November 4, 2002
Association constitutes
___BOWIE--Texas' newest Baptist association was formed during ceremonies Sept. 29, bringing one strong association out of three smaller ones.
___Harvest Baptist Association--with 61 affiliated churches and four missions--is a combination of the Jack, Montague and Wise Baptist associations in North Central Texas. More than 650 people representing 42 of the churches and three of the missions participated in the organizational meeting.
___The idea of forming one stronger association came about shortly after Ed Wiggins, who had been director of missions for the four-association North Central Texas Baptist Area, announced his retirement in 2001.
___Cooke Association announced it would leave the area grouping and form an association of churches in Cooke County, reducing the geographic sprawl of the area, which spanned from Gainesville to Perrin and from the Red River almost to the Brazos.
___A layman from First Baptist Church of Decatur, L.C. Griffin, is credited with coming up with the name, Harvest Baptist Association.
___Bobby Cox, who led the merger for 17 months as interim director of missions, was elected director of missions at the organizational meeting. The associational office will remain in Decatur, at 603 N. Business 287.
___During the unification celebration, executive coordinator Dale Berry, pastor of First Baptist Church of Jacksboro, used a text from Jeremiah 29:4-10 to challenge members of the new association to "settle down and prepare to do the Lord's work for the long haul, to roll up our sleeves and get on with the business of the association."
___He also urged the churches and missions and members of the unified association of churches to work together to take to the world the promises of God through the revelation of Christ.
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