FBNN Report, September 7, 2008
Newscaster: Good Morning, this is FBNN (First Baptist News Network) reporting from the First Baptist Church in the City of Williamsburg, KY. This network was formed for the purpose of sharing with the church highlights of the 125th Anniversary Year.

Dr. Chester Young in his Centennial history of First Baptist Church of Williamsburg describes the outreach of the early years when the Williamsburg Baptist Church assisted in the establishing of First Baptist Churches in Jellico, TN (1884), Corbin, KY (1894), and Pineville, KY (1895).

Throughout its history members of FBC, Williamsburg, have been active in starting new mission work and supporting the needs of others near and far away.

Mission work was started at locations in Whitley County, and some grew into churches. Beginning with a revival in 1907, soon Mountain Ash Baptist Church was organized. A Sunday School was organized in 1914 on Croley Bend Road, and later New Mount Zion Baptist Church was organized in 1935. In 1933 the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) requested the Church to hold Sunday services for the workers. In 1945 a Sunday School was started on Corbin Pike, and in 1950 Highland Park Baptist Church was organized. In 1953 a Sunday School was organized at the Carroll School in the Cotton Creek community. The Carroll School Mission closed in 1962. In 1965 a mission was organized in the Maple Creek community on Julip Route. Support continued unto 1991. Members of FBC have conducted worship services at Cumberland Falls Dupont Lodge, Williamsburg Nursing Home, and Whitley County Detention Center (formerly jail). They have also taught Sunday School classes at the Brush Arbor Apartments.

From its earliest beginnings the church and its members have supported many worthy causes. Sunday School classes and Women's Missionary Union groups (circles) have contributed to many outside causes since the church was organized in 1883. Food and personal items were sent to the Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children. There has always been financial support and leadership for the Kentucky Baptist hospitals, especially Baptist Regional Medical Center in Corbin 1988 (formerly Southeastern Kentucky Baptist Hospital 1952). In like manner there has been a strong relationship with the University of the Cumberlands since its founding 1887 (formerly Williamsburg Institute 1887-1913 and Cumberland College 1913-2004). The Church gave financial support to Clear Creek Mountain Preachers Bible School before it was supported by the Kentucky Baptist Convention. For many years members gave frequent support to the Galilean Children's Home. Later there was support for the Laurel Lake Baptist camp.

The FBC members have always strived to reach out to meet the needs of the local community. From 1972-2004 the Church provided a weekday Child Care Center which provided needed services for families. For over thirty years the weekday Music & Missions activities are provided for children of Church families and for many who are not-churched. The bus ministry supports this and other programs of the Church. The ladies in the Quilting Ministry Group make quilts for new-borns and for shut-ins. Two ministries are new in the life of the Church. During this anniversary year the church recognized the work of Wayne Perkins in his Equestarian Ministry. He presents the Gospel in new ways to persons who do not attend Church. In January 2008 the Upward Bound Basketball Program for children began with the co-sponsorship of Main Street Baptist Church.

The members of FBC have always felt the responsibility of sharing with those in need. There are small gifts to the Church's endowment restricted to benevolence causes. Many members have gone the second mile to help others. For years gifts have been made to Mountain Outreach of the University of the Cumberlands, to Emergency Christian Ministries of Williamsburg, and Cedaridge of Williamsburg. A few years ago the youth of FBC started a monthly Food Pantry. During this past year the church has entered into agreement with God's Pantry of Lexington. The food distribution is made on the fourth Wednesday of each month, and 35-60 families are aided each month.

The best way to learn about missions is to participate in a mission project or a mission study tour. Members of FBC in recent years have participated in missions projects such as Mt. Outreach projects, Elm Street Baptist Church repair, Katrina Repair, Owsley County Repair Affair, South Dakota Indian Reservation mission project, South Carolina mission project, Puerto Rico mission project. China mission study tour, and Morocco mission study tour. All the participants have been able to appreciate missions and have learned to support missions more.

This concludes the nine FBNN News releases. They are available for you to read on the church's website. Printed copies will be available in one cover next Sunday, September 14, 2008. Thank you for your attention to these news releases.

Outreach Ministries of FBC and Personnel (partial list)
Special Note:
Please read the list of career missionaries and short-term missionaries (one week-two years) related to First Baptist Church in FBNN News Releases #5 "FBC & Mt. Zion Baptist Association," #6 "FBC & Southern Baptist Convention," and #7 "FBC & Kentucky Baptist Convention."

OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES
A. Evangelism
   1. Revivals
   2. Visitation Programs-GO (GROW) Programs

B. Missions
   1. Assisted FBC's in Jellico (1884), Corbin (1894), and Pineville (1895)
   2. Mountain Ash Baptist Church was organized in 1907
   3. Mission in 1914 on Croley Bend Road. New Mount Zion Baptist Church was organized in 1935
   4. Civilian Conservation Camp (CCC) at Emlyn in 1933
   5. Mission from 1945-50. New Mount Zion Baptist Church was organized in 1950
   6. Carroll School Mission in Cotton Creek community 1953-62
   7. Maple Creek Mission on Julip Route 1965-91
   8. Brush Arbor Ministry

C. Ministries Outside the Church Building
   1. University of the Cumberlands (formerly Williamsburg Institute 1887-1913 and Cumberland College 1913-2004)
   2. Sunrise Children Services (formerly KY Baptist Homes for Children) 1887+
   3. Clear Creek Baptist College (formerly Clear Creek Mountain Preachers School) 1925+
   4. Baptist Regional Medical Center (formerly SE KY Baptist Hospital) 1952+
   5. Galilean Children's Home
   6. Laurel Lake Baptist Camp
   7. Weekday Childcare Program 1972-2004
   8. Whitley County Jail Ministry
   9. Bus Ministry
   10. Williamsburg Nursing Home
   11. cleftRock Retreat Center
   12. Cornerstone Counseling Center
   13. Quilting Ministry
   14. Equestarian Ministry (Wayne Perkins) 2007+
   15. Upward Basketball Program for Children 2008+

D. Benevolence Ministry
   1. Endowed Charity Fund by Deacons
   2. Emergency Christian Ministries, Williamsburg
   3. Cedaridge Ministries, Williamsburg
   4. Food Pantry Ministry w/God's Pantry of Lexington
   5. Suitcase Ministry for Foster Children
   6. Telephone Cards for Military Personnel

E. Mission Trips
   1. Youth, New Orleans, 1979
   2. Cultural exchange, family-four with PA Convention, Kazakhstan 1991
   3. Youth, South Carolina, 1993
   4. College , South Carolina, 1995
   5. Youth, South Carolina, 1995
   6. Youth, Catawba Indians, South Carolina, 1996
   7. Youth, Baltimore, Maryland, 1997
   8. Youth, Mission Fuge, Nashville, 1998
   9. Youth, Mission Passport, 1999
   10. Youth at Indian school-fifteen, South Dakota 2007
   11. Katrina repair-sixteen, Pascagoula, MS 2006
   12. Katrina repair-fifteen with NOAH, New Orleans, LA 2007
   13. Mission study, individual-one with IMB, China 2008
   14. Youth-twelve South Carolina 2008
   15. Mission study, family-three with KBF, Morocco 2008
   16. Youth-eleven, Puerto Rico 2008

F. Repair Projects
   1. Assist Mt Outreach Projects (construct ramp, house repair & construction)
   2. Elm Street Baptist Church Repairs
   3. Owsley County Repair Affair

FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR MISSIONS

A. GIFTS TO LOCAL AREA
   1. Mt. Zion Baptist Association 1885-1991
   2. FBC Endowed Charity Fund (directed by Deacons) 1950+
   3. FBC Food Pantry (w/God's Pantry of Lexington) 1999+
   4. Williamsburg Ministerial Alliance 1960+
   5. Williamsburg Emergency Christian Ministries 1980+
   6. University of the Cumberlands (formerly Williamsburg Institute, Cumberland College) 1887+
      a. Baptist Campus Ministries (formerly Baptist Student Union)
      b. Appalachian Ministry Program (formerly Love In Action)
      c. Mountain Outreach Program

B. GIFTS TO KENTUCKY BAPTIST CONVENTION & KENTUCKY BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP
   1. Kentucky Baptist Convention (KBC, formerly General Association of Baptists in Kentucky, GABK),1885+
      a. Sunrise Children Services (formerly Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children) 1885+ including Thanksgiving Offering
      b. Baptist Education Society of KY1906-1925
      c. Eliza Broaddus State Mission Offering for KBC Women's Missionary Union (WMU) 1890+
      d. Kentucky Baptist Cooperative Program 1925+
      e. Baptist Regional Medical Center, Corbin (formerly SE KY Baptist Hospital, 1952-88) 1988+
      f. cleftRock Retreat Center
      g. Kentucky Baptist Convention Restricted Kentucky Only (RKO) 1991+

   2. Kentucky Baptist Fellowship 1991+
      a. Kentucky Baptist Fellowship Program 1991+
      b. Kentucky Baptist Fellowship Mission Offering 1991+

C. GIFTS TO SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION & COOPERATIVE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP
   1. Southern Baptist Convention 1885+
      a. Southern Baptist Convention Cooperative Program 1925+
      b. Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Mission Board (formerly Foreign Mission Board) 1888+
      c. Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Mission Board (formerly Home Mission Board) 1907+
      d. SBC World Hunger Fund1991+
   2. Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 1991+
      a. Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Program 1991+
      b. Cooperative Baptist Global Mission Offering 1991+

D. GIFTS TO OTHER CAUSES
   1. American Bible Society (distribution of Bibles)
   2. Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, Washington, DC
   3. Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
   4. Baptist World Alliance 1905+
   5. cleftRock Retreat, Mt. Vernon, KY
   6. Gideons (distribution of Bibles)
   7. Samaritan's Purse
   8. Gifts for Military Personnel

The 125th Anniversary Committee is interested in any corrections to the news releases and additional information or stories. If you have corrections or additions, please contact George Ramey (email: gramey@ucumberlands.edu) or the church office (phone: (606) 549-0280, email: fbcwoffice@bellsouth.net).