| In this issue: Special Called Business Meeting Let’s Celebrate Ministry Assistant Appreciation Lunch Unfiltered Faith Youth Rally Steve Mathews Fish Fry Benefit Upcoming Opportunities Cakes for Kids Men’s Rally Grocery Cards Save the Date BurkeChangers Forms Due Resource of the Week Church News Partner News Pastoral Training Lab |
Special Called Business Meeting CRBA Churches and Pastors, Your CRBA Associational Missionary Strategist Search Team are excited to inform you that God has led us to His candidate for this position. We have been praying and searching since June 1, 2025. We have reviewed numerous resumes. We have conducted interviews digitally and in person. It has been a joy serving our Lord Jesus Christ and His local churches, which comprise the CRBA.The Associational Council and the moderator in cooperation with the search team are calling a special business meeting on May 5th at 6:30pm at Burkemont for the team to present the candidate and to allow the candidate to share. Then, the CRBA messengers will be given secret ballots to vote “Yes” or “No” for the candidate.Preceding the business meeting, there will be a meet and greet with the candidate and his wife 5:00-6:00pm at Burkemont. This time is designed for the messengers and any guests to meet the candidate and his wife.We encourage you to continue to pray for this process and especially for the meeting on May 5th. May the Lord’s Will be done for His glory and His honor. If there are any questions, you may address them to any of the team members: Luke Lane, Chair; Stephen Collins, Vice Chair; Sally Dixon, Secretary; Marty Bess; Justin Cunningham; Gene Kirby; Lori Matthews; and Jack Hodges, Alternate.In Christ, CRBA AMS Search Team Click Here for a view of the map for Tuesday night. Let’s Celebrate Ministry Assistant Appreciation Banquet  What a wonderful time we shared last week at our Annual Ministry Assistants Appreciation Banquet. It was a joy to gather together and honor those who serve so faithfully behind the scenes in our churches. These wonderful ladies play a vital role in the day-to-day ministry of the church, and it was a blessing to celebrate them in such a meaningful way. A heartfelt thank you goes to our Church Strengthening Team for organizing this special event. Your thoughtful planning and attention to detail made the evening truly memorable for everyone involved. We are also grateful to Mount Calvary for graciously hosting the banquet. Your hospitality helped create a warm and welcoming atmosphere that made the night even more special. And to our pastors, thank you for taking the time to be present and to personally express your appreciation. Your support and encouragement meant so much to these dedicated servants of the Lord and His church. It was a wonderful reminder that we are better together, and that every role in the body of Christ matters. To God be the glory for such a meaningful time of gratitude and fellowship. Unfiltered Faith Youth Rally  To view a slideshow from the event please click here. This past Sunday, we witnessed something truly special at the Unfiltered Faith Youth Rally. It was an incredible time of worship, testimony, and authentic faith as students from across our CRBA churches gathered together, and what a joy it was to see God at work in their lives. One of the greatest blessings of the night was watching our students take the lead. Many of those who planned and led the rally are part of our Timothy Project, and they did an outstanding job serving their peers and pointing everyone to Christ. From organizing the event to leading in worship and sharing from their hearts, these young leaders demonstrated a genuine and growing faith that is exciting to see. The rally was not only a meaningful time for our church families, but also a powerful outreach to students in our community. It was encouraging to see students inviting friends and creating a welcoming space where the Gospel was clearly shared. A heartfelt thank you to Burkemont Baptist Church for graciously hosting this event and providing such a wonderful environment for ministry. And thank you to our Timothy Project students for your faithfulness, leadership, and willingness to serve. You are making a difference. We give God all the glory for what He has done and look forward with anticipation to how He will continue to move in the lives of our students. Upcoming Opportunities Steve Mathews Fish Fry Benefit  Tickets are $15 each and can be picked up at Catawba River Baptist Association or secured online using the QR code in the flyer. Cakes for Kids   Men’s Rally- Please RSVP by May 11th  Food Roundup Cards  The CRBA churches are collecting grocery cards to send to the NC Baptist Children’s Homes. Please drop off all cards by this Thursday, April 30th so we can deliver them with the Cakes for Kids on May 4th. Thank you! Save the Date Burke Changers Forms Due May 7th  All forms and Payments for BurkeChangers are due on May 7th! It’s not too late to participate yet…. if you haven’t signed up, please give us a call (828) 437-0137 so we can add you. Resources of the Week  Your CRBA has Spike Ball available for you to check out. Checking out any resource is free of charge to all our CRBA churches. If you would like to reserve any CRBA resource just call (828) 437-0137. VBS We’d love to help promote your VBS! If you’ll send us your dates and theme, we’ll include them here in the newsletter. Sharing this information also helps our churches connect and coordinate—especially for those using the same theme who may be able to share decorations based on their schedules. Church News Several of our churches are hiring a variety of positions. We list them here for just a couple of weeks and then ask you to visit our website to see all the positions open. If you have a community event we can advertise for you, please send us a .jpg to admin@crbanc.org and we would be so happy to put it in our Church News Section Zion-  Partner News Pastoral Training Lab Date: May 19 Location: Pee Dee Baptist Association, 111 Raleigh St, Hamlet, NC 28345 Finding Joy When the Work Feels Heavy Pastoral ministry is one of the greatest callings and one of the hardest. Every shepherd knows the weight of loneliness, criticism, exhaustion and unmet expectations. Discouragement can creep in quietly, leaving even faithful pastors wondering if their labor is in vain. In this session, we’ll take an honest, biblical look at discouragement in ministry, why it happens, how it affects us, and how to overcome it through the grace and joy of Jesus Christ. You’ll walk away refreshed, encouraged and equipped with practical truths to help you persevere with joy in serving both the Lord and His church. Topics include:The reality of discouragement in ScriptureCommon causes of pastoral wearinessBiblical principles for endurance and renewalPractical rhythms to restore joy in ministryWho should attend: Pastors, ministry leaders and anyone shepherding God’s people who needs a reminder that God’s work is never in vain. Come ready to be encouraged, grounded in God’s Word and reminded of why you said “yes” to this calling.Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.Galatians 6:9 Register for Pastoral Training Lab Here SBC Worship Survey  A research team with the Worship Initiative is conducting a survey of music and worship practices in SBC churches—the first survey of its kind since 1938.We’re asking SBC churches of all sizes, ethnicities, and worship styles from across the country to let their voices be heard by completing this 10-minute survey. The more feedback we get, the clearer the picture of what worship and music looks and sounds like in our SBC churches.So far, we’ve had over 950 churches complete this survey, but only 30 of those are from North Carolina. We’d love to hear from many more of the 3,000+ SBC churches in North Carolina. That’s why I’m asking for your help. Click for a short video. Pregnancy Care Center Bottle Drive  |
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