HeraldBeat: Tracking Baptists across the Mid-Atlantic

Accepted a new call? Been ordained? Church celebrating an anniversary? Mission trip or project that you would like highlighted on the HeraldBeat page? Send info to HeraldBeat editor Barbara Francis at [email protected].

ON THE MOVE

Bart McNeil, to Azalea Baptist Church, Norfolk, as pastor.

Tom Warrington, to First Baptist Church, High Point, N.C., as interim pastor.

Diane Tomlinson, to Rosalind Hills Baptist Church, Roanoke, as organist.

Robert Krause, concluding his ministry as pastoral associate at Journey Church, Roanoke. He and his wife, Emily, will serve as missionaries with Orphan Medical Network International in Zambia, Africa.

Cynthia Collins, to Winfree Memorial Baptist Church, Midlothian, Va., as full-time minister with children and families. She has served in a similar position at First Baptist Church, Clinton, N.C.

Jenelle Watson, to First Baptist Church, Waynesboro, Va., as part-time interim director of youth ministries.

DEATHS

Retired Virginia Baptist pastor John Edward Houghton died Jan. 12 at the age of 83. He had served as pastor to churches in Culpeper, Fauquier, Dinwiddie and Lancaster counties. He retired from full-time ministry in 1994 after serving Kilmarnock (Va.) Baptist Church for 35 years. Following retirement he served as interim pastor for numerous churches across the Northern Neck. He had served as vice president of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, on numerous committees and as a representative to the Mission Board. He was a former trustee of the University of Richmond. He is survived by his wife, Edith C. Houghton; children, Kim Pontillo and Mark, Paul and Micah Houghton; two grandchildren; three step-grandchildren and a sister. A funeral service was held on Jan. 16 at Kilmarnock Baptist Church. 

Robert Merrill Hurd Jr., pastor of Crystal Hill (Va.) Baptist Church, died Jan. 13 at the age of 54. He had served as pastor of several churches and as volunteer chaplain at the Halifax Regional Hospital. He is survived by his mother, Shirley Klugh; his father, Robert M. Hurd Sr.; his step-mother, Carol Sue Hurd; his wife, Melanie; a son, Nathaniel; and three daughters, Rachael Satterwhite and Alicia and Lauren Hurt; four grandchildren and two sisters. A memorial service was held Jan. 15 at Ash Avenue Baptist Church in South Boston, Va.

ORDINATION

Kimberly Miller, ordained to the ministry by First Baptist Church, Richlands, N.C., on Jan. 13.

Debbie Wall, ordained to the ministry by Sharon Baptist Church, Smithfield, N.C., on Jan. 13.

Kiki Barnes, ordained to the ministry on Jan. 13 by Union Baptist Church, Durham. 

Brenda Kay Hafer, ordained to the ministry on Jan. 20 by First Baptist Church, Southern Pines, N.C.

TUES.-THURS., FEB. 5-7

The Resource Center, in partnership with Cokesbury, will sponsor its annual VBS Curriculum Fair at Virginia Hall on the campus of Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. Tuesday and Thursday from 1-8 p.m.; Wednesday from 1-5 p.m.

FRI., FEB. 8

First Baptist Church, Newport News, Va.; concert by The Hoppers, America’s favorite family of gospel music, at 7:30 p.m.

SUN., FEB. 10

Whitehead’s Grove Baptist Church, Smithfield, Va.; 170th anniversary; service of “Remembrance and Renewal” at 11 a.m.

SUN., FEB. 24

First Baptist Church, Winchester, Va.; 85th anniversary; Curtis Freeman, research professor of theology at Duke Divinity School in Durham, guest speaker; covered-dish luncheon.

MON.-TUES., FEB. 25-26

Virginia Baptist Ministers’ Discussion Group; 2013 conference at Roslyn Retreat Center in Richmond; Bill Wilson, president of the Center for Congregational Health in Winston-Salem, will facilitate the conference; register at www.vabaptistdiscuss.org.

MON.-TUES., MARCH 11-12

Campbell University Divinity School; Cammack Institute of Preaching Lectures with Craig Barnes, president of Princeton Theological Seminary; for more information go to www.divinity.campbell.edu or call 1-800-334-4111, ext. 1849.

First Baptist Church, Washington, has announced it will launch a new campus at the end of January in the H Street Corridor on the east side of D.C., about four miles from its current location. Justin Fung will serve as pastor at the new campus.

Evergreen Church, Fredericksburg, Va., voted to close on Jan. 6. The decision was made as Scott Roberts, pastor of the congregation which met at the Spotsylvania YMCA, stepped down to pursue another ministry.

Broadus Memorial Baptist Church, Charlottesville, Va., celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2013. The church plans a year-long celebration culminating with homecoming on Sept. 29. “Our Walk of Faith” is the theme for the year.

Brian Clingenpeel has received the 2012 Governor’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to EMS for Children. He is the public education specialist for Roanoke County Fire and Rescue and also serves as pastor of Springwood Baptist Church in Buchanan, Va.

February is the Martha Stearns Marshall Month of Preaching. This yearly emphasis, sponsored by Baptist Women in Ministry, invites churches to have a woman preach, both as a celebration of women’s God-given giftedness and as an opportunity to educate congregations about women in ministry. The event has grown since 2007, when 55 churches participated, to 2012 when 217 churches joined the observance. Participating Mid-Atlantic churches will be listed in the Herald for those who send us the name of the guest preacher and the date. Send this information to Barbara Francis at [email protected].

Derbyshire Baptist Church in Richmond turns 50 years old this year. It began with a handful of pioneers from Woodland Heights Baptist Church. A “chapel” pastor was called and its first prayer service was held in a home in April 1958. A tract of land was purchased and the vision became a reality when on Sunday, Feb. 10, 1963, Derbyshire Baptist Church was constituted as a church. In 1995 Derbyshire completed a $2.2 million addition to its educational classrooms. In 2011 it completed a $400,000 renovation of the original classroom area built in 1977. Derbyshire has sponsored two missions that have become churches: Cambridge Baptist Church (1981) and Gayton Baptist Church (1989). The Cambodian Mission (1975) continues to meet in Derbyshire. The congregation will celebrate its 50th anniversary Sunday, Feb. 10 beginning at 9 a.m. with a time of fellowship. Pastor Jeff Raymond will deliver the message at the 10:30 a.m. service with several former staff members participating. James Copeland, Derbyshire’s deceased pastor emeritus, will be honored in a significant way at the service. A homecoming celebration and meal on July 14 will conclude six months of special services and activities for its 50th anniversary.

Middle District Baptist Association is accepting applications for an under-resourced family to purchase a ministry house in western, rural Powhatan County, Va. Similar to a Habitat for Humanity home, the ministry house will be built by church volunteers. The home is designated the ministry house because it was born out of ministry when volunteers from Middle District built a home for an elderly man whose house was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. The 1,400 square foot, three-bedroom home is also intended to be a ministry to the community by providing additional affordable housing as well as an opportunity for ministry through service by the people of Middle District Baptist Association. Construction will begin upon securing an approved family. Application forms and additional information are located at www.MDBA.org.

The Children-in-Action at Saluda (Va.) Baptist Church adopted “Feed the World” as its missions project in 2012. Through serving hot chocolate and coffee cake in winter and lemonade and cake in the summer, the children raised $226.22. With this money they chose to provide baby chickens, fruit trees, seeds and tools and a share of a cow to needy families through Samaritan’s Purse. These are distributed along with pamphlets which tell the story of Jesus. In their own community, the CIAs participated in Backpack Buddies, providing food to children on the weekends through their local schools. Deanie Selph is the CIA leader at Saluda Baptist.

Woodland Baptist Church, Arrington, Va., cancelled its regular services on Sunday, Jan. 6, and invited their members to participate in a Sunday of “putting their faith into practice.” Some church members offered breakfast, worship and children’s activities on-site at the Lovingston Ridge Apartments. Volunteers also made repairs and cleaned around the WELL Center, a preschool ministry of the church. Several members chose to visit shut-ins and sick in the community. Children had the opportunity to take an imaginary trip to El Salvador through the stories and pictures of local missionaries. “Hands and Feet” Sunday is intended to be a sign of Woodland’s commitment to be a relevant presence in their community.