are real people, with real emotions and real families. And many of them are hurting.
In hopes of shining a light on these dark developments, national WMU has worked with several other organizations to create the “Refugee Simulation Experience” — an interactive, walk-through exhibit that enables participants to better grasp the hardships that many refugees are facing. [Read more…]
