DEATHS

Retired pastor Max Walker died Aug. 29. He served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Selmer, for 22 years before he retired and was named pastor emeritus. Walker also served as pastor of churches in Newbern and Lavinia and in Kentucky and Mississippi. He was active in the Tennessee Baptist Convention, serving on several committees and as a trustee of Union University, his alma mater. After retirement, Walker served numerous churches as interim pastor. He is survived by his wife, Ann, of 57 years, two daughters and four grandsons.

A. Rudolph “Rudy” Fagan, who led the former Stewardship Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention for 20 years, died Oct. 3 in Murfreesboro. He was 88. Fagan served as president of the Stewardship Commission from 1974 until his retirement in 1994. The former agency was closed in the SBC’s Covenant for a New Century in the mid-1990s. He is survived by his wife, Florrie, of 64 years, four children, 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. [Read more…]

CHURCHES

Sunday, Sept. 30, kicked off the beginning of a first-time ministry for senior adults at First Baptist Church, Scotts Hill. The Sunday worship included thanksgiving and acknowledgement of senior adults’ service to the Lord, followed by a luncheon in their honor. The senior adults of FBC will meet on the second Tuesday of each month at noon in the church fellowship hall. The group welcomes any senior adult to attend, regardless of church affiliation. For more information, contact Cheryl Duck, the church’s director of senior adult activities at 813-219-4294. Tim Buffaloe is pastor.

Little West Fork Baptist Church, Clarksville, will celebrate its 200th anniversary on Oct. 28, starting with morning worship at 10:30. Wesley R. Pitts, former director of missions for Cumberland Baptist Association and a former church member, will lead the service. His wife, Diane, former member and church pianist, will be part of the service. A meal will follow. For reservations and cost information, call 931-647-3814 or e-mail pastor Kim Allen at allenk@lwfbc.com. An afternoon celebration will begin at 1:30 p.m. [Read more…]

CHURCHES

Rocky Point Baptist Church, Russellville, recently celebrated 152 years of ministry and missions with a homecoming celebration. Maurice Quillen brought the message and David Hawkins, director of missions for Nolachucky Baptist Association, presented a plaque to Pastor Ross Woody recognizing the church for 150 years of cooperation with the Tennessee Baptist Convention.

The Helping Hands group of Lebanon Baptist Church, Talbott, recently made skirts and scarves for girls in an orphanage in India. They also provided shoes for children. [Read more…]

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…]