LEADERS
Mike Burns
Mike Burns has been called as pastor of First Baptist Church, Watertown, effective July 17. A native of Tennessee, Burns was reared in Nashville and served for four years as youth and children’s ministry director at Riverside Baptist Church. For the past 20 years an associate pastor/students at a church in Louisiana and as pastor of a church in Mississippi. He earned his master of divinity degree from New Orleans (La.) Baptist Theological Seminary in 2007. He and his wife, Misty, have three children.
Clyde Fitzgerald recently was called as pastor of Clear Creek Baptist Church, Dayton.
Jimmy Nave retired as pastor of Meadow View Baptist Church, Lawrenceburg, effective July 31.
Steve Headrick, pastor of Faith Baptist Church, Loretto, since 2005, retired from the church, effective Aug. 7.
Alvin Miller
Alvin Miller, pastor of St. John Baptist Church in Clarksville, for 14 years has written The Horse: Last Chance, the story of a juvenile delinquent from the public housing projects who defied the odds with a second chance at the American dream. Miller served in the U.S. Army for more than 32 years, reaching the rank of Colonel. For 25 of those years, Miller served as an Army chaplain. The book is published by Westbow Press and can be purchased at westbowpress.com.
Dalewood Baptist Church, Nashville, has called Mike Dawson as transitional interim pastor. Dawson served as senior pastor at Dalewood from 1972-78.
Bear Cove Baptist Church, Sparta, has called Riv Temple as pastor. He and his wife, Emily, have four children. They moved to Sparta from Jacksonboro, S.C.
First Baptist Church, Gleason, called Bill Ellis as pastor, effective Aug. 7.
Ben Styles will be returning to Niles Ferry Baptist Church, Greenback, as part-time music minister.
First Baptist Church, Dayton, has called Bob Schafer as senior pastor.
EVENTS
The West Tennessee Evangelism Rally, sponsored by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board and Union University, will be held Sept. 11 at Union University in Jackson. The meeting begins at 3 p.m. with two breakout sessions, followed by the rally from 5:15-6:30 p.m. The special guest speaker will be Clay Hallmark, president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention and pastor of First Baptist Church, Lexington.
The East Tennessee Evangelism Rally, sponsored by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, Carson-Newman University and Jefferson County Baptist Association, will be held Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. in Holt Fieldhouse at Carson-Newman. Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, and former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, will speak and Nic Gonzales and Jaci Velasquez will lead worship.
ASSOCIATIONS
Twenty-four people from five churches were baptized during Nolachucky Baptist Association’s annual lake baptism service on July 31. The combined choirs from Morningside Baptist Church and First Baptist Church, Morristown, led in worship. Kenny Boling, pastor of Morningside Baptist, brought the message, titled, “Alive and Living It” from Romans 6:6-11.
A mission team from Charleston Baptist Church, Stanton, recently served with Chilhowee Area Ministries (CHARM) in Townsend. Standing, from left, are Connie Francis, Pat McKenzie, Sharon Williams, Beverly McIntyre, Marilyn Means, Dylan Brasfield, Terry Means, pastor Mike Melton, Sandra Melton; kneeling, from left, are Kylie Connell, Britt Ray, and Lily Mashburn.
