RAYFLECTIONS
Cooperative Baptist
Dr. Ray Higgins
SPRING 2009
FELLOWSHIP of Arkansas
CbfAR Coordinator
1504 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Little Rock, AR 72202
501.223.8586 • Website address: www.cbfar.org
Serving Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.
Charlie Higgins (right), Ray Higgins’
nephew, with Ned Skinner, Virginia Tech
Swim Coach.
CBF-AR Spring Conference
Friday morning
Judy & I just returned from a 16
hour round trip to watch my nephew
swim for 47 seconds. Every hour on
the road was worth watching every
second of Charlie’s swim. It was the
annual NCAA Swim Meet, and Charlie
Higgins, as a freshman, is one of the
top 100-yard college backstrokers.
4
HOUR
No matter how far you drive, or
how hard you work to rearrange your
schedule, being with Brian McLaren
will be worth it. You can join us for
the 4 hour conversation Friday, or his
keynote presentation Friday night.
Brian
We are very grateful for your prayers,
involvement and financial support.
It’s making a difference in the lives of
people God loves and in places God
cares about!
Saturday
Morning
Workshops
McLaren
9:00-10:00AM
Brian McLaren
&
and
Greg Carter
10:15-11:15AM
Second Baptist
Little Rock
Friday, April 24
10:00AM–2:00PM
Lunch, Business
Session & Communion
Second Baptist
Worship Center
$25 registration fee
~Lunch Included~
7:00-8:30PM
Worship Center
11:30-1:00PM
Racial Unity Worship
McKinney
We hope to see you for this time of
fellowship, inspiration and action. It
will be worth whatever time it takes
you to get here and whatever you have
to give up to be here. It will be worth
inviting your friends, too.
Worship with
CONVERSATION
with
saturday
JV
This year’s conference has 3
dynamic events. First, the 4 hour
conversation with Brian on Friday.
Second, the Friday night worship
experience with Brian and dynamic
nightclub & theatre singer, Greg
Carter, a native of Little Rock and
product of Second Baptist. Third, the
four outstanding workshops, lunch,
business session, and Communion
on Saturday.
Friday evening
Over 300 people attended the Racial Unity Worship Service on Sunday, February 22nd at Pulaski
Heights Baptist Church in Little Rock. 10 churches, 5 black and 5 white, participated in the worship
experience. Bishop Steven Arnold, Senior Pastor of St. Mark Baptist Church in Little Rock, preached the
sermon, and Kate Campbell, musical artist from Nashville, TN, sang. Dr. Fitz Hill, president of Arkansas
Baptist College, presented his vision for the college and the neighborhood. Attendees gave an offering
of over $7,000 for ABC’s Community Redevelopment Fund. One attendee gave $17,000 to purchase a
house and property adjacent to the campus.
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
of Arkansas
It’s Time for Change
Conference Details
4
HOUR
CONVERSATION
Friday, April 24
5:00-6:30 p.m. Dinner....................................... $10.00
( Drop in anytime between 5:00 and 6:30)
7:00-8:30 p.m. Worship with Brian McLaren, Greg Carter
8:30-9:30 p.m. Fellowship & McLaren book signing
Saturday, April 25
8:00-8:50 a.m.
9:00-10:00 a.m.
10:15-11:15 a.m.
11:30-1:00 p.m.
Free Continental Breakfast with Networking Groups
2BC Fellowship Hall
Workshops
Workshops
Lunch ($10), Business Session and Communion
with
Brian
McLaren
Friday, April 24
10:00AM–2:00PM
Child Care Provided–Reservation Required
Worship Center, Second Baptist Church,
Downtown Little Rock
CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES PROVIDED
Registration Fee is $25
birth through 5 years
5 years old through 5th grade
for Friday evening and Saturday morning
Contact CBF AR call 223-8586 or email [email protected]
for reservations
Housing
• The Legacy Hotel—625 West Capitol Ave, Little Rock, AR 72201 (501.374.0100)
www.legacyhotel.com (Ask for the CBF rate)
• Holiday Inn Presidential Downtown—
600 Interstate 30, Little Rock, AR 72202 (501.375.2100)
www.book.hipresidential.com
Information
CBF of Arkansas Office (501.223.8586) • www.cbfar.org
[email protected] (Ray Higgins); [email protected] (Charles Ray)
[email protected] (Chrystal Ball)
(Lunch Provided)
Brian’s Topics:
• Theological Change • Church Change
• Personal Change in the Life of the Leader
Designed for Pastors, Pastoral Teams, Professionals,
Leaders, Young Leaders,
Ministers, Seekers, Postmoderns
Log on to www.brianmclaren.net
to learn more about Brian
2009 Spring Conference
April 24–25
Friday Night
Worship
Saturday
Workshops
Workshop One
9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m.
n CBF & CBFAR’s Future
—Led by Kevin Heifner, M.D.; Dr. Chester Thompson
& Charlie Cole Chaffin
Featuring
Brian McLaren
Musical Artist
Greg Carter
7:00PM–8:30PM
Conference Location
Downtown
8TH
ot
tS
n A Palestinian Christian’s Perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict—Dr. Raouf Halaby
n Understanding Change and the Emerging Chaos
—Dr. Otto Loewer
Break
N
2BC
Sc
Mountain Home—Dr. David Johnson
10:00 a.m.–10:15 a.m.
River Market
7TH
n A Preview of the Leadership Summit at FBC
t.
I-
30
Cu
mb
erl
an
dS
9TH
t.
I-630
Child Care
Provided, Reservation Required
[email protected]
Activities for Children
1st through 5th grade
Provided Friday evening
& Saturday morning
Workshop Two
10:15 a.m.–11:15 a.m.
n CBF & CBFAR’s Future
—Led by Kevin Heifner, M.D.; Dr. Chester Thompson
& Charlie Cole Chaffin
n A Preview of the Leadership Summit at FBC Mountain Home—Dr. David Johnson
n A Palestinian Christian’s Perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict—Dr. Raouf Halaby
n Panel Discussion of Pastors on Understanding Change and the Emerging Chaos
—Led by Rev. Steve Sheely
Arkansas Baptist College-CBFAR Partnership
This house on 16th street is the third house renovated through the ABCCBFAR partnership. The college owns the house which will be used as
an Information Center with new campus parking adjacent to the house.
This early 1900s home, located on Martin Luther King Drive, is being
renovated through the ABC-CBFAR partnership and will be used as the
college’s Student Services Center.
Pulaski Heights Baptist Church in Little Rock gave $11,000 to
Arkansas Baptist College for the purchase of this property and
house for the college to use for student housing. Dr. Randy Hyde
is pastor of Pulaski Heights Baptist Church and a former moderator
for CBF of Arkansas. Dr. Fitz Hill is president of Arkansas Baptist
College and a member of CBFAR’s Coordinating Council.
Dr. Fitz Hill, president of Arkansas Baptist College, brings corporate
executives through the CBFAR office as he describes his vision for the
college and the neighborhood. Also pictured is Charles Ray, CBFAR’s
director of renovation projects.
CBFAR NEWS
Dr. Ed Simpson, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Little Rock, visits
with Dr. Fitz Hill about the college and the neighborhood and gives
President Hill a check from Calvary Baptist Church for the college’s
Community Redevelopment Fund. Also pictured is Ray Higgins,
CBFAR’s coordinator.
Inside CBF Of Arkansas
MSM Day: CBF February Annual Event
Rev. Carolyn Staley, Minister of Education & Missions at Pulaski Heights Baptist
Church in Little Rock, preaches at Zion Hill Baptist Church, Camden where Dr. Chester
Thompson, moderator-elect of CBF of Arkansas, serves as pastor. Dr. Thompson and
his church celebrated the Martha Stearns Marshall Day of Preaching by inviting
Rev. Staley to preach. The MSM Day is celebrated each February as an opportunity
to highlight the historic role of women preachers and pastors in Baptist life. Rev.
Staley also preached at Pulaski Heights on their MSM Day. 109 churches celebrated
the day during February this year, compared with 76 churches in 2008. For more
information, go to www.bwim.info. . Staley is also the facilitator for the new Baptist
Women in Ministry Network in Arkansas.
Why Leave A Legacy?
by Charles Ray
In life, most of us require some kind of
assistance, whether physical, financial or spiritual. Perhaps
a local church provided meals during a hard time. Maybe you
went to school on a scholarship. These helps were someone’s
mission and they cost money.
CBFAR has many missions and they are all funded by your
gifts. However, if your gifts stop at death, so will our mission.
More than 80 percent of Americans contribute to nonprofit
groups throughout their lifetime. However, according to
research conducted in 2000, only eight percent provided for
the work of their choice to continue through a legacy gift.
By making bequests and other planned gifts, you can
continue to help CBFAR make a difference in our state.
Many of us assume these sorts of gifts are given only by the
wealthy. Look at what really happens.
nMore than 2 million Americans die each year.
nIn 1996, 79,346 estate tax forms were filed with the
IRS. (That year these forms were required for estates in
excess of $600,000.) 18 percent listed a charitable gift.
nIn other words, 82 percent of the nation’s wealthiest
individuals left nothing to charity.
Bo Prosser
Dr. Bo Prosser, CBF’s Coordinator for Congregational Life,
spent 5 days in Arkansas consulting with pastors, pastoral
teams and church leaders across the state. Dr. Prosser is visiting
with Dr. Emil Williams, pastor of Magnolia Road Baptist Church
in
Jonesboro,
a veteran pastor in
Arkansas, and one
of the founders of
CBF of Arkansas.
If only 20 percent left a charitable bequest, the current
number would double.
You can provide for all the work you are now supporting by
making a simple change to your will.
General bequest language says,
“I give, devise, and bequeath to Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship of Arkansas, the sum of $_______, for the benefit of
the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Arkansas and its general
purpose.”
Thank you for all you do for CBF of Arkansas.
CBF-AR Finances
Annual Budget July 2008-June 2009 = $230,517.50
Total Income July 2008-February 2009 = $138,107.61
Total Expenses July 2008-February 2009 = $126,388.22
Total Income July 2008-March 2009 = $142,951.
Total Income July 2007-March 2008 = $151,878.
We are grateful for your gifts in tough economic times.
We are strategic in our missions & ministry spending.
We will stay strong through spring & summer
with your generous support.
Newell Baptism
Gabriela Newell, daughter of Ben & Leonora Newell, CBF
missionaries in Helena, was baptized
March 29 at New Light Missionary
Baptist Church in Helena. New
Light Pastor Ed Wade (center) and
Leonora’s father, the Rev. Dr. Frans
Schalkwijk, a career missionary,
seminary dean, and author from
the Netherlands to Brazil, led in her
baptism. It was the first baptism in the church’s new facility.
CBFAR NEWS
CBFar missions
Put Morgan Woodard as our CBF Campus Minister
at the U of A in Fayetteville in partnership with
Rolling Hills Baptist Church, Fayetteville
(Minister to College & Youth)
Target Date: August 2009.
Amount to Raise: $25,000.
Renovate the Coffeehouse/
Worship Center/Ministry Center
for the Roma people
in Cinobana, Slovakia.
Target Date: Spring 2010.
(For sending a renovation team from Arkansas)
Amount to Raise: $15,000.
Chaplain Residents from Slovakia
Dasa Hanesova & Klara Uhrinova recently led worship at Providence
Baptist Church in Little Rock where Dr. Stan Wilson is pastor. Dasa &
Klara are seminary graduates from Slovakia who are chaplain residents
in the Clinical Pastoral Education Program at Baptist Health in Little
Rock. The program is directed by Dr. Bill Carpenter in the pastoral
care department which Stan Wilson directs. Shane & Dianne McNary,
CBF field personnel in Slovakia and missionary partners with CBFAR,
connected Dasa & Klara with the Baptist Health program.
Missionaries Shane & Dianne McNary to Be in the Little Rock Area
Set up Your Missionary Visit Now
Shane and Dianne McNary, Arkansans who serve as CBF missionaries in Slovakia
& Prague, will be spending May 15th to August 11th in the Little Rock area. You
may email Shane at [email protected] to set up an appointment with them.
They are available to preach, to speak, to lead conversations with pastors, pastoral
teams, missions leaders, missions groups, children (missions education) and students
(global missions experiences). You design the setting and they will share about their
transformation ministries with the Roma people.
Delta Jewels to Exhibit at
CBFAR Spring Conference
CBFAR NEWS
Rev. Vivian Hoskins, a CBFAR Coordinating Council member from Helena,
works with Delta Jewels, a ministry of Together for Hope. Along with the Newells’
leadership, Wanda Kidd and Brenda Miles lead the group of 10 Helena area girls as
they make jewelry. They sell their products at CBF General Assemblies, in churches,
and at the Clinton School of Public Service. Look for the Delta Jewels exhibit at the
April CBFAR Spring Conference. You can contact Ben & Leonora (bnewell22@gmail.
com) to invite Delta Jewels to your church, city, or special group.
CBF General Assembly 2009
Bus Trip to Houston, TX
June 30th—July 4th
Check out this travel package!
• Deluxe motor coach from
Little Rock to Houston
(Joining CBFers from Missouri)
• Four nights lodging at the luxurious
Hilton Americas in Houston
• CBF General Assembly: “Embrace the
World: Welcome to Your Neighborhood”
• Return trip on Saturday, July 4th,
$670/person
$900/person
arrive home in time for fireworks
• Single
Double
occupancy
occupancy
in your hometown
Contact CBF Arkansas for reservations: (501)223-8586 or [email protected]
CBF Arkansas • 1504 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive • Little Rock,AR 72202 • www.cbfar.org
CBFAR NEWS
Non-Profit
U.S. POSTAGE
Cooperative Baptist
FELLOWSHIP
PAID
of Arkansas
1504 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive,
Little Rock, AR 72202
Little Rock, AR
Permit No. 1365
If you use the contribution envelope, please add new address, thanks!
Address Service Requested
Visit our website at www.cbfar.org
To receive email communications, send
your emails address to [email protected]
Dr. Ray Higgins, Coordinator
Dr. Tom Logue, Coordinator Emeritus
Charles Ray, National Disaster Response
Coordinator and CBFAR’s Special Projects
Coordinator
Chrystal Ball, Administrative Assistant
CBF of AR Officers
Dr. Kevin Heifner, Little Rock—Moderator
Dr. Chester Thompson, Camden—Moderator-Elect
Charlie Cole Chaffin, Benton—Past Moderator
Norma Caldwell, Pine Bluff—Recorder
Mitzi Bass, Arkadelphia—AR member of the
CBF National Coordinating Council
Dr. Chester Thompson, Camden—member Ethnic
Network of the CBF National Coordinating Council
Special Gifts to CBF of AR
In memory of Kay Wilcox by David, Susanne,
Jaxson, & Mark Aaron Belk
In memory of Kay Wilcox by Lyndell & Bernice Lay
In memory of Kay Wilcox by Christina Spear
In memory of Kay Wilcox by Johnny & Ann Poteet
In memory of Wilson & Margaret Deese by
Truett & Lillian Goatcher
In honor of Lane & Judy Strother by
Peter & Jan Peitz
In honor of Lane & Judy Strother by
Russell & Ina Miller
In honor of Jamie Jones by Dr. Andrew Hall
Disaster Response
Dr. Lynn Worthen (right), pastor of First Baptist, El Dorado, and Sarah
Kinard (middle), FBC member and CBFAR Coordinating Council member,
receive a disaster response equipment trailer that Charles Ray (left)
created for the church to use in its disaster response ministry. Both FBC
El Dorado and Second Baptist Little Rock own equipment trailers and have
teams who are available to respond to disasters.