EVENTS
The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board is sponsoring four Focus discipleship conferences in August: Aug. 19, 6-9 p.m., Faith Baptist Church, Arlington; Aug. 21, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., First Baptist Church, Sevierville; Aug. 26, 6:30-9 p.m., Judson Baptist Church, Nashville; and Aug. 28, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Westwood Baptist Church, Cleveland. The conferences are designed to assist pastors, Sunday School directors, group coordinators and teachers in all age groups to expand their knowledge as they focus on the Great Commission. The cost is $10 per person. Register at www.tnbaptist.org. For more information, call Mark Miller, baptism-discipleship team leader for the TBMB, at 615-476-5564.
LEADERS
Jeff Davis resigned as pastor of First Baptist Church, Waynesboro, on June 27. He and his family are returning to Alabama.
Bill Taylor has been called as pastor of First Baptist Church, Byrdstown. Taylor has been in full time ministry since 1983. He has served as pastor of churches in Florida, upstate New York and founded a church in North Carolina. He also has served as an assistant pastor in Virginia and has been a chaplain to various organizations. He and his wife, Beth, have four adult children.
Ralph Stone of Cumberland City recently completed his second interim pastorate in two years, including one at First Baptist Church, Dover, in 2020. He is available as an interim pastor or to fill the pulpit. He can be reached at ralphwarrenstone@gmail.com.
CHURCHES
Cross Bridges Baptist Church, Columbia, held its first ever Backyard Bible Club/VBS. They had a total of 17 students and 10 families, four of whom are unchurched. The church already has begun follow up. In addition to the students, there were seven youth workers, nine adult leaders and seven parents who participated along with guests each night, including Dale Ledbetter, director of missions for Maury Baptist Association, and Elaine Wells, association VBS director. The BYBC was the first for the association.
ASSOCIATIONS
Weakley County Baptist Association had 26 people who participated in a trip to Cleveland. They put new roofs on two houses, built a handicap ramp and conducted a VBS for the Boys and Girls Club in Cleveland. They saw eight professions of faith, including a 78-year-old man for whom the ramp was built.
DEATHS
Former Southern Baptist missionary Paul Stouffer of Centerville died June 19 at the age of 91. A native of Pennsylvania, Stouffer and his wife, Peggy, served as missionaries with the International Mission Board for 32 years. He was a member of First Baptist Church, Centerville. He was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years. Stouffer is survived by three children, seven grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
Rossville Baptist Mission, Rossville, was constituted as Rossville Baptist Church on Sunday, July 4. Guest speakers at the event included, from left, Lewis McMullen, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff member; Stan Smith, pastor of First Baptist Church, Somerville (the mother church); Toby Stone, pastor, Rossville Baptist Church; and Charles Pratt, director of missions, Fayette Baptist Association.
