Pastor's Blog: "Staff Changes"
| | Dr. Wayne Splawn
In my blog this week, I need to update you on some changes that are coming to our church staff. You should already be aware of a couple of these changes from emails you received earlier this week, but I think it is helpful to communicate each of these changes in one blog post so that everyone is aware of what to expect in coming days.
First, as you hopefully learned earlier this week, Ben Winder has accepted the call to become the next Senior Minister at First Baptist Church, St. Petersburg, Florida. Ben is a gifted and talented minister of the gospel and I trust Ben, Laura Beth, Levi, and Luke will be a source of God’s blessing to the people of FBC St. Petersburg.
Second, Tim Sanderlin has accepted the call to become the Middle School Pastor at Mountain Brook Community Church here in Birmingham. Tim grew up at Mountain Brook Community Church and this is understandably an opportunity about which Tim is excited. Tim, Lauren, and Livi have been a blessing in our church over the years. We are sad to see them go, but I trust the Lord will continue to use the Sanderlins to help students in our area become more devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
Third, Joseph Mendum has accepted the call to become the Minister of Modern Worship and Youth at First United Methodist Church in Leeds, Alabama. Joseph has served as our ACTIVE Christian Living and Music Ministry Associate for several years now and has been a blessing both to our Music Ministry and ACTIVE Christian Living Ministry. Joseph has sensed God’s calling to full-time ministry, and I am excited that the Lord has opened this door for Joseph to continue to pursue God’s calling in his life.
Sunday, May 8 will be the last Sunday at MBBC for Ben, Joseph, and Tim. To give you an opportunity to speak to each of them and let them know of the many ways they have blessed you and our congregation, we are having a drop-in reception for them this Sunday, May 1 from 10-11 a.m. in Hudson Hall. We hope that you will take the opportunity to stop by on your way to Sunday Morning Bible Study or Contemporary Worship to thank Ben, Joseph, Tim, and their families and to assure them of your prayers as they continue to follow God’s call on their lives in different ministry contexts.
Finally, I hope you received my email regarding the Personnel Committee’s recommendation that we hire Mark Rector as our next Associate Minister. Mark is a graduate of Mountain Brook High School, where he excelled in the classroom. In addition to being a great student, Mark played on the varsity football team and was actively involved in the Student Ministry at Brookwood Baptist Church.
Upon graduation from Mountain Brook High School, Mark attended Furman University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Religion. Mark then earned his Master of Divinity from Beeson Divinity School. Mark served as the College Minister at Brookwood Baptist Church from 2016-2020 and most recently served as the Guys Minister with Big Time Ministries in Mountain Brook. Big Time is a ministry for Junior and Senior High students in the Mountain Brook area.
Mark is married to the former Anne Galloway. Mark and Anne have two children, Joshua (age three) and Evelyn (age two), and they are expecting another child later this year. Anne is a teacher at Mountain Brook Junior High School. Mark and Anne both feel a calling to share the hope of Jesus Christ with people in Mountain Brook and surrounding communities.
Our Deacons will consider the Personnel Committee’s recommendation to hire Mark as Associate Minister at their next meeting on Monday, May 16. If the Deacons approve the recommendation, the church will then vote on the Personnel Committee’s recommendation in the Traditional and Contemporary Worship Services on Sunday, May 22.
Please be in prayer for our church during these important days. I am confident that we will see God’s hand at work as we send people out to minister in other churches and as we prayerfully welcome others to join us in the good work God is doing here at MBBC.