CHURCHES

Smyrna Baptist Church, Humboldt, will observe homecoming on Sept. 16 with guest speaker Charles Pratt. The church is celebrating its 43rd anniversary in 2018.

The women’s ministry of Oaklawn Baptist Church, Winchester, will present its 10th annual Women’s Conference on Oct. 20 with award-winning speaker and best selling author Liz Curtis Higgs. She has authored 37 books, with 4.6 million copies in print. The program also includes Christian humorist Thelma Lou. Cost is $10 and includes lunch. For more information and a registration form, visit oaklawnbaptistchurch.org. [Read more…]

CHURCHES

Williams Chapel Baptist Church, Springfield, will hold a homecoming celebration on Sept. 23 at 11 am. Former Southern Baptist Convention and Tennessee Baptist pastor Jim Henry of Orlando, Fla., will be the guest speaker. A covered dish lunch will follow the service.

First Baptist Church, Atwood, will hold revival services Sept. 9-12 with evangelist Phil Glisson of Memphis.

The Parkway Quilters of Parkway Baptist Church, Goodlettsville, recently made 30 children’s quilts for the Ronald McDonald House.

Charleston Baptist Church, Stanton, will hold revival services Sept. 9-12 with Jerry Drace, evangelist and pastor of Friendship Baptist Church, Friendship. Jay Whalen, minister of music at Smyrna Baptist Church, Burlison, will lead the music. Services will be held at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday and on Monday-Wednesday at 7 p.m. [Read more…]

LEADERS

Meghan Clayton is the new preschool and children’s minister at First Baptist Church, Manchester. In addition, Cyndi Cox recently celebrated 20 years as director of Christian education and Tim Hensiek celebrated his fifth anniversary as student pastor.

Michael McEwen has been called as pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church, Trenton.

Connect Church in Milan has called Keith Donaldson as pastor.

Robert Cates is serving as interim pastor of West Side Baptist Church in Trenton.

New Hope Baptist Church, Dyer, recently called Bryan Morris as pastor. [Read more…]

DEATHS

Longtime Tennessee Baptist pastor George Gilbert died June 16. Gilbert was a minister in the Knoxville area for nearly 60 years. Churches he served as pastor included Ridgeview, Gayland Heights, Central (Alcoa), Hollywood Hills, Galilee, Northwest and Middlebrook Pike. In addition to serving as a pastor, he was a lifelong educator. Gilbert served in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict but never saw combat. He was preceded in death by his wife Joyce in 2017. Gilbert is survived by two sons, Greg and Dale Gilbert, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Ann White, a ministry assistant with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board (formerly Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention) for 23 years from 1972-95, died July 28. She was 86. White was a member of Belmont Heights Baptist Church. She is survived by her husband, Jerry E. White; four children; nine grandchildren, including Tiffany Pyron, a current member of the TBMB staff, and one great grandchild. [Read more…]

LEADERS

The Mouth of Richland Baptist Church, Blaine, recently called two new ministers. Nick Wright is the new senior pastor while Brad Bales is executive pastor. Wright is a graduate of Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City. He formerly served as youth minister at Union Baptist Church, Knoxville and was transitional pastor at Graveston Baptist Church, Corryton. Bales served as student pastor at Graveston Baptist and was chaplain for the football team at Gibbs High School, Corryton. He attended Johnson University and Walters State Community College.

Keith Donaldson is the new pastor/church planter of Connect Church in Milan.

Robert Cates has been called as interim pastor of West Side Baptist Church, Trenton. [Read more…]

DEATHS

Longtime Tennessee Baptist pastor Edward C. Minor died May 5. He was 87. Minor was pastor of several Tennessee Baptist churches including Concord Baptist Church, Brentwood; Nolensville Baptist Church, Nolensville; Grace Baptist Church, Bethpage; Chapel Hill Baptist Church, Chapel Hill; and Arrington Baptist Church, Arrington. He also was pastor of churches in Alabama and North Carolina and he worked for 17 years with Thomas Nelson Publishers. Minor is survived by his wife, Shelby Minor, four children, 12 grandchildren, and 11 great grandchildren. [Read more…]

LEADERS

Denise Bronaugh, adult specialist for Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union, was recently honored for 15 years of service on the staff of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. Bronaugh was active in WMU at First Baptist Church, Nashville, where she is a member, before joining the WMU staff in 2003. Bronaugh and her husband Jim have two daughters.

Stacy Murphree, Baptist Collegiate Ministry specialist at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, was recently honored for 15 years of service with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. She joined the TBMB (then Executive Board) staff in 2003. Murphree is a member of Hilldale Baptist Church, Clarksville. [Read more…]

LEADERS

Ray Van Neste, professor of biblical studies at Union University, Jackson, has been appointed as dean of the university’s School of Theology and Missions. Van Neste has served on the Union faculty since 2001 and also is director of the R.C. Ryan Center for Biblical Studies. He will begin his role as dean on June 1.

Jason Curtis was called in March as pastor of Liberty Baptist Church, Winchester and was ordained on April 8. He formerly was a member of First Baptist Church, Cowan. This is his first pastorate.

David Wall retired as pastor of Harmony Baptist Church, Tullahoma, on March 25. He was named pastor emeritus. Wall founded Unity Baptist Mission in 2005 and the congregation merged with Spring Creek Baptist Church in 2015, taking the name Harmony Baptist Church. He previously served Center Grove Baptist Church, Tullahoma, for 24 years. Wall and his wife Pat were presented gifts of appreciation on April 8. [Read more…]