LEADERS
Rodger Eakin
Rodger Eakin recently retired after serving as pastor of Glenwood Baptist Church, Nashville, for six years. Over the past 50 years he has served as pastor of churches in Davidson, Wilson and Cannon Counties in Tennessee as well as churches in Texas and Kentucky. He also has served as a hospital chaplain. He is available for pulpit supply and/or chaplain ministries and can be reached at [email protected].
Thomas Bester, new church catalyst for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, has been named interim team leader for Harvest Field 1 in Tennessee and black church specialist.
Steve Reid has been called as pastor of Cranmore Cove Baptist Church in Dayton.
Mike Young is serving as interim pastor of Yellow Creek Baptist Church, Spring City.
Connect Church, Milan, has called Jim Koonce as interim pastor.
Kevin Mullins has been called as pastor of White Hall Baptist Church, Trenton.
Avondale Baptist Church, Humboldt, has called Bob Dennison as interim pastor.
Cyndi Cox recently retired as director of Christian education at First Baptist Church, Manchester. She served in that role for 20 years.
Tony Buchanan, pastor of Manley Baptist Church, Morristown, recently spoke on “God’s Great Salvation” during chapel at Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City.
Susie DuBois recently celebrated her 20th anniversary as the administrative assistant for Nolachucky Baptist Association, based in Morristown.
Martha Ledbetter, ministry assistant at First Baptist Church, Fall Branch, retired Jan. 3 after serving for 35 years. The church held a reception in her honor and presented her a plaque along with cards and gifts from friends and family.
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Sparta, recently called Marvin Pryor of Baxter as pastor. He is joined by his wife, Stacy Pryor who will assist with the church’s music ministry.
Richard Craddock retired in December at First Baptist Church, Summitville, after 35 years of pastoral ministry. He served at First Baptist, Summitville, twice for a total of 22 years. He also was pastor of First Baptist Church, Monteagle, for four years.
EVENTS
“Win the Lost at Any Cost,” a Bible conference sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Evangelists, will be held March 6-9 in northeast Tennessee. Services include: March 6, 6:30 p.m., Oak Grove Baptist Church, Gray with message by Harold Hunter; March 7, 10 a.m., Oak Grove Baptist with special singing and preaching by Tennessee Baptist evangelists; March 7, 6:30 p.m., Boones Creek Baptist Church, Johnson City, with message by Phil Hoskins; March 8, one-day revivals in local churches; and March 8, 6:30 p.m., University Parkway Baptist Church, Johnson City, with message by Harold Hunter. The Fellowship of Tennessee Evangelists will hold their annual breakfast and business meeting on March 9 at 8 a.m. at Boones Creek Baptist’s family life center. For more information call Charles “Toonie” Cash at 423-477-3476.
Westwood Baptist Church, Cleveland, will host Magen (the Hebrew word for guardian, protector, shield) 2020, “A Gathering of Guardians,” a church security seminar on Saturday, Feb. 29, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Speakers will include representatives from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, the state of Tennessee, office of homeland security, and law enforcement. For more information, including registration and costs, contact Joe Gilbert at 423-584-3969.
DEATHS
Harold Dean Smith, a retired Southern Baptist pastor and former director of missions in Tennessee, died Jan. 7 in Murfreesboro. He was 86. Smith was a former pastor of First Baptist Church, Columbia, and served as director of missions for New Duck River Baptist Association, based in Shelbyville, from 1989-99. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Doris Smith, two daughters and three grandchildren.