NeTworkiNg

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“Bro. Norman has been a faithful servant of churches and a strong associational partner with IBSA for over two decades,” said IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams, who was present at the ceremony (photo below). “It was wonderful to celebrate his ministry along with his dear wife Ann, and the many pastors and leaders from Westfield Baptist Association who gathered to honor him for his years of service.”

Originally from Illinois, Lockwood grew up on a farm south of Pana. He went to The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in aspects of the association. Even as he faced fading health and energy, Colvin said, Lockwood met regularly with pastors, gathering them at a local restaurant for a devotional and time of prayer for their churches.

Henry Hall Salem

South Association

Henry Hall will retire this month after more than 13 years as DOM for Salem South Baptist Association.

Hall, an Alabama native, came to Illinois in 1983 after attending seminary at Southwestern in Ft. Worth. His first role at Second Baptist Church in Granite City put him over “music and youth and everything else,” he told the Illinois Baptist

People

Welcome

Cory Matthews was installed January 14 as pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Breese. A Missouri native, he spent 10 years in mechanical engineering before hearing God’s call to ministry. Pastor Matthews, a graduate of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, is married to Amy and the couple has seven children.

Keith Winkler is the new pastor of Laramie Street Baptist Church in Peoria. A native of Illinois, he gave his life to the Lord at Laramie Street and was later licensed to preach there. He returns to Illinois after pastoring 18 years in North Carolina. Pastor Winkler is a graduate of Bradley University and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and is married to Kim.

Louisville and pastored a church in Kentucky before returning to Illinois, where he led churches in Robinson, Ramsey and Patoka.

In 1994, he became Westfield’s director of missions. His longevity in the role, said Moderator David Colvin, is valuable because of his connection to the pastors and their churches.

Colvin, pastor of Ashmore Baptist Church, said Lockwood was a hands-on DOM who wanted to be involved in all

In 1985, Hall began his tenure as a director of missions, serving in Bay Creek and Alton Industrial Associations before moving to Salem South. While working as a DOM, he also planted Payson Southern Baptist Church. Each of the associations he’s served has been different, Hall said, and marked by standout experiences. At rural Bay Creek, he walked with churches through the flood of 1993. Alton “has the best of both worlds,” he said, with its close proximity to more urban communities. And Salem South has a strong Southern Baptist heritage.

Salem South will honor Hall and his wife, Carolyn, with a retirement party March 20 at 2 p.m. at Belle Rive Baptist Church. For more information, contact Robin Mayberry at (618) 242-7862.

With the Lord

Kenneth G. Hardway, 96, of Springfield, died January 30. Hardway pastored seven churches in central Illinois over 50 years in ministry, including 30 years at South Cross Baptist Church in Robinson. He also worked as a high school English and speech teacher. Hardway is survived by his wife, Alice; four children; eight grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

New Song Ministries in Zion has 18, 12-foot church pews to donate to another ministry. Pews are light oak in color with light brown cushions attached to the seat and back. They are in good condition, but the ends could benefit from refinishing after years of use. Contact Pastor Dave Adams at (224) 588-7431 or daveadams@ newsongministries.org.

Second Baptist Church, Granite City, seeks a part-time music director. Pay is $20 an hour for a schedule of 15 hours per week (includes planning time, rehearsals, and weekly services). For more information on the church and position, go to www.sbcgranite.org. E-mail resumes to pastorbrian@ sbcgranite.org or fax to (618) 877-4395 to the attention of Pastor Brian Smith.

Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Fairfield seeks the pastor that God has for us, whether he be full-time or bivocational. E-mail resumes to PleasantGroveMiss BaptChurch@gmail.com, or call (618) 599-5439 with questions.

First Baptist Church, Raleigh, seeks a bivocational pastor. Must be strong in mission outreach for Saline County; must agree with The Baptist Faith and Message and support the Cooperative Program. Send resumes to sba.director@gmail.com.

For Sale: Middle Creek Baptist Church in Dahlgren closed late last year. The 2,880-sq. foot building at 15846 County Rd. 300 E. is for sale, as well as its contents. Building includes baptistery, office, classrooms, kitchen, fellowship room and full basement. Call church clerk Jerry Barr at (618) 736-2340.

March 12

Children’s Ministry Day

What: Mission projects for grades 1-6

Where: Locations across Illinois Cost: $15 per person Register: www.IBSA.org/kids

April 9

Illinois Baptist Women Hispanic Leadership Training

Where: Armitage Baptist, Chicago

When: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Information: Ana Melendez, (630) 7123106 or Enid Delgado, (847) 265-9313

April 11-12

Resilient Call Pastors’ Retreat

Raising the rent

QI have two small duplexes in Idaho that I rent for $400 a month, each on one-year leases. The rent is about $50 to $75 below similar units in the area. The tenants in all four places are great, so how do you know when—or if—you should raise the rent? If you raise the rent, how do you keep good relationships with your tenants?

March 18-19

Ministers’ Wives Retreat

“Where do I fit in this crazy world?”

Where: IBSA Building, Springfield Contact: BarbTroeger@IBSA.org Register: www.IBSA.org/women

April 8-9, 22-23

Disaster Relief Training

What: Classes in chainsaw, food prep, mudout, childcare, chaplaincy, and more; cost is $30 for new trainees and $10 for renewals

Where: April 8-9 Western Oaks, Springfield; April 22-23: Streator Camp Register: www.IBSA.org/dr

What: A free retreat for pastors featuring Phil Hunter, pastor of West County Community Church in Wildwood, Mo. Where: Streator Baptist Camp Register: www.IBSA.org/church_health

April 29-30

Priority Women’s Resource Conference

What: Ministry and missions training for women; including a special track for girls in grades 10-12

Where: Tabernacle Baptist Church, Decatur

Cost: $25 per person, includes Saturday lunch Register: www.IBSA.org/women

AMy advice with rental properties is to raise the rent a little bit each year. You want to be fair and affordable for your tenants, but you don’t want them thinking the rate is locked in forever. As a business owner, if you don’t have small, manageable increases on a regular basis, you’ll look up in four or five years and realize you’re losing money because your rent is way below market value. Then, if you implement a big rate hike out of nowhere your tenants will have a fit. After that, you could be looking at empty properties.

As a landlord, you’ll be able to retain quality tenants and make more money. As a renter, you’ll have the comfort of knowing your rent isn’t going to suddenly jump sky-high. It’s a win-win!

Ethical dilemma

QI like my part-time job in retail, except for having to pitch the store’s credit card to customers. Like you, I believe debt is a bad thing. Still, my bosses are putting more and more pressure on me to sell the cards. Any advice?

DAVE RAMSEY

When it comes time to renew the leases, try explaining to them that you’ve looked around in the market and other very comparable units are going for $450 or more, but that you appreciate them and what good tenants they are. Then, propose signing

AIf you’ve been in the business for very long, I guess you’ve discovered that most retail stores make more money on credit than the sale of merchandise. Your personal integrity wants you to do a good job for yourself and your employer, but it’s also telling you that credit cards are bad products. That makes you feel like you’ve signed up to sell something that you don’t believe in. For the sake of your own integrity, I would suggest that you find another part-time job. If you feel this strongly about the issue, sooner or later it will start to affect your performance and attitude—both at work and at home. Hang on long enough to land another job before you quit.

Women’s Resource Conference

April 29-30

Tabernacle Baptist Church Decatur • Cost is $25

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