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TENNESCENE: SEP. 26-OCT. 9

September 26, 2018

CHURCHES

Rocky Point Baptist Church, Russellville, recently celebrated 152 years of ministry and missions with a homecoming celebration. Maurice Quillen brought the message and David Hawkins, director of missions for Nolachucky Baptist Association, presented a plaque to Pastor Ross Woody recognizing the church for 150 years of cooperation with the Tennessee Baptist Convention.

The Helping Hands group of Lebanon Baptist Church, Talbott, recently made skirts and scarves for girls in an orphanage in India. They also provided shoes for children.

Dodson Branch Baptist Church, Cookeville, will hold revival services Sept. 30-Oct. 3 with guest evangelist Harold Hunter.

LEADERS

Houston Baptist Church, Collinwood, called John Scoggin as pastor on Aug. 26.

Jeff Wayne Franks was ordained into the gospel ministry Sept. 9 at First Baptist Church, Waynesboro.

Shelley Ball

New Concord Baptist Church, Kenton, has called Rodney Gregg as full time pastor. He was ordained Aug. 26 at Woodland Mills First Baptist Church, Woodland Mills.

Shelley Ball has been appointed assistant vice president for student affairs at Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City. She will continue serving as dean of students at the university, a position she has held since 2008. She is an alumnus of the university.

Michael Prince is serving as interim pastor of First Baptist Church, Clinton.

DEATHS

Retired pastor Byron R. Epps died Sept. 3 in Cookeville. He was 88. He and his wife Tine were former missionaries with the Home Mission Board (now North American Mission Board) of the Southern Baptist Convention. He served as pastor of churches in Iowa and Wisconsin and as a director of missions in Wisconsin. He served nine churches as associate pastor. During retirement he served for three years as pastor of University Heights Baptist Church in Cookeville. He was preceded in death by his wife. He is survived by three children and 12 grandchildren.

  • The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board has named five leaders across the state to serve as “Connectors” across Tennessee. The Connectors will be an extension of Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the TBMB and the Executive Leadership office. Connectors will serve as an advocate, encourager and a strategic connection between the churches, leaders and associations in their region with the TBMB ministries and entities. The primary role of the Connectors will be to provide relational and networking support to the work of the local churches and leaders in embracing the Five Objectives of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. From left are Joel Pigg, pastor, Salem Baptist Church, Trenton; Danny Sinquefield, pastor, Faith Baptist Church, Bartlett; Josh Lancaster, executive pastor, Red Bank Baptist Church, Chattanooga; Pete Tackett, pastor, Antioch Baptist Church, Johnson City; and Larry Robertson, pastor, Hilldale Baptist Church, Clarksville.
  • Big Hatchie Baptist Association recently held its annual Camp Hatchie. Church planter Dave Partin of Overland Park, Kan., served as camp pastor. The theme was “The Upside Down Kingdom of Christ.”
  • Antioch Baptist Church, Sevierville, recently celebrated its 150th anniversary. Willie McLaurin, left, of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff, presented a plaque to Pastor Randy Leming.
  • A missions team from Grassland Heights Baptist Church, Franklin, recently returned from a missions trip to Guatemala where they helped with construction of a school, provided leadership training for church leaders, did evangelism and shared in the community. Team members also left all remaining funds for their trip to buy food and supplies for volcano victims. The team is shown with some of their new Guatemalan friends.
  • Faye Porter was recognized Aug. 26 for 69 years of ministry as pianist at Bethel Baptist Church in Greenfield. She began serving in 1949 shortly after her marriage to Jack Porter, both of whom have faithfully served at the church ever since. The couple will celebrate their 69th wedding anniversary in December. Faye Porter was presented with a bouquet of flowers and a throw blanket. Pictured with her and her husband, center, are Pastor David Worley, left, and Perkins. (cont'd)
  • (cont'd) Jeff Perkins, worship leader at Bethel, observed, “Faye has served Bethel with a humble grace that has been and will be an example for those who follow. She has done so much for the music ministry at our church down through the years. We are grateful for her faithfulness to lead out in the worship of Jesus for decades at Bethel.”
  • Russ Stephens, who has been a Tennessee pastor for 35 years, recently retired after 30 years as pastor of Silver Springs Baptist Church, Mount Juliet. A native of Illinois, Stephens has served churches in Tennessee (Silver Springs; Hillcrest Baptist Church, Lebanon; and Immanuel Baptist Church, Shelbyville), Kentucky and Mississippi. He is a graduate of Belmont University, Nashville, and New Orleans (La.) Baptist Theological Seminary and holds a doctor of ministry degree in evangelism and church growth from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky. He has completed the transitional interim pastor program offered through the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. Stephens and his wife, Theresa, will live in the Lebanon area and he is available for revivals, supply preaching and interim pastorates. He can be contacted at russ.stephens@att.net or 615-444-8410 or 615-351-4319.
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