April 20, 2024
Donald “Donnie” Berry, pastor of Mallorysville Baptist Church in Tignall, died April 11. He was 61.
Berry was a native of Wilkes County, where he lived most of his life. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pastoral Ministry from Toccoa Falls College before going on to serve at Mallorysville Baptist for nearly 26 years. He had retired from the Department of Family and Chldren Services after 18 years of service.
Berry is survived by his wife, Kris; daughters Jessica, of Rayle, and Abbie Pruitt, of Lexington; his mother, Betty Berry of Rayle; a sister, Sandra Parker of Thomas; and three grandchildren.
Abbeville First Baptist Church Pastor Tony Dixon died March 12 at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany.
Tony DixonA native of Screven, Dixon graduated from Waycross High School and the Baptist College of Florida in Graceville, FL. A member of the Georgia Baptist Convention Executive Committee, he had also served as pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in Cordele, Hurricane Baptist in Westville, FL, and Pleasant Grove Baptist in Defuniak Springs, FL. He served his country with honor in the United States National Guard.
Dixon is survived by his wife, Frances; son, T.R., of Dothan AL; and a sister, Jeanette Haynes of Waycross. He was preceded in death in 1991 by a daughter, Christy Renee Dixon.
Norma Ellan Stinson, of Lee County, died March 7 at her residence. She was 70.
Norma StinsonA native of Dalton and graduate of North Whitfield High School, she married Pastor Ron Stinson in 1966 and would serve alongside her husband at churches in Atlanta, Memphis, and Arkansas before going to the Albany area. Since 2008 she and her husband ministered among the people of Bryant Drive Baptist Church in Sylvester.
She is survived by her husband of 52 years as well as a son, Scott, of Colquitt County; daughter Lisa Holley, of Lee County; sister, Jemyrr Ratcliff of LaFayette; a brother, Weldon Hammontree of Mobile, AL; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
First Baptist Church on the Square in LaGrange recently celebrated James Yu’s 11 years as pastor of the church’s Korean Mission.
On April 11 Jeff waters, a graduate candidate for New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary's DMin program, conducted a successful exit interview and will be graduating next month. Waters' major is Church Revitalization and his project entitled "Developing Revitalization Strategy for Broad Street Baptist Church, Hawkinsville, GA." Pictured left to right are Peter Kendrick, NOBTS, GA/AL regional dean; Waters; Jonggil Lee, Korean DMin director; and Bong Soo Choi, Korean BA and MDiv program director. New Orleans Seminary will hold graduation ceremonies May 19.[/caption] Randy LeBlanc began his tenure as minister of worship and music at First Baptist Church in Cornelia on April 1. Previously he had served in Texas. LeBlanc is joined by his wife, Cele.
Peter Witkowski recently accepted a position as senior pastor at Amissville Baptist Church in Virginia. Previously, he had been associate pastor of preschool and children at Eastman First Baptist Church.
On April 22 Georgetown Baptist Church will celebrate 175 years of ministry. Former pastor Jimmy Blanton, associational missionary for Columbus Baptist Association, will be the featured speaker with a catered dinner following the 10:30 a.m. service.
