April 24, 2024
Cecil Finfrock, longtime associational missionary for Valdosta Baptist Association, died Oct. 14. He was 97 years old.
A native of Kansas City, MO, Finfrock graduated from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago before attending William Jewel College in Kansas City and later Baylor University, serving as a pastor during those times. Upon graduation at Baylor he returned to Missouri, where was appointed director of missions for eastern Kansas. It made him the first missionary to be appointed by the Home Mission Board (now North American Mission Board) to pioneer work in Kansas.
From there Finfrock served as a pastor in the Denver area, where his churches experienced substantial growth, before going to First Baptist Church of Miami Beach, FL. After two years there, he accepted a call to be associational missionary for Valdosta Baptist Association, a position he would hold for 24 years until his retirement in 1990. His mission work overseas included being a part of the first Southern Baptist group to teach and preach in Jamaica and South Africa.
Finfrock was preceded in death by a brother, John, sisters Marybell Gorham and Rosella Petersen, and his wife of 58 years, Evangeline. Survivors include his daughter Carol Warren, two grandsons, two great-granddaughters, and three great-great-granddaughters.
Pavo Baptist Church celebrated its 116th homecoming Oct. 16. Former pastor David Cook preached the message. Tim VanLandingham is the pastor.
Left to right, Jay Chambers stands with Roger Lanter, pastor of Parkview Baptist in Rome, and Clinton Green, pastor of Pine Grove Baptist Church in Cartersville. Inset, Travis Chambers presents his grandson with a Bible and ordination certificate. JEFF CHAMBERS/SpecialAlton "Jay" Chambers, associate pastor at Parkview Baptist Church in Rome, was ordained into the ministry on Oct. 2 at Noah Baptist Church in Centre, AL.
Clinton Green, a former member of Noah and longtime senior pastor at Pine Grove Baptist Church in Cartersville, served as moderator of the ordaining council as well as the ordination service. Larry Draper of Sound the Trumpet Ministries in Rome preached the charge to the church. Jeff Chambers, Jay's father and senior pastor at Noah Baptist, preached the charge to the candidate. Travis Chambers, Jay's grandfather and a deacon at Noah, presented his grandson with a Bible and ordination certificate.
The ordaining council consisted of 12 ordained men including pastors, deacons, and two professors from Shorter University, where Jay Chambers is a sophomore majoring in Christian Studies with a minor in Communications. Roger Lanter is senior pastor of Parkview Baptist Church.
Macedonia Baptist Church in Manchester held revival services with evangelist Keith Fordham Oct. 2-5. Pastor Larry Stegall reports two professions of faith in the days leading up to the revival. During the revival eight more expressed prayer for salvation and ten came forward for baptism. Two attendees joined the church by statement, one more by letter, and three stated a rededication of their relationship with Christ.
Recently Pastor Bill Ricketts of Prince Avenue Baptist in Bogart announced he will step down after 43 years in the church's pulpit. A Nov. 13 gathering honors those decades of service from him as well as his wife, Darla. Members, friends, and guests are invited to the reception from 2-4:30 p.m. in the church's atrium.
