We pray alongside…
The family of
Charles Maddox
, Duncan, S.C., who died May 17. He was the grandfather of Cody Sanders, pastor of congregational partner Old Cambridge Baptist Church, Cambridge, Mass.
Nicolas Mumejian
, Washington, D.C., as he and his family mourn the untimely death of his 25-year-old brother, Michael. Nick serves as interim pastor at congregational partner Riverside Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.
Jorja A. Porter
, Chicago, Ill., at the recent loss of her oldest brother, John Porter. Jorja serves congregational partner Ellis Avenue Church as assistant pastor. We join the church in surrounding this family in love, care, and grace at this time of loss.
Nat Storms
, Tampa, Fla., who at the age of 94 fell and is recovering from surgery May 9 for a broken hip. Because of the COVID-19, there are no visitors allowed in the rehab facility. He has some dementia and is "pleasantly confused." Pray that he will do well in rehab and return to his assisted living facility. Nat is the father of Alliance-endorsed chaplain, Valerie Storms.
Phil Storms
, New Hampshire, who was recently diagnosed with follicular lymphoma. As he was preparing to begin the second of six cycles of chemo for that he received word that the second biopsy also showed that he has a squamous cell cancer of the throat. Treatment for the lymphoma, which is slow-growing, will be suspended while treatment for the throat cancer will begin as it is more aggressive. Phil is the brother of Alliance-endorsed chaplain, Valerie Storms. He and his wife, Kim, live in New Hampshire.
Our partner, the
Aliança de Batistas do Brasil,
Salvador, Brasil, as they mourn the death of pastor
Djalma Torres
, a bulwark of ecumenical and inter-religious relations in the state of Bahia and throughout Brazil. He served Nazareth Baptist Church, Salvador, as pastor for 30 years and will be remembered as a courageous pioneer and prophet. He garnered a deep respect for his profoundly welcoming ministry, as well as his ecumenical and inter-religious practices. He leaves a living legacy in the northeast section of Brazil having contributed to the formation of the Bahia Ecumenical Theological Institute, as well as the Aliança de Batistas do Brasil. The tireless defender of human rights and participant in countless social justice movements, Pr. Djalma Torres was recognized in 2012 with a human rights award on religious diversity by the Dilma Rousseff presidential administration.
Deb Vaughn
, North Potomac, Md., as her 101 year-old mother is in hospice care. Deb is an Alliance-endorsed chaplain serving in hospice ministry.
Yolanda Williams
, Crystal, Minn., offers this prayer of grief: “for
victims of police injustice
as well as a cry for justice as police escalated violence. It is unfortunate that this is a part of daily life for me and my Black and Brown family.”
We celebrate alongside…
Theodore “Teddy” Ping Chang
, Denver, Colo., who was born Friday, May 22, to parents
Rachel Revelle Chang and Shu Chang
. Rachel is an Alliance-endorsed chaplain serving in Denver, Colo.
Ka’thy Gore Chappell
, Winston-Salem, N.C., who was awarded a D.Min. in Creative Leadership with an Entrepreneurial Spirit from Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Shawnee, Kansas. The title of her dissertation is ”Being A Collaborative Leader and Celebrating the Results: I Want to be THAT Kind of Leader!” Ka’thy serves as director of Baptist Women in Ministry in North Carolina.
Millie Annette Cook
, Granite Falls, N.C., who was born May 21 to parents
Mindy and Tyler Cook
. Mindy serves as minister of music at congregational partner Cullowhee Baptist Church, Cullowhee, N.C.
Grant and Brooke Dooley
, who were married Sunday, May 24 in a private ceremony at Brooke’s parents’ home. Grant serves as minister to youth, children, and families at congregational partner Lakeshore Baptist Church, Waco, Texas. Best wishes and congratulations!
Aretha Flucker
, Fort Worth, Texas, who begins serving as the first director of community and spiritual life at Brite Divinity School, Fort Worth, Texas this month. Previously Aretha served on the staff of The Luke Church, Humble, Texas, as minister of spiritual formation and assimilation. Aretha is a newly-elected member of the board of directors of the Alliance and served on the planning committee for this year’s annual gathering.
Stan Hastey
, West Palm Beach, Fla., former executive director of the Alliance of Baptists who offers prayers of gratitude for the discharge of Lila and John Hastey from the El Paso, Texas hospital where she works as a nurse. Both were diagnosed recently with COVID-19. Their son, John Matthew, who also tested positive for coronavirus, has been quarantined at home and is now caring for his parents.
Tiffany Triplett Henkel
, New York City, N.Y., who celebrated fifteen years of ministry at congregational partner Metro Baptist Church, Sunday, May 31. Tiffany serves the church as pastor as well as executive director of Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries.
Kathryn House
, Boston, Mass., who was awarded a Ph.D. in Practical Theology at Boston University School of Theology spring of 2020. The title of her dissertation is "The Afterlife of White Evangelical Purity Culture: Wounds, Legacies, and Impacts." She has also begun a position at the Boston University School of Theology as an instructional coordinator for distance learning initiatives. Kathryn writes, “I am very grateful for my Alliance of Baptists family and especially for my home congregation, the First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain!”
Katy Kammerdiener
, Ft. Worth, Texas, who was recently given awards for excellence in a field placement setting and excellence in religious education by Brite Divinity School, where she is currently an M.Div. student. Katy fulfilled her placement at Slumber Falls Camp, New Braunfels, Texas, where she is employed as the program director. Also, Katy served in the inaugural class of Summer Communities of Service and is a member of congregational partner University Baptist Church, Austin, Texas.
Cody Sanders
, Jamaica Plain, Mass., celebrates the publication of his new book,
Christianity, LGBTQ Suicide, and the Souls of Queer Folk
(Lexington Books). Cody serves as pastor of congregational partner Old Cambridge Baptist Church, Cambridge, Mass. The alumnus of Gardner-Webb University, McAfee School of Theology, and Brite Divinity School provided significant leadership in 2014 securing and directing an Alliance project funded by the Arcus Foundation titled, “The Congregational Compassion and Human Difference Initiative."
Susan Sparks
, New York City, N.Y., who celebrated her twentieth anniversary at congregational partner Madison Avenue Baptist Church on May 21. Thirteen of those years she has served as senior pastor. The congregation is her first and only church. Congratulations!
