LEADERS
Troy Brachey has been called as pastor, University Heights Baptist Church, Cookeville. He was ordained to the ministry by the church on Dec. 6. Steve Farris preached the ordination sermon.
Emmanuel Baptist Church, Humboldt, has called Patrick Adams as children/youth director.
Josh Swinson has resigned as associate pastor and minister to students, Meridian Baptist Church, Knoxville.
West Side Baptist Church, Trenton, has called Terry Branscum as pastor.
CHURCHES
First Baptist Church, Saint Joseph, gave 106 shoe box gifts as part of Operation Christmas Child this year. The effort was led by a girls Sunday School class who challenged the church to triple what they gave last year, reported David Byrd, pastor. The class is made up of four girls, ages 10-14. The church draws about 45 people to Sunday morning activities. “We are so proud of our girls,” said Byrd.
The choir of Hobson Pike Baptist Church, Hermitage, will present the cantata, “Christ Was Born for This,” on Dec. 20 at 10:30 a.m. Then at 5 p.m. a candlelight service will be held. For more information, contact Seth Rone, pastor, at 706-587-2172.
ASSOCIATIONS
Duck River Baptist Association, based in Tullahoma, is coordinating missions work in Taiwan to assist four missionaries there. The period of work will range from March 17 – April 9 and include several options. For more information, contact Mark Puckett, director of missions, at 931-455-5072 or DuckRiverBaptists@gmail.com.
Lawrence County Association of Baptists, based in Leoma, held a Baptist Women’s Prayer Retreat on Nov. 2 which drew more than 100 women. The speaker was Brenda Harris of Murfreesboro, who is the prayer coordinator for Kendrick Brothers, a film company led by two brothers who recently produced “War Room.”
DEATHS
James Robert “Jim” Kelley, 35, pastor of First Baptist Church, Atwood, died Nov. 23. He served the church for two years. He is survived by his wife Jennifer, and two daughters.
Jan Elizabeth Hollowell Collins, 71, a retired Southern Baptist International Mission Board missionary, died Oct. 30 in Little Rock, Ark. She served with her husband Charles in Costa Rica, Guatemala, India, and Spain from 1977-2014. Collins is survived by Charles, three sons, and 11 grandchildren. The Jan Collins Mission Fund of Madison Baptist Church, Jackson, was established in her memory Nov. 18. The fund will support the missions work of the church. The Collins were friends of the church because Charles spent his childhood years there. Mrs. Collins was buried in a cemetery near the church.
Helen Park, 65, wife of S.B. Park, retired pastor of the Korean Baptist Church of Memphis, Collierville, died Nov. 28. S.B. was pastor of Korean Baptist for 33 years before he retired in 2014. He also was president of the Korean Baptist Convention and a missionary in Fiji.
Mary Allen, 84, died Nov. 25 in Kennedale, Texas. A specialist in the Discipleship Training Department of the Tennessee Baptist Convention for 32 years, she retired in 1996. Allen was a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas.
Anna Dean Bradbury Lewis, 92, of Gallatin, wife of the late J.C. Lewis, retired director of missions, died Nov. 14. J.C. Lewis was DOM of Bledsoe Baptist Association, based in Gallatin, from 1980-91. Mrs. Lewis studied at the New Orleans (La.) Baptist Theological Seminary. The Lewises were married for 62 years.
Wilma Lucille Shipman, 80, of Cleveland, wife of W.L. Shipman, retired director of missions, died Dec. 1. W.L. Shipman is retired DOM, Polk County Baptist Association, based in Benton. He served the association for about 30 years, retiring in the 1990s. The Shipmans were married for 59 years.
A panel discussion was held during The Good Cup, a meeting for ministers’ wives held during the Summit Nov. 9-11 in Millington. The Summit is the annual gathering of Tennessee Baptists. The panel answered questions from those in attendance. From left are Vicki Leavell, First Baptist Church, Millington; Angie Ellis, Impact Baptist Church, Memphis; Kelly Dean, First Baptist, Millington; Darlene Herring, First Baptist Church, Collierville; and Melody Cain, Maplewood Baptist Church, Paris.
