PEOPLE
Cedar Grove Baptist Church, Maryville, held a special lunch for retiring pastor Gary McCammon and his wife Penny on Jan. 5. The McCammons are moving to Georgia to be near their family. Levi Sanders will be the new lead pastor of Cedar Grove.
CHURCHES
First Baptist Church, Winchester, will hold revival services Jan. 26-31 with guest preacher Patrick Waller, pastor of College Street Baptist Church, Tullahoma. Sam O’Neal of Rutledge Falls Baptist Church, Tullahoma, will lead worship music.
DEATHS
William Oakley
William P. “Bill” Oakley of Trimble died Dec. 9 at the age of 93. During his 74 years of ministry he pastored several churches including First Baptist Church, Trimble, where he served for 15 years. After retirement he served numerous churches as needed including Enon Baptist Church in Halls where he was a member and honored with the title “pastor emeritus.” In the past two years he served as pastor of Palestine Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Newbern. Oakley shared the gospel of Jesus Christ in more than eight countries and countless locations throughout the United States. In an article in the Baptist and Reflector in 2022, Oakley said his “greatest blessing has been to have seen about 4,000 people come to know Jesus during these 72 years, and to have baptized about 2,000 of those.” He estimated that he preached more than 15,300 sermons (in that article) and traveled more than two million miles during his ministry. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Pattye Laverne Oakley, and a son and daughter. He is survived by his wife, Peggy J. Miller Oakley, two daughters, 11 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.
Donna Louise Sparks Haskins of Old Hickory died Dec. 18 at the age of 77. She was a helpmate to her husband, Dan Haskins, retired chaplain and former pastor and campus minister. She served as a ministry assistant at Stone Association of Baptists, First Baptist Church, Cookeville, Homesteads Baptist Church, Crossville, and Tulip Grove Baptist Church, Old Hickory. She was a past officer of the Tennessee Baptist Secretaries Association. She is survived by her husband and a son.
EDUCATION
Carson-Newman University’s winter commencement showcased the accomplishments of some 300 graduates. The Dec. 13 ceremony was held at the Sevierville Convention Center. Graduates representing 27 different states and nine countries were addressed by keynote speaker Cameron Conn, president of Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA).
Jeff Iorg, president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee, delivered the commencement address Dec. 14 to 221 graduates who received their degrees Dec. 14 during commencement exercises for the university’s 200th graduating class in G.M. Savage Memorial Chapel on the Union campus. He urged graduates to make a lasting impact through consistent, behind-the-scenes service rather than seeking high-profile leadership roles.
