The Michigan Free Will Baptist

Menorah

July The Monthly Publication of the Michigan State Association of Free Will Baptists 2014

Pastor J. B. Varney Goes Home!

Psalm 116:15 says, “Blessed in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his saints.” This gives us

a glimpse of God’s perspective of the death of a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. Early

Monday morning on June 16, Rev. JB Varney, a very faithful follower of Jesus Christ, passed

from this life to his eternal reward. It was his home-going day.

Rev. JB Varney was born in Stone, KY. He was one of 13 brothers and sisters. He married

his sweetheart, Miss Etta. They shared 61 years of marriage together. They had three children;

Wanda, Doug and Robbie.

Preacher Varney and Miss Etta moved to Detroit to work in the Cadillac. He worked there

for 15 years. He felt the leading of God on his life to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Following that call he served as Assistant Pastor of the First Free Will Baptist Church in Ypsilanti before starting

a brand new church named Kirby Free Will Baptist Church in 1954. The church was so named because the tiny

congregation of 17 rented a store front building on the corner of Brooklyn and Kirby Street in Detroit. The life

changing gospel was preached and out of joy the church grew.

Souls were being saved and church grew. A new building was rented on the corner of American and Warren in

Detroit. Preacher Varney continued to preach the good news of Jesus Christ – souls were saved. In 1964 the

church purchased land and relocated to Wick Road in Taylor, MI. Under his leadership the church continued to

grow. Children’s ministries were added, a choir was started, buses were run for a while as the church continued

to use a variety of means to share the gospel.

Brother Varney retired from the pastorate of Kirby Church in 1993. This faithful man loved the Scriptures and

preaching God’s word. He was a faithful husband and loving father. He was an encourager and friend to pastors.

He loved a good joke and had a story for any occasion. He had a tender heart, was quick to weep with those who

hurt and laugh with those who knew joy. Only eternity will reveal the extent of his ministry on earth. But, if you

knew Preacher Varney, he was never one for the limelight or the earthly accolades. All he wanted to hear was the

words of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ say, “Well done good and faithful servant. You have been

faithful...enter into the joy of the Lord.” On Monday – he did.

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Annual Camp Meeting

August 3-6, 2014

Woodhaven Free Will Baptist Church

26191 Allen Road, Woodhaven, MI 48183

Telephone: 734-675-5455

Sunday Night: 6:00 p.m.; Mon.-Wed.: 7:00 p.m.

Preachers: Rev. Mike Blanton: Rev. Roger Duncan

[Rev. Mike Blanton and Evidence will be singing at each service]

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40th

Anniversary Celebration

August 3, 10:30 a.m.

Faith Free Will Baptist Church

64395 Romeo Plank Road, Ray, Michigan 48096

Keynote Speaker: Rev. Roger Cooper

Former pastor and current pastor of 111 Fellowship, Cookeville, TN

Pastor: Rev. Ron Meadows

Telephone: 586.291.3261

The church will provide the special singing and lunch will be served at the conclusion of the service. If you have been

affiliated in any way with the church over the years, or if you would just like to join in the celebration, we would love for

you to join in the celebration. The history of the church will be shared by picture and word and each attendee will receive a

memento to commemorate the occasion.

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National Association Services Streamed Live!

Thanks to a gift from the Free Will Baptist Foundation, the 2014 convention services will stream live on www.nafwb.org

from Fort Worth, Texas, according to Media Commission Chairman, Travis Penn. In addition to live streaming of worship

services, the Media Commission has created an online archives of previous convention services dating to 2011. The files

are available for download at www.nafwb.org/media.

The free archives replaces onsite CD and DVD sales at the National Convention. The number of online viewers has grown

steadily since 2010, when 1,703 watched services in Oklahoma City. By 2013, when the convention met in Tampa, Florida,

the number had increased to 6,479.

“Building boys is better than mending men.”

Four-Way Tie for Golf Championship

Because of a tie-

breaker the team

of Cody

Mansfield, Paul

Steinhauser, Lee

Gliddon, and

Gene Norris was

declared the

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winner of the annual Golf Tournament held at the Inkster Valley Golf Course, June 13, 2014.

The team of Jimmy Lawson, Rob Brooks, Eric Shirley and Nick Shirley placed second.

The other golfers competing were Jimmy Maggard, John Epoch, Carla Epoch, Bill Brown, Rex Evans, Joe Ford, Mickey

Ford, Allen West, Steve Ford, Rick Dunn, Rick Dunn, Jr., Jeff Cahny, Bill Martin, Tom McCullough, Dennis Overholt,

Ron Helms, Joe Jones, Dave McGowan, and Bill Burden.

All seven teams were within two shots of each other, and the only team that was not within one shot was the only team with

three players.

A BIG THANKS goes to Pastor & Mrs. Jimmy Lawson and Pastor & Mrs. Rex

Evans for coordinating the golf tournament. Our appreciation is also extended to the

following businesses and organizations for their contributions toward gift bags and

prizes: Randall House Publications, National Master’s Men, Welch College,

Southeastern FWB College, CCS Business Solutions and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

The 2015 Golf Tournament is scheduled for May 14, 2015.

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Church Bus for Sale

The Central Free Will Baptist Church has a bus for sale. It is a 24 passenger bus on a Ford E350 chassis; body is Startrans,

Senator; low mileage [57,000]; 7.71-V8, gas engine; automatic transmission.

Several key repairs/maintenance in last year includes: new tires – less than 2,000 miles; new stabilizers/shocks; new internal

electoral motor; rebuilt AC. This bus is every clean, and Central Church is the original owner.

Contact the church at centraltrm@gmail.com or call (248) 547-7755.

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120 Welch Students Make President’s/Provost’s Lists

NASHVILLE, TN—The Spring 2014 semester at Welch College ended with 120 students earning academic recognition,

according to Provost Greg Ketteman. Twenty-eight students made all A’s and were placed on the President’s List—six

seniors, eleven juniors, eight sophomores, and three freshmen. Ninety-two students earned a B average or higher and were

placed on the Provost’s List—16 seniors, 23 juniors, 30 sophomores, and 23 freshmen.

Congratulations to these representing Michigan: Laura Riggs [Jr.] – President’s List; Tim Hutchinson [Sr.]; Emily

Thrasher [So.] – Provost’s List.

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Address Correction: The address for Rev. and Mrs. Curtis Lilly was incomplete in the June Menorah. The correct

address is 324 North Cedar Street, Imlay City, Michigan 48444; Telephones – Home: (810) 721-7324, Cell: (810) 241-

0058; Email: curtislilly1008@yahoo.com.

“Some people have only three occasions for attending church: When they are hatched, matched, and

dispatched.”

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Good News from Spain

Dear Michigan friends,

Early this morning, we said goodbye to the Spain E-TEAM, as they left our area and rode a long-

distance train to the South of Spain to help some of our Hanna Project workers in Málaga. They

were a wonderful group and helped us host a desert-themed party in the Outreach Center, have a

youth meeting with local teens, and minister in the Alpedrete Church. Of course, their time here

was also a learning experience as they visited Madrid, Segovia, and a basilica near El

Escorial. They also ate lots of local foods like squid, croquetas made with bull meat, tortilla

española, and much more. We had several objectives for their time here:

Feel the HEARTS of the believers

Listen as missionaries shared about their MINISTRIES and VISION for Spain

Learn about the HISTORY and CULTURE of Spain

Grow as E-TEAMERS

Ask themselves the question: GO myself or HELP from home

We helped host our very first E-TEAM back in 1999, and over the years have seen people from many different States visit

Spain. We continue to pray that God will use these young people as they reach out to those around them…and all around

the world.

Tim & Kristi Johnson

Spain

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"In His Keeping - Under His Training" Andrew Murray wrote: "In times of trouble say: FIRST: He brought me here; it is by His will I am in this strait place; in

that I will rest. NEXT: He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child. THEN: He

will make the trial a blessing teaching me the lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to

bestow. LAST: In His good time, He can bring me out again -- how and when, He knows. SAY: I am here -- By God's

appointment - In His keeping - Under His training - For His time."

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Coming Events

July 27-30: National Association of Free Will Baptists, Fort Worth, Texas

August 2: Liberty District Association, North Warren Free Will Baptist Church,

9:30 a.m.

August 2: West Michigan District Association, South Haven Community Church,

9:30 a.m.

September 12: Wolverine District Association, Sawyer Free Will Baptist Church,

5:30 p.m.

September 13: New Hope District Association, Heritage Free Will Baptist Church,

9:30 a.m.

September 14-16: Minister’s Retreat, Hillsdale Dow Leadership Center

September 18-20: Michigan Women Active for Christ Retreat, Double Tree Hotel,

Holland, Michigan

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Rooms Available at Convention Hotels

Following opening day of convention hotel reservations, there are rooms still available at three of the convention hotels.

The Omni and Hilton hotels have King rooms available in the convention block. Both King and Double/Double room types

are available at the Sheraton Hotel. Due to a glitch in its housing reservation software on opening day, the Sheraton Hotel

has several rooms still available for attendees. The Sheraton is one and one-half blocks from the Fort Worth Convention

Center and is in close proximity to the section of the convention center where NYC events and services will be held. If you

have not yet made hotel reservations for the convention, we urge you to stay in one of the convention hotels. Filling rooms

in these hotels reduces the risk of the convention being forced to pay attrition fees. In 2013, attrition penalties resulted in

over $54,000beingpaidtoconvention hotels for unsold rooms. Convention hotel reservations can be made online at

www.nafwb.org (the group codes are built into the links) or by calling the hotel numbers listed on the Housing Form.

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Youth Camp [Pictorial Report] at Simpson Park

June 23-27, 2014 – Gordon Rohroff, Director

According to Rev. Jonathan Locklear, chairman of the Michigan Youth Board, it was a fantastic week. The youth workers

did an outstanding job of serving. The latest report is that 105 campers and workers were in attendance for the week.

In the mid 1800s throughout the north and south, the phenomena of camp meetings paralleled a wave of spiritual revival.

Simpson Park is Michigan’s oldest such continually-operated camp, recognized by the Michigan Historic Sites registry.

Historical Marker Welcome Campers!

Lunch Line Chow Time

The Free Will Baptist MENORAH

4166 Maplewood Meadows Avenue

Grand Blanc, Michigan 48439-3500

Athletic Field The Tabernacle and a Cabin

Buildings on the Beautiful Simpson Park Campgrounds

The tentative dates for the 2015 Michigan Youth Camp are June 22-26, 2015

The Michigan Free Will Baptist MENORAH is the monthly publication of the Michigan State Association of Free Will

Baptists and is sent free upon request. Rev. Ron Helms is moderator; Rev. Joe Jones, assistant moderator; Rev. Allen West,

clerk; Rev. Steve Thrasher, treasurer; Rev. Rick Locklear, assistant treasurer; Rev. Gene Norris, Promotional Secretary and

Editor. News for the August issue is to be received by July 25. Mailing address: 4166 Maplewood Meadows Avenue, Grand

Blanc, Michigan 48439; email: gnorris4166@gmail.com.