Happy "Holy" Days

2011-11-29T13:21:00.000-08:00

Grace and Peace to You!

All of us here at the BMC wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! This time of year is powerful and profound for people of faith. We have celebrated Thanksgiving. Now we are pell-mell into the Christmas rush of gift-buying, attending special church events, and family gatherings. And in the midst of all this, we also must keep a close eye on the LSU Tigers and the New Orleans Saints!! Oh, My!!

I am thankful for several Fall associational milestones. In October, the Big Creek Association conducted a Parish wide evangelistic revival. The event was held October 16-19, at the Dry Prong Junior High Auditorium. Many Big Creek churches transferred their services to meet together for the services. Evangelist, Bill Britt presented a clear gospel message and dozens of Grant Parish residents responded for salvation. Central Association conducted their Annual Associational meeting at Emmanuel Baptist Church on October 16, in the Bolton Chapel. Fellow Director of Missions from the Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge, Tommy Middleton, brought the Annual Sermon to cap off an excellent gathering of the Central Association churches. North Rapides Association gathered for their Annual Meeting on October 9, at FBC Pineville. LBC President, Rod Masteller delivered the Annual Sermon at this important associational event. In November, many people from our three associations worked together to conduct twenty-six hours of intensive evangelism at Camp Beauregard's Dabadie Correctional Center. Two Louisiana pastors spoke at the evening services: Fred Luter of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, and Steve Speer of HIS Church in Pineville. These services along with other special guests and local volunteers provided very strong biblical messages to the 350 offenders housed there. Many of the men responded to the invitation to come to Christ during those power-packed 26 hours of evangelism.

The month of December will be packed with Christmas Pageants and lots of class parties. As we gather for these special times of fellowship, let us proclaim with great joy, the good news that "Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given!"

At your Baptist Mission Center, your associational office; we are so thankful for the improvements to our facility that have recently been provided by the cooperative efforts of our 95 area churches. We had 33 old and leaky windows replaced with new and energy efficient windows and we had three old and equally leaky doors replaced with new and energy efficient models. I can tell you, it is so nice to not feel the cold draft that formerly was present inside these offices! Thanks, associations...for this much appreciated improvement. Also in December, we welcome Paula Shepherd to our offices as our new family counselor with the Granberry Family Counseling Center. Paula takes on that important Christian counseling roll upon the resignation of Ginger Hisaw, who held that vital position faithfully for the previous seven years. We wish Ginger the very best in her new place of service and we warmly welcome Paula to this associational office and ministry post.

On a personal note, many of you have heard the announcement by now, but perhaps some have not heard of my news of joy. In the wonderful providence of our Lord, I have been blessed with a very special lady who has graced my life. Her name is Linda Baird, and she and I were in the same Youth Group as teens. In a very special way, God has now drawn us together in a remarkable fashion. You see, Linda, who was widowed for ten years ago when her husband died from heart disease, lives in Arizona! Even though the challenges of our being 1,368 miles apart physically were daunting, we have surely fallen in love and will be joined in marriage on December 30, 2011. After our wedding at Fellowship Church in Prairieville, Louisiana (where my daughter and her husband serve), we will be at home right here in central Louisiana! I'll take this occasion to ask that keep us in your prayers...Linda especially! Can you imagine the changes she is about to encounter!!? Wow, she is leaving her long time home in Arizona; she is leaving her job as Vice President and Branch Manger at the bank where she has been employed the past ten years; she will be leaving behind her mother and one of her sisters; and she will come here to be suddenly placed in the glass house of ministry for the first time! She is taking on some mighty big changes for the sake of our love. I am so pleased to know already, that she will find friendly folks who will greet her with the Southern grace and hospitality that is so abundant among our terrific church people. I can't wait for each of you to meet her!

Again, Grace and Peace to you this Christmas season...and a Happy New Year!

Robert Daniel,
Director of Missions
Big Creek, Central, and North Rapides Associations