TENNESCENE SEP. 14-20

LEADERS

Clay Gilbreath

Mike Glenn, senior pastor, Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, recently was recognized by the church on his 25th anniversary as pastor.

Clay Gilbreath, pastor, Western Valley Baptist Church, Covington, for 10 years, was called as director of missions, Big Hatchie Baptist Association, based in Covington, recently. He also was youth director, Smyrna Baptist Church, Burlison; Victory Baptist Church, Henning; Oak Grove Baptist Church, Covington;  and Garland Baptist Church, Covington. Then Gilbreath was associate pastor, Garland Baptist.

Gene Roberts has been called as associate pastor of worship/discipleship of a church in Leicester, N.C. He was pastor, Hillcrest Baptist Church, LaFollette.

DEATHS

Donald Cooper, 65, of Kenton, died Aug. 15 just about three weeks after he retired as pastor, China Grove Baptist Church, Rutherford. He formerly was pastor, Laneview Baptist Church, Kenton; and Mount Gilead Baptist Church, Cedar Grove. Cooper also did missions work in Michigan, Ohio, and Belize and was active in the denomination. He is survived by his  wife of 45 years, Connie; two children; four grandchildren; and two great grandchildren.

LEADERS

Rutledge Falls Baptist Church, Tullahoma, recently took a team of 65 people to Townsend for a fifth year where they ministered in three campgrounds. The group also saw at least one person baptized as a result of their ministry.

Bakers Gap Baptist Church, Mountain City, saw the previous year’s record broken on Vacation Bible School attendance — 127 children and youth this year, up from 125 last year. Bakers Gap Baptist draws about 65 people to Sunday morning activities. Because of his challenge for a record-breaking attendance, Dennis Peterson, pastor, preached from a tree on a Sunday morning two weeks later. Appropriately his sermon was about Zacchaeus who climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus. The church also saw 21 participants make professions of faith and the second largest class attended by teens. “The church goes all out for Bible school,” said Peterson. Members use a van to pick up students and provide an evening meal. They begin planning in January for VBS. Through VBS, “we get into some homes that we can’t get into the rest of the year,” he reported.

Grace Falls Church, Fayetteville, will hold its second annual Women’s Conference Oct. 21-22. Jenny Frith will speak and Tammy Haney will lead worship. For more information, contact Haney at thaney@fmamd.com or 931-625-5200.

Smyrna Baptist Church, Burlison, will hold its annual homecoming Oct. 2. Clay and Greg Gilbreath will be recognized. They are both ministers who grew up at Smyrna Baptist and were staff members. Clay is director of missions, Big Hatchie Baptist Association, based in Covington, and Greg is pastor, Madison Baptist Church, Jackson. A potluck luncheon will follow morning activities. Also, an Oct. 2-5 revival will begin. Mike Melton will preach. For more information, contact 901-476-1283 or pimmi@att.net.

First Baptist Church, Dresden, will host Ivan Parker and Josh Parker in concert on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m. For more information, contact 731-364-2212 or dresfbc@frontiernet.net.

Highland Park Baptist Church, Lawrenceburg, will hold a Crafts on the Green event on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Space rental is $15. Fees will benefit the church’s senior adult activities. For more information contact 931-363-1876 or cotton129@gmail.com.

Whitehaven Baptist Church, Memphis, will celebrate its 168th anniversary Sept. 18. Former staff members Tom Rives and Billy Appling will lead the worship service. On Sept. 11 Pastor Jim Meredith was honored on his tenure anniversary (see photo and information below). For more information, contact 901-332-4642 or wbc4800@att.net.

New Hope Baptist Church, Paris, will celebrate its 100th anniversary on Oct. 2 at 10:30 a.m. Former pastors will speak. For more information, contact newhopebaptist1380@att.net or Glynn Orr, pastor, at 270-293-2329.

Thompson Creek Baptist Church, Como, celebrated its 185th anniversary on Aug. 14. Retired pastor Jerry Powell preached. Thompson Creek is the oldest church in the Weakley County Baptist Association, based in Dresden. Also the church will hold a revival Sept. 25-28. David Worley, pastor, Bethel Baptist Church, Greenfield, will preach. For more information, contact billyross1@charter.net or  731-642-2509.

Fosterville Baptist Church, Bell Buckle, will hold homecoming Sept. 18. Glenn Chrisman will speak at the 11 a.m. service. For more information, contact FostervilleBaptistChurch@hotmail.com or 615-233-5380.

Fayette Baptist Association, based in Somerville, will send a missions team to Guatemala Dec. 1-6 to support the Tennessee/Guatemala Baptist Partnership. To keep the cost down, a commitment needs to be made by Sept. 15. For more information, contact Charles Pratt at CPMpratt@gmail.com or 901-465-8613.