KBF Newshttp://www.kybf.org/home/News from the Kentucky Baptist Fellowshipen-US2012-02-22T19:49:42ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.81 (http://www.squarespace.com/)Sabbatical Update From KBF Coordinatorhttp://www.kybf.org/home/2012/2/9/sabbatical-update-from-kbf-coordinator.htmlJosh Speight2012-02-09T15:59:22ZLepper SabbaticalSeveral years ago when the Administrative Work Group developed the Kentucky Baptist Fellowship Employee Guidebook, provision was made for the coordinator and associate coordinator to take a periodic sabbatical study leave.  The Employee Guidebook’s “Sabbatical Leave Policy” states that the sabbatical shall provide the employee with “…the opportunity for a time of study, renewal, and growth that will enable [the employee] to continue to best serve the mission and ministry to which they have been called.” The policy supports two core values of KBF, namely: Lifelong Learning and Effectiveness. So as I come to the close of this sabbatical leave, let me reflect on my time and its benefits to me and to the organization, understanding that the four major components of a sabbatical are: study, renewal, growth and benefit to KBF. 

Study was a major component of the sabbatical and this was achieved in abundance.  Study was accomplished through individual reading, taking a seminary class, achieving all assignments in the class, and research and writing of a book on interim ministry.   The reading for the class included seven books as well as numerous articles.  Writing the book on interim ministry required study and research of the subject as well as the discipline of writing.  The working title of the book is: Building Bridges During the Interim: A Workbook for Congregational Leaders. As I write this report, the initial manuscript is complete and in the hands of a half dozen first readers (who are providing critique).  I hope to receive this critique, make needed changes and have the workbook ready for a publisher within a few weeks. 
]]>2012 Children's Choir Festivalhttp://www.kybf.org/home/2012/2/2/2012-childrens-choir-festival.htmlJosh Speight2012-02-02T15:24:10ZChildren Children's choir Spring Gathering musicCome and Celebrate All You Children A New Day!

2012 Children's Choir Festival | Saturday, April 21, Georgetown, KY 

 

For the children of today, your children, and for these children who will be the church of tomorrow, and for the future of civilization, discover and use to the utmost the great potential of the children's choir.
 - Ruth Jacobs, 1959, Choristers Guild Founder

These words still ring true today!  Join the celebration for this inaugural event as we bring together children from our KBF churches for a Spring Children's Choir.  The music-filled morning will conclude with singing in the final worship service of the 2012 Spring Gathering on the campus of Georgetown College.

8:30 am - Registration Open
9:00 am - Rehearsal Begins in Georgetown College Chapel
11:30 am - KBF Spring Gathering Worship Service

Rehearsals and the worship service where the children's choir will sing will be held in the John L. Hill Chapel of Georgetown College
(400 E. College Street, Georgetown, KY 40324) 

Download registration form now

]]>Sabbatical Update From KBF Coordinatorhttp://www.kybf.org/home/2012/1/18/sabbatical-update-from-kbf-coordinator.htmlJosh Speight2012-01-18T15:04:00ZSabbaticalIntensive Study Phase of Sabbatical Complete
By John Lepper

As I write this I’m completing the intensive study phase of my sabbatical.  The class, “Bowen Family Systems Theory and Leadership in the Congregational Context,” has given me opportunity to gain new insights of systems theory and understand how it can be applied to congregational leadership.  While the theory was originally developed in a therapeutic context, Edwin Friedman, Ron Richardson, Peter Steinke and others have applied this to the work of pastors.  

Reading for the class included seven books as well as numerous assigned articles. Professor Israel Galindo spent the first of the three weeks helping us become acquainted with the concepts of Bowen Theory.  The second and third weeks were used to make practical applications to leadership in the congregational setting and also to help us incorporate it into a theological framework.
]]>Senator Mitch McConnell to Visit Crescent Hill Baptist, Discuss Burmahttp://www.kybf.org/home/2012/1/10/senator-mitch-mcconnell-to-visit-crescent-hill-baptist-discu.htmlJosh Speight2012-01-10T16:57:05ZCBF Global Missions RefugeesOn January 13-18, Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell is going to Burma.  After he returns, he has requested that Crescent Hill Baptist Church of Louisville host a community meeting so that he can meet with folks from Burma and those in Louisville concerned about what is happening in Burma to hear his thoughts on what he saw in Burma and to get feedback, particularly from folks from Burma, about what changes they would like to see occur there.  The meeting will be held, Saturday, January 21, at 10:00am.  All are invited to attend.  This remains a fluid situation and if further information about this meeting unfolds, the latest news will be posted on Crescent Hill's website at www.chbcky.org.  

Since 2006, Steve Clark and Annette Ellard have been serving as Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Global Missions field personnel in Louisville in partnership with Crescent Hill.  Steve and Annette welcome the Karen and other refugees from Burma while encouraging churches in Louisville and across the country to build relationships with these refugees and develop ministries to meet their spiritual and physical needs.  Primarily a ministry of availability, Steve and Annette share the love of God through pastoral care, social work, crisis management, advocacy and consulting to refugees from Burma and those who seek to serve them.

 

 

]]>January 2012 KBF Newsletterhttp://www.kybf.org/home/2012/1/9/january-2012-kbf-newsletter.htmlJosh Speight2012-01-09T18:52:18ZNewsletterJanuary 2012 KBF Newsletter

]]>A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhoodhttp://www.kybf.org/home/2011/12/15/a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood.htmlJosh Speight2011-12-16T02:03:05ZInternship MissionsBy KBF Intern Chelsey Constant

As I continue my internship here at Kentucky Baptist Fellowship I discover all of the wonderful things that KBF and its partner churches are doing locally as well as globally.

For the past few weeks I have begun to assist Josh with a project that he has been working on. The project is an asset map. This map will help KBF to recognize the things that a specific church is doing mission wise both globally and locally. It will lead into helping churches better network together across the state.

Josh and I have met with a few pastors from different churches to discuss their churches ministries over the past week or so and I have found that each church has its own special way of reaching out to people, whether those people are in the houses around the church or the people who live miles away.  

God calls us to love our neighbors as we love our selves and often we ask “who is our neighbor?” Well, I have realized, from the discussions we have had with the pastors, that our neighbors are everywhere. Our neighbors can live right next door or across the globe. We love all these people just as we love ourselves and each church is being a great neighbor to all of these people.

I look forward to learning more and more about the ministries at the other churches that KBF partners with and meeting many more of my neighbors along the way. 

 

 

]]>2012 KBF Youth Mission Weekendhttp://www.kybf.org/home/2011/12/7/2012-kbf-youth-mission-weekend.htmlJosh Speight2011-12-07T20:18:52ZMissions Mountain Hope Together For Hope Youth 

REGISTER NOW

Kentucky Baptist Fellowship is excited to invite you and your youth group (grades six-twelve) to the 2012 KBF Youth Mission Weekend. KBF Youth Mission Weekend is a weekend retreat for youth to gather together for worship, fellowship, and a full day of mission work in a local Kentucky community. 

In 2012, we are serving Kentucky in two locations - an urban and a rural setting - to give you more options and schedule flexibility (host sites subject to change):

• March 9-11, Louisville, KY (Hosted by Broadway Baptist Church)

• March 23-25, Jackson & Booneville, KY (Hosted by Emmanuel Fellowship Baptist Church) 

]]>CBF Field Personnel to Visit Kentuckyhttp://www.kybf.org/home/2011/11/30/cbf-field-personnel-to-visit-kentucky.htmlJosh Speight2011-11-30T16:05:52ZField Personnel Global Missions CBF Field Personnel Bob & Janice Newell to Visit Kentucky

Bob and Janice Newell, CBF Field Personnel serving Albanian Immigrants in Greece, will be at Broadway Baptist Church and First Baptist Middletown on December 3 and 4.  Commissoned with CBF in 2003, Bob and Janice have influenced this community most notably through PORTA, a spiritual and cultural center for Albanian Immigrants in Athens.  PORTA is both an artistic and a reconsiliation center in a city that has often discriminated against Albanians.  

 

There will be two opportunities to hear from Bob and Janice:

  •  
    • Saturday, December 3 - Broadway Baptist Church (4000 Brownsboro Rd)
      • 2:00-4:00pm - Friendship Hall (desserts and coffee/tea served)
      • Meet with Bob Newell as he shares about their ministry and life in Greece
    • Sunday, December 4 - First Baptist Church Middletown (11721 Main St)
      • Bob and Janice Newell will lead during the Sunday School hour at 9:30am and then during worship at 10:45am
For more information, contact Josh Speight.  
Click here for more information about the Newells.

 

]]>Sabbatical Update: Bird By Birdhttp://www.kybf.org/home/2011/11/21/sabbatical-update-bird-by-bird.htmlJohn Lepper2011-11-22T03:10:53ZLepper Sabbatical  My first four weeks on sabbatical/study leave continue to provide opportunities to read, rest, renew and write.   Colonial Williamsburg and this whole area provide a good context in which to remember our past as Americans. We have seen places where Civil War and Revolutionary War History took place. I have completed reading a large book on Civil War history and am in the middle of a book on the American Revolution.
        I continue to enjoy this change of pace with only occasional contact with business email and contact with the office. Ruth Haley Barton’s book, Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership continues to bless and provide guidance.  I have also begun reading books that will be used in a class I will take at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond in January. 
 As in the first two weeks, in addition to reading and reflecting, I have also been productive.  A major focus of this sabbatical is writing and producing a resource that would be helpful to churches during the interim. These past two weeks have been characterized by stops and starts but, overall, much progress and forward motion.
]]>Update from CBF Field Personnel, Annette Ellard and Steve Clarkhttp://www.kybf.org/home/2011/11/14/update-from-cbf-field-personnel-annette-ellard-and-steve-cla.htmlJosh Speight2011-11-14T15:10:23Z300 Thousand - By Annette Ellard and Steve Clark

Lately, it seems the number 300 thousand has popped up a lot in the news. A few days ago, a California man was captured by police and accused of stealing over 300 thousand identities. Folks in Connecticut suffered for weeks after the massive wet snowstorm the last weekend of October. I saw an announcement during the ordeal that the power company hoped it could bring down the number of people without power to 300 thousand by the first weekend in November - a full week after the snowstorm.

On the lighter side, Macy’s announced they plan to expand their New York store at Herald Square to a whopping 39 thousand square feet and create the world’s largest shoe department. They anticipate it will carry more than (wait for it) 300 thousand shoes. (This is news Annette is going to love.)

Annette and I just experienced our own 300 thousand “milestone.” Today, on 11/11/11, the odometer on our ’96 Mercury Villager rolled over to 300 thousand miles! Fittingly, it happened as we were about to park the van for the day in our church parking lot. God shared in our celebration of the HUGE blessing God gave us with this van. What a tremendous asset this van continues to be to our ministry.

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