Appalachian Regional Ministry

There is a perfect rhythm in the earth. Some people, particularly those who live in Appalachia, reach out and catch hold of that rhythm. It is music. Musical giftedness was prevalent at the Interdenominational Christian Ladies Retreat held at the Company Store in Seco, September 10-11 as praises to God rang throughout the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. "Hail, hail, the Lion of Judah, How wonderful you are, I will praise you all my days, Cause you are perfect in all your ways," chanted a woman from Robinson Creek, Ky., as she led an acappella praise song reminiscent of "line singing."

The spirit-filled worship continued throughout the two-day retreat as Diane Holbrook of Neon,Ky. played keyboard while a praise team led songs that included "The King’s Daughter," a theme song written for the retreat by Diane Holbrook and Betty Combs. Linda Otterback of Louisville, Eastern Ky. Sonrise Coordinator, spearheaded the event, encouraging 80 women who attended to "Leave problems behind and forget them."   Becoming "Queen for Today," was a recurring theme as 24 women from around the state gathered to lead the retreat.

Lisa Marie Bolin, who operates "Wings of Refuge," a counseling center for abused women in Louisville, encouraged the women to "Let God look into your heart, start uncovering cobwebs. Don’t believe the lies," she said. "I learned to put on my mask at an early age. God had to tear my life down to build it," she said.

Becky Carnell, a Literacy Consultant from Eubank, Ky. challenged the women to become involved in teaching others to read. "If you can’t read the word of God," she said, "you can’t depend on Him." Other speakers were Nell Bruce, Brenda Thompson, Marilyn Johnson, Diane Honchel, Kay Hammond, Dotty Harlett, Shelly John’s Hill and Shirley Cox.

Jewel Hansel, costumed as Queen Esther, took the group back 2500 years as she presented a dramatic monologue that told of the Queen’s courage and God’s providential care of His people.   Four ladies from Memorial Baptist Church in Frankfort prepared and served delicious meals for the retreat. Fleming Baptist Church served a meal to the retreat team on Monday evening.

Prayer played an integral part in the powerful retreat that was listed Sept. 10 on the guide for 100 Days of statewide concerted prayer. The women took prayer walks around area schools, prayed in small groups and prayerfully considered their spiritual standing with God when a time of communion was shared on Tuesday evening. September 11 was remembered with a patriotic pledge and prayer Wednesday. The retreat ended with testimonies and prayer requests before the ladies exited through an arch of love created by the arms of the retreat team.

"Prayer is the only reason for the success of this," said Linda Otterback. "Without prayer, this many women of different cultures and theologies could not come together under the arms of God. Through Him, it was perfect," she said.

praise report from Faith Baptist Church, Myra, KY

In the tall mountains of eastern Kentucky, in a tiny community called Myra, Faith Baptist Church, a small congregation with a membership of 250 (Sunday School enrollment, 102), has become a model for God-centered vision and transformation. The nearest town is Jenkins, a coalmining town (pop. 1200). Neither the isolation created by the beautiful rugged mountainous terrain nor the lack of economic industry in the area has caused this church to falter or become stagnant because here in this unlikely setting, God has chosen to manifest His power to believers and unbelievers alike.

Near the heartbeat of what God is doing are Lester and Bessie McPeek, a husband and wife team who are Baptist Mission Service Corps volunteers. Lester, a gentle, soft-spoken man, is a builder by trade. About three months ago, he woke in the middle of the night, his body soaked with perspiration. Knowing that Lester is a diabetic, Bessie feared that he might be experiencing a diabetic coma, so she asked if he were all right. Lester, crying and laughing at the same time said, "I am all right now. God just told me to build a Worship Center for our church." That same night God also gave Lester the acrostic-HELP-Help Every lost Person.

Lester shared his vision for a Worship Center with Dave Hammond, Pastor of Faith Baptist, and the church began to make plans for the building on land beside the present structure. Ministry plans for the Center include a Christian Library, a Food Kitchen, a Drug and Alcohol Abuse Center, a Spouse Abuse Center and showers and dorms for Mission Teams. God also spoke to Lester about building low income and elderly housing near Whitesburg. KBC Brotherhood Builders are currently helping to develop plans, which include a Food and Clothing Distribution Center and a Learning Process Center for teaching Life Skills and Self Development. John Edwards is Coordinator for the project. TECO Coal Corporation, a recent recipient of PRIDE’s Rogers-Bickford Environmental Leadership Award, has been approached about donating the land for the proposed housing.

Lester’s acute awareness of church ministry possibly stems in part from having a father who was a Pastor for 55 years. Lester says that he sees the Pastor’s load and does what he can to help. His motivation is also "caring for people more than for himself, compassion for the needs of the other person." Lester says that Pastor Dave Hammond preached on boldness and that the prayer of Jabez gave him boldness. He put his own name in it and asked God for something to do. Bessie McPeek, Lester’s wife, works as a Secretary for the Department for Human Resources in Whitesburg. Bessie remembers a time when she became ill and had to go on welfare. She explains, "I know exactly how it feels to wait in line for two hours to be waited on." There are a few underground coalmines left, but three more have closed in the past few months. When a mine closes, particularly in the middle of the month, approximately 75 people are left with no food and the elderly cannot afford their medication so they are forced to ask for Public Assistance. Bessie loves working with the people who come into her office and is sensitive to their needs. She has a diaper ministry for mothers and sometimes gives them baby clothes from her car along with quiet words of encouragement. Bessie and Lester have traveled thirty miles at midnight to deliver food.

God also gave Lester another vision recently, formation of a church orchestra. A circulated flyer inviting anyone with a desire to use their talents for the Lord brought in four teenaged boys for the first rehearsal. One boy plays three musical instruments that included the piano and the others play trumpets. While the young men played "Amazing Grace" under the direction of Debbie England, Lester and Bessie looked on and cried. One boy glanced around the church and said, "I didn’t even know this church was here. My Mom and I have been looking for a church." The orchestra will be performing at the proposed Worship Center and at other church functions. God also gave Lester a name for the orchestra-Psalms 150.

An orchestra may seem an ambitious endeavor for such a small church, one that initially began as a Mission Church. But trusting in the promise, "With God, all things are possible," (Matt. 9:26b) Faith Baptist has consistently moved forward. Besides two television broadcasts that cover six states and three radio broadcasts, Faith Baptist has had a Christian School, Myra Christian Academy, for two years. The school, which is located in the church basement, currently has seventeen students enrolled in grades K-3. Recent testing revealed that the five-year-old kindergarten students and the first graders scored at least two grade levels above the national average in reading. Several scored nearly three grade levels above the national testing average. The school has two paid teachers and three volunteers, including the Principal and founder, Nancy Manning. Nancy describes her calling to begin the school as a deep dark valley in which she was broken to the point of saying, "Lord, whatever you would have me to do, I want to do something for you." She says that she could not rest, was up all night, reading the Bible and praying. "God had to get me out of me, had to get the world out of me," she explains. Since that time, God has told her every teacher to hire. Looking around at the students, Nancy says, "Someone in this group might be a Billy Graham. God has leaders in this group."

Why would God choose such a small church in such a remote place to manifest His greatness? Perhaps the answer lies in Pastor Dave Hammond’s dependence on God’s leadership for the church and his acceptance of that same leadership within his church laity. Could it also be possible that "Faith," the name of the church, truly reflects a part of the Body of Christ that believes "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil.4:13). Maybe He has revealed His reason in 1Cor. 1:27b-29: "He chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong, the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him." Perhaps God’s message is the same one of humility and grace that was first spoken over 2000 years ago in a stable. (V30-31) "It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus who has become for us wisdom from God--that is our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore as it is written: ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.’ "