After an extensive search process, Steven Porter was named CBF’s new Global Missions Coordinator at a press

conference on April 30, 2014. He was the Executive Director of Touching Miami with Love from 2001—2005. Porter

begins work at the Fellowship’s Decatur, GA, office on September 1. CBF Florida’s own Rachel Gunter Shapard

served as a member of the Global Missions Advisory Search Committee which recommended Steven. Rachel asked

Steven to respond to the following questions:

Q: Speak to the need for churches in Florida to have cultural intelligence as they approach local, state and global missions in the 21st century.

The obvious answer is that the world is coming to our doorstep. Our communities are becoming more culturally

diverse day by day. If we want to love our neighbors as Jesus commanded, then we have to get to know them,

which includes learning to appreciate the cultures that have shaped them.

On a deeper level, if we want to bear faithful witness, then we need not only awareness of the cultural diversity

of our communities but also recognition of the culturally embedded

nature of the gospel. The good news is universal in scope—God is

reconciling all things, the Apostle Paul reminds us—but God saves

through a particular means in the person of Jesus. I believe it matters

that Jesus was a Palestinian Jew who became a child refugee in Africa

and later was wrongfully executed by the Roman state. These details

are not incidental to the story but central to it, precisely because “the

Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14)

These realities remind me of the story of Peter’s conversion in Acts

10. God sent a pagan seeker named Cornelius straight to Peter, but

Peter wasn’t interested in sharing God’s blessings beyond the

boundaries of his own culture. Fortunately for Gentiles like us, God’s

plan of salvation was far greater and more culturally diverse than

Peter ever imagined. In Scripture we learn that the gospel affirms but

also challenges every culture, including our own. So when we share

the gospel in word and deed with our neighbors from another culture,

we first need to listen to them and to our brothers and sisters in

Christ around the world to ensure that we actually offer the gospel and not merely our own culture as a

substitute. Such gospel-centered self-criticism demands a high cultural intelligence as well as continued

openness to the Holy Spirit’s work in us and in the world.

Q: What did your time at TML teach you about embracing cultural diversity?

Living anywhere in south Florida is a cultural education, but the most important lessons about diversity I

learned at TML derived from living in Overtown, the historic African American neighborhood we served, and

from joining Overtown’s Historic Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church. The old adage about walking a mile in

another person’s shoes still pertains. It is very difficult for people from a dominant group in any culture to

understand a minority group’s experience. TML offered me the invaluable opportunity to look through a

different set of lenses and discover the Triune God at work in unexpected places, which, in turn, forced me to

question why I expected God to be present in certain places more than others in the first place.

Q: What are some of the joys as well as the difficulties of cultural diversity that you observed while serving at TML?

The difficulties are always with us: miscommunication, misunderstanding, suspicion, enmity, and even violence.

But the joys are many, including hard-won friendships, hospitality, and a foretaste of the kingdom for which

Jesus taught us to pray. From Abraham’s promise in Genesis to be a blessing to the nations to the vision of the

nations gathered around the throne in Revelation, The Scriptures teach God’s dream of a renewed creation

(Continued on page 2)

Florida Fellowship NewsFlorida Fellowship NewsFlorida Fellowship News A publication of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Florida

2014 Second Quarter - Volume 24, Number 2

Stev

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Steven Porter, CBF Global Missions Coordinator

(Photo provided by CBF)

I ’m an Old Testament guy. I earned my doctorate in Old

Testament studies back when we still had to hand write the

Hebrew text into our dissertations. My generation of students

was the first to complete their dissertations on computers.

Some of the faculty even questioned whether it was plagiarism

for students to use a spell checker. (I won-

dered if that same debate occurred when the

first dictionary was published.) I digress.

As an Old Testament guy, I have an apprecia-

tion for the teachings on Sabbath. The

Sabbath year is a biblical, Old Testament

concept. In essence, it extends the principle

of the Sabbath day to the cycle of years. Thus,

every seventh year was a Sabbath year, a year

in which agrarian labor ceased and the land’s

natural produce could be gleaned by anyone.

Economically, the Sabbath year was a year in

which debts between Hebrews were

released. A debtor was not just given a year

off from paying her or his debt. The debtor’s obligation was

cancelled; it was stopped.

Perhaps you can see that the Sabbath was not simply a matter

of resting. Rest, to be sure, was part of the picture of a well-

spent Sabbath, but Sabbath was greater than that. Sabbath

interrupted routine; it forced an end to those routines that

eroded life’s vitality. It cancelled debt and ended the exploita-

tion of labor and land. It reinforced the truth that we depend as

much upon our labor as we do upon the grace and mercy of God

for our life’s abundance.

This is my Sabbath year, a gift to the coordinator of CBF Florida

by Fellowship Baptists in Florida. For three months, beginning

July 1, I will end the routine of weekly work that has occupied

my days since January 2007. I will rest. I will

seek the re-creation of my soul and the

regeneration of my family life. I will engage

my mind in new studies and re-invigorate my

creativity simply by being in God’s good world.

I expect that I will laugh a lot, fish a little, read

a little more, watch a few more sunrises and

sunsets, and visit a few places I’ve never seen

before.

That’s my dream, and I’ve discovered that,

too, is another gift of Sabbath-keeping: the

dreaming that comes before the living. So, let

me simply say “thank you” to Florida’s

Cooperative Baptists for their participation in

this divine gift.

In my absence, CBF-land will not lie fallow. It will be ably tended

by Rachel Gunter Shapard, our Associate Coordinator, as well as

the rest of the Lakeland office staff (Marti and Pat). For that I am

also grateful.

Shabbat shalom,

Ray

A Sabbatical Year

By Ray Johnson

Page 2 www.floridacbf.org Florida Fellowship News

(Steven Porter, continued from page 1)

reconciled to God and one another. To participate in that reality, even if only in part, is exhilarating. It reminds me of a line in

the Book of Common Prayer that begins, “O God, who has made of one blood all the peoples of the earth . . . .” Such

relationships make our hearts sing because we’ve been created

for them. And in John 17, Jesus even suggests that faithful

witness in the world hinges upon Christian unity.

Q: Describe your mindset concerning your recent appointment to serve as CBF’s next Global Missions Coordinator.

I view my appointment as the next Coordinator of Global

Missions as a humble affirmation and an incredible opportunity.

I believe the best days of CBF lie ahead of us, but they depend in

part on our ability to integrate the global missions and

congregational ministries sides of CBF into a cohesive whole.

The Mission Communities offer a promising structure for that

integration, but there remains much hard work to do. To that

end, I look forward to leading a conversation on Global Missions

across the Fellowship that helps us to narrow our focus, deepen

our capacity, and stretch our faith. I cannot wait to partner with CBF Florida once again in that work. Frankly, I wouldn’t be here

without you.

Steven Porter, the former director of TML, works with a student in TML’s afterschool program.

From Stranger to Family: My Journey to Florida and Spring Celebration Experience By Jeff Summers

Florida Fellowship News www.floridacbf.org Page 3

Make plans now to attend CBF General Assembly in Atlanta

To pre-register, visit www.thefellowship.info and click on the link to the General Assembly. While you’re there, click on the link for hotels and travel to make your reservations.

Come early for the Wednesday night banquet and commissioning service. Hear Suzii Paynter’s state of CBF address on Thursday morning. Celebrate what is happening in Florida at the CBF Florida state meeting.

When Jessica and I first learned of the change which was about to take place in our lives, there were mixed feelings. Excitement was high

because God was sending us on another exciting journey, this time to live out our calling into Gospel ministry alongside the people of

New Hope Baptist Church in Port Orange. It was also very sad to have to leave the community of Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains,

Georgia, where we served for eight years.

It is never easy being a stranger in a new location. A number of changes take place. It takes time to get acclimated to a new area. For us,

it involved finding a new home and setting up house. Our children had to be enrolled in a new school, meet new teachers and adapt to a

different approach to education. New license plates and driver’s

licenses had to be acquired.

We’ll have to begin a trusting relationship with our new church,

see its potential and vision and then embark upon the journey

of working together to realize that vision. Of course, like all

good Baptists, we must discover our new favorite restaurants –

hidden treasures known only to those locals who have been

here forever.

Yes, being a stranger to a new place is not always easy. The

wonderful thing about our move to Florida is that we were not

left feeling like strangers. We were welcomed as family. The

ministers of the DeLand Peer Learning Group immediately

invited me to be a part of their monthly gathering, and as a

whole, the people of CBF Florida have received and supported

us during our transition period.

What a blessing it was to attend my first CBF Florida Spring

Celebration with brothers and sisters in Christ. The meeting was

held at College Park Baptist Church in Orlando on May 2-3. The theme this year was Intersectionality: Faith and Culture at the Crossroads.

I had a wonderful time watching my brothers and sisters share about their journeys in the life of faith. It was truly an exciting time for

Cooperative Baptists! I want to express appreciation to Ray Johnson, Rachel Gunter Shapard, Marti Edwards, and Pat Herold for the hard

work they did to get everything prepared for us. Thank you for leading us here in Florida.

The Clergy Conference, held on May 1-2 at College Park, was enlightening. Led by Dr. Rob Nash from McAfee School of Theology, the

conference addressed the issue of the Christian Church as stranger in a changing world. It is true that we see changes in our communities

and need to think critically about how to respond. My family can speak personally of this change; we moved from a community of 700 to

a community over of 50,000. What a difference!

If history has taught us anything, it is this -- life changes! Life will continue to change day by day and moment by moment, leaving us with

an enormous challenge. We have to find creative ways of ministering to keep our important message vibrant and relevant to an ever-

changing world. In the midst of it all, may we always remember to be welcoming . . . welcoming of all people. If the people in the

communities surrounding our churches could hear one message, my hope is that it would be: “Come! Come into the presence of God

and join with this Christian family – open and loving to all who seek a spiritual journey with God, alongside the people of God.”

Jeff and Jessica Summers and their family with President Carter in Plains, GA

Page 4 ww.floridacbf.org Florida Fellowship News

Rachel Gunter Shapard (left) presents Carolyn and Pat

Anderson with a gift from the 2013 Annual Missions

Offering.

2014 CBF Florida Spring Celebration in Orlando Photography by David Cassady, www.thefaithlab.info

Jack Mercer, Pastor of College Park Baptist Church welcomes CBF FL.

Marti Edwards, CBF

Florida’s Administrative

Assistant and Rubén

Ortiz, CBF Florida’s

Moderator

Alberto Bent (First Baptist of St. Pete) leads worship on Friday evening.

Kevin and Andrea Collison and family take a break with their family during

Friday’s sessions.

Interfaith Panel members representing Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Buddhist, and Christian traditions are welcomed by Ray Johnson.

From left to right, Gary Skeen, Ron Rooks, Karen Rooks and

Karen Alford

Mark and Sarah Groves

Deermeadows Church

Florida Fellowship News www.floridacbf.org Page 5

Chuck Gates,

HAB Volunteer

Soong-Chan Rah, Keynote

Speaker, emphasizes a

point during Friday

evening’s worship service.

Pharilien Paul (left), Maria Gomez, and Martin Villa

(student leaders at Open House Ministries) read scripture

during worship on Friday evening.

Rob Nash facilitates the 2014 Clergy Conference.

Ramona Reynolds, CBF FL Moderator-Elect

Jan Bryant, from Emmanuel

Community Church in Palm

Harbor, is one of CBF FL’s

Scholarship students.

Betty Stuart talks with fellow College

Park members at the Water is Life

exhibit.

Missy Ward Angalla, CBF Field

Personnel from Merritt Island,

inspires attendees at Friday’s lunch.

Donn and Katherine Poole serve in

The Villages as CBF Florida’s newest

Church Starters.

Pam Durso, Exec-utive Director of Baptist Women in Ministry

Jesús Edgardo Garcia Briales, Pastor of Iglesia Bautista de Metrópolis, in Puerto Rico

Page 6 www.floridacbf.org Florida Fellowship News

Why Cooperative Baptists? The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is a community seeking to speak hope into a world that so desperately needs it. CBF is a community of believers that works to serve others with the love of God, exemplified in Jesus . A community like that is something I want to be a part of!

What’s playing on your iPod these days? The Civil Wars . . . and that catchy “Cups” song!

Who was instrumental in your being called into Christian ministry? There are so many people who come to mind when I consider the voices that helped me discern my calling. My family, youth leaders, and many friends have all affirmed me along the journey. Two people that come to mind as having had an influential presence would be my youth minister growing up, Sam Hestorff, and my grandfather, Papaw.

What was it about your home church that helped you hear God’s calling? Bayshore Baptist Church was a place that wove the truth of God’s love into my life and walked beside me throughout my spiritual journey. I am thankful for the ways they called out strengths and gifts in me, and gave me space to explore my calling into vocational ministry.

What are your plans for ministry when you finish your degree? I am passionate about working with teenagers and walking alongside families as they draw closer to God and seek to be about kingdom work. I hope to serve in youth ministry in some capacity.

The best part about seminary for you is . . . Being in conversation with and sharing life with people who understand God and life in very different ways than I do. The diversity stretches my understanding and reminds me how vast and beautiful the family of God truly is.

If you could give any advice to someone who is considering going to seminary, what would you say? Go to school in California . . . if you are going to be writing papers and reading all day, might as well be somewhere this pretty! In seriousness, find somewhere that is situated in the tension of being a place where you fit and are valued as you, but also a place that challenges you to listen and consider deeply new possibilities. Find the place that sparks your passions and will be a place of growth.

Every spring semester, Stetson University’s Baptist Collegiate Fellowship (BCF) takes a group of college students on a week-long mission trip. This year the BCF students demonstrated a strong desire to work with homeless communities and were led to partner with The Timothy project in Asheville, North Carolina, for a truly transformative week of missions. Around 25 Stetson students were in attendance.

The Timothy Project placed the students in several work sites, each requiring different services. One of the sites was a home for veterans that housed service men and women who had nowhere else to go. Many of the veterans suffered from addictions and psychological disorders such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The BCF students were able to communicate with and learn from the veterans and also assisted with the upkeep of the shelter through cooking, cleaning, and gardening.

Elizabeth Fuller, an English major and leader in BCF, stated, “Working with The Timothy Project was an amazing experience, as it allowed us to meet and work one-on-one with people in a variety of challenging situations. Not only were we able to gain

an understanding about the realities of life for those facing poverty or homelessness, we also gained insight into the options that are available to provide aid to people in such circumstances.”

At other sites the students did not have as much interaction with the people housed there, but something special happened nonetheless, This little group of students, many of whom

felt uneasy and were unsure about how helpful they could be, became a source of encouragement and support to the workers who had been there for years. At the Eliada Home, a housing

(Continued on page 8)

Sara Hunt: A conversation with a young Baptist leader Fuller Theological Seminary

Stetson BCF 2014 Spring Break Mission Trip By Rachel Jeyaseelan

Florida Fellowship News www.floridacbf.org Page 7

Officers

Rubén Ortiz (Moderator)

La Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana,

Deltona

Ramona Reynolds (Moderator-elect)

College Park Baptist Church, Orlando

Ron Rooks (Treasurer)

Bayshore Baptist Church, Tampa

Gary McCall (Secretary)

Community Presbyterian Church,

Celebration

Christi Matteson (Past Modera-

tor)

Hendricks Avenue Baptist

Church, Jacksonville

Panhandle Representatives

Clint Akins (Fort Walton Beach)

Ned Couey (Pensacola)

Andy Creel (Monticello)

Jennifer Hendrix (Tallahassee)

Hazel Rosser (Tallahassee)

Northeast Florida Representatives

Kevin Collison (Orange Park)

Sara Holladay-Tobias (Jacksonville)

Laurie McDonald (Jacksonville)

Thomas E. Sanders (The Villages)

East Central Representatives

Dianne Forrest (DeLand)

Garth Jenkins (DeLand)

David Medley (Orlando)

Bob Mulkey (DeLand)

Don Pratt (Eustis)

Sally Rivera (Deltona)

West Central Representatives

Allan Bendert (Palm Harbor)

Phil Miller-Evans (St. Petersburg)

Lyn Payne (Lakeland)

Aubrey Smith (Tampa)

Bud Strawn (St. Petersburg)

South Florida Representatives

Barbara Briggs (Venice)

John Daugherty (Ft. Myers)

Greg Gackle (Miami)

Hiram Henderson (Vero Beach)

Allan Mitchell (Venice)

Ouida Wyatt (Vero Beach)

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Florida 2014 Representative Assembly

Nominations open for 2015 Representative Assembly

Two Representative Assembly members, Gary McCall (left) and Greg Magruder, connect during this year’s Spring

Celebration.

Galloways named 2014 Findley and Louvenia Edge Award winners

Elaine and Greg Galloway, members of College Park Baptist Church in Orlando, were

named the winners of the 2014 Findley and Louvenia Edge Christian Education Leader-

ship Award during the Friday evening banquet of this year’s Spring Celebration.

The Galloways were recognized for their roles as lay leaders in College Park’s children

and youth ministries during a time in which the church was absent of pastoral staff.

Elaine oversees the nursery through fifth grade ministries while Greg directs the sixth

grade through college-aged programming.

The Edge Award, named after Findley and Louvenia Edge, seeks to recognize an indi-

vidual, couple, or group who embody the Edges’ passion for Christian Education, vision

for a well-equipped and active laity, and dedication to and love for the local church. The Galloways join seven previous winners of

this significant award.

Each year a new slate of CBF Florida Representative Assembly (RA) members is elected to serve a three-year term. Representatives

are nominated from each of CBF Florida’s districts with an equal ratio of male and female, laypersons and clergy. To be eligible to

serve, a person must either donate to CBF Florida or be a member of a church that does so.

Representative Assembly members are expected to meet the following responsibilities during their term of service:

1. Attend the two bi-annual meetings of the RA (generally the first Friday and Saturday of March and November).

2. Provide for their travel and hotel expenses for RA meetings.

3. Serve on at least one ministry team each year.

4. Advocate for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in one’s local church.

Florida Fellowship News is published quarterly by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Florida, Ray Johnson, Coordinator. P. O. Box 2556, Lakeland, FL 33806-2556. Postage paid at Jacksonville, Fla. Phone (863) 682-6802. Toll free (888) 241-2233. Fax (863) 683-5797. CBF-Florida’s e-mail address is contact@floridacbf.org; Web address is www.floridacbf.org. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRA-TION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE: 1-800-435-7352. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY

ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

Thank you for the gifts!

In memory of Tom Cleary, the following friends and organizations donated to Touching Miami with

Love and Open House Ministries:

To make a contribution to CBF Florida, visit www.floridacbf.org, or mail to

P. O. Box 2556, Lakeland 33806.

(Stetson BCF, continued from page 6)

facility geared towards the rehabilitation of at-risk children, the BCF students had the opportunity to work with a man named Brian. He was a former resident of the community and spoke of his desire to be a blessing to the community that had helped him and to follow God with all of his heart. Brian shared with the students that he did not know what to expect when he learned that a team from Florida was going to assist him in mulching the grounds, but he was greatly encouraged by the hard work of the group.

When most people go on mission trips, they expect to help or better the place where they serve. While that does often happen, there is also a transformation that occurs in the hearts and minds of the volunteers. Ian Felpel, a Digital Arts major and freshman at Stetson, stated, “I'm really sad that spring break is over. Our mission trip to Asheville was honestly one of the most memorable and enriching experiences I've ever had. I'd argue it even changed my life a bit. I'm not even thinking twice about what I'm doing for spring break next year. I'd do this all over again in a heartbeat.”

The Stetson BCF 2014 spring break mission trip taught all in attendance an important lesson: there are people in the world who have fallen on hard times, and as Christians, it is our great privilege to love and serve them without reserve and without judgment.

2014 Second Quarter Issue Volume 24 - Number 2

Contact CBF Florida at: P. O. Box 2556

Lakeland. FL 33806-2556

217 Hillcrest Street Lakeland, FL 33815

Toll-free: 888•241•2233

contact@floridacbf.org www.floridacbf.org

Staff

Ray Johnson Coordinator

Rachel Gunter Shapard Associate Coordinator

Marti Edwards Administrative Assistant

Newsletter Editor

Pat Herold Financial Secretary

Serving and connecting churches and individuals in their calling to

be the presence of Christ

Page 8 www.floridacbf.org Florida Fellowship News

CBF FLORIDA FINANCIAL SUMMARY Thru April 30, 2014

010,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,00070,00080,00090,000

Individuals

Churches

AnnualM

ission

Offering

Budget

Actual

Jacqueline Cleary

Absolute Asphalt Services

Jo K. Strong and A. Marilyn Wertz

Roberta Ann Aldrich

Patsy Quann and Kristin Quann Corcoran

James and Jessie Harvey

C. B. and Helen Bernard

Robert and Verline Miller

James Day

Bill and Nancy Futch

Russell and Janis Courson

Ray and Nena Johnson