LEADERS
Jimmy Bedwell
Cairo Baptist Church, Alamo, recently called as pastor. Bedford, who has been preaching for 53 years, recently retired as pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, Bolivar.
Webb Baptist Church, Newport, recently called Daniel M. Bell as pastor. He succeeds his father, D. Frank Bell, who has retired.
Jerry Heflin
Jerry “Bear” Hyder retired March 3 after almost 27 years on the staff of First Baptist Church, Sevierville. During his tenure, Hyder served as minister of education and later minister of senior adults and pastoral care under three pastors and two interim pastors.
Jimmy Burroughs was called as pastor of Pinson Baptist Church, Pinson, effective March 10.
Jerry Heflin
Jerry Heflin, pastor of Eastland Heights Baptist Church, Springfield, since 2007, retired at the end of March. Heflin has served as pastor of several churches in Tennessee and is a former dean of students at Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy (The King’s Academy), Seymour. Heflin plans to stay active with supply/interim preaching. He can be reached at 615-715-8025.
CHURCHES
Johnson Grove Baptist Church, South Fulton, will hold revival services April 14-17 with guest evangelist James Pope.
Brown Springs Baptist Church, Mosheim, recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of their pastor, Richard Long. David Hawkins, left, director of missions for Nolachucky Baptist Association, recently recognized Long and his wife, Becky, for their service to the church.
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Martin, will hold spring revival April 7-10 with guest evangelist Dennis Doster.
Morningside Baptist Church, Morristown, is adding on to its sanctuary. They recently donated their pews to a church in North Carolina that was damaged last year by Hurricane Florence.
Fairview Baptist Church, Newbern, will hold revival services April 7-10 with guest evangelist Clark Brown, pastor of Sylvia Baptist Church, Dickson. The Sunday evening service begins at 6 p.m. while the remaining services will be at 7 p.m. each night.
Good Hope Baptist Church, Adamsville, will sponsor its 12th annual BBQ Cook-Off on Saturday, April 27. There will be more than $1,000 offered in prize money. Entry is free. Categories include Boston Butt, Chicken and Ribs. Cookers must sign up by April 21. For information or to sign up, call the church at 731-632-0379. A free community BBQ lunch will begin that day at 12:30 p.m.
New Middleton Baptist Church, Gordonsville, will celebrate its 180th anniversary on April 14 at 10 a.m. The church was established on April 13, 1839. The Christian/bluegrass group Steel Bridge will provide special music and pastor B.J. Thomason will bring the message. A covered dish lunch will follow and all who have attended or grew up in the church are invited to attend.
EVENTS
The Tennessee Baptist Men’s Chorale will sing Thursday, April 25, at 10 a.m. during the Loudon County Baptist Association senior adult association-wide meeting, hosted by First Baptist Church, Lenoir City. The cost is $5 per person and includes lunch following the concert. For information, call 865-986-2292.
DEATHS
Glen Ellis
Glenn Ellis, 67, of Oak Ridge, died March 12 following a short battle with pancreatic cancer. He was ordained into the gospel ministry at Central Baptist Church in Oak Ridge in 1973, where he also has been serving as pastor for the past 13 years. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Marcia Ellis, two children and five grandchildren.
Earl C. McCosh, 86, a member of First Baptist Church, Dandridge, died March 18. A veteran of the U.S. Army and Air Force for 41 years, McCosh served for more than 60 years as pastor of churches in East Tennessee and Kentucky. His last pastorate was French Broad Baptist Church, Dandridge. While in the Air Force, he served as a chaplain and received the rank of Full Bird Colonel. He was active in Tennessee Baptist life, having served on the convention’s Executive Board, Committee on Audits, and Committee on Credentials. He was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Jane McCosh. He is survived by three children, eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Tommy Eden, pastor of Oak Grove Baptist Church, Springfield, died Feb. 23 at the age of 67 after a lengthy battle with multiple myeloma. Eden also directed several church choirs and taught studio music and comparative arts at several colleges and universities. He was called as a senior pastor in 1987 while living in Indianapolis. In 2015 he returned to his ancestral home in Robertson County and began serving as pastor of Oak Grove. He is survived by his wife Daisy.
Keith Mee, who served for 38 years in the church library department of the Baptist Sunday School Board (now LifeWay Christian Resources), died Feb. 19 in Knoxville at the age of 94. While living in Nashville he was an active deacon and librarian at Two Rivers Baptist Church. In Knoxville, he joined Central Baptist Church, Bearden, where he taught adults and sang in the senior adult choir.
Carlos Richard Owens, 88, died in Nashville, Feb. 9. Born in Henry County, he was pastor in Henry and Stewart counties and spent 36 years in Africa as a Southern Baptist missionary and later helped establish the Swahili Baptist Church Woodmont in Nashville. He was a member of Woodmont Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Myrtice Jean Taylor Owens, three daughters, 11 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.
Warren Darden, pastor of Northwestern Baptist Church, Martin, died Feb. 11 in a single vehicle accident in Obion County. He was 52. He is survived by his wife, Becky Darden, and two daughters.
FBC Gallatin celebrates 160 Years
First Baptist Church, Gallatin, celebrated its 160th anniversary on Sunday, March 10. Tennessee Baptist Mission Board president and executive director Randy C. Davis was the featured speaker at the church’s celebration. FBC senior pastor Travis Fleming and several former staff members were also part of the celebration. The services were filled with current members, former members, honored guests and grown children who returned to the church where they grew up. The morning included music by the celebration choir and special music by former FBC musician Russell Davis, who had written a special song for the occasion, which he performed on Sunday. The church was established in 1859. Church historian Richard Stephenson noted that the pastor who established FBC Gallatin — the redoubtable pastor J. R. Graves — was also the editor of The Baptist, a forerunner of the Baptist and Reflector.