| September 23, 2026 | |
 | From the Desk of your DOM Upcoming Opportunities: September See You at the Pole Youth Rally- Sept. 23 Youth and Children’s Volunteer Training- Sept. 26 Let’s Celebrate Pastor’s Breakfast Golf Tournament Women’s Breakfast Pray for our CRBA Pastors of the Week More CRBA Calendar Events Resource of the Week Church & Ministry Partner News |
 Homecoming @ Hopewell 09.20.2026 I had the privilege of preaching at Hopewell for their Homecoming service. The message focused on Acts 2:42-47 and used the image of a plumb bob/line (pointing to the impact of the Word on the practices of the church). We enjoyed a meal afterwards and then returned for their Revival Services that evening.  Toy Store Golf Tournament Our Toy Store Golf Tourn. Team did a great job organizing this year’s event. 18 Teams Registered! I enjoyed working with our great volunteers who pulled this tournament together. They are so incredible! A special thank you to our Platinum Sponsors for their generous support: Mitch Walker for District Attorney, Security Unlimited, and Steel Creek Park. _____________ Annual Meeting is Soon!! We are working on a brand-new publication that will feature ALL of the activities and ministries of the CRBA in a creative, magazine format. This will serve as our Annual Report and we hope it will be a resource you will want to keep! Our Ministry Teams are providing the info and photos to create a great story of our collaborative work!  | From the Desk of your DOM Wednesday, September 23 – Guests Expected “We have guests coming over!” When that news is announced, what results? Is it excitement? A bit of panic as the whirlwind of cleaning begins? Surprise? Joy? Maybe your response is like a comic I once read, “We don’t people to think we live like we actually live.” Of course, we want to present the very best version of ourselves. So, let’s apply that to our churches. As we consider the opportunity to welcome guests each week, I wonder what we have done to prepare for their arrival. Invite: Can it be that simple? Yes – and it must start there! Barna Research popularly states, “~82% of unchurched people are at least somewhat likely to attend if invited.”Expect Guests: If you begin with an attitude of expectation, you’ll be more likely to prepare, welcome, and interact with guests. Are you ready for guests this Sunday? Not Just Friendly: People are not just looking for a “friendly church.” Being friendly is greeting and walking away. Being a friend is greeting and offering to sit with or walk with them! Website: Do your online resources have the essential details (address, service times, Bible version, attire, etc.)? No online presence? Our association can create a basic page on our site for your church with this info. Just contact us via email or call our office. Here is a sample page using Brown Mountain. Note: We cannot maintain changing/schedule info. Signage: Is there clear signage to help your guests find their way – in the parking lot and where to enter?Tell Them What to Expect: Have you considered taking a moment in the service to tell the audience what to expect (an opening song, a greeting time, sermon, etc.). Sure, we know what comes next – but a guest is learning as they go! What a blessing to welcome families and individuals to our churches each week. As God entrusts them to us, let’s steward that responsibility well for His glory! Video Update Posted to Facebook Once again, I uploaded a video update to Facebook – offering a Scripture challenge, prayer list of the churches and pastors, leadership tip, and overview of upcoming activities. You can see this week’s video on our Monday post. For those who do not use Facebook, here’s the YouTube link:Click HERE to watch the YouTube video. Michael R. Hodge Director of Missions What are we working on at the CRBA?CRBA Mission TeamNext week, several of our pastors and leaders will be traveling with Baptist on Mission to support our fellow believers in the European Peoples Affinity Group of our IMB. This trip will help our association to strengthen our partnership with this region of the globe. Pray for our CRBA Team as they serve on this international vision/partnership trip Sept. 30-Oct. 9. Annual Meeting Upcoming – Oct. 18We are working hard to be ready for a great Annual Meeting/Celebration. This happens on October 18 at Mount Home Baptist Church. Have you selected your messengers yet? The Messenger Allotment: Article II, Section 5 of the CRBA states that each CRBA church is entitled to: Three messengers for its first 100 members, or any fraction thereof. One additional messenger for each additional 100 members. Each ministerial staff member who belongs to the church counts as an additional messenger.  |
 Our ministries at Catawba River Baptist Association are guided by this summary statement capturing our three categories: We exist to Equip and Encourage pastors and churches to Engage communities with the Gospel. | |
 Thursday, Sept. 2412noon @ CRBA | Join us at the table! Format for this Week – Pastors Roundtable Bring your lunch. Enjoy the encouragement. Then we will engage in the conversation. Topic: Guarding the Pastor’s Heart Resource: “10 Ways I Know When My Spiritual Walk Is Stagnant” — Chuck Lawless Click on the link above to look at the resource prior to our gathering. Chuck Lawless identifies recognizable warning signs such as Bible reading becoming a chore, prayer becoming lifeless, worry increasing, and concern for the lost diminishing. We will read the warning signs posed by Lawless and challenge one another in how we respond. See you Thursday! |
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We are so thankful for a successful Toy Store Golf Tournament this past Saturday! It was a wonderful day of fellowship, fun, and generosity as golfers and sponsors came together to help make Christmas special for children and families in our community.
| Praying for our CRBA Pastors | |
 Churches Without Senior Pastors Bethlehem FBC Connelly Springs FBC Morganton Catawba Valley Silver Creek First Hmong – Pastor Installation Service – Sept. 26. | Each week, we feature several of our Pastors who faithfully serve in our CRBA churches. We are providing a contact email for encouragement purposes. Action Step: Pray for these churches and pastors – then send an email of encouragement and support! Featured Pastors for this WeekBrookwood Baptist Church (Pastor Earl Cross- eccross@charter.net) Brown Mountain Baptist Church (Pastor Luke Gwynn- lukegwyn87@gmail.com) Burkemont Baptist Church (Pastor Luke Lane- llane@burkemontbaptist.org) Central Baptist Church (Pastor Thom Hartman- thartman827@gmail.com) Community Missionary Baptist (Pastor Chad Miller- CDM9977@icloud.com) Community of Drexel Baptist Church (Pastor Kelly Walsh- walshkelly58@gmail.com ) CRBA Churches Seeking Staff Please be in prayer for our churches seeking to fill staff positions. When we have a new position posted it will appear in this newsletter for a few weeks, but all our positions are always available to view on our website. Enon Baptist Church is seeking a part-time music director. Please send resume to Enon Baptist Church 2059 Enon Rd. Morganton, NC 28655 C/O Personnel Committee. Enon Baptist Church is seeking a part-time youth director. Please send resume to Enon Baptist Church 2059 Enon Rd. Morganton, NC 28655 C/O Personnel Committee. |
| More CRBA Calendar Events | ||
   | September Baptist Mission Offering Emphasis 23- SYATP Youth Rally 26- Youth and Children’s Volunteer Training 30- Oct. 8- Armenia Mission Trip October Coats for the City Collection 5&6- Toy Store Registration 8- Timothy Project 9- Baking for Babies- Baked Goods Due 10- Pregnancy Care Center Day for Life – Baking For Babies Booth 18- Fall Meeting @ Mt. Home 18- Coats for the City Donations due at Fall Meeting 18- Momentum Youth Rally @ Burkemont 19-20- CRBA Youth Fall Mission Trip- Helene Rebuild 27- Gospel Legacy Training for Sr. Adults @ 10am November 3- Ministry Wives Event 8- Timothy Project 9- Men’s Rally @ Grace 21- NC Baptist Marriage Conference with Gary Chapman @ Burkemont December 1- Pastors and Wives Christmas Dinner 3-6- Coats for City Trip to NYC 7-10- Toy Store | |
| CRBA Resource of the Week | |
 | Your CRBA has a Big E Cube available for you to check out. This is a great large display that opens up and tells the gospel. Checking out any resource is free of charge to all our CRBA churches. We also have small, handheld cubes that can be passed around your group while you present with the LARGE cube at the front. It’s an easy mission-focused, evangelism resource for a group. Click HERE to see the EvangeCube presentation in action. It’s a great missions/evangelism resource. If you would like to reserve any CRBA resource, just call (828) 437-0137. |
 On Mission Together: Seated & Sent September 19, 2026Women’s Evangelism and Discipleship ConferenceLawndale Baptist Church, 3505 Lawndale Dr, Greensboro, NC 27408Saturday, September 19th, 2026RegisterCost: $30 |  |
 |  The entire Baptist On Mission budget comes from the North Carolina Mission Offering. |
| Mull’s Grove Click the image to see the full size promo on Mull’s Grove Facebook page. |  |
 | EQUIPPING EVERY PASTOR IN WESTERN N.C. Biltmore Church – Arden Campus, 35 Clayton Rd, Arden, NC 28704 Saturday, October 10th, 2026 Click the image above for registration information (opens on June 17). Note: Michael Hodge is registered and can take several of you with him! Others of you may want to carpool as well. |
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