The Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board has appointed six missionaries with ties to Louisiana.
ALPHARETTA, Ga. – The Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board has appointed six missionaries with ties to Louisiana.
Michele Bruss is serving as a Baptist center missionary in New Orleans, where she will work at the Baptist Friendship House, a transitional housing program for homeless women with children.
Michele, who considers Summit, Miss. as her hometown, is completing work on her masters in social work at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala. She will graduate in May 2007. She also earned her bachelors degree in social work at the University of Alabama. She has served as a summer missionary in Arizona and Louisiana, and has interned with WMU.
Erika Holt, a native of Holt, Fla., is serving in New Orleans, where she has been appointed as a US/C-2 missionary at the Carver House, another Southern Baptist center. She will be assisting children in an after-school program, as well as teens and the homeless.
Erika attended the University of West Florida in Pensacola, and recently earned a B.A. degree in Christian counseling at the Baptist College of Florida, Grace-ville, Fla. She spent two summers with the Arkansas Baptist Children’s Home, and interned last summer as a resort missionary in Orlando. She also served as children’s director at Bethel Baptist Church in Graceville, and at the First Baptist Church, Holt, Fla.
Lawrence and Barbara Robertson III are serving as national church planting missionaries for the North American Mission Board in Alpharetta, Ga. Prior to his new post, Lawrence worked as a contact representative for the Social Security Administration in Nashville, Tenn.
A native of Thibodaux, La., Lawrence earned a B.S. degree in engineering science at Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, La., and an M. Div. degree in pastoral ministries at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is currently working on his doctorate of ministry degree at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Barbara, a native of Napoleonville, La., earned an A.S. degree at Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, La., and also attended New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans.
Suzette and Brian Wood are serving in Orlando, where Suzette has been named as a resort ministries director for the Greater Orlando Baptist Association. Prior to her new position, she served as interim resort ministries director for the association, where she also worked as a ministries assistant and receptionist.
“About 50 million visitors come to Orlando every year,” says Suzette. “The whole world is coming to our doorstep – what an awesome mission field. My goal is to help churches see this mission field. We have an intense summer ministry with college students coming from all over to work with us. We would like to expand that ministry to become year-round by building a church-based resort ministry,” she said.
A native of Sulphur, La., she earned a B.A. degree in liberal studies at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La. She also took Christian education classes at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans.
Her husband, Brian, also attended McNeese State University, Lake Charles, La. He is currently assistant terminal manager for New Line Transport in Orlando.
The Woods have two children – Brian, 19, and Michael, 17.