Serving and equipping our churches to fulfill the Great Commission.
Rest & Renewal
Last month I attended the North Carolina Associational Missions Conference at Caraway. It was a great time of fellowship, worship, learning, and praying with my peers from around the state. (Kenny Lamm led worship - we will be blessed to have him lead worship at our SYBA Annual meeting in August!) 
 
As I shared last month, the conference focused on emotionally healthy leadership, led by Dr. Tate Cockrell from Southeastern Seminary. Our pastors and church leaders need to be emotionally healthy to lead emotionally healthy churches. One way to be emotionally healthy is to realize the importance of rest and renewal. Jesus said,
 
Mark 6:31
31 And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.
 
Let me share some stats with you.
 
Mental Health Stats for Pastors
 
  • 25% don't know where to turn when they have a family or personal conflict or issue
  • 33% feel burned out within their first five years of ministry
  • 33% say that being in ministry is an outright hazard to their family
  • 40% of pastors and 47% of spouses are suffering from burnout
  • 45% of pastors have experienced emotional distress that necessitated a leave of absence from ministry
  • 50% feel unable to meet the needs of the job
  • 57% would leave ministry if they had somewhere else to go or some other vocational option
  • 70% don't have any close friends.
  • 75% report severe stress causing anguish, worry, bewilderment, anger, depression, fear, and alienation.
  • 90% feel unqualified or poorly prepared for ministry.
  • 90% work more than 50 hours a week.
  • 70% don’t feel prepared to help in mental issues of their congregants

So how do pastors and church leaders keep from being burned out, and become emotionally healthy leaders?

  1. We need to take care of our bodies. We need to be careful what we eat and make sure that we exercise so our bodies are healthy.
  2. We need to nourish our souls. We need to feed ourselves. Who preaches and teaches you? There are some great podcasts that you can listen to in order to help yourself grow. Reading is also beneficial.
  3. We need to renew our minds. The enemy attacks our minds and stirs up negative thoughts. We need to take every thought captive.
  4.  We need to connect our hearts with other people. Ministry can be a lonely business and we are created for community. Hang out with other pastors. Come to our monthly pastor prayer gatherings. Come to our quarterly pastors’ fellowships. 
  5. Remember your call to ministry.  If you are called, then you cannot quit. Finnish the race! Take care of yourself. Take time off!

The state convention has shared the following with me as your AMS:
In partnership with the local association, the BSCNC will provide a reimbursement up to $100 for pulpit supply honorarium to BSCNC churches providing a one Sunday respite for their pastor, over and above the normal vacation allotment. The AMS, Great Commission Catalyst or Sandy Marks can provide the church with a master list of potential supply preachers. On behalf of the church, the AMS may request reimbursement through Sandy Marks, Revitalization Ministry Strategist/Pastoral.

And if you need a place for your respite, I would like to share with you the following opportunity.
The Psalm 121 Ministry house is located in Spruce Pine NC. It is a 3 BR, 2 Bath home, fully furnished with linens, towels, and kitchen necessities. Wi-fi is available. The home is located approximately 6 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is within 30 minutes to 1 hour drive of Boone, Blowing Rock, Asheville, Grandfather Mountain, Linville Falls, Little Switzerland, Mount Mitchell, and Burnsville. It is available free of charge to pastors and wives for up to a week at a time. If anyone is interested in reserving a time, please feel free to call or text Susan Troutman at 704-929-8145. Or email sbtroutman@live.com

Take care of yourself and serve Him for the long haul!

Blessings!
Rev. Noel Williamson
Executive Director, SYBA
Encourage Pastors and Ministry Leaders
Pastor Prayer Meetings
Please plan to join your fellow SYBA pastors for monthly prayer! All pastors welcomed - youth, associate, worship, etc.

  • Wed June 1 @ 8-9 am, SYBA office, Iredell County
  • Wed June 8 @ 8-9 am, Miller's Restaurant, Davie County
Congratulations!
Announcing Winners of the $50 Lunch Gift Cards!

Many SYBA churches nominated very deserving ladies and gentlemen in recognition of their contributions to their churches! Congratulations to our three winners, drawn randomly from all that were nominated:

  • Pam Hellman, Faith Church
  • Sharon Johnson, New Hope Baptist Church
  • Kevin Gooden, Front Street Baptist Church

The SYBA will be treating these winners to a $50 gift card to the restaurant of their choice to recognize them for their hard work. Thank you for all you do!!
Save These Dates!

Pastors' Cook Out: July 19, 2022 @ 11:30 am at SYBA Office with grilled chicken

Pastors' & Wives Dinner: October 20, 2022 @ 6:30 pm @ Fallstown Baptist Church
Mobilize to Share Christ's Love
Help Every Child - Adoption & Foster Care Ministry

With a shared vision for aiding the thousands of boys and girls in the custody of North Carolina's foster care system, Baptist Children's Homes of North Carolina and the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina have partnered together for EVERY CHILD Foster & Adoption Ministry. We believe the church is the answer for ensuring every child receives the caring home he or she deserves.

Click here for more information.
Click video above to learn more.
Fair Ministry is Starting!
Hygiene and Laundry Bag Items Needed

SYBA is collecting items for hygiene and laundry bags for our Iredell County Fair ministry (fair coming at the end of summer). Click here for more info.

Please consider donating any of these items by August 22. Items can be delivered to the SYBA office. Please contact Mary Jane Hoover at 704.873.4372 x 3 or mhoover@sybaptist.org to arrange for a delivery time.
Do More Together!
Young brunette woman over isolated yellow background shouting through a megaphone
What is Your Church Planning?

Do you have an event planned that you would like to invite those outside your church to?

Please send Leslie Kusek information at lkusek@sybaptist.org and we will include it in the next newsletter!
Missions fair begins at 5:30 pm; meeting begins at 6:30 pm.

Guest speaker is Todd Unzicker, Executive Director-Treasurer, Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. Worship music by Kenny Lamm.
Resources
Fruitland Baptist Bible College Announcing Free Tuition

Fruitland Baptist Bible College is pleased to announce that free tuition is available for the Fall Quarter of 2022 to new students at the main campus in Hendersonville. A generous donation by Mr. Weldon Wyatt, in memory of his father, Rev. H. E. Wyatt has made this opportunity possible. Please share this information with prospective students who can benefit from a wonderful educational experience on the Fruitland campus!

For more information and to schedule a visit to campus, go to fruitland.edu/freetuition. You can also contact Lisa Furstenberg at admissions@fruitland.edu or call 828-685-8886.
Worship Leader Training

Beginning in July, NC Baptists will have some awesome training opportunities that include an undergraduate and a graduate certification in worship ministry. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Fruitland Baptist Bible College are partnering with them to provide this comprehensive training.

Click here for more info and to register.
Special Project Grant Applications Available Through NC Baptist Foundation

Just a reminder that the Special Project grant applications are now open. They open on May 1st each year and are open until August 15th. Click here for a link to the application.

These funds are available for special project items that would not normally be in an association or church budget.
Loans Available Through NC Baptists Financial Services

When other loan rates are going up – NCBFS rates are coming down. Churches that may be looking to borrow should contact either Russell Jones or Robert Simmons, NCBFS, at
1-800-521-7334.

Click here for the latest loan rates. 
The Survey is Officially Open!

The information provided in this biennial survey allows NC Baptist churches to establish competitive compensation packages for ministers and church staff.

Churches that complete this survey can:
  • Access complimentary online reports customized for their church.
  • Be among the first to view survey results.
  • Enter for the chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card! We will be giving away 5 gift cards.

You can find the link to the survey here. If church staff are unable to complete the survey online, printer-friendly versions of the survey are provided below. The churches can fill those out and return it by mail to:

Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
ATTN: Davis Blount
205 Convention Drive
Cary, NC 27511

Here are the links to printer-friendly forms:
You are SYBA!
Thank you!!!
SYBA Donations (Sept 1 2021 - Apr 30 2022)

Total Receipts $135,301
(as of April 30, 2022)

Total Budgeted Receipts $125,328
Received vs. Budget $9,973
Donate to SYBA When You Shop on Smile.Amazon.com

Shop at smile.amazon.com and Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to SYBA—no fees, no extra cost. Be sure to pick SYBA as your preferred charity.
Our Mission  
Our Mission is to Serve & Equip Our Churches to Fulfill the Great Commission.

Our Vision
Our vision is to serve our South Yadkin Baptist Association churches so they fulfill the Great Commission. We aspire to design services and tools specific to their needs to equip them to serve Christ effectively, fulfill their calling to disciple and reach those unchurched in our community. We aspire to bring value to our churches and help them to be a do all that God has called of them for His kingdom.

Our Values
Our five values of the South Yadkin Baptist Association define the way we do ministry together as a network of churches. The drive behind our values is a solid faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to fulfill our calling to serve, equip, encourage and care for our churches, pastors and their staff.

Partner in Prayer
We encourage and pray for our pastors, churches and unchurched friends through planned events and systems to pray corporately, in small groups and through our prayer network.

Encourage Pastors
We appreciate our pastors and will give care, personal visits and consistent contact with associational leaders to affirm their ministry in the local church.

Do More Together
We engage our churches in relationship with each other to network on initiatives to build the body of Christ and proclaim the name of Christ in our community and wherever God leads.

Help Fulfill Ministry Needs
We help, provide and assist churches with resources to fulfill their mission and help them minister to needs.

Mobilize to Share Christ's Love
We mobilize churches to share the gospel with unchurched friends in our community, some of whom will accept Christ as Savior.
[PO Box 5249, Statesville, NC 28687]  [704.873.4372]  [Sybaptist.org]