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| Dorilín Tito San Jorge (center), was pastor of William Carey Baptist Church, Havana, Cuba. She passed away Oct. 19. She is pictured with Xiomara Diaz (left), one of the first Baptist women ordained in Cuba, and Coralia Blanco, pastor of Shalom Baptist church, Boca Mariel. The event was Dorilín's ordination. |
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Morning by morning
A litany for worship inspired by Lamentations 3 and Luke 19:41-42
Be gracious to me, Blessed One, for I am in distress.
My eyes are awash with grief; my bed swims in tears.
My bones bulge under the weight of unlived life.
Sighs crowd my heart and swell my tongue.
Jesus, weeping over Jerusalem.
Weeping over this city.
Over these people.
Over this church.
Over my own anemic,
knuckleheaded self.
Can you hear it? Can you hear it?
But the One who vindicates is near.
The Advocate's approach stymies fear.
Morning by morning the Beloved awakens me,
Tuning my ear to heaven's harmony.
Morning by morning new mercies I see.*
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We pray alongside...
The family of
Lewis S. Ford, who
died peacefully on Oct. 14 in his Morrisville, N.C., home. The professor of philosophy emeritus at Old Dominion University is the father of Stephanie Ford, minister of Christian formation at congregational partner Binkley Memorial Baptist Church, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Dalia Juárez Fernández
, general and academic coordinator for Active Hope ministry partner the Mayan Intercultural Seminary, San Cristobal, Chiapas, Mexico, who is being treated for a bacterial infection and kidney stones.
Cherie L. Smith
, Baltimore, Md., who suffered a significant concussion in a car accident on Aug. 29. She has been out of work since the accident, receiving intensive therapy. Cherie is an Alliance-endorsed chaplain serving as director of pastoral care services at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, Baltimore, Md. Cherie also is a member of congregational partner Woodbrook Baptist Church and a former Alliance president and board member.
The family of
Dorilín Tito San Jorge, pastor of the William Carey Baptist Church, Havana, Cuba, who passed away Oct. 19. The 39 year old left behind two teenage children, as well as a grieving congregation and the Fraternity of Baptist Churches in Cuba. "Dorilín filled every room she entered with compassion, joy and light," writes Julie Pennington-Russell, pastor of Alliance congregational partner First Baptist Church, Washington, D.C., and William Carey's partner congregation. "Here is a pastor who leads from love."
The family of
Edgar Kenton Webb
, Independence, Mo., who died Oct. 28 at the age of 84. The son of a pastor, he, too, served as a pastor in Baptist congregations in Missouri and Kentucky. His daughter, Jane Webb Childress, is married to Kyle Childress, who serves as pastor of congregational partner Austin Heights Baptist Church, Nacogdoches, Texas.
We celebrate alongside...
Bob Balance, who
has accepted a call to serve as pastor of First Baptist Church, Gretna, Va. He previously served First Baptist Church, South Boston, Va.
Malu Fairley-Collins
and
Ezra Fairley-Collins,
Charlotte, N.C., as they reaffirmed their marriage vows in a ceremony on Oct. 20. Malu is an Alliance-endorsed chaplain educator and board of directors member. Ezra is a student at Wake Forest University School of Divinity.
First Baptist Church, Rochester, N.Y., which completed a one-year celebration of the church's 200th anniversary. Brent Bowden is the current pastor of the Alliance congregational partner. Ken Williams, Durham, N.C., previously served the church as pastor.
Willa Rose Forkner Johnson, who was installed Nov. 4 as the 19th pastor of Greenwood Baptist Church, Brooklyn, N.Y. She previously served First Corinthian Baptist Church, Harlem, as pastor of programming and community engagement. Willa Rose is a native of Georgia, where she attended congregational partner Oakhurst Baptist Church, Decatur, Ga.
Rick Goodman
, Silver Spring, Md., who has retired after 35 years of public service. He began in 1983 in the U.S. Senate, and then moved in 1987 to nurture growth in the Federal Emergency Management Agency grant program. Rick retired from serving as associate administrator of the Office of Federal Assistance Management with HRSA where, because of his efforts, OFAM is recognized as the 'gold standard' of a federal grants management office. The Alliance knows Rick best as an avid supporter and defender of the oppressed, as spouse to former Alliance board president Carol Blythe, and as the father of Susie and Laura.
Claire and Zach Helton, who have been called to serve as co-pastors of congregational partner Northminster Church, Monroe, La. The two previously served on the ministerial staff of congregational partner Lake Shore Baptist Church, Waco, Texas, where they both earned Master of Divinity degrees at Baylor University's George W. Truett Theological Seminary. They begin their ministry in Monroe Dec. 4.
Derek Henson, who
joined the ministerial staff of congregational partner First Baptist Church, Worcester, Mass., as associate pastor of administration and communication in October. Prior to serving in Worcester, Derek served as minister in training at congregational partner Broadway Baptist Church, Ft. Worth, Texas, and earned his Master of Divinity degree from Brite Divinity School, Ft. Worth.
Jenny and Drew Herring, who
celebrate the adoption of Ji Shui Xuan (Judah) Oct. 15. Drew serves congregational partner Broadway Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas, as pastor of adult education and outreach.
Highland Baptist Church, which
celebrates 125 years of ministry on the corner of Grinstead and Cherokee streets in Louisville, Ky. The congregational partner will celebrate on Nov. 11 being a church where transformed people have joined the work of God for more than a century.
Rod Kennedy, who has been called to serve as interim pastor of Upper Merion Baptist Church, King of Prussia, Penn. Rod previously retired from serving as pastor of congregational partner First Baptist Church, Dayton, Ohio.
Rosa Lima and Waldemar Murguido Sánchez-Quiros, who
completed examination for ordination to
pastoral ministry on Oct. 24. A service of worship, ordination and laying on of hands will be held Nov. 10. Rosa serves as pastor of Church of God, Baptist, of Arrechavaleta and Waldemar serves as pastor of Juan F. Naranjo Baptist Church. Both churches are within the Fraternity of Baptist Churches in Cuba, an Alliance Active Hope ministry partner.
OMNIA, which was awarded the Paul Carus Award for Interreligious Understanding at the recent gathering of the
Parliament of the World's Religions. The highest and oldest award given by the Parliament honored two of OMNIA's leaders for their work in Nigeria and Sri Lanka. The program partner of the Alliance is directed by Shanta Premawardhana.
Robert Renix
, an Alliance-endorsed chaplain, who has been elected to a three-year term on the ACPE board of directors. ACPE is the premier, Department of Education-recognized organization that provides the highest quality Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) programs for spiritual care professionals of any faith and in any setting.
Paul J. Schneider, who
was ordained to the gospel ministry by congregational partner First Baptist Church of Berkeley, Calif., on Oct. 14. He has been a member of the church since the age of two. Paul currently serves as interim pastor at Burien Community Church, Burien, Wash.
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