175th Anniversary Interview Results
Posted on November 28th, 2011
During the weeks leading up to our 175th anniversary celebration, Jay Lynn, Executive Director of Creative Change Consulting, conducted interviews among all age groups within our congregation to celebrate and acknowledge what God is doing here at Farmville Baptist. (These interviews were videotaped, and portions of interviews were included in our anniversary video.) Congregants were asked a series of questions, and below are a visual depiction (called “word clouds”) of the most popular answers. In these word clouds, the bigger the words, the more often they appeared as an answer to the questions that Jay asked. Read the rest of this entry »
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Thankful for the Saints Among Us
Posted on November 4th, 2009
Pastor’s Column published in The Informer (FBC’s Newsletter for November, 2009)
November 1 is “All Saints Day” in our liturgical calendar and in our worship service that morning, we will remember the members of our congregation who passed away this year. In addition to that remembrance, we will also acknowledge three members of Farmville Baptist by presenting them with a “Good and Faithful Servant” recognition. This acknowledgement is not a competition, and this year’s recipients are not “more worthy” than others in our congregation. It is simply a way for our church to publicly express our thanks and appreciation to individuals who have made significant and sustained contributions to Farmville Baptist Church
This year, we will recognize Edith Ann Austin, who has served as a Sunday School teacher or department head since 1980. She has also served multiple terms on the Personnel, Constitution and Special Memorial Committees.
We will also recognize Janie Simpson, who has taught Sunday School since 1974, as well as served on the Audit, Personnel and Special Memorial Committees.
Betty Watson will also be recognized for her contributions as the Clerk for 26 years, for teaching Sunday School and being a Teller for over 20 years. Betty has also served on the Constitution, Stewardship, and Pastor Search Committees.
In addition to these three, we will also designate Peggy Cave as a Life Deacon in recognition for her four-term service as a deacon. Peggy sang in the choir for over 30 years and she also served as a volunteer choir director. She has served on the Personnel, Pulpit Supply, Library, Nominating, Music & Worship, Outreach, Preschool and Pastor Search Committees. She currently teaches a Sunday School class and leads the Wednesday night prayer time.
I am so thankful for these saints among us, and I hope you will be at church on November 1 to express your thanks to God for them.
— Yours in Christ, Michael
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11/1 – All Saints Sunday
Posted on October 29th, 2009
On Sunday, November 1, we will celebrate All Saints Sunday in our morning worship service at 11:00 a.m. in which we will remember the members of our congregation who passed away this year.
In addition to that remembrance, we will also acknowledge three members of Farmville Baptist by presenting them with a “Good and Faithful Servant” recognition. This acknowledgement is not a competition, and this year’s recipients are not “more worthy” than others in our congregation. It is simply a way for our church to publicly express our thanks and appreciation to individuals who have made significant and sustained contributions to Farmville Baptist Church
This year, we will recognize Edith Ann Austin, who has served as a Sunday School teacher or department head since 1980. She has also served multiple terms on the Personnel, Constitution and Special Memorial Committees.
We will also recognize Janie Simpson, who has taught Sunday School since 1974, as well as served on the Audit, Personnel and Special Memorial Committees.
Betty Watson will also be recognized for her contributions as the Clerk for 26 years, for teaching Sunday School and being a Teller for over 20 years. Betty has also served on the Constitution, Stewardship, and Pastor Search Committees.
In addition to these three, we will also designate Peggy Cave as a Life Deacon in recognition for her four-term service as a deacon. Peggy sang in the choir for over 30 years and she also served as a volunteer choir director. She has served on the Personnel, Pulpit Supply, Library, Nominating, Music & Worship, Outreach, Preschool and Pastor Search Committees. She currently teaches a Sunday School class and leads the Wednesday night prayer time.
After the service, there will be a celebratory pot-luck luncheon in our Fellowship Hall. All are invited to bring a dish to share as we give thanks to God for our new Life Deacon and our “Good and Faithful Servants”!
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Ruth Patteson Day
Posted on September 22nd, 2009
Ruth Patteson was honored last Sunday, September 20, at Farmville Baptist Church for her service as Chair of Farmville Baptist’s Social Committee for the last twenty-five years. A pot-luck luncheon was held in her honor after worship, and she was presented a book of letters of appreciation.
Farmville Baptist is so grateful to Ruth for her many years of service!
For pictures of the luncheon . . . Read the rest of this entry »
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Paul Cave 11/2/1933 – 2/19/2009
Posted on February 22nd, 2009
This afternoon, we held a funeral service for Paul Cave (pictured on the right), a stalwart member of Farmville Baptist and a devoted follower of Christ. Paul served in many capacities here at Farmville Baptist, but he is most known for teaching our children’s Sunday School class for forty-one years!
Rev. Chet Smith, former pastor of Farmville Baptist (1976-1980), officiated the service and gave the eulogy to a packed house.
We give thanks for Paul and for his life, and we continue to keep Peggy and the whole Cave family in our thoughts and prayers.
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Nellie B. Johnson 10/19/1919 – 1/14/2009
Posted on January 18th, 2009
Yesterday, we held a funeral service for our sister in Christ, Nellie Johnson. Nellie and her husband Billy (pictured on the left) were members of Farmville Baptist until they moved to Petersburg in 1965, where Nellie served as a deacon at Walnut Hill Baptist Church. The Johnsons returned to Farmville in the summer of 2006, and they both were active members of their Sunday School class and in worship.
Nellie had such a sweet and gentle spirit, and she will be missed by our congregation. While we rejoice that she is now with her Lord and Savior, we continue to pray for Billy for the loss of his life partner and friend.
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All Saints Sunday 2008
Posted on November 3rd, 2008
We celebrated All Saints Sunday yesterday in our morning worship service by giving thanks to God for the members of Farmville Baptist Church who have since gone on to be with their Lord. But we also recognized and gave thanks for those still in our midst who have greatly contributed to the life of Farmville Baptist. We formally recognized Cecil Yeatts as a new Life Deacon, and we presented five members of the church with our “Good and Faithful Servant” recognition: Jack Austin, Paul Cave, Howard Ferguson, Alma Lewis and Ruth Patteson. These five individuals have given a combined 300 plus years of service to Farmville Baptist and to Christ’s Kingdom! We thank God for them! After the service, the congregation gathered for a covered dish fellowship in honor of these individuals.
Pictured above from left to right: Howard Ferguson, Ruth Patteson, Cecil Yeatts, Alma Lewis and Jack Austin. Paul Cave was not able to attend the service as he is still recuperating from pneumonia.
Tags: all saints, thanksgiving
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Lester E. Andrews Sr. 2/3/1915 — 9/16/2008
Posted on September 20th, 2008
Yesterday, we held a funeral service for Les Andrews Sr., one of our Life Deacons and a member of Farmville Baptist Church for eighty years! Les was not only a pillar of our church, he was a pillar in this community. Throughout his long and productive life, Les generously gave of his time and talents to serve as a Chairman or Trustee or Board member of almost every organization and institution in the area, from the Rotary Club to the March of Dimes, from the County School Board to the Fuqua School Board, from Southside Community Hospital to the Farmville Hotel Corporation, from the Wedgewood Country Club to the Farmville YMCA, from Longwood College to Hampden-Sydney College.
At the service, our sanctuary was packed with family, friends and members of the community who paid their last respects to Les and gave praise to God for the life that he led.
The picture above of Les and his wife Donna was taken at our Consecration Sunday luncheon on September of 2006. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Donna and Les’ family. He will be greatly missed.
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Cecil Yeatts, Life Deacon
Posted on August 1st, 2008
At the church business meeting on Sunday, July 20, the deacons recommended that the congregation name Cecil Yeatts to the position of “Life Deacon.” The congregation unanimously approved the motion, recognizing Cecil’s longtime service to the church and to the community. Since 1984, Cecil has been regularly serving as a deacon, first at Crewe Baptist Church and now at Farmville Baptist Church. Cecil and Phyllis tirelessly visit our sick and homebound members, bringing them fresh vegetables and fruit grown from their garden and orchard during the summer months. Farmville Baptist is truly blessed to have members like Cecil–and Phyllis–in our midst!
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Ethel Shockley Southall 2/7/1928 — 3/21/2008
Posted on March 26th, 2008
Yesterday, we held a funeral service for Ethel Southall, one of our beloved members who unexpected passed away last week. Ethel was active not only at our church, but also at New Life Assembly of God, where she fixed hot dogs for their school every Wednesday, and at Heritage Baptist Church, where she participated in their Friday morning quilting group.
Ethel was the “momma hen” of her big family clan, and the whole sanctuary was packed with family, friends, and former students. During the service, we played Ethel’s moving testimony of her faith in Christ that she gave at one of our Lenten services last year. Her testimony can be heard here.
Ethel will be greatly missed by our church and by our community, but we know that she has entered into her eternal reward and is now reunited with her parents, her husband Walter, her younger brother Everett, and older brother Bill–a former Minister of Education here at Farmville Baptist who also recently passed away on March 7.
The picture above of Ethel with her oldest daughter Jayne was taken in March of 2006. Our hearts and prayers extend to Ethel’s family during this time of loss.
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