SHREVEPORT – Perry Sanders, retired pastor of First Baptist, Lafayette, was guest speaker March 18-21 in revival services at Haynes Avenue Baptist. Mike Anderson is pastor.
HARRISONBURG – Ouachita Baptist Association’s spring evangelism rally is set for Sunday, March 25, at First Baptist Harrisonburg. Pre-rally services are to be-gin at 5:30 p.m. “In honor of Bro. Mack Walker’s 50th anniversary in ministry, he has been asked to be our guest speaker,” notes The Proclamation associational newsletter. The Lisemby Family is to bring special music.
LAKE PROVIDENCE – A special resolution was made at the February business meeting of First Baptist, recognizing the 26-year ministry of Church Clerk Hattie Tedder, who died Feb. 13.
EOLA – Revival services are set for 6:30 p.m. during “Five Marvelous Monday Nights in April” at Eola Baptist, where Roger Whittington is interim pastor. Guest speakers and worship leaders:
April 2: Charles Bigner of Ponchatoula; Faithful Heart Ladies Ensemble, from First Baptist, Pine Prairie.
April 9: Roland Fontenot, Trinity, New Iberia; Three Cats Screaming in a Barrel, Tech, BreauxBridge.
April 16: Kenneth Crumbley, St. Matthew, Oakdale; Ronnie and Ellen Dunlap, Refuge, Echo.
April 23: Chet Keating, First Baptist, Pine Prairie; Kevin Banks, First Baptist, Pine Prairie.
April 30: Stephen Gardner, St. Landry Baptist, St. Landry; Buddy Hampton, DOM, Eunice.
BLANCHARD – First Blanchard’s annual ministry fair is set for Sunday, April 15. More than 25 ministries active at the church are to be displaying information.
First Blanchard is sponsoring an Auction for Missions to start at 6 p.m. Friday, May 11, in the pavilion on the Poke Salad grounds.
The church’s annual fish fry will be at 4:30 p.m. the same day/location. Items to be auctioned are being accepted at the church; buyers are needed for the event. First Blanchard member Ralph Penuell is the auctioneer.
LILLIE – For the 12th year, The Passion of Jesus, an outdoor musical drama, is to be presented by Bethel Baptist, with performances at 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday, April 6, 7 and 8. Free admission; bring a lawn chair. Facilities can accommodate the disabled.
Lillie is north of Ruston; about 8 miles south of the Arkansas border. Call 318-986-4418 for specific directions.
LONG LEAF – The Southern Plainsmen quartet of Hornbeck and The Harrells of Holden, among other gospel groups, are to perform in concert from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, April 21, as part of the Southern Forest Heritage Museum’s Heritage Day.
A plethora of other things to see and do: old-time machine shop and blacksmith forge; 1910 sawmill; antique railcar; world class wood carvers; pine needle basket weavers; activity booths for children to learn about “green” industry, plus the miniature horse Easter pulling kids in her cart.
And much more! Cost: $5/adults; $3/ages 6-12; free under 6 “for a full day of family fun” says Bob Carroll, executive director of the museum and active member at Pineville Park Baptist in Pineville.
Southern Forest Heritage Museum is three miles south of Forest Hill on Hwy. 497. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
BATON ROUGE – Lanier Baptist, organized in 1957, is to celebrate its golden anniversary starting 10 a.m. Sunday, June 3, with lunch and fellowship to follow morning worship.
Please RSVP the church – 225-355-5605 or lanierbc@cox.net – to tell how many will attend and if child care is needed.
GONZALES – Central Baptist is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 31 on the church grounds. A preaching service is to start at 4 p.m., with Jad Khalaf from McComb, Miss.James Avance Jr. is pastor. www.cbcgonzales.org.
SULPHUR – Celebrate Recovery, a Christ-centered, biblical and balanced program to help people overcome their hurts, habits and hang-ups, takes place from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays upstairs in the youth room at First Baptist Sulphur, starting March 22.
Celebrate Recovery addresses issues like broken/unhealthy relationships, grief, anxiety, depression, physical emotional or sexual abuse, chemical dependency, various addictions – sex, pornography, gambling, eating, codependency – as well as anger, unforgiveness, divorce, fears and much more. Email konibridges@bellsouth.net with questions.
SIMSBORO – The Ruth Guilbert Spring Women’s Conference is to take place from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. April 21 at First Baptist Simsboro. Registration deadline: April 8.
Allison Ware, of A’Ware Ministries, is to be guest speaker and soloist. Her scripture: Isaiah 41:10 – “No fear; strengthened in Him.”
Dinner will be served and child care provided. Cost of the conference: $20. Call 318-247-6504 or download registration form from website: simsborofirstbaptist.com.
SHREVEPORT – Harry Forester has resigned as minister of education and associate pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Shreveport. He is available for part-time pastorate, minister of education, teaching and training. He may be contacted at 9265 Dashwood, ShreveportLA71118or 318-687-0352.
LAFAYETTE – Counselor Mary Langford wrote wise words in a recent issue of Entre Nous, newsletter for the Evangeline and Gulf Coast Baptist Associations:
“Here’s one thing I know: Folks don’t change until it becomes too uncomfortable to stay like they are and until they are willing to take some responsibility for their own circumstances.”
LEESVILLE – “God is the first priority of the church. Not people. Not ministry. Not growth. Not success. God, and God alone, occupies the place of ultimate and absolute priority in the church,” reports the East Leesville Encourager, newsletter for East Leesville Baptist, which is to host Bruce Leafblad, professor of church music and worship at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Leafblad is to speak at 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 30, to “help us treasure God above any experience, feeling or any result that comes from worship.”
BATON ROUGE – First Baptist plans an Easter Egg Hunt for youngsters from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, April 1, at the Bluebonnet campus.
JENA – First Baptist recycles fronts of used greeting cards of every kind, and Campbell Soup labels. The church does not recycle aluminum cans nor old Sunday school literature.
WALKER – Judson Baptist has set Thursday, April 5, for its annual chicken barbeque fundraiser for children and youth activities.
WEST MONROE – McClendon Baptist members are chunking their change into jars in Sunday school to help defray costs of the youth’s summer’s World Changers mission trip.