Page 26 - Western Recorder NOVEMBER 2020

26 Western Recorder ǀ November 2020
Laina Chapell — Submitted photo
Thankful for Clear Creek...
Your giving helps students fulfill ministry opportunities
FOX
By DONNIE FOX
This time of the year always moves our hearts and minds to the things we are most thankful for. When I think of Clear Creek and its students, there are many
up, this place felt like home. The fac- ulty has treated me like family and it is honestly such a loving environment.
“When I first came here I was a little scared,” recalled Chapell. “This is my first time living away from my fami-
ly — not only that, but I also had no help financially from my parents and I had been out of work for a while due to some medical issues. Thankfully, though, this institution has been very helpful and compassionate and has blessed me in many ways. To say I am grateful would be an understatement.
“This school has impacted me greatly,” said Chapell. “I have grown so much spiritually since being here and have become much more mature. This school is truly an amazing place, and it is much unlike anywhere else. I am proud to be able to call myself a Clear Creek student and I thank God daily for this school.”
Clear Creek
Baptist Bible
College is proud to
be the Bible college of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. We have many more students like Laina who are so thankful for the opportunity to acquire an accredited ministry degree at a very affordable rate that allows them to graduate debt-free when they leave this institution. A big part of their tui- tion is paid for through your Coopera- tive Program gifts.
During this season of thankfulness, all of us at Clear Creek are thank-
ful for Kentucky Baptists and your support of the Cooperative Program. Thanks for your investment in king- dom work.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Donnie Fox is president of Clear Creek Baptist Bible College.
stories that I could share about how thankful each one is for the oppor- tunity to study and learn here. While I don’t have the room to share all of those stories, I can share one from freshman student, Laina Chapell, about how thankful she is to be able to fulfill God’s calling on her life at Clear Creek.
“Coming to Clear Creek has been a dream come true for me,” said Cha- pell. “This school, the staff and other students have been so amazing, and
I am so blessed that God has led me here. From the moment I first showed
Curtis Woods called as pastor of historic Severns Valley
PORTER
By BRANDON PORTER
ELIZABETHTOWN — An unexpected journey of life and ministry has led a man born at Fort Knox back to pastor one of Kentucky’s oldest churches, not far
“I received it and began the journey toward pastoring this beautiful body of baptized believers,” Woods said.
Woods served as pulpit supply for many months following the depar- ture of Severn Valley’s long-time lead pastor Bill Langley. Langley left in late January to serve with the International Mission Board.
Kevin Ray served as the chair of the church’s pastor search committee. “The church survey identified seven leadership strengths the church de- sired in our next lead pastor, a pastor/ shepherd; a strong leader; an expos- itory preacher; a teacher of God’s Word; a visionary; an evangelist; and a relational counselor. As a team, we found Dr. Woods to not only possess all seven of these leadership qualities, but that he excels in each area based
on our personal experience and time spent with him,” said Ray.
Woods has
served on the
KBC mission
board staff for almost 15 years. He first served as a regional campus mission- ary in Frankfort and Georgetown and became associate executive director for convention relations in 2012.
KBC Executive Director-Treasurer Todd Gray believes Woods will be a won- derful leader at the historic Kentucky Baptist church, “Dr. Woods is not only an excellent preacher and teacher but also an evangelistic leader. My prayer is that God will use him to help Severns Valley continue to impact their commu- nity with the gospel.”
from the well-known military installation. Curtis Woods was called to be the next lead pastor of Severns Valley Baptist Church in Elizabethtown on Sept. 27.
Woods says God began stirring in him the desire to pastor a local church in 2019 and used the COVID-19 pan- demic to lead him to Severns Valley. “After months of preaching to a camera and ministering via email and phone calls to several members, the Holy Spirit impressed an insatiable desire to shepherd this body. I awaited confir- mation from others within the body.
WOODS