Thirty churches dot the landscape of Natchitoches Parish where this association serves.
NATCHITOCHES BAPTIST ASSOCIATION – Thirty churches dot the landscape of Natchitoches Parish where this association serves.
Bayous, rivers, lakes, forests, and hills provide plenty of outdoor activities throughout the parish, while the City of Natchitoches, established in 1714, provides history and character to the area.
“Natchitoches Baptist Association is filled with missions minded people,” said Lee Dickson, director of missions for the Natchitoches Associaiton. “In addition to local ministries, they have helped build churches in Montana, helped rebuild Katrina and Rita damaged churches across south Louisiana, and provided numerous volunteers in Chile, Africa, Honduras, Mexico, Guatemala, and other locations, with more leaving for Romania in a couple of weeks.”
The churches of the association contribute to a number of ministries.
In 2006 the association awarded scholarships to four Louisiana College students and one Southwester Baptist Theological Seminary student.
Other ministries of the association include Women’s Missionary Union; Clara Springs Baptist Encampment; and the Toledo Bend Resort Ministry.
The association’s WMU is active in the Lov’n Care Mission in Natchitoches and prepared and distributed Christmas Boxes there in 2006.
In addition, WMU’s volunteer at the Women’s Resource Center and minister in local nursing homes, reported Jewell Preston, WMU director for the association.
Clara Springs and Toledo Bend Resort Minsitry both continue to offer outdoor activities for all ages that also create opportunities for sharing the gospel.
In the 2006 summer camping season, Clara Springs recorded 26 professions of faith, reported camp directors Sally and Benny Alford.
Toledo Bend Resort Ministry shared the gospel with 587 people in 2006, reported Mary Gore, director of the resort ministry. also had a good report.
Total resident membership in the association’s churches for 2006 was 4,877.
Of that number, 95 were new baptisms, and 211 were other additions.
Total receipts were almost $4 million, while Cooperative Program giving was close to $150,000.