11        Missions Committee Meeting, 10:00 a.m. at Association Office

17        Executive Committee Meeting, 6:00 p.m. at Clinchfield Baptist RESCHEDULED TO JANUARY 31, 6:00 PM AT CLINCHFIELD                              BAPTIST

24-28   Office Closed

 

 

 

 

BIRTHDAYS

08        Mrs. Lillie White (Hankins)

22        Dr. Scott Hagaman (First Baptist of Marion)

26        Mrs. Kelly Bennett (Cross Memorial)

 

ANNIVERSARY

15        Rev. and Mrs. Don White (Garden Creek)

 

CALENDAR

1-27     True love Waits Emphasis

8-13     Focus on WMU

 

 

 

The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2022 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

 

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2022, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

 

• 58.5 cents per mile driven for business use, up 2.5 cents from the rate for 2021,
• 18 cents per mile driven for medical, or moving purposes for qualified active-duty members of the Armed Forces, up 2 cents from the rate for 2021 and
• 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations; the rate is set by statute and remains unchanged from 2021
•  

UPDATE FROM THE SEARCH COMMITTEE:

Jim Brewer announced his retirement (effective February 1, 2022) at the Annual Session. The Missions Committee, which serves as the Search Committee, met on November 15^th.  It was decided that resumes for the Association Mission Strategist (formerly known as Director of Missions) will be collected through the end of December.  The Search Committee will be meeting again on January 11, 2022.

 

 

 

Rock this World Productions is a 501-c3 non-profit film production company in Atlanta.  They produce faith-based content for film and TV with real-world gospel stories that are impactful and life-changing. The movie Game Changer recently won 6 awards at the Content21 film festival in Texas. This production company would love to work with your church to schedule one or more movie events.  There is NO COST to show the movie Game Changer. This is the link for the trailer:  https://vimeo.com/548627061/502607fb4e

If you are interested, please contact Producer Dan Knutson at 404-539-3227.

 

Church News:

Bethlehem Baptist Church in Old Fort has called Rev. Kevin Arrowood to be their pastor. Kevin is married to Kayla. Their family resides in McDowell County.

Rev. Marcus Gold, Jr. of West Marion Baptist announced his retirement/resignation from pastoring the church effective December 2021.

 

 

UPDATES FROM NC BAPTISTS ON MISSION: 

 

Paul Langston is a Mission Mobilization consultant with NC Baptist. The information below was taken from an email he sent November 17th regarding a recent mission trip to Armenia:

During this trip we have seen some amazing opportunities, understood much better the challenges that Armenian Baptist face, and been inspired by the spiritual strength of Armenian pastors and leaders.

Update:

There is a new cease fire between Armenian and Azerbaijan in the fighting on the Nagorno-Karabakh border.  Please pray that it holds and that the churches in the region continue to be strengthened and that the revival expands.

The Armenian Baptist Union is helping churches in the most affected regions assist refugees and families who lost loved ones during the war last year. During the war with Azerbaijan last year, September 27 - November 10, Armenia lost 4000 soldiers, had 10,000 wounded, and saw 50,000 refugees. They are less than 1% the size of the U.S., so we would have to lose more than we lost in all of  WWII between now and Christmas to recognize a similar per capita loss! Please pray for peace and for the expansion of the gospel.

On Monday we visited a church in Sisian where they sent 30 students to camp this summer and are seeing a transformation in the attitude of the community to the Baptist church.  The number who consider them a cult and stay away is declining and their impact is increasing.  God is working miracles as He answers their prayers and expands their impact.

We were in Ijevan on Tuesday to visit the pastor of a small church built about 14 years ago by FBC Asheboro, At that time, the church had 7 baptized adult members.  Now they have about 30 - 50 adults who attend plus 30 children. During Covid they started 4 cell groups, or house churches, that are thriving now. The church has outgrown their small property that consists of a sanctuary, one children's room, and a kitchen.  The children meet in the small room (8'x15') and the kitchen(about 5'x10')  each week. They need a new classroom as their children's ministry is growing rapidly. Pray that a church or churches will adopt this project ($20,000), send construction teams and VBS teams to assist, and that their regional impact will continue to grow.

On Wednesday we visited two churches. One small church in Dvin was started by a church in Blowing Rock more than 10 years  ago and never completed. The pastor died in 2014 and his widow and daughter kept meeting each week with children and women to reach and disciple new believers.  The Armenian Baptist Union sent preachers from other churches to preach, but a pastor finally felt God's call to serve Dvin in January 2020. We are praying to be able to complete the final renovations and build a security wall this spring. Pray with us that a church or churches will adopt this project ($15,000), send a VBS team, sports camp team, or construction team. This small fellowship has 30 - 50 regularly, primarily women and children because of their recent past. Pray for the pastor as he reaches out to two new communities plus Dvin to reach men and families.

Wednesday afternoon we visited a Yezidi Kurdish family who has a thriving house church of 30 people.  Their house is packed each week and many have told them that they would be open to participating if they were in a church building, but do not want to make a "personal" visit to the family's home. There are two types of Yezidi: Muslims and pagans. The pagan Yezidi worship evil ( satan).  There are just a few Yezidi Christians around the world and only a handful of churches. This family has made a huge impact for God in their community and has developed a network of Yezidi Christian leaders around the world. We feel led to answer their call to help them secure a larger building in their town ($30,000 approximately) so that up to 100 can gather for worship and the discipling network can grow. 

Pastors

Armenian Baptists can bring in pastors from the south ( Please look at a map. I cannot share the details electronically as that will endanger persecuted pastors in that country) for training, encouragement, and networking. To bring in a pastor from the south for a week costs $300 with travel being the major expense. We can also support those pastors in the south for $300 per month.

Armenian Baptists send out church planters each year to strategic areas.  Churches can assist these pastors with support of $100 - $300 per month. There are eight at the seminary at this time.  Many of them will go to isolated areas on the Nagorno- Karabakh border to push back the darkness. 

Teams

I plan to lead at least one Vision Team next year on April 21 - May 2. If you or one of your churches will prayerfully consider joining me, you will see more of what God is doing in Armenia. I will give priority to those who are considering sending teams in future as space will be limited. Teams' involvement in Armenia can be VBS, sports camps, teaching in the seminary, medical clinics, pastors' conferences, women's conferences, and more.

Paul Langston   919-459-5611(office) 

 

Friendly Avenue Baptist Church
Greensboro, N.C.

Most ministry leaders are squeezed into a mold of measuring success by what happens at church on the weekend. What if your church was known more for multiplying disciples than adding worship attenders? At the 2022 Disciple-Making Conference, you will be inspired and equipped to become a church on mission to win, build and send missional disciples. We look forward to seeing you in February! More information:  https://ncbaptist.org/event-2022-disciple-making-conference/

 

REGION 8 MISSIONS RALLY:

Mt Ruhama Baptist Church, 3273 Mt Ruhama Church Rd, Maiden, NC 28650, USA, Supper (no charge) begins 5:50 p.m. with a program to follow, concluding at 8:30. Anyone interested in missions is welcome to attend. If you plan to eat, please let them know you will be attending. Contact: Melanie Crawford, Events Assistant - mcrawford@ncbaptist.org919.459.5596

For more information, go to https://baptistsonmission.org/events/region-rallies