December 2007

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Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Louisville, Kentucky Permit # 976

KENTUCKY BAPTIST

FELLOWSHIP Equipping and Empowering Kentucky Baptist Churches and Christians. Cultivating Partnerships. Engaging in Missions.

Kentucky Baptist Fellowship 225 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., Suite 205 Louisville KY 40222-4929 Phone: Fax: Office email: Website:

502-426-1931 502-426-1612 offi[email protected] www.kybf.org

Officers

Moderator: Moderator Elect: Secretary: Treasurer: Past Moderator:

Alice Mull Robert Davis Mary Runyon Susanne Jenkens Lynne Huff

Coordinating Council

Susan Allen, Kitty Baird, Margaret Barlow, Charlotte Benningfield, Jane Brake, James Browning, Linda Caldwell, Ottis Cave, Jeremy Colliver, Robert Coons, Stanley Crabb, Jica Crafton, Gwen Curry, Jim Dobbins, Nancy Fields, Larry Haltom, Patsey Jacobs, Mark Johnson, Don Mantooth, Bill McCann, Don McFadden, Kristen Terry Nethery, John Owen, Pat Ramey, Jay Robison, Don Rogers, Kimbrough Simmons, Naomi Walker, Howard Wilson, and Lisa Wood.

CBF Council Members

Bill Ellis, Robert Baker, Lynn Smith

Staff Coordinator: John Lepper [email protected] Administrative Assistant: Kathleen Cornetet offi[email protected]

Education Conference draws participants from over 20 churches The Kentucky Baptist Fellowship and the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky co-sponsored the third annual Education Conference on Saturday, October 27 on the Seminary’s campus. Eighty-two people from over 20 churches participated in general sessions and workshops. The conference theme, “Discovering Your Church’s Strengths” came from the research work of keynote speaker, Dr. Cynthia Woolever. Dr. Woolever and Dr. Deborah Bruce have co-authored three books utilizing an approach that affirms the positive dimensions of a church’s resources. Workshops focused on a wide variety of topics including separate emphases on building healthy ministry with children, youth, and adults, as well as Christian Education as Spiritual Formation, AfricanAmerican Visions of Christian Education, and Making the Bible Come Alive. The Education Conference is one of several collaborative efforts of Baptist Seminary of Kentucky These “Building a Healthy Children’s and the Kentucky Ministry” workshop participants used teamBaptist Fellowship. work to accomplish a learning objective.

KBF News December 2007

KBF News is a monthly newsletter of Kentucky Baptist Fellowship.

Severe storm damages Third Baptist, narrowly misses injuring worshippers By Carla Wynn Davis, CBF Communications “We went in [the sanctuary], and I ATLANTA – Five more minutes, was just sick,” said James Byrd, the and the severe storm damage Third church’s pastor. “We would have Baptist Church in Owensboro, Ky., had people killed. The bell tower experienced October 18 would fell in the church. There were 30 have been a lot worse. to 40 people [in that area], and it would have crushed them.” Approximately 100 people gathered in the church’s sanctuary for the Kentucky Council of Churches’ “Nobody was hurt, and we’re thankful for that,” said Charles annual assembly as a severe thunderstorm blew through Owensboro, Douglas, the church’s minister of music. possibly causing several tornados. Thirty minutes into the worship service the weather worsened, and worshippers rushed for shelter in the church’s basement. When it seemed safe to return to the sanctuary, they saw the extensive damage they narrowly missed.

When the church’s bell tower collapsed, it destroyed large sections of the balcony, the church’s grand piano, and many pews.

with debris, and the family life center suffered water and structural damage. “These things do happen,” said Ken Adkisson, a 54-year member of the church. “But we’ll survive. We’re just fortunate those people got out.” Byrd said the church has insurance to cover what he estimates is $1 million in damages that may take six months or longer to repair.

“Just pray for us,” Byrd said. “We’ve done everything we know to do, and we’re just waiting to see what’s next. We covet the Stained glass windows shattered, dust scattered, the parking lot filled prayers.”

We are a fellowship of churches and individuals who share a commitment to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. Our mission is to equip and empower Kentucky Baptist churches and Christians, cultivate partnerships, and engage in missions.

A Word from the Coordinator If you are like me, you have already started filling in your 2008 calendar. Calendars are important tools that help us keep track of future events and also recall past events. As I review my 2007 calendar, I am reminded of numerous individual and church partners and what we’ve accomplished together. Here is a short list of KBF accomplishments in 2007: • •

John Lepper KBF Coordinator

• • • • • •

Extreme Build—joining hands with over a hundred volunteers and numerous partner organizations to build a house in a week Hosting numerous mission teams in Owsley County, McCreary County, and the community of Nada (including expanding the Nada Summer intern to year-round) Morocco Partnership between Kentucky Churches and Churches in Morocco Children’s Mission Day Visioning Process with input from Prayer Triplets Celebrating Baptist Seminary of Kentucky’s 5th Anniversary Christian Education Conference co-sponsored with BSK Being a resource to churches during the interim, including sharing names of prospective ministers

A day that stands out is the day Rhonda Abbott Blevins ended her service with Kentucky Baptist Fellowship. Even as I am saddened by her departure, I am reminded of her gifts, service, and commitment. My calendar tells me that the search committee has already met and has begun receiving resumes. With over forty resumes received, the search committee has a good group of qualified individuals from which to choose. At this writing about thirty-five good resumes have been received. I say this because this gives me hope that another person will be found to serve with us to coordinate missions. God is indeed at work. We at Kentucky Baptist Fellowship face a critical time. Will future funding enable us to support an Associate Coordinator for Missions? The sad news is that if current trends continue, the answer is “no.” We receive checks from churches and individuals almost every day of the calendar year and we are grateful to the many individuals and churches that forward money to Kentucky Baptist Fellowship on a consistent basis. We are doing more than we’ve ever done. Lives are being changed as we are helping churches and individuals connect with mission and ministry opportunities. But in order to continue these important programs we need your support and the support of your church. We need to expand existing support and discover new sources of funding. Before I ask you to do something, let me relate what I am doing. My wife and I have decided that we will be the first new source of funding. We are making a personal commitment to make a direct monthly contribution to KBF in the amount of $200 per month. Will you join me in making a personal commitment to make a direct monthly contribution to KBF? Will you also encourage your church to increase what they are giving to KBF? Together we can fill the 2008 calendar with successful ministries and milestones. Thanks for your prayers and for your support. Blessings, John Lepper

PLEASE HELP KBF update our email database! Simply, send us an email confirming your email address: offi[email protected].

Six from Living Faith visit partners in Morocco By Alice Mull, KBF Moderator Six members of Living Faith Baptist Fellowship in Elizabethtown celebrated their three partnerships in Morocco by getting a first-hand look at the work they help support. Carole Cook, Karen Birdwhistell, Brian and Middy Judd, and Alice and Dick Mull stopped in Casablanca to drop off and sort 67 refugee care kits and also to hear David and Julie Brown explain their work with refugees. Besides counseling thousands of refugees from sub-Saharan Africa each year, the Browns help them find means of support, places to live, and medical help. The group spent time with three of KBF’s ten partner churches of the eglise evanglique au moroc. In Casablanca, they visited with Jean-Luc Blanc, who pastors the local church and also oversees the partner churches. In Fes, they visited Living Faith’s sister church. Most of this church’s members are students from sub-Saharan Africa. Pastor Hans Lehman and his wife, Monique, invited the group to help decorate for and attend a wedding and reception held in the church’s courtyard. Later, they participated in the worship service and presented a scrap book representing Living Faith and a wall hanging representing Living Faith’s children.

Hans Lehman, pastor of the church in Fes, addresses the congregation during Living Faith’s visit.

The group also worshiped with the partner church in Ifrane where Karen Smith is pastor. Living Faith’s third and oldest partnership is with Karen Smith. A visit to the village of Tarmilat, a shepherding community, highlighted the weaving project Karen began which provides women of the village a source of income. After purchasing rugs and handbags, the group took ftoor (breaking of the fast at sundown during Ramadan) with the women and children and gave gifts to the children. In Immouzer, they had lunch with the children in the school for the deaf and played games with them. Back in Fes, they toured the “Mobility for Everyone Association” which provides wheelchairs free of charge to those who need them throughout Morocco.

calendar

January 25-26, 2008 KBF Coordinating Council Meeting, Highland Baptist, Louisville

January 29-30, 2008 Current Retreat, CBF’s Young Leaders Network, Atlanta, GA thefellowship.info/current/retreat.icm January 30-Feb 1, 2008 “Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant,” Atlanta, GA www.newbaptistcovenant.org April 25-26, 2008 KBF Spring Gathering Highland Baptist, Louisville June 4-13, 2008 Morocco Partnership Trip June 19-20, 2008 CBF General Assembly Memphis, TN July 13-19, 2008 Extreme Build 2008, McCreary Co.

The trip provided Living Faith members an opportunity to get the flavor of the country where they have partners and to see how their gifts are being used to help many people in Morocco.

2008 Spring Meeting Location Change The locations for the Kentucky Baptist Fellowship spring meetings for 2008 and 2009 have been switched. • •

New Location: Highland Baptist Church, Louisville Same Date: April 25-26, 2008.

Third Baptist Church, Owensboro, the original site for the 2008 spring meeting, recently sustained significant storm damage. Church leaders were fearful the building would not be rebuilt in time to host our 2008 spring meeting. We will meet at Third Baptist Church, Owensboro, April 24-25, 2009.

Amanda Taylor and Salem Baptist encouraged by new spiritual homes By Amanda Taylor, Minister of Education, Salem Baptist Church, Morgantown In my final year at Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, I needed an internship to complete my requirements. No problem, right? No problem except that I live in Butler County, the home of the Gasper River Association, where women still cannot serves as messengers or even vote in most churches. I began calling around, talking with different pastors. All were supportive, but all were also too scared to take the risk with their congregations. A family friend suggested her pastor, so I called and set up a meeting. I had known Darryl Dockery forever as my choir teacher, but had never talked faith with him. We awkwardly began to share, both scared of what the other would think regarding our crazy ideas about ministry, theology, and ecclesiology. Breathing a sigh of relief, we found we were both Darryl Dockery and Amanda Taylor “closet moderates.” When the meeting ended, we knew God had something in mind for us at Salem Baptist Church. That week I was offered the Minister of Education position, and to my surprise and joy, the congregation accepted me in that position. Realizing this decision set Salem apart from other churches in the association, we began exploring the church members’ positions on other issues. Hearing their views on women in ministry, autonomy of the local church, and priesthood of all believers, I realized the Fellowship would be a good fit. So, we called John Lepper, met with him, and decided to begin talking with the church about joining. He encouraged us saying, “Just take your time and pray about it. There’s no rush.”

True Survivor VIII: A Gathering for Christian Educators March 3 - 5, 2008 First Baptist Church Asheville, NC

Register online at http://www. thefellowship.info/involved/events/ truesurvivor.icm. Mail $90/person registration fee (check made out to CBF) to Toni, CBF, P.O. Box 450329, Atlanta, GA 31145-0329 Find lodging info at http://www. explorasheville.com/meetings-conventions/TrueSurvivor/index.aspx Other questions? Toni Draper: [email protected]

We happened to have a business meeting that night and carefully introduced the Fellowship to those present. As we described this group, we asked the church to go home and pray for the next month about how, or if, we should become involved. When we finished, a deacon stood up and said, “Why do we need to wait? We know this is the right thing to do. Can’t we just vote to join tonight?” One by one, other members of the group--women and men--stood up and voiced their opinions on their dissatisfaction with the Southern Baptist Convention and Kentucky Baptist Convention on various issues. Before Darryl and I could say otherwise, the vote was taken and we had joined the Kentucky Baptist Fellowship. Locking up that night, Darryl and I just looked at each other in amazement. We thought we were the ones with the vision for the church, but that night the church projected the vision for us. If we hadn’t been convinced earlier that God had special plans for us, and Salem Baptist, we were convinced that night. Before our eyes, God planted a moderate, KBF church in the middle of a conservative, Southern Baptist area. God wasn’t just going to use Darryl and I to lead the church, God was going to use Salem to lead this area.

Touching Miami with Love Welcomes Christy Craddock By Christy Craddock Youth Director, Touching Miami with Love Editor’s Note: Christy Craddock is from Lexington, Kentucky. About six years ago she was sent by Kentucky Baptist Fellowship as a summer intern to Touching Miami with Love. She came back to TML this past summer to serve as Youth Director. I am happy to join the ministry at TML! Six years ago, as a college student, I came to serve at TML as a summer intern. After that busy summer filled with day camps, work projects, homeless ministry, and youth ministry, I felt God calling me to both ministry and social work. During that summer, I had come to know and love the children, Christy with Mercedes, a TML youth. youth, families, and homeless persons living in Overtown. In this neighborhood often characterized by poverty, gang violence, and drug-trafficking, I could see that the children and youth of Overtown needed supportive guidance and loving encouragement to overcome the daily challenges they faced. They needed someone to walk with them along the way, to teach them of God’s love and God’s desire to bring them a fullness of life.

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After that summer at TML, I followed where I sensed God calling. I moved to Texas where I completed a Master of Divinity at Truett Theological Seminary and a Master of Social Work at Baylor University. During my years in Texas I worked with at-risk middle school students and their families. Now I will be using my training as a minister and a social worker at TML. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, through the Global Service Corps, has commissioned me to serve TML for the next 2-3 years. I look forward to building strong relationships with the youth and families at TML and to walking alongside them over the next few years. I will work with our middle and high school students and their families, helping our youth grow and develop as they discover God’s love for them and God’s desire to give them a future and hope. Touching Miami With Love is an urban ministry sharing Christ-like love with families and individuals as they respond to life’s challenges. TML’s primary focus is in the southwest quadrant of Overtown and Downtown Miami. Downtown Miami and Overtown is a small inner-city community of 12,000 people in the midst of metropolitan Miami-Dade (2.3 million). This area is the poorest community in the State of Florida. The community is plagued with many consequences of poverty including high crime, drug trafficking and use, high teenage pregnancy rate, single parent families, substandard housing, failed education, and lack of quality activities.