Greetings from

Florida and the Caribbean Islands

January 31, 2024

Here's a quick look midweek to strengthen your faith and connect with your CBF family.

La Poza del Obispo, Puerto Rico

prayer from Daily Feast, Meditations from Feasting on the Word

Thank you Pastor Dean Allen and all of Bluewater Community Church for welcoming me last Sunday. I am grateful for your welcoming and hospitable faith community. I preached and then we had a CBF FL/ CI Q&A session following a delicious lunch. Yes, of course, we had lunch! I think you all agree, the real mark of a healthy Baptist church is the number of potlucks in a given year :)

After worshiping with Bluewater Community Church, I headed East to spend the evening worshiping with Tallahassee Fellowship, led by Pastor Candace McKibben. It was another worship experience that nourished my soul... and my body - yes, we have a lovely meal and Candace sent me on the road supplied with a bag of her homemade cookies. Only 2 cookies made it to Tampa.

Left: Sharing communion with Candace's homemade bread.

Right: Engaging our ZOOM worshippers from afar.

2 Deadlines Tomorrow!

Don't miss these opportunities.

* Soul Care: Cultivating awareness

of Divine Presence

* Building Hope Together

Its Time For Restoration...

$$$ Take Note: CBF FL and Caribbean Islands

will cover 1/2 of your tuition $$$

Registration closes Feb. 2, 2024

Five Day Academy for Spiritual Formation

SOUL CARE

Cultivating an Awareness of Divine Presence

MARCH 3-8, 2024

Fruitland Park, FL

Registration Deadline: Friday, Feb 2, 2024

CBF of South Carolina and Florida / Caribbean Islands, together, are offering this inter-generational mission engagement opportunity to families, singles, young, old and everyone in between. Spend this 2024 holiday weekend making a difference and making new friends. "Credit" is available to FL students seeking community service hours.

$100 per person (covers lodging and food) to engage in this joint mission endeavor.

What should I expect? Our SC/FL teams will be working on projects ranging from painting and light household repairs to building wheelchair ramps. There will be projects for everyone and all skill levels. All meals on Saturday and Sunday are covered in your registration fee. There are two lodging options - motel rooms (at an extra cost) and cabins with bunk beds. You can indicate your preference when you register.

A new parent resource from our partner, Passport.

The resource can be found on the webpage linked here.

The daily devotions on d365.org will parallel this ‘Loving Families’ resource for the week of February 5-11.

Celebrating Becky!

"Over 100 Cooperative Baptists gathered Thursday evening for a special celebration of CBF’s longest tenured employee, Becky Buice Hall, who retired January 1 after more than 30 years of service to the Fellowship.

The night was filled with food, friendship and the sharing of stories from past colleagues Connie McNeill, Rob Nash, Clarissa Strickland and former CBF Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal, as well as friends and field personnel who sent video tributes and congratulations.

“I have learned so much from each of you, and I am so grateful for the times that we have had together,” said Hall, as she shared words of gratitude and reminiscence.

Join us in celebrating Becky Buice Hall for her years of service and blessings on her new adventures in retirement!" (from Fellowship Weekly)

Since I was in Decatur for Missions Council meeting, I was honored to attend this beautiful Celebrate Becky event.

I enjoyed meeting Harrison Litzell of the Baugh Center for Baptist Leadership. Harrison and I enjoyed cuban coffee and toast here in Tampa as he shared the mission of the Baugh Center with me. Harrison's passion is developing and equipping Children's Ministry leaders.

Read about the Baugh Center Here

Congratulations

Reverend Brenda Cohen

Rev. Brenda Cohen was ordained Sunday, January 21, 2024 at First Baptist Church Gainesville. Rev. Lynn Williams gave the Charge to the Candidate and Rev. Tammy Snyder gave the Charge to the Church. Rev. Rachel Gunter-Shapard shared her gift of voice and music by offering, “Lord, I Want to Be a Christian.” It was a good day, indeed! In addition, the Deaconate Chair, Susan Balloon participated in the Candidate’s Covenant.

First Baptist Church is led by Rev. Dr. Ray Johnson who began his tenure as First Baptist Church Gainesville Senior Pastor on January 1, 2024. (Congrats Ray!)

Rev. Cohen serves as Pastor of Discipleship and Missions.

a note from Brenda "I wore my favorite RED dress for women who have been criticized for wearing red or any other "inappropriate" dress. My dangling earrings are from Uganda."

A engaging visit with Living Stones Baptist Church

It's a good thing churches come in all shapes and sizes. Here in Florida we have several thriving House Churches and Living Stones is one of them. Chris Aho (Director of Thriving Congregations) and I worshiped with this community of kingdom builders, led by PASTOR RONNIE KIEHM, who are passionate about figuring out how to participate in what God is doing in their community.

THANK YOU Trinity Baptist Seneca, SC and Crescent Hill Baptist Louisville ... LaBelle refurbishing happening now!

Can't you hear the brum, brum brums, rr-rr-rrs, rat tat tats, rizzzz bzzz and the bang bang bangs?

We ARE better together!

#cultivateabundance #drhousing #housingforhurricanerecovery

COMING SOON...

Housing for both Cultivate Abundance Mission Teams &

Disaster Response Teams as needed.

2024 Emmanuel McCall Lenten Devotional series

The 2024 Emmanuel McCall Lenten Devotional series is prepared by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship family and friends. It is a project of love that is designed to be read during the season of Lent, which begins February 14, 2024.

There are wonderful reflections on God's Word, thought-provoking questions, prayers, incorporation of the arts and noteworthy information.

As the devotional is read, our prayer is that our hearts open to the call of God to speak, walk and act justly. And, may our faith, courage and boldness grow stronger.

Available in both English and Spanish.

BSK is now accepting applications for the Master of Arts in Ministry Studies program, launching in Fall 2024! The program, completed online through live Zoom sessions, is designed for people who want to grow in their calling while remaining in their full-time ministry or professional positions. The 36 hour degree program is centered around the selection of a specialty area by the student in consultation with faculty. Students may select from traditional fields of study or choose an area that is interdisciplinary. The program concludes with a Capstone project or thesis relating to the student’s area of specialization.

Learn More Here.

New Year, New Job?

2 Opportunities with CBF

Associate Coordinator for FL & the Caribbean Islands

PAK Field Ministry Coordinator

Apply Here

Click here to view!

"As you explore this report, do so with gratitude for the collective impact we've made and with anticipation of the transformative possibilities that lie ahead." Paul Baxley

Read the latest Fellowship magazine HERE. PS. Check out pages 26-29!

January 2024 CBF Book Club

Dancing in the Darkness: Spiritual Lessons for Thriving in Turbulent Times

By Otis Moss

Dancing in the Darkness is a “life-affirming” (Dr. Teresa L. Fry Brown) guide to the practical, political, and spiritual challenges of our day. Drawing on the teachings of Dr. King, Howard Thurman, sacred scripture, southern wisdom, global spiritual traditions, Black culture, and his own personal experiences, Dr. Moss instructs you on how to practice spiritual resistance by combining justice and love. This collection helps us tap into the spiritual reserves we all possess but too often overlook, so we can slay our personal demons, confront our civic challenges, and reach our highest goals.

Click here

This year’s theme, “Equipping With Every Good Thing,” is based on Hebrews 13:20-21: "Now may the God of peace … equip you with every good thing to do his will, by developing in us what pleases him through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory forever and always.” The Offering for Global Missions equips the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship with the gifts and passions of 46 Field Personnel in 17 different countries and the United States, spreading the hope of Jesus Christ. When you give to the Offering for Global Missions, you also participate in this mission of Jesus Christ around the world.

This year we have a goal of $4 million. Every gift helps us reach this goal to support the presence of Field Personnel.

Make a gift to the offering here

Get your copy of the

OGM Prayer Guide below

"Writers were invited to share about someone who has made a significant impact on their lives, a spiritual guide so to speak - one who has shaped their faith, their theology or their prayer life." Thanks Meg Lacy Vega for compiling these beautiful Spiritual Guides.

Order Copies of 2023-24 Prayers of the People HERE.