George Truett Emory passed away in his home on July 13, 2010. He was 82 years old. He was a member of Olive Grove Baptist Church.
George was the son of Lonnie and Lena Hobgood Emory. He was one of ten children. He is survived by three remaining siblings, Mary Dickerson, Sally Harris, and Lewis Emory. George was married to his one true love, Nell Roberts Emory who preceded him in death many years earlier. George and Nell were very proud and loving parents to six children – Laura Crews, Eddie Wayne Emory, Ernie Emory, Carol Parker, Janie Monaco and Lisa Smith. George and Nell had eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren. George and his children and grandchildren had a very special bond that they shared in his later years. They shared every Sunday together at his home preparing and feasting on meals he helped to cook for them.
During his working years George was a farmer as well a businessman. He was said by many to be quite an entrepreneur because he had many varied interests and he spent a good bit of time testing out his ideas. George owned and operated a small zoo, a go-cart track, an arrowhead hunting preserve, a softball field, a service station, and he maintained several ponds in which he raised minnows for fishing competitions. George was also heralded by many of his friends and family as something of an inventor. He was the first man in our area to walk on water with a pair of “styro-foam” shoes that he invented and tested. I’m not really sure how long he stayed afloat on the water but for those who were witness to this feat, I’m sure it was something to truly behold. George was always known to be a practical joker and very adventurous. He had a keen sense of humor and he loved telling stories and sharing his adventures with anyone who had the time to listen. George loved hunting, fishing and trapping and he shared these hobbies with many of his closest friends.
George was a veteran of World War II. He served in the 8th Army during the occupation of Japan. George served his country proudly as a young man, and as he got older, he served his family proudly as a loving father and grandfather. He leaves behind a living legacy with all the memories he provided for his family and friends.
Getting to know Ned and Shelby Mathews
Ned and Shelby met and married in Portsmouth, Virginia. They were married June 6, 1959. They have two daughters, Alisa and Melinda. Melinda lives in Gastonia with her husband, Ron. They have 3 sons, Matthew, John, and Trent. Alisa lives in Raleigh with her husband, Kevin. They have 1 daughter, Allison, and two sons, Mark and Luke. Alisa and Kevin are on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ as Student Venture ministers.
Ned served as a student pastor while in college and seminary, and 2 churches since graduation from Southeastern Seminary in 1963, Cresset in Durham, and Parkwood in Gastonia. He is currently teaching at Southeastern Seminary as Professor Emeritus of Pastoral Ministry. Before going on the faculty in 2000, Ned served on the trustee board of Southeastern Seminary, two years as Chairman of the Board.
Ned has also served our denomination in a number of positions, President of the NC Convention Pastors Conference, Vice President of the Southern Baptist Convention Pastors Conference, Trustee of the Baptist Sunday School Board (now Lifeway), and a leader of the conservative resurgence in the convention as well as leader of the pro side in debates on the nature of the Bible in the 1980s. He has recently completed a book on a text book for homiletics classes, serving as an author and General Editor of Text-Driven Preaching, published by Lifeway’s B&H Publishing Company.
In education, Ned founded the Cresset Christian Academy in Durham.
KAIROS
Please continue to pray for the NCCIW team that is training for the Oct 14th-17th team. We put in 34-36 hours of training prior to going in. We are a small team but mighty in Spirit. Please pray for the teams’ health and well- being. We are under a lot of spiritual warfare. We know we serve a mighty God through which all things work to His good. KAIROS would also like to express gratitude to our Wednesday night children's group for their support and beautiful artwork on the placemats. The ladies love them and hang them up in their dorms.
Jenelle Boykin
DEACON NEWS
The newly elected deacons for the coming year are: Hal Keith, Kenneth Keith, Mike Thaggard, Jason Green.
WOMEN OF WORTH
The Women of Worth will prepare the mission’s dinner on September 1st. Please support this effort as monies raised help support our community and missions. Remember the bake sale that is held the last Sunday of each month. This month the bake sale will be held on August 29.
The Women of Worth will be working on a goody box for Jonathan Deuger in the coming weeks. Please see Sharon Whitfield or Janie Latta for more information.
A baby shower is tentatively set for Elizabeth Munn-Lively on October 24. Thanks to everyone for their continued support of our mission.
Janie Latta
WOW Secretary
AWANA
We are getting very close to the start of a new year of AWANA!!! The first night will be near the end of September this year. We are preparing both in the classes and in our relationship with the Lord. Our overall theme this year is "It's Contagious." Most of our activities will be focused around that. It will be a lot of fun for everyone!
Just after the first of September, we will be mailing out letters to let everyone know of the start date for AWANA, the point values for all activities, and other exciting information. We will also have a sign out procedure in place that will require parents of all Puggles, Cubbies, and Sparks to come into church to personally pick up you clubber from their Leader. We are instituting that since we have so many clubbers and often they run out in the church yard where it is dark and cars are moving. We want to ensure nothing at all happens to any of our clubbers!
For our Leaders, the AWANA conference will be Sept 18 from 7:30-4:30 at Colonial Baptist Church in Cary this year. All leaders are strongly encouraged to attend. It will revive us all in our walk with the Lord and willingness to serve through AWANA.
WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR LEADERS!!! If AWANA has touched you or your family and would like to give back to the program, then this is a place to serve. Let Joey or Mandy know if you feel called to lead.
Joey Johnson - Commander
YOUTH REPORT – KEIKI #30
Greetings to all of my brothers and sisters in Christ, this past month has been filled with many days of joy regarding you and the faith that we have in Christ. Your youth and I have been able to serve the Lord through Evangelism, Outreach, and Service. We were able to see a teenager come to the faith in Christ Jesus at the North Carolina Children’s home and to minister in so many ways to folks at the Granville House.
This month we also had a family outing to the Virginia Safari Park where 36 of us traveled the 3.5 hour drive to Virginia. Then the hour tour through the park which was shortened due to the late arrival of which I truly apologize for the miscalculation on my part. I am grateful that many of you have forgiven me for the drive that was longer and windier than we expected. Even through all the turns and nausea from the drive, we all had such an awesome time fellowshipping and enjoying God’s creation together as a body of believers. Many memories have been made that will last forever.
Homeless Outreach
This month is not over yet…On Aug. 28th we are heading to Raleigh for the Homeless outreach…I look forward to many youth and adults participating in this ministry that God has called us to, “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress.” James 1:27. If the Lord is leading you to serve with us on this final homeless outreach meet at OGBC Parking lot 9:00 a.m. on Saturday August 28th.
Youth Mission Meals
Since the upcoming month on September 15th is our last month for the youth mission meal, we wanted to provide everyone with a meal to remember…So we are cooking Kalua Pig, Macaroni Salad, Rice and the parents are asked to bring a desert to support the Youth and this dinner.
Final Remarks
As many of you may know I have resigned as the Youth Minister & Evangelist of Olive Grove Baptist Church and I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to all of you who have blessed my family and me through these past two years and eight months. It has been my privilege to be used by God in this capacity by winning some to the Lord, baptizing them into the faith, preaching and teaching the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ from this pulpit, and entrusting me with the high calling of leading your youth and children to follow Jesus.
Brothers and Sisters, on September 15th, 2010, following the evening youth mission meal and youth group services this will conclude my service at Olive Grove. We have accepted a position as Intern pastor for Grace Baptist Church in Durham and we covet your prayers during this transition.
Thank you for allowing me to answer the calling God has placed on my life. Jennie and I love you all and want to make ourselves available to you if you should ever need anything from us. We are only a phone call away. We will continue to pray for you, our faith family at Olive Grove that you would continue to be a loving witness to this community. My prayer is that you will continue to reach out to the lost and usher others into a relationship with Jesus.
May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ bless you all…
A grateful servant of Jesus Christ,
Rev. John Monderen
INTERIM PASTOR’S COMMENTS
It is a joy for me to have this opportunity to serve you as Interim Pastor. As I get to know you better I will also be praying for you and encouraging you in the Word of God. As a part of that, please let me know of your specific prayer requests.
In the Sundays ahead I will be preaching text driven, expository messages from the epistle of Paul to the Ephesians. As a part of your preparation to hear the Word of God each Lord’s Day, I believe you will want to read ahead in those chapters for, already, in the short time I have come to know you, you remind me of the Bereans who “received the Word with gladness”(Acts 17:11). Accordingly, I also believe you will want to make notes of the special ways the Lord speaks to you through the messages.
In the eyes of God we are all works in progress and the Holy Spirit is working the character of Christ into our thoughts and deeds as we follow Christ. Indeed, close study of the Scriptures and prayerful response to its teaching is the primary method by which God sanctifies us and makes us more Christ-like (2 Tim 3:15-17).
In the days and months ahead, I will be working with you as we prepare for the coming of your next senior pastor. Our key verse for these days of preparation is Ephesians 4:3 which admonishes us to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” On Sunday nights, beginning August 29, I will be teaching on “How to Prepare for the Coming of a Pastor.” Afterwards, on Sunday evenings, I will lead other studies on becoming better disciples and how to make disciples.
