CHURCHES
Meridian Baptist Church on 6513 Chapman Highway in Knoxville will be celebrating its 150th anniversary on Sunday, April 28, with a special service. Former pastors will be recognized and leading special events starting at 9:30 a.m. with worship at 10:45 a.m., followed by a pot luck lunch afterward. A special history room has been created in the library and pictures decorate our hallways of times gone by. The theme of the celebration is “Celebrating the Past, Embracing the Future.” Meridian Baptist started with 27 charter members on April 12, 1874 in a one-room log cabin school house. Today, the church has a multi-level building with a membership of more than a thousand people.
Trinity Baptist Church, Knoxville, will have revival services May 5-8 with evangelist Phil Glisson of Memphis.
Notchey Creek Baptist Church, Madisonville, will hold revival services Aug. 4-7 with evangelist Bob Pitman.
LEADERS
Ninth Street Baptist Church, Erwin, recently called Peter Layton as pastor.
Roger Parks has been called as pastor of Marble Plains Baptist Church, Winchester. A native of Tullahoma, Parks aand his wife, Carol, returned to Franklin County in 2022 following a 35-year ministry at Heritage Baptist Church in Prattville, Ala.
Taylor Haley has been called as bivocational pastor of First Baptist Church, Beech Grove. He formerly served as associate student pastor at The Well Church in Tullahoma. He also has served in a similar role in Kentucky and on the staff of Clear Creek Baptist Bible College in Pineville, Ky.
Rocky Ramsey
Rocky Ramsey, senior pastor of Corryton Baptist Church, Knoxville, for 40 years, has written a book entitled Boundaries … And So Much More! This book establishes boundaries and priorities based upon the biblical principles of creation. It’s a book about how to have biblical and healthy relationships with mates, kids, parents and friends. The book can be ordered at rockyramsey.com and amazon.com. The book is recommended by the late Michael Catt, Charles Lowery, Jan Silvious and Randy C. Davis (executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board).
Chris Shaw will be ordained on April 21 at South Madisonville Baptist Church, Madisonville. He has been called as pastor of Lakeview Baptist Church, Athens.
Stan Vespie
Grace Baptist Church, Tullahoma, has called Landon Shelby as student pastor. He has served on the staff of Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, and a church in Louisiana. He and his wife, Miko, are currently enrolled at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and are studying remotely.
DEATHS
Stanley Paul “Stan” Vespie died March 22. He was pastor of Tom’s Creek Baptist Church, Linden, from 2008 until his death. He also served as pastor of several churches in East Tennessee and Texas and was a published author. He is survived by four sons, 11 grandchildren and other family and friends and church family.
Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City, unveiled the new Moser Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership program, expanding learning opportunities for both students and the business community alike. Named in honor of sixth generation Jefferson County entrepreneur Jay Moser, the center is designed to develop expanded opportunities in various areas. Curriculum benefits students wanting to enter the business arena as well as regional organizations to grow opportunities in their respective fields. The launch of the center comes on the heels of development of a new MBA in Entrepreneurial Leadership starting fall 2024 at Carson-Newman. C-N president Charles A. Fowler, right, presented Jay Moser and his wife Susan with a gift.
