TENNESCENE AUG. 24-SEP. 13

CHURCHES

Oak Hill Baptist Church, Crossville, will hold homecoming on Sept. 11 with worship beginning at 10 a.m. Jim Mersereau, pastor, will preach and a luncheon will be held. For more information, contact joycetjewell@gmail.com or 931-484-5065.

First Baptist Church, Millersville, will hold revival services Sept. 18-21. Phil Glisson, evangelist of Memphis, will preach.

First Baptist Church, Selmer, will celebrate its 125th anniversary Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. For more information, contact selmerfbc@yahoo.com or 731-645-5326.

First Baptist Church, Nashville, just served for the 10th year at Lynnwood Lynnridge Apartments in Elizabethton. The Nashville team provided Backyard Bible Clubs for children and teens and block parties. They also built a handicap ramp and did some repairs for two homeowners.

Big Springs Baptist Church, Elizabethton, will celebrate 75 years of ministry Sept. 11 beginning at 10:30 a.m. Mark Chatman, pastor, will preach and Carol Kyker and Elaine Emmert will provide special music. For more information, contact Chatman at chatmanmark@yahoo.com or 423-794-6373.

First Baptist Church, Bolivar, is holding revival activities which began Aug. 21. On Sept. 11 a solemn assembly will be held and on Sept. 18-21 revival services featuring Phil Jett, pastor emeritus, Englewood Baptist Church, Jackson; Jordan Easley, pastor, Englewood Baptist; and Bartholomew Orr, pastor, Brown Missionary Baptist Church, Southaven, Miss. For more information, contact fbcbolivartn@gmail.com or 731-658-5123.

The second annual river baptism of Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, drew 22 people who were baptized on Aug. 7, reported Jeff Smoak, pastoral intern. The church has seen a total of 96 people baptized this year. Last year 17 people were baptized in the river. Grace Baptist draws about 570 to Sunday morning activities.

EVENTS

Tennessee Baptist Convention Executive Board Ministries and Knox County Baptist Association will hold Rekindle — Fanning the Flames of Christian Leadership, a church revitalization workshop, Sept. 1 at Wallace Memorial Baptist Church, Knoxville. Tom Cheyney, executive director of missions, Greater Orlando Baptist Association, who was with the North American Mission Board, and John Mark Clifton, church planter, church revitalizer, and missions strategist, will speak. For more information, contact Steve Holt of the TBC staff at sholt@tnbaptist.org or Tiffany Pyron at tpyron@tnbaptist.org or 615-371-7908.

DEATHS

Fred Witty Jr., 93, retired Baptist Student Union (now Baptist Collegiate Ministry) director, died Aug. 12 in Johnson City. He was BSU director at East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, from 1956-91. He also was citywide director of Baptist Student Union work in Louisville, Ky. Witty was a member of Central Baptist Church, Johnson City. He is survived by his wife, Joy, and three children.

LEADERS

Jim Didlake was called as pastor, Saint Clair Baptist Church, Spring City.

Ken Jordan has been called as interim pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Elizabethton.

Gary Roe has been called as pastor of Fairview Baptist Church, Watauga.

Wesley Duncan has been called as pastor of Union Baptist Church, Hampton.

Norman Markland Jr., has been called as pastor of First Baptist Church, Hampton.

Bobby Sanders was called as interim pastor, Springville Baptist Church, Springville, July 20.

Don Davis has been called as pastor, Macedonia Baptist Church, Morristown.

Parkway Baptist Church, Morristown, has called Mike Elkins as pastor.

Kyle Hutchinson of Oklahoma has been called as minister of students/activities, First Baptist Church, Bolivar, effective Aug. 28.

Joshua Franks was called as pastor, First Baptist Church, Bruceton, effective Aug. 8. He was formerly pastor, Walker Memorial Baptist Church, Franklin. Franks is a graduate of Liberty University. Ken Zike, a retired pastor, was interim pastor.

William Hunter Hay V has resigned as pastor, First Baptist Church, Woodbury, to begin a new church in Wilson County.

First Baptist Church, Gallatin, has called Adam Correll, deacon, as interim minister to students.

Members of First Baptist Church, Kenton, stand with staff of the police and fire departments of Kenton Aug. 3 after a meal provided by the church for them. The children of the church also gave each one of the staff members of the departments a treat bag and Pastor Shawn Allred thanked them and voiced a prayer for them.
This team of 41 people from nine Fayette Baptist Association churches pause in Oklahoma where they ministered to the Cherokee Indians living near Tahlequah, Okla. The Tennesseans included Hispanics, African-Americans, Anglos, and an Asian-American which were well received by the Native Americans, reported Charles Pratt, director of missions. The team helped lead two Vacation Bible Schools, three revivals in churches, a family night party, and helped renovate the Cherokee Baptist Campgrounds. They saw at least five people make professions of faith.
This group of 30 from Riverside Baptist Association, based in Livingston, served Trinity Baptist Church, Cincinnati, Ohio, recently. The association has sent teams to Cincinnati for five years to support the Tennessee/Cincinnati and Dayton Area Baptist Partnership. The Tennesseans led a Vacation Bible School, block party, park ministry, and helped North American Mission Board missionaries Jason and Jen McKinney move into an apartment. “It has been a fruitful partnership, I trust, for those we have had the opportunity to work with, but I know it has been a blessing to the churches and the individuals who volunteered from RBA,” wrote Chris Ward, director of missions.