LEADERS
Ken Clayton
In his third book with Courier Publishing, retired pastor Ken Clayton offers a diligent study of the book of Romans in Justified by Faith, similar to his early works on the Gospel of John and the book of Daniel. “In Romans, Paul does not share as much discussion about practical problems as he does in his other letters,” Clayton observes. “Paul used this letter to explain the Christian gospel, God’s plan of salvation and its impact on their daily living. A graduate of Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky., Clayton has served churches in Tennessee and Kentucky and was a missionary in Spain. He and his wife, Joy, are members of Shiloh Baptist Church, Mount Juliet.
Jimmy Webb, pastor of Oak Street Baptist Church, Maryville, has resigned. His last day will be Sept. 15.
DEATHS
Julia Zieske Coe, wife of pastor Dan Coe of First Baptist Church, Alexandria, died July 7 after a battle with cancer at the age of 35. She is survived by her husband and four children.
Paul Thomas Collingsworth, retired pastor of Pleasant View Missionary Baptist Church, Tazewell, died July 21 at the age of 89. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Edith Collingsworth, five children, seven grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
Gary Mitchell Durham, former pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church, Dyersburg, died July 5 in Ocala, Fla., at the age of 61. He was pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church in Ocala at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife, DeAnna Lynn Durham, and two sons.
Carl Lee Scarlett, retired pastor of Miracle Baptist Church, LaVergne, where he served for 32 years, and former president of the Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference (1993), died July 4 in Cookeville. He was 81. Scarlett served many churches during his retirement years. He was a member of Stevens Street Baptist Church in Cookeville. He was preceded in death of his first wife, M. Pauline “Gigi” Scarlett. He is survived by his wife, Cheryl Garrison Rodgers Scarlett, three children, 10 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Roy Wyatt of Scotts Hill, died July 5 at the age of 79 in Parsons. He often was referred to as the “Preaching Sheriff.” His career in law enforcement included serving two terms as sheriff of Decatur County. He was ordained into the ministry in 1990. He served as pastor of Bath Springs Baptist Church, Darden Baptist Church, and Judson Missionary Baptist Church. He also was a former mayor of Saltillo. He is survived by his wife, Judy Wyatt, two sons, eight grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.
CHURCHES
Bethel Baptist Church, Morristown, will celebrate its 150th anniversary on Sunday, Oct. 6, with services beginning at 10:30 a.m. All former members and pastors are invited to attend this special celebration, said pastor Dannie Bell.
EDUCATION
Union University, Jackson, has been ranked the 10th best NCAA Division II school in the nation by College Raptor, a college planning platform that helps families find the best institutions. The selection recognizes Union University as a leading institution in the country based on a combination of factors including the school’s graduation rates, campus diversity, endowment per student, selectivity and other key metrics as reported via the National Center for Education Statistics for the most recently available enrollment year. Union’s ranking placed it as the second-best NCAA Division II school in the South and the top-ranked school in Tennessee.
A team of nine people from Western District Baptist Association went to Guatemala to work with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board partnership there. From left are pastor Edwin and his wife Panchy Alvardo; Brian Parsons, Avery Swisher, Sloan Russell, Jim Twilbeck, Ed Brazelton, Aidan Swisher and Ashley Russell. The team did VBS, evangelism and preached in the town square, according to Jim Twilbeck, the associational missions strategist for Western District.
