Fellowships Will Take a New Look Beginning in August:

Power Lunches and Breakfasts: 
The Pastor and Staff Fellowships will take a new look beginning in August with Power Lunches and Power Breakfasts when applicable.  The informal setting around the restaurant table will provide a relaxed atmosphere to encourage one another, pray for one another and receive some valuable tools and resources to use in ministry.  These lunches will be smaller more intimate groups and more convenient for you. I think you will be excited when you see a power lunch is happening in Newport News, Williamsburg, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Gloucester, Portsmouth, Norfolk, Yorktown, Suffolk, Hampton, Onley, Ivor, etc...  In a day with rising gas prices, we see the need to come to you in order to join you in ministry. We’ll be eating “Dutch treat” so be prepared for this.

RSVP by emailing to dcockes@sbcv.org  or call 757-374-9077.

August Power Breakfast/Lunch nearest you!
Tues., Aug. 12 -  11:30 Lunch, County Grill, Yorktown
Mon., Aug. 25 -  8:00 Breakfast, TBD, Suffolk
Mon., Aug. 25 - 11:30 Lunch,  Golden Corral, Hampton
Tues., Aug. 26 - 11:30 Lunch,  Don Valleros, Onley
Wed., Aug. 27 - 11:30 Lunch,  TBD, Ivor

Connections: 
In September, November and April we will have a larger evening fellowship called "Connection" at the traditional 3 Southeast locations. There will be a Fall, Christmas and Spring Connection that will feature good food, fellowship, a guest speaker, testimonies, music and more.  Spouses will be especially invited to participate.  Each Connection Meal and Meeting will begin at 6:30 PM.

The September Connection Schedule:
* Thurs, September 11,  Liberty Baptist Church in Hampton
* Thurs, September 18,  Kempsville Baptist Church in VA Beach
* Thurs, September 25, Southside Baptist Church in Suffolk

If you have questions about the new fellowship format, please call me at 757-374-9077 or email at dcockes@sbcv.org.

The following Southeast area churches have recorded their VBS dates.  We encourage you to participate in a VBS nearest you.  You may also contact the churches below to inquire about sharing materials and decorations.

Week of:
August 9-August 15
• Hickory Ridge of Chesapeake, Aug 10-15 from 6-8:30

August 23-29
• Liberty Baptist of Suffolk, Aug 25-29 in the evening
 
For more information www.sbcv.org/vbs

Many have recently read some statistics that are alarming.  LifeWay reported, based on the Annual Church Profiles, that baptisms in the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention dropped nearly 5.5% from the previous year.  345,941 were baptized in 2007, making it fewer than the SBC churches baptized in 1950. Alvin Reid, Jimmy Draper, Thom Rainer, and Bill Fay commented respectively, "that the Convention is on life support and in denial", "we have completely lost our focus", "nearly one half of all church members may not be Christians", and "less than 5% of church members share their faith."

It is interesting to note that these same statistics for the churches partnering with the SBCV:
* In 2007, SBCV churches baptized 6,358 individuals
* In 2006, SBCV churches baptized 5,600 individuals
Praise the Lord that our statistics do not match the rest of the convention, and yet there are still so many more that need to be reached in Virginia. 
In fact, many churches in the Southeast ministry area are indeed "Pushing Back the Darkness" in our region.   Liberty Baptist in Hampton led the way in the SE area with over 500 baptisms. 

But for those being saved, yet there is room for so many more.  Thought you might be in prayerful concern for the SBC and encouraged by the SBCV report.
Let’s praise the Lord for the baptisms in our area where God has shown His power through fruitfulness in evangelism:
• Sonlight - Chesapeake   25
• Iglesia Bautista del Camino-Norfolk 26
• Harvest Fellowship - Smithfield  27
• Onancock   27
• Petsworth - Gloucester   32
• Virginia Beach Beacon Baptist   35
• Kempsville-Virginia Beach   41
• Deep Creek-Chesapeake   44
• Hickory Ridge Community-Chesapeake 67
• Waters Edge-Yorktown   71
• Bethel-Chesapeake   73
• First Baptist -Norfolk   113
• London Bridge-Virginia Beach  145
• Liberty-Hampton   544

Ministry Experience: Don has served as pastor, associate pastor, youth pastor, and staff member at churches in Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.  In addition, he served as a Home Missionary in Atlanta, serving at the formerly-called SBC Home Mission Board.
Life Verses:  Philippians 3: 8-9 "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."

Contact Info: Contact Don via e-mail or by phone: (757) 374-9077.

Ministry Experience: Mark is a Native Virginian.  He has served in Montana as a Native American pastor and planter and State Language Missionary.  He served as a Multi-Ethnic church planting strategist with the North American Mission Board as well as rolls in the Mentoring and Enlistment Teams in church planting.

Life Verse: "Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name."  Psalm 86:11
Contact Info: Contact Mark via e-mail or by phone at (757) 375-5576.

Population: 1,584,590
Total SBCV Churches and Church Plants: 109