On Saturday, January 9^th, the West Virginia Baptist Convention (WVBC) Executive Board met via Zoom to discuss and approve the 2021 budget and slate of officers.  Each of the four commissions (Discipleship, Leadership, Outreach and Stewardship) also met earlier in the day to discuss vision and plans for the upcoming year.

Over the last couple of years, the WVBC has made intentional efforts to improve the budget by reducing expenses while simultaneously expanding ministries.  They have also recently completed a GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) conversion of their books to improve the transparency of finances by showing true ministry costs.  Over the previous two years, the budget had been decreased by more than $41,000, and for 2021, the Executive Board approved a budget that further reduced the budget by another $26,000.  Last year was the first time in over a decade that the WVBC finished financially in the black, thanks in large part to churches and individuals who followed through on their commitments despite a global pandemic.  Newly launched in 2020, the Rope Holder initiative saw individuals give more than $80,000 through the Mountain State Mission Offering.

This was the first meeting led by newly-elected president, Ryan Stoner.  Ryan’s installation service took place on Sunday, November 29^th, at his home church of Pea Ridge Baptist Church. Other elected officers included Cari Pauley (1^st Vice President), Don Biram (2^nd Vice President), Lois Merritt (Secretary) and Todd McClure (Treasurer).    We are grateful for the leadership of Lee Boso, who served as president during the unusual and historic 2020 ministry year.

As we move into 2021, please join us by praying for each of our commissions and these newly elected officers.  Their leadership is vital to our mission of doing Christ’s work together.

Family Advent Celebration

Written by Koreen Villers, Director of Discipleship

Christmas Advent is a time to prepare for the arrival of Jesus!  Advent is a time to prepare ourselves – as well as our houses – for Christmas.  Advent is a time of waiting and expectancy, and a time of contemplation. Advent is a great time to involve our children in faith celebrations at home.

What is Advent?

Advent is a call to followers of Christ to remember the birth of the Savior. The word advent stems from a Latin word that means “coming” or “arrival.”  The season begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and depending on the year, can range from 22 to 28 days.  Its purpose is to help believers remain focused on the birth of Christ and Jesus’ glorious return.

The advent season is divided into four weeks, and each week features a different liturgical theme.  Traditionally, the first week remembers the hope and expectation of the Jewish people as they looked forward to the Savior’s arrival – and it also reminds believers today to wait expectantly for Jesus’ second coming.  The second week focuses on preparation: Over many centuries, God prepared the hearts of the Jews for Christ’s coming, just as He is now working in our hearts to prepare us for the Christs second coming.  The third week joyfully celebrates the coming of the messiah, and the final week celebrates God’s peace and love.

Why celebrate Advent?

The daily time that you will take with your kids will model what is important to your family.  Slow down the hustle and bustle of the season, and prepare for His arrival.  The time together will be an opportunity to talk more about Jesus in your home.  The change will be noticeable.  Counting down the days till Christmas will shift to the celebrating of the Christ’s coming.

Resources:

Here are several resources available to families or churches to help in this time of preparation and waiting.  Some resources are free and some have a minimal cost.  Choose one that best fits your family and begin the celebration.

• Everyday Emmanuel with Buck Denver
• Why do we Call it Christmas with Buck Denver DVD 
• Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp 
• D6 Everyday – Advent Kit
• Illustrated Ministry – Advent for Family
• Lifeway – Family Advent
• A Better than Anything Christmas (Amazon) – Family Advent
• KidMin Christmas-in-a-Box – Church sponsored Family Advent
• Orange Advent Calendar – Church or Family Advent
• Faithful Families – Church/Family Advent in-a-Box 
• Family Ministry Tools – 3 different Advent in Box options
• Deeper KidMin – Family Advent Bingo

Written by Rowena Sizemore

Out of This World Salsa is a mission project under the non-profit La Casa De La Amistad that provides assistance to women and children in poverty.  Originally started by John and Lisa Simmons, all proceeds go to projects which educate, empower and enable women and children to have a better life.

Field workers in southeastern Ohio pick the tomatoes, green peppers and jalapenos that we use in the salsa. Veterans raise most of our specialty peppers like Hungarians, habaneros and Carolina reapers. Volunteers do the rest, such as chopping and processing the salsa in a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)-approved kitchen at Parchment Valley Conference Center. We are a seasonal, limited run, second harvest operation that has a lot of fun cooking together.

Bill Stewart and I have both attended process control school to be certified in overseeing the salsa processing. The salsas that we make are: Sweet Salsa with West Virginia Maple Syrup, Mild Salsa, Medium Salsa, Hot Salsa and Reaper Salsa. To learn more about how you can get involved, contact me at rsizemore@mail.casinternet.net or follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/outofthisworldsalsa/.

Over the past year, we have given more than $8,300 to assist women and children in poverty. God has a reason for us to make salsa!

Where to find Out of This World Salsa:

• Parchment Valley Conference Center (Ripley, WV)
• West Virginia Marketplace in the Capital Market (Charleston, WV)
• Black Dog Coffee (Martinsburg, WV)
• Hawk’s Nest State Park (Ansted, WV)
• Family Roots Farm (Wellsburg, WV)

Written by J.D. Reed
International Ministries’ (IM) Global Servant

In Bolivia, the entire country is under a governmentally mandated quarantine, and in some cities (Santa Cruz being one of them) the military is “encapsulating the city” to help ensure that all are abiding by the rules of quarantine. In Santa Cruz and other hot spots for COVID-19, the total quarantine lifted at the end of May, but for other areas it is continuing. This plays out as each household can only have one person on one morning a week travel to get supplies, food and pay their bills. As you can imagine for a country that is filled with people who make their living in a day-to-day wage from an informal shop or trade work, this means that for months they haven’t had any income at all, and there is an overwhelming feeling of anxiety about what the future holds. This is mixed with a healthy distrust of those in power and a national election hanging in the balance.

Churches and ministries like ours have been doing everything in our power to minister to our communities, but with limited contact and no transportation it has been almost impossible. For Fundación Proyecto de Esperanza (FPE) also known as the Project of Hope Foundation, the mobile medical and dental clinics have been canceled. Also, all leadership development training and Bible studies have moved online. Many we work with do not have access to this technology. So, what does a foundation do?

After prayer and talking with leaders, the foundation came up with a plan. The husband of one leader is in the national police, so Fundación Proyecto de Esperanza began working with him to help provide much needed resources to the churches and communities that FPE serves. FPE provides an offering to each church pastor to serve their community in a way they view necessary. One particular pastor used their offering to buy food for their entire church family as well as all of their neighbors in a very poor indigenous neighborhood. So far, we have been able to be in contact with all 13 of our supported churches and ministries.

As many of you know, our family decided to return to the United States in late April to begin our year of home assignment. We have already begun scheduling visits to churches and individuals that will begin in late August 2020. We would love to come and visit your church or group. If you are interested in having us come and share, you can send an email to jd.reed@internationalministries.org or rhonda.reed@internationalministries.org. You can also send an e-mail to Todd McClure (todd@wvbc.org). We look forward to sharing God’s work in Bolivia and Latin America with each of you in the near future.

Written by Todd McClure, Minister of Missions and Finance

The Missionary Internship Program provides individuals with the opportunity to explore their long-term calling to missions by pairing them up with a long-term missionary partner for a three to six-week internship. In addition to their international experience, they have the opportunity to participate in several training events on the topics of mission theology, culture, conflict resolution and much, much more. Last year’s pilot group of interns spent their summers in Mexico, India and Lebanon and they provided very helpful feedback on how the program could be improved. Those improvements were made and six more interns were chosen to participate in this year’s program.

Over the last six months, Becca Martin, Bree Fleming, Kali Wilkinson, Beth Perry, Shyra Freeman and Emily Fordyce devoted several evenings a month to preparing for their respective internships this summer. Their training was coordinated by Todd McClure, Minister of Missions and Finance, and included several area directors and global servants from International Ministries. Also new to this year’s program was a partnership with Midwest Ministry Development, which administered crosscultural adaptability, conflict resolution and personality testing. Each of these tests are something that would be required if any one of these girls decided to pursue full-time missions any further.

At the start of the program, nobody could have imagined COVID-19 would bring international travel to a halt. However, because that became the case, it became increasingly clear both for the safety of our interns and their respective destinations, their plans for international travel would need to be canceled. Becca was planning to spend her summer in the Philippines, Bree in Myanmar, Kali in Mexico, Beth in Japan and Shyra and Emily in Honduras. While many of the decisions were made by international travel restrictions, others had to be made just out of respect and concern for the communities where they would be serving.

One of the primary lessons taught throughout the program was the need to remain flexible. That lesson was definitely realized with this year’s group. Our prayer is that God opens a door in the near future for each of these girls to finish their internship. If not, they will be allowed to participate in next year’s internship program and will have already completed several of the requirements.

One thing COVID-19 has reminded us is the harvest remains plentiful and the laborers remain few, and we need more individuals, like these girls, who are willing go into the harvest. Please join us in praying God that continues to guide each of them and that He continues to raise up even more individuals who are willing to go and reach the world with the good news of the Gospel.

Written by David Hulme
Northeast Area Minister

Located in Northview Cemetery, in New Martinsville, is a very ordinary headstone that simply bears the name “Johnson.” If you were to stop long enough to read the equally ordinary grave markers, you would find they belong to P.W. Johnson (1898-1975) and Dora M. Johnson (1904-1995).

Born in Kentucky, P.W. Johnson was a builder and became very successful in the mining industry. Dora Johnson was a loving wife and homemaker. They had no children.

The Johnsons were active members of New Martinsville First Baptist Church (Panhandle) and donated the land for its present structure. P.W. would serve in a variety of roles at the church. He also served as president of the West Virginia Baptist Convention in 1954. To the best of anyone’s knowledge, Dora was active, but never held any leadership positions in the church.

After P.W.’s death in 1975, Dora continued to live in New Martinsville for the remainder of her life. She went home to be with her Lord in 1995 at the age of 91. Hence, the headstone and grave markers in Northview Cemetery.

Most legacy stories contain lots of information about a person’s outstanding accomplishments, their leadership in the church or their contributions to their community. If you’re looking for a recounting of such things here you won’t find them. However, I can’t help but believe that’s the way P.W. and Dora Johnson wanted it. Again, I point you to their very ordinary headstone and grave markers in Northview Cemetery.

The truth, however, is the impact of the lives of P.W. and Dora Johnson is yet to be fully realized. You see, when Dora passed away, she left a significant gift from the estate to the West Virginia Baptist Convention. One of the purposes of that gift was to support the planting of new churches. As we renew our commitment to plant new churches in West Virginia, how fitting that each new church is a tribute to the Johnson’s desire to bring glory to God, not themselves.

So, the very ordinary headstone and grave markers in Northview Cemetery, I’m sure, suited P.W. and Dora Johnson just fine. That’s because, instead of monuments, they were content with a recognition far greater … “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

What will your legacy be?  To learn how you can leave a legacy gift, contact Todd McClure.

Written by Allan Copenhaver
Palmer Theological Seminary at West Virginia Program Director

As with just about every other event this season, Palmer Theological Seminary had to cancel its annual graduation banquet scheduled for March 22, 2020 at Parchment Valley Conference Center. However, we would like to take this time to recognize the students who are on pace to fulfill their graduation requirements by the end of this summer semester.

Those completing their Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree include:

• Rev. Shane Boggs, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Sutton (Elk Valley);
• Rev. Jonathan Delgado, Minister of Family Life at Emmanuel Baptist Church (Parkersburg);
• Rev. Brent Hannah, pastor of Salem Seventh Day Baptist Church
• Rev. Jim Saunders, pastor of Mallory Baptist Church (Logan-Mingo).

Also, Rev. Matt Ash, pastor of Parchment Valley Baptist Church (Good Hope) successfully defended his doctoral project during the spring semester to earn his Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree. Congratulations, Dr. Ash!

For those considering a seminary education, this is a great time to consider Palmer Seminary. Through our partnerships with the Bowen Charitable Trust and the West Virginia Baptist Education Society, theological education has never been more affordable. Convenient hybrid courses meet for seven weeks with two and a half day residencies at Parchment Valley Conference Center. We are now offering more courses than ever (including summer courses), which allow you to graduate in quicker time without traveling away from home.

In past years, we have been limited in the number of students we can admit without a bachelor’s degree. However, our accrediting body, the Association of Theological Schools, now allows us to develop our own policy in this situation. So, beginning with the fall semester, graduates of the School of Christian Studies may now be considered for admission without an undergraduate degree. This eliminates one of the largest hurdles many of our potential students have faced.

If God is calling to you to further your education, please contact the West Virginia program director, Dr. Allan Copenhaver, at 304.763.8564 or allancopenhaver@yahoo.com for more information.