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The Messenger
April 2020
Cumberland Plateau Baptist Association
“The Cumberland Plateau Baptist Association is a network of Churches committed to evangelizing, teaching and
ministering to our World.”
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted
them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be
saved.” Acts 2:42-47
The church in Acts 2 was very fresh and new. They were just learning what it meant to be the church and what that would look like. Where do we meet and fellowship? What will our worship look like? What min-istries will we begin to develop? How will we reach others for Christ?
Well, our churches are kind of in a new era or as some might say entering a new paradigm. Because of this present carona virus crisis we are facing new territory when in comes to church and how we do ministry. The learning and creative curve has quickly and dramatically increased. And this is probably an under-statement.
I have borrowed from a couple of resources the following list of creative ministry ideas. I know in this ever changing environment that we are in, that by the time you receive this, some of these ideas may be forbid-den. However, even though you cannot gather as the church, hopefully you are discovering new ways of being the church. Our history shows that the church thrives in times of adversity and crisis. So, hang in there and thrive! See how God will use this crisis to grow you and add others “as should be saved” to the church.
1. Host your own Sunday School Class or Small Group using Zoom.us website.
2. Get creative with a new prayer ministry.
3. Daily Devotionals – You could do this on Facebook or Youtube.
4. Develop a new strategy for discipleship.
5. Minister to Your Health Care Providers - Donate Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), water, money, and prayer from a distance.
6. Provide a Daily Message on Your Church Phone System or Answering Machine. Some people are still computer illiterate but very few people don’t know how to use a phone.
7. Set up some type of prayer line - Church members answer prayer calls.
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8. Record Your Worship Service - Finding it difficult to manage live streaming of the service? Record the worship, even portions of it at different times and places, to be edited together and provided as if it is live on Sunday morning.
9. Capture Decisions – Provide direct access to a phone number or email address so that decisions made during an online worship service can be tracked.
10. Meet Physical Needs! - Church members can take food and items of need to senior adults, not be-cause they need them, but because the church cares. Leave at the front door and ring the doorbell. Con-centrate on the elderly. Pray at a distance.
11. Develop Online Giving - TBMB provides this service through a link on our webpage www.tnbaptist.org.
12. Allow Direct Giving - Plan times of the week when members can drive by and drop off their offerings curbside. Use caution when taking and handling the offering. Have two persons stationed to receive the offering.
13. Pair Younger Members with Senior Members - This provides encouragement and increased personal contact. Train and remind members of safe distancing to reduce transmission of the virus.
14. Call Assisted Living Facilities - Ask how you can support and pray for them.
15. Record or Stream Worship - Churches with greater technical skills and abilities can help churches with less experience.
16. Utilize Techies in Your Church - Help your Senior Adults with their computer needs and with con-necting online.
17. Parents! Register for Free Kids Movies, Family Devotionals and More - https://digitalpass.lifeway.com
18. Develop virtual groups. Facebook has invested heavily in their groups channel and churches may be able to benefit from it.
19. Offer family discipleship plans. Encourage parents to use this opportunity to take the lead in the spiri-tual discipleship of their children. LifeWay Kids is offering free resources.
20. Churches could also send parents a daily email with a Bible reading, devotional thought, prayer, and activity.
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21. Post how-to videos. Do you have people in your congregation who are skilled bakers, talented mu-sicians, or great artists? Have them create how-to videos and post them on YouTube. Kids and others stuck at home can watch and learn from your church members. This will provide great quarantine con-tent for families, but can also provide your church member with a gospel platform in the future.
22. Partner elderly members with younger members. Older members and others who have weakened immune systems may rightly be worried about making a run to the grocery store or pharmacy for needed supplies. Gather a list of all those in your congregation in this situation and assign younger and healthier members to contact those individuals and provide whatever they may need. It may be store runs or just someone to listen and provide companionship.
23. Have members volunteer for service. Could you have people volunteer with organizations like Meals on Wheels or those seeking to feed hungry children out of school?
24. Create a book club. Now is an opportunity to dust off those books that have been sitting on your shelf and finally read them. Or better yet, find a book for your congregation to read together or for small groups to read together.
25. Invite neighbors to online church services. Keeping in mind the government’s recommendation to meet in groups of 10 or smaller, encourage your church members to invite their neighbors over for online church services and breakfast, brunch, or lunch. This is a great way for people to be salt and light in their communities while also building friendships with their neighbors.
26. Partner with other churches. Some churches with experience in livestreaming and posting sermons online are helping churches who don’t feel comfortable attempting that at their church. What other ways can the churches in your community can work together to display unity and show the love of Christ to watching world?
Hope to see you soon,
Kirk
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If you are interested in going to Belize
later this year, call Kirk Casey.
931-787-6565 or 931-484-1858
Cost is $1000.00
Mission Bound!!
Bethlehem Baptist Church
Crossville, TN
WANTED: Full-time Associate Pastor of Family Ministries
For additional information : bethlehemonline.org or 931-510-1678
Memorial Baptist Church Crossville, Tenn.,
is seeking a part-time music minister. Send resume to [email protected].
Questions may be directed to 931-484-9278.
Small CPBA church is in need of a metal music stand to help with their music
ministry. Contact Alta at CPBA 931 484 1858
FOR SALE—TWO VANS
2011 & 2012 15-passenger Ford vans with dual wheels and only a little over 20,000 miles each.
For additional information Contact:
Crossville First Baptist Church
712 South Main Street
Crossville, TN 38555
931 484 3532
The Messenger
Page 5 Local windstorm brought out our local Disaster Relief Chainsaw Teatm. Thanks to Dick Schroeder, Rick Leonard, Doug
Elders, Robert McTurnal, Don Hedgecoth , and Dave Mullican
Cutting a tree off of a house in Deer Creek subdivision. Finishing the tree learning on the house.
Working on a tree in Pleasant Hill.
All the work left on the side of the road
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Associational Spring Worship Rally
Central Baptist Church
April 26, 2020—6:00 p.m.
Speaker: Dr. Charles Fowler
Music: The Shepherd Family
The Shepherd Family- Henry, Tennessee
Featured regularly on Tennessee Public Television’s Gospel Mu-
sic Showcase, the family has emerged with a reputation for skillful
instrumental arrangements and rich vocal harmonies across a
vast array of musical styles.
The four siblings, Jordan, Iris, Gideon and Grace, who was
adopted from China, are scholarship students in the pre-college
program at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music.
Traci, a homeschool mom and wedding photographer, sings
with the family. Scott (Worship and Music Specialist
with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board) ar-
ranges the family’s music, sings, and plays piano and guitar.
Cancelled
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Submitted by Yolanda Heuser
April 2020
2020 WMU Missions
Emphasis Meetings
►JULY 16TH. First Baptist
Church Fairfield Glade, 130
Town Centre Way, (behind
Food City on Peavine Rd)
Speakers: Ed & Sharon
Smith-Served as missionar-
ies in Japan
►NOVEMBER 19TH. –Oaklawn
Baptist-3977 HWY 70E
Church-Speakers: Ben &
Julianna Wilson, Ben
American Ninja Warrior
contestant 2019
ALL MEETINGS START AT 6:00 PM
AND ARE 60/65-EAT MEETINGS-
[last no longer than 60/65 minutes,
then we EAT.] MEN, WOMEN &
CHILDREN ARE WELCOME..
WHAT
A
SURPRISE!!!
The Spring meeting was deemed a success. We had 63 in attendance,
several door prizes, wonderful meal, fantastic speaker and a couple of
surprises. As I mentioned, we had 63 in attendance–thank you to all
that came. Our offering was $370.00, wow, thank you so much for giv-
ing-remember 100% of our offering will go to purchase food for the 11
Cumberland County School’s Christmas Gift Baskets. One per school
for a family to have a complete Christmas meal and more in 2020. We
gave all the attendees a packet of flower seeds, as a reminder of Acts
1:8– that as they watch their seeds grow into beautiful flowers this
summer, that each time they see the flowers they would be reminded to
pray for the loss and to find someone to share the gospel with and
watch that person “grow” in the Lord.
We gave each of our WMU Directors a beautiful cutting board to show
our appreciation for all the hard work they do in keeping missions and
discipleship going strong in their church. On that note we certainly
want to thank Pine Eden for hosting us and their wonderful surprise in
honoring me with a sign and a cake for my 10th year as the Associa-
tional WMU Director– what a surprise and blessing-thank you so much!
Yes, indeed this was a wonderful meeting.
IF only we had known! IF-a tiny little conjunction, with such a big func-
tion. If only we had known that the beginning to our normal life was
about to change. We did have a clue, in that I was on the phone to the
very last minute before the meeting with Vickie Anderson as the possi-
bility was becoming more and more evident that the Get Together for
2020 was not going to come into fruition. IF only we had known, that for
the next few weeks, possibly months our lives would take a drastic
change, one in which none of us has ever known. That our calendars
“a wonderful meeting”
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WMU Continued…..
things to do, places to go and people to see; would soon look like a child had taken a maker and marked
through our calendars with a red marker or a pen, as we ourselves began to cancel one by one all of our
plans.
IF only we had known, that for the 132nd WMU Annual Meeting would have to be rescheduled at a later
date, one of which no one is certain as to when to began to say that it will be safe to assume this is over.
That the Southern Baptist Convention was about to be cancelled. IF only we had known that events for RA,
GA & teens, were about to be cancelled. IF only we had known.
IF only we had known, that our jobs, our families, friends lives were about to change in a most undesirable
way. IF only we had known, that our beloved church families were about to be separated for an extended
time, that our church buildings were about to become empty.
IF only we had known, that the grocery store shelves were about to become empty and toilet paper, hand
sanitizer, anything anti-bacterial would become prized commodities.
IF only we had known, that we were about to get a new look, a look that consisted of a mask, gloves and a
bottle of hand sanitizer-if you were one of the fortunate ones to find these items. IF only we had known, that
we would be strongly encouraged to NOT leave our homes and NOT visit our children, grandchildren, par-
ents, basically stay away from everyone. IF only we had known, Coronavirus– aka COVID 19, was about to
turn every aspect of our life upside down. Yes, IF- is a little conjunction with a BIG function– however
there’s another conjunction, BUT– yes BUT-is a BIGGER conjunction and has a much more VIGOR func-
tion!
BUT, we know that God does NOT change, HE is the same TODAY, as HE was YESTERDAY, and WILL
be the same TOMORROW!
BUT, we know HE knew this was going to happen. BUT, we know that He has PROMISES to NEVER
leave us {Deuteronomy 31:6} and to provide for us. {Matthew 6:26-34} BUT, we know He can heal us
{Jeremiah 30:17} whether that healing takes place here on earth or He takes us home. BUT, we know that
we have NOTHING to fear {Isaiah 41:10}. BUT, we know if we call upon Him, humble ourselves, He will
HEAR us…{2 Chronicles 7:14-15}
BUT, we know there are many unsaved right here in our county, and we know WHO can save them, are we
going to share Him? Now is the time to be in prayer, not in fear, now is the time to tell everyone about Jesus
and His love for them. How can we do this…we have to get groceries, gas and doctor’s visits, share in some
way, (from a safe distance). Most have some form or multiple forms of social media, wear it out for the Lord!
Now is not the time, for IF we had known –it is the time for BUT we know! We know a Savior and we need
to tell the World, how wonderful His love is for them!
IF we had known Isaiah 53:4-5- Deuteronomy 32:39- Jeremiah 33:6- Revelation 21:4-John 3:16- Romans
6:23...BUT wait, we DO KNOW these things-GO & TELL; BE THE CHURCH, THAT WE ARE CALLED
TO BE, DURING THIS UNCERTAIN AND SEEMLY DARK TIME-SHINE THE LIGHT SO
BRIGHTLY THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE IT IS JESUS!!!
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Page 9 WMU Continued…..
LOOKING AHEAD….
ALL MEETINGS ARE 60-65/EAT MEETINGS @ 6:00 PM.
—————————————————————————————-
►JULY 16th. First Baptist Church Fairfield Glade
►THEME: Sharing God!
►VERSE: but Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the
children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom
of God belongs to such as these. Luke 18:16 (GNT)
►Speaker:
►MISSION PROJECT: Christian books, CD’s & Movies for Children
and adults for the Baby Comfort Station
———————————————————————————————
►NOVEMBER 19th. Oaklawn Baptist Church
►THEME: “Just as I am”
►VERSE: May you always be joyful in your union with the
LORD. I say it again: rejoice! Philippians 4:4 (KJV)
►Speaker: Ben & Julianna Wilson-Ben…Pharmacist, American
Ninja Warrior contestant2019 and hopeful 2020-, Julianna...Mrs.
Tennessee United States 2019, Publicist, Writer, Model, Pur e Barre
Instructor, American Ninja Warrior contestant hopeful 2020
►MISSION PROJECT: CANS-Spaghetti Sauce, BOXES-Spaghetti noo-
dles, POP-TOP CANS of soup-any variety- except Cream of mush-
room ANNUAL OFFERING MISSION PROJECT: Christmas
Meal & More Box 2020– a complete Christmas meal for one
student’s family per Cumberland County school. The guid-
ance counselor from each of the 9 elementary and 3 high
schools, will determine a student in need for each of box.
TN WMU EVENTS…..
PLEASE pray for wisdom, and discernment for the TBMB staff, the WMU staff, Executive Board, our pastors and church staff, that God will be glorified in all the hard decisions that weigh so heavy on their shoulders at this time. Pray we the church will use this time to share the Gos-pel with the world through our words and actions. May we be the church in this dark time.
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Cumberland Plateau
Baptist Association’s
Mission Trip in May
Smithville, TN
May 4-8, 2020
Deadline: April 29, 2020
Come join us as we’ll be helping Lighthouse Christian Camp with several projects. The projects that they have include painting, staining, landscaping, light construction, cutting and cleaning trails, etc.
This opportunity will be for both men and women. We’ll be staying at the
camp or you can bring your RV since they have connections. You can choose
how many days you would like to work or choose to work the entire four days!
The only cost to this mission trip is getting there and a few meals.
So, come and join us.
If you are interested in joining us on this mission project contact me be-
fore the April 29th deadline.
Direct questions to Kirk Casey at the CPBA Office:
931-484-1858 or 931-787-6565.
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Cumberland Plateau
Baptist Association’s
Local Mission Trip in April
Cumberland County, TN
April 13-17, 2020
Deadline: April 8, 2020
Come join us as we’ll be helping Camp Ozone with several projects. The projects that they have include basic grounds clean-up and land-scaping, light construction, cutting and cleaning trails, etc.
This opportunity will be for both men and women. You can sleep at
home and commute each day or we’ll find a spot in a cabin if you choose. You
could even bring your RV since they have connections. Choose how many
days you would like to work or come work the entire five days!
NO COST FOR THIS MISSION’S OPPORTUNITY
If you are interested in joining us on this mission project contact me be-
fore the April 8th deadline.
Direct questions to Kirk Casey at the CPBA Office:
931-484-1858 or 931-787-6565.
Cancelled
Associational Directory
Office Hours Mon.-Thurs.
9:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m.
Email– [email protected]
Web: www.cpbaptistassociation.com
Kirk Casey, Associational Missionary
Cell: 931-787-6565
Alta Wagner, Ministry Assistant
Office: 931-484-1858
Fax: 931-484-0203
***********************
Carolyn Scott, Pastoral Coun-
selor, PCCCP Counseling
Phone: 931-787-9033
CUMBERLAND PLATEAU BAPTIST ASSOCIATION
291 Sparta Hwy
P. O. Box 2508
Crossville, TN 38572
April 6 Pastor’s Conference 10:00 a.m.
April 6-7 Love Packages Mission Trip
April 13 Pastor’s Conference 10:00 a.m.
April 10 Good Friday
April 12 Easter Sunday
April 13 Pastor’s Conference 10:00 a.m.
April 13-17 Camp Ozone Work Week
April 20 Pastor’s Conference 10:00 a.m.
April 27 & 28 Senior Adult Get -Together
April 29 Last BCM Lunch @ Roane State
