North Star Update A PUBLICATION OF THE MINNESOTA BAPTIST ASSOCIATION Inside This Issue: Fellowship Foundations
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Update from Sand Creek, Jordan
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First Baptist, Adrian
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Grace Baptist, Virginia
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MBA Family Camp Schedule
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Volume II, Issue 7
July 1, 2008
Dr. Earle Matteson at Home with the Lord By: Dr.
Richard Paige, NTAIBC National Representative
August 4-9: MBA Family Camp in Longville, MN on Woman Lake
Dr. Earle Matteson’s memorial service was a great testimony for God. On Thursday, May 29 a large group gathered at the Beth Eden Baptist Church in Wheat Ridge, Colorado to celebrate the life and ministry of this faithful servant of God. The service was led by his family members with Pastor Jim Efaw welcoming the guests and concluding the service. The music, message, and testimonials were shared by family members and were a blessing. The program included time for the comments of those who represented organizations where Dr. Matteson served. Those represented were the NTAIBC by Dr. Richard Paige, Pillsbury Baptist Bible College by Dr. Robert Crane, and World Baptist Mission by Dr. Ed Nelson. Dr. Matteson had been a charter member of both
September 26-27: PBBC, Harvest Home
News from MBA Meetings and Directory Updates
Calendar July 22: PBBC Board meeting on Campus at 10:30 a.m.
The messengers of the Churches of the MBA met for the 149th time this past June 23-24, in Willmar. It was a great two days. The Update will supply a more indepth analysis in the August Issue. The Update wants you to know some changes in our directory. Some of them due to action at the annual meeting. Family Baptist, Minneapolis:
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Assistant Pastor Peter DeMaris, 3251 Morgan Ave., N., Min-
the NTA and BWM. He had also served for a year as the interim president at PBBC. Several from the congregation also shared how Dr. Matteson had touched their lives. Dr. Matteson served as the National Representative for the NTA from 1989 to 2000. Time was also taken at our annual meetings to honor Dr. Matteson during the Tuesday evening sessions. Dr. Paige read a brief biography of Dr. Matteson and several shared how he had impacted their lives. The song “It Is Well With My Soul” was sung to conclude the memorial service, at Dr. Matteson’s request, and was also sung to conclude the time to honor him at the meetings. Dr.
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neapolis, MN, 554122303. Wife: Susan (Sawyer) DeMaris. New Email for Pastor Lee Ormiston: fbclo@yahoo.com
Cornerstone Baptist, Pine Island: • Pastor Tim Graham, Cell phone: (507) 202-4112. First Baptist, Adrian (new) • Pastor, Tim Barr • 9 Oklahoma Ave.,
Matteson was truly a stalwart of the faith and will be greatly missed in our fellowship.
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Box 366, Adrian, Minnesota, 56110. Office phone: (507) 827-2473) adrianbap@iw.net
Bible Baptist, Elk River (new) • Pastor, Doug Roman • 16501 Highway 10, Elk River, Minnesota, 55330 • (763) 486-8363 • droman@biblebaptistchurch.org
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North Star Update
Fellowship Foundations By: Rev.
Robert Fuller, Sr., Interim State Missionary, MBA
The enthusiasm among our churches seems to be increasing each month. My wife and I enjoy the fellowship of each church that we are privileged to attend, either by pulpit supply, or our choice to stop by and visit. The month of June started on a Sunday, the 1st, and we enjoyed again the privilege to supply the pulpit at First Baptist Church, Spring Valley. Pastor Joe (Cathy) Haynes and family were attending the wedding of his niece in St, Louis, Mo. We also conducted two nursing home services that they had scheduled in the afternoon. On June 8, we represented the churches of the MBA at the 3:00 p.m. Installation Service for their new pastor at Fourth Baptist, Minneapolis, Pastor
Matt (Kim) Morrell. The service was a great blessing to everyone. We understand the sense of loss felt by the Chisago Lakes Baptist Church as their pastor moved to 4th Baptist, but are assured that the Lord will provide His choice to fill that pulpit. On Sunday, June 22, we chose to attend the Morning Service at Normandale Baptist Church, Bloomington, with Pastor Charles (Polly) Raichert. We enjoyed great preaching and had a wonderful time of fellowship with old and new acquaintances. Bro. Raichert is having a great influence in that area. On the same afternoon we enjoyed representing our fellowship of churches at the Mortgage Burning Service at
Berean Baptist Church, Brooklyn Park – another great milestone for that church. Former pastors, including pastor Duane (Kay) Gray first pastor were in attendance. They and a charter member now with the Lord, Barb Veenstra, were especially recognized during the service. We close this report with the note of our attendance and participation as ISM at the Annual Meetings of the Minnesota Baptist Association, hosted by pastor Dave (Suzanne) Rogers, and the great Cornerstone Baptist Church, Willmar. These Meetings were held on June 23, 24. We greatly desire to visit your church, either to preach and present the MBA, or just drop in. If we can assist you in any way, please let me know.
Report from Sand Creek Baptist, Jordan By: Daniel God has blessed Sand Creek Baptist with a great year. During this past year, the church developed its Sunday School, ABF, Children’s ministry, and evangelism ministry. God has started blessing the ministry with more fruit. The church has seen several professions of faith. However, it has been a struggle to get these new converts into the church. After appointments are scheduled for them to meet the leadership, other things conflict with the appointment. The Pastor and leadership desire to see them come into the church and
go through discipleship. After discipleship they will be baptized and received into membership. The church’s next steps will be to help them become equipped and then be involved right away in one of the ministries of the church. Pray that God will give wisdom in these last few steps. The leadership team is trying some different ways of getting people connected. God has provided the finances through his people. The church has over $17,000 in its building fund and hopes that it will continue to increase. The plan for this summer and fall is to look for land. Pray that God will work out a miracle so that the church can obtain property suitable to its needs. The church held a charter service in February. That day 32 adult members joined the church. One lady in fellowship-
Lowe, Pastor
ping with church was blessed by the charter service. She was baptized as an infant and saved later in life. She sees the importance of believer’s baptism and will be baptized this month. It was great to hear her say that seeing this new body of believers form showed her how important it was to be a part of the local church. Two weeks after the charter service the membership voted to become a part of the MBA. The last couple of months have been extremely busy. The church desires to convene a recognition council in July! God has done many wonderful things through the ministry of SCBC. Your many prayers and financial support, offered as a pleasing aroma to the Lord, have been a great blessing to the people of Sand Creek Baptist.
Volume II, Issue 7
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First Baptist Adrian By: Tim First Baptist in Adrian is excited to be associated with the MBA for the second time in the church’s 60 years of ministry. The church is a small rural congregation situated on Interstate 90 about 40 miles east of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The congregation is excited about the number of young families that are joining and fellowshipping with the church. The church is blessed to have a long heritage within fundamentalism and this heritage is being passed down through many intergenerational ministries within the congregation. Prayer Requests: Dan and Shateen Lichter recently joined the congregation. Dan joined the church having already been baptized and Shateen was baptized and joined the church on June 15, 2008. The baptismal service
was held outdoors and this provided numerous opportunities for evangelism and public teaching about believer’s immersion within the town. Both of them are planning to begin MAT (Master of Arts in Theology) programs at Central Baptist Theological Seminary during the coming winter term. They are in the application process at this time and they would covet your prayers as they consider seminary and full time ministry. At the end of September, Curt Darling and Vejie Serfino are planning to be married. Curt has been an active member in the church and he has served as a deacon for two years. Vejie is a Filipino national who was saved through the ministry of a Baptist missionary. Derek Leonard and Shawna Nelson have recently become engaged. Although
Barr, Pastor
they are not members, they are learning and growing in the ministry. Pray for this couple as they prepare for marriage. The church has struggled to build an effective youth outreach over the last few years. Pray that God would allow some of the teens and young people who have been invited to Camp Shiloh to attend the camp. The church desires to reach both the young people and their families with the life changing message of the Gospel. Many of the church members are ministering at Camp Shiloh this year out of their passion for reaching and discipling young people. Several new families have visited or made contact with the church over the last few months. Pray that God would allow the church to minister effectively to the needs of these people.
Special Days at Grace Baptist, Virginia By: Todd On April 27th Grace Baptist, Virginia celebrated Creation Sunday. Professor Jim Calcamuggio from Pillsbury was the guest speaker. Professor Calcamuggio focused on a biblical perspective of the creation in which man lives. In the afternoon service Professor Calcamuggio spoke on the topic of Global Warming as it relates to the Bible. Several visitors
from the community attended during the day. This was encouraging. The group Singing His Praise, from Pillsbury Baptist Bible College, visited the Wednesday evening service on June 4. What a privilege! They were just beginning their summer tour. On Thursday they sang for one of the Assisted Living facilities in town.
Williamson, Pastor
The church is planning a Bible School again this year, July 21-24. The curriculum is “Jungle Adventure, Discovering God’s Love.” Pray that this ministry will be able to reach the children of the community again this year. Thank you for your support of prayer as this church continues to serve the Savior here in Virginia.
(First Baptist Church, Adrian, was organized in 1948. The church’s pastor is Tim Barr. Bro. Barr and his wife, Elayna have 4 children. In this article, Brother Barr provides a little more background on the church and shares a few prayer requests. Ed.)
Presorted Std. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 225 Osseo, MN
A PUBLICATION OF THE MINNESOTA BAPTIST ASSOCIATION PO Box 527 Willmar, MN 56201-0527
We’re on the web! http:www.mbaoc.org
MBA Contacts Minnesota Baptist Association Dr. Julian Suarez, President Faith Baptist Church
MBA Family Camp Schedule
1365 Westminster St. St. Paul, MN 55130 (651) 771-5567
August 4-9
pastors@fbcstpaul.org Interim State Missionary Rev. Robert Fuller, St.
On Woman Lake
1549 118th Lane NW Coon Rapids, MN 55448 (763) 568-4078 rjfsr4@juno.com MBA Office contact@mbaoc.org
Near Longville, MN
MONDAY: 1:00 p.m.
Registration Opens
6:00 p.m.
Dinner
7:00 p.m.
Evening Meeting – Evangelist Ken Sparks
TUESDAY – THURSDAY 8:00 a.m.
Family Devotions Time
8:30 a.m.
Breakfast
9:30 a.m.
Morning Bible Message – Evangelist Ken Sparks
10:30 a.m.
Break
11:00 a.m.
Special Challenges
TUESDAY – Soul Winning – Pastor Dennis Campbell
Minnesota Baptist Association
WEDNESDAY – Pillsbury Baptist Bible College
PO Box 527
THURSDAY – Missions – Church Planting
Willmar, MN 56201-0527 Send Contributions to: Mr. Brian Veth, MBA Treasurer c/o Coon Rapids Baptist Church 11164 Hanson Blvd. Coon Rapids, MN 55433 Send Update Articles and Pictures to: drjfjr@comcast.net North Star Update Editor 315 S. Payne St. New Ulm, MN 56073 (507) 354-3323
12:00 noon
Lunch
EXTRAS: Golf Time – Tuesday afternoon Campfire Singspiration – after evening meetings FRIDAY: 8:00 a.m.
Family Devotions
8:30 a.m.
Breakfast
HOMEWARD BOUND!