The Ohio Independent Baptist, December 1998

0 Use pencil. c mail or fax, but get your news to us ~ by January15 for the next 01Bl Dave and Pat Warren Cot\fet4e.t\ce Cotlt\eciiot\s I l \\as a lot of fun, \Va n' c it? Approxi– mate!\ 90 of our churche were ; repre ented 1n Root town. The New ~1il ford Bapti l Church people bent over back\\ ard to make u feel welcome and meet our every need . Even the weather \\'a great! We prai e the Lord for a good ume of conferring together! aetti t\9 to Know \!oL,\ A re taurant. a fellow hip hall at the chur h. or a deacon's home. A de ert buffet. soup and andwiches. or a three-cour e meal. A game. laughter. hared per onal te timonie of alvation , or dreams for the church. \\'hat do the e have in common? Leader hip Team Meetings. The venue i different for each church, but the goal i lhe san1e. We' re making fri ends acros Ohio and getting to know the churches of our fe llow hip better. We thank you! Thank you Gary & Joyce, Mark & Debbie, Brad & Becky, Chuck & Jennifer, Ken & Kay, Brad & Debbie, Dan & Rebecca, Jeff & Sand i, Ralph & Sarah, Jim & Vikki , Denni & Carolyn, Jon & Sarah, and Paul & Marilyn for haring yourselves and your people with us. P as tors and wives from the northwest area gathered for lunch in Toledo and had a great time. Thank you Dan and Bruce for maki ng the arrangements. We' re looking for others who will work with us to renew the fellowship among Christian leaders in this part of our state. Reachit\9 OL-\t H ow can you reach out to another pastor or wife in your area of the tate thi month? As you encourage another OARBC pastor or wife, you may enhance the mini try of another church, extending your influence and the gospel of our Savior. As we strengthen the tie that bi nds us, we strengthen the cords that tie us lo mis ions here and around the world. Congratulations to Donald & Helen Hare , on the occasion of their 60th __.,,.., wedding anniversary Don and Helen are retired ABWE (Brazil) missionaries now hv1ng 1n Cedarville. Celebrate Ohio! NotJustAny Old Blimp O n your way lo Rootstown for the annual conference, how many of you saw the Goodyear Blimp? We did! Mark and Debbie Ashley of Northfield Baptist Church tell us the Akron area is the home of the Goodyear Blimp. Debbie writes, "Anyone who drives by the huge dirigible airdock at the old Akron City Airport will be struck by the sheer size of the historic building. Opened in l93 1, the airdock is 2 11 feet ta1 I, 320 feet wide and I , 175 feet in length, without any upporting pi llar or girder. When built, it was the largest buildi ng of it type in the world . It is reported that you could lay out 10 football fields inside the structure, that the interior space is big enough to hou e two ai rcraft carriers, the Washington Monument, and the Statue of Liberty. The Goodyear Company of Akron built the structure to house thei r giant dirigibles, which nearly fill ed the airdock . Today all of their active blimps could fit into the space that j ust one dirigible once took up. No public tours are allowed inside the bui lding, but it is easi ly seen from sur– rounding roads and highway . Acres the treet from the old Akron airport is Strickland 's Ice Cream Stand, which makes fresh custard each day during the spring and summer month . Winter or ummer, their parking lot give a terrific view of this historic landmark." "A Long Obedience In The Same Direction" T he abo\e book title came to mind as I attended the fu neral service of Re\ . W. Dean Henrv of Akron on ., September 18. at Brown Street Baptist Church Dean Henry li ved 79 years ( 1919-1998) and came to know the Lord at the age of nine . He grew up in 1\ltoona. Pennsylvania. and wa a graduate of Practical Bible Training School. of Johnson Cit). New York. He became the pa tor of the Brown Street Baptist Church in Akron, Ohio. in 194'. and faithfully served the Lord there until his retirement 1n 1984: yes, for 42 l-Ons1stent years . For the last 14 }ear!:> he has ~er\ed as an interim paslor 1n man 1 Ohio chu rche . During all of ' - that time Dean faithfu lly served as wel l on the Camp Patmos Board . Dean left behind a wonderful legacy of ministerial faithfulnes . Those attending the funeral service testified of hi wisdom, wit, and winsomeness. His former studen ts at the Moody Ex tens ion School in Akron remembered his gracious and effect ive manner of teaching them the Word . Several pastors and parishioners remembered hi s Bible teaching, ense of humor, and love for them as indiv iduals. As one of them tearfully stated, "He was more than pastor; he was family ." Several men led in the funeral service. Rev . Robert Kuhns, the present pastor al Brown Street, provided introductory remarks. Hi s son, Rev. David D. Henry, pastor of the Fi rst Baptist Church of Tallmadge, Ohi o, presented the eulogy and led in music, and Rev. Brooks Henry , Dean 's younger brother, pre– sented the message of the morning. Rev. Jonathan Larson, a member of Dean 's extended fami ly, closed the . . service 1n prayer. Dean leaves behind for all of us a legacy; I prefer to think of it as a long obedi ence in the ame directi on. He i wi th the Lord and no longer need our prayers, but let 's remember hi wife. Louise, and all his famil y in the e day ~ of los and transition for them. --DW