The Baptist Bridge

By the grace of God, the Philippi Baptist Church shall embrace,

model, and share the love of God through Jesus Christ by the
power of the Holy Spirit.

Philippi Baptist Church, Philippi, WV 26416 January 2011

Inside this issue...

From the Pastor………………............

Announcements. .…………..…. .... ….

Letters…………………………………...

Officers, Boards and Committees

2011………………………..………….....

Getting to know………………….……..

Prayer List & Birthdays………………

CATCH US ON THE RADIO LIVE

EVERY SUNDAY MORNING!
10:30am
WQAB 91.3 FM

107 Church Street Philippi, WV 26416 (304) 457-3206 philippibaptist@frontier.com

Rev. Jon Villers, Pastor
Lisa Dadisman, Secretary
 Happy New Year!

For the first twenty years of my life, I heard these words in the same place with
many of the same people! We traveled 42 miles one way to attend the Watch Night
Service held at the Rush Run Baptist Church next to Steer Creek in the heart of Cal-
houn County, WV. My Dad was the pastor there for thirty-three years. At 7pm the
"first round" of special singing would begin as all the different singing groups
would take a turn to share in song and testimony. Then we would break at 9pm for a
feed that would rival any banquet table spread for a king! We would then gather
back to finish out "round two" as we continued to count down the old year together
singing praises to Lord and Savior and sharing this time surrounded by folks that loved us! Right around 11:55pm, we
would all start to move to the outer edges of the sanctuary, join hands, and let my Dad have a few final words before we
prayed out the old year and shouted in the new! We would then turn to one another, say "Happy New Year," and em-
brace one and all.

You may have long standing traditions for the New Year, or a mixture of experiences. My heartfelt words to you this
year is meant to ring clear regardless. Happy New Year! Your love and acceptance of our family has been received dur-
ing this past year of transition for us. We know of God's presence in each step of this journey because of your actions
and support! A warm thank you is in order for the gracious Christmas Gift to our family not to mention all the cards and
cookies given individually as well! We are blessed to be here and look forward to this New Year as we embark upon
2011 together.

Nearly ten months ago, I signed a Minister-Church Agreement when I arrived in February, 2010. In that document we
mutually agreed to support one another in private and public prayer. Thank you for that continued commitment as we
enter into a our second chapter together. We agreed to work together on the following identified areas of ministry:

Preaching - Leadership - Interpreting the Faith - Evangelism - Worship Planning & Leadership - Nurturing Fellow-
ship - Pastor Care - Visitation

And we agreed to focus on the following areas of ministry:

1. Ministry to young families and single adults
2. Assessment of community needs and how the church can reach out in new ways
3. Senior adult ministries

For me, it is a very helpful time to evaluate where we have been and then to see where we need to stay or adjust the
course of Philippi Baptist Church. Henry Blackaby and Claude King in their workbook, Experiencing God: Knowing
and Doing the Will of God, offers us these insights:

God is always at work around you. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal. God
invites you to become involved with Him in His work. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circum-
stances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways. God's invitation of you to work with Him always
leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in
what He is doing. You come to know God by experience as you obey him and He accomplishes His work through you.

These words ring true and clear as we move forward together here at Philippi Baptist Church! I would like to leave you
with three questions that would be worth our time to consider together:
1. What does the pastor need to know about his performance or the performance of the staff?
2. What are the challenges the church is facing?
3. What appears to be going extremely well in the life of the church?
Thank you again for the opportunity to serve with you in this corner of God's Kingdom!

Shalom,

Pastor Jon

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Dear Philippi,

"There is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" - Luke 2:11

As our year comes to an end, I wanted to share with you an update on the latest meeting of the General Board of
the American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A.
The Board met November 17-20, 2010 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The usual business and necessary business was
addressed with a focus on the proposed new structure. There was a recommendation to forward the proposed new
structure bylaw changes to a first reading in preparation for a second reading in February 2011. This would allow
the 2011 Biennial delegates to vote on the new structure in San Juan, Puerto Rico. A copy of the proposed bylaws is
available at www.abc-usa.org. The West Virginia Baptist Convention staff is planning a packaged Biennial trip for
those who are considering attending this event in June. Please look for details early in the new year from the WVBC
office.
Those serving on the General Board of the ABC/USA from West Virginia are: Sandra Phares, Jim Ash, Roger Raikes,
Lynne Stauffer, Mo Kahn and Scott Robertson. Please note that Dennis Johnson from Charleston serves as Parlia-
mentarian. Jim Ash has a more detailed ABC General Board report available upon request from our WVBC office
(contact Ginny Prunty at prunty@wvbc.org). Thank you board members for your faithful service to our greater Bap-
tist family.

And thank you for your faithfulness to the kingdom. Jesus Christ is the ruling, reigning, sovereign Lord over
all! Have a blessed Christmas and a hopeful New Year.

Blessings....
David Carrico
Executive Minister
West Virginia Baptist Convention

For all my friends at Philippi Baptist Church,

Please accept this expression of my

sincerest gratitude to all of you for your generous gift to me presented on
Sunday, December 19 of this year. My association with all the fine people of PBC is very
satisfying on a purely professional level, that is, as you interact with me as I do my job of
leading the Chancel Choir. But far, FAR more important than that is the love which you have
extended to me and my family as we continue our membership of twenty-your years
(and counting!). I would voluntarily choose to worship and
associate with you were I not an employee of the church. And I particularly thank you for the
shining Christian witness offered by your lives. God is good, and one of the greatest blessings
He bestows upon me is the opportunity to be with you.

Most sincerely yours,

Jud Bracey

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 PHILIPPI BAPTIST CHURCH
OFFICERS, BOARDS AND COMMITTEES– 2011

OFFICERS
MODERATOR Carolyn Davis (2011)
VICE MODERATOR Gerald Fogg (2012)
FINANCIAL SECRETARY Clarence Wright (2013)
ASSISTANT FINANCIAL SECRETARY Scott Springer (2013)
TREASURER Craig Cobb (2013)
ASSISTANT TREASURER Jeff Allen (2013)
CLERK Barbara Smith (2012)

DIACONATE
(NINE TOTAL MEMBERS)
(2011) (2012) (2013)
Olin Campbell Kim Klaus Kelly Bracey
Caroline Jett Judi Funk Glenn Sweet
Randy Moore (unexpired term) Dianna Wright JD Long

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
(SIX TOTAL MEMBERS)
(2011) (2012) (2013)
Larry Jett Caton Hill Skip Ervin
Jean Roy Bruce Blankenship (unexpired term) Mary Boyer

BOARD OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

(SIX TOTAL MEMBERS)
(2011) (2012) (2013)
Chuck Scheick Cheryl Blankenship Sara Poling
Cheryl Wolfe Gary Price-SS Superintendant Sarah Ferguson

BOARD OF OUTREACH AND MISSIONS

(SIX TOTAL MEMBERS)
(2011) ( 2012) (2013)
Marilyn Shearer Brenda Price Margaret Salimi
Koreen Villers (unexpired term) Christie Allen Linda Howell

BOARD OF WORSHIP
(SIX TOTAL MEMBERS)
(2011) (2012) (2013)
Marija Sommer Jane Digman Eddy Poling
Petar Vlasic Dawn Scheick Carol Ervin

FINANCE COMMITTEE
(FIVE MEMBERS NOT COUNTING THE TWO EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS)

1.Clarence Wright (Financial Secretary) 2.Craig Cobb (Treasurer) 3. Bob Digman 4.Gary Price 5.Bruce Blankenship
Ex-officio
1. Scott Springer (Assistant Financial Secretary) 2. Jeff Allen (Assistant Treasurer)

NOMINATING COMMITTEE
(FIVE MEMBERS)
1.Gary Price 2.Caroline Jett 3.Jovan Vlasic 4.Bill Klaus 5. Marj Campbell

PASTORAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE

(FIVE TOTAL: THREE ELECTED AND TWO APPOINTED BY THE PASTOR)

(2011) (2012) (2013)

Martha Rose Roy Sarah Cobb Bill Klaus

Pastoral Appointments (2)

1. Darlene Waddell 2. Petar Vlasic
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Giving envelopes for 2011 are availa-
ble on the table in the Fidelity Sun-
day School classroom. Please stop by
and pick up your 2011 giving enve-
lopes. If you don’t see a box with
your name on it, and you would like
a box, please see Craig Cobb. Thank
You.
Dear Church Family and Friends
I hope this finds you all well. I am
enjoying taking care of Will and being with my
sister. Will is a happy, healthy little boy who
will celebrate his 1st birthday on the 20 th. I
miss seeing all of you and enjoy getting the
Newsletter, cards, notes and e-mails. There are
no ABC churches down here but I am attending
a small Presbyterian Church and am enjoying it.
God Bless! I don’t miss the
snow.
Martie
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Announcements
Life Line Screening will be at the Philippi Bap-
tist Church on Wednesday, February 23, 2011
in the Fellowship hall. This is a
preventive health event to scan for the risk of
stroke and other vascular conditions.
Members of the church get the first opportunity
to sign up and will allow a chance to get a prior-
ity appointment and an opportunity to receive a
discount of $10.00 of the package price.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the
United States, and this catastrophic event can
strike without warning. In fact, four out of five
people who have had a stroke showed no appar-
ent warning signs prior to their attack. But,
strokes can be stopped in their tracks. If you are
interested in signing up or obtaining more infor-
mation, contact Lisa Dadisman
@ 304-457-3206
The annual reports from each of the boards and
committees is due in the church office so that I
can type the annual report before the Annual
Business meeting on January 16, 2010.
Thanks,
Lisa

Meet Your Paperboy!
Jeff Allen began working when he was
twelve years old—as a paperboy—and he
hasn’t stopped working since. At that
young age he also mowed grass in the
Clemtown Cemetery and elsewhere. By the
time he was fifteen, he was working for the
city as a brush cutter and handyman, and
when he was sixteen he began working at
Foodland before and after school.
Having attended Clemtown Elementary
School. which closed, and Philippi Elemen-
tary and Middle Schools, he graduated from
high school in Philippi and enrolled in the
engineering program at WVU, working
part-time for a mining machinery company.
Jeff was born in Canton, Ohio, while his
father worked for a steel company, but the
Allen’s were both from Barbour County—
Jeff’s father from Arden and his mother
from Clemtown--, and after a short stay in
Chicago, they brought their family back
home. Jeff was three years old.
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Christy, Jeff’s wife, is also from Barbour
County. They were married in 1978, with
Jeff dropping out of WVU and commuting
from Star City to work again at Foodland
while Christy finished her degree in educa-
tion. They then moved back home, and
Christy has taught in the Barbour County
school system ever since. They became
the parents of three children—Marcie,
Macall, and Brad—and now have one
grandson, Cole. Since 1998 Jeff has
worked for Advance Auto Parks, having
managed the Philippi store for five years
and then transferring to Elkins, where he is
now located.
For several years, the Allen’s attended
Philippi United Methodist Church, where
they were married, but on the invitation of
Brent and Cheryl Wolfe, who was the
Allens’ babysitter, they moved their
membership to Philippi Baptist Church,
where they have both held leadership
positions. Jeff has served on the Diaconate
and the Board of Trustees and has been the
Financial Secretary and a youth leader. He
also sings in the chancel choir and
faithfully attends Wednesday night Bible
study. ―I don’t know what we’d do without
the church and its support,‖ Jeff smiles.
―The very thought is scary.‖
Family Game Night
Saturday
January 29, 2011
6-8pm
Bring a snack and
a game and drinks
will be provided.
Don’t miss out on
the fun.
 A-B College faculty, staff and students,
Georgian Allen,
Michael Clyburn,
Albert Carman,
Blaine Corder,
Jim Friend,
Otilia Franke,
Carl Gant,
Ben Guido, Born in January
Don Miller, Alexis Wright -2nd
Elizabeth Sweet -3rd
Helen Mellquist, Toni Wright
Greg , Kasey and Violet Mouser, Elizabeth Withers - 4th
Brenda & Gary Price, Dr. Robert Digman -9th
Vangie Shaffer, Sue Lobello
Koreen Villers, Petar Vlasic -10th
Clyde Wiseman Jr. Megan Davis –13th
Marija Sommer –17th
Jean Smith
Unspoken requests for family members, Linda Long - 20th
unsaved, person and community con- Alex Withers –22nd
Dennis Stull –23rd
cerns, those with job and home loss, fi- Brian Hicks –29th
nancial difficulties. Our national, state, Amanda Cobb –30th
and country leaders and officials. Vic-
tims, the families and friends of crime,
war and violence throughout our coun-
try. Military personnel and their fami-
lies throughout the world. Relatives
and friends of those serving our
country: Amanda Howard,
Tim Jenkins,
Chris Mossburg
Taylor Smith. Nativity scene made by greg mouser. Thank
Brock and Maria Rosier you.

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Philippi Baptist Church
107 Church Street Nonprofit Organization
Philippi, West Virginia 26416 U.S. POSTAGE
Permit NO. 36
Philippi, WV 26416