WS Chronicle

The 66th annual Forsyth Countywide Baptist Training Institute will convene Monday, April 29, through Friday, May 3, nightly from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Friendship Baptist Church, 1317 N. Cherry Street, who will host the week-long training session. The theme is: “Commissioned for Mission.” All churches in the community and surrounding areas are invited and welcome to participate nightly in the classes taught by outstanding leaders and ministers who are committed to Christian service, as well as to Christian education.

The study book, “The Disciple’s Mission,” will conclude the four-part Master Life course of a Biblical process for growing disciples, which the Training Institute has been studying the three recent training sessions.

The Baptist Training Institute is under the direction of the Woman’s Baptist Home & Foreign Missionary Convention of N.C. and is sponsored locally by the Forsyth County Missionary Union. Ms. Priscilla Dixon is president. 

Organized unions of Forsyth County churches unite in this collaborative effort to spread the “good news” of Christ throughout the community. The Unions and Presidents are: Baptist Ministers’ Fellowship, Rev. Dr. James Fulwood; the Forsyth County Deacons’ Union Ministry, Deacon William O. Harris; the Forsyth County Sunday School Union, Ms. Catherine Crawford; the Forsyth County United Ushers’ Union, Mr. William Holloway; and the Forsyth County Nurses’ Guild, Rev. Roshell Martin.

The Trustee Class is new to the Training Institute this year. It will be taught by Trustee Reggie Hall, who has been a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church since 1989, and who has served as the Chairman of the Trustee Board for the past three years. Trustee Hall praises God that he has “learned that being a Trustee is both a spiritual as well as a necessary endeavor that is challenging and fulfilling.” He is a graduate of A&T State University and has been the owner of Diverse Forms & Products, Inc. for 24 years.

The Senior Missionary instructor is Ms. Sheila Sullivan of New Jerusalem Baptist Church. She has been an Institute instructor for the Woman’s Baptist Home & Foreign Missionary Convention of N.C. for several years. She has earned degrees from Winston-Salem State University and Vintage Bible College & Seminary, with continuing education training and certificates in missions, Christian education, Youth, Young Adult, Senior and Women Ministries.  She will be assisted by Ms. Joycelyn Johnson, president of the Mars Hill Baptist Church Senior Missionary Circle.

Ms. Glenda Wilson, Ms. Gloria Brown, Rev. Michelle Hudson and Ms. Sylvia Gwyn are instructors for the Youth Missionary. Ms. Wilson, a teacher in the WS/FC schools, is a member of Union Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, where she serves as a dedicated Youth leader. She is also a Youth supervisor in the Forsyth County Missionary Union. Her assistant will be Ms. Victoria Moses, Missionary Department Youth Director at Friendship Baptist Church. Ms. Brown has been a dedicated member at Shiloh Baptist Church for many years. Being a missionary since her youth and well-trained in that field, she continues to be an active and committed Missionary youth leader at Shiloh and the Forsyth County Missionary Union. She will be assisted by Ms. Priscilla Jenkins, Supervisor of the Youth Missionary Ministry of Emmanuel Baptist Church.

Rev. Michelle Hudson, an Associate Minister of Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, serves in the Youth Ministries and is the Chairperson of the Young Adult Missionaries. She has a B.A. degree in Political Science from N.C. State University.  She is a teacher’s assistant in the local school system.

Her assistant, Ms. Paulette Worth, is a Deaconess and ministry leader of the Youth Missionary at Shiloh Baptist Church. Ms. Sylvia Gwyn, also a Youth instructor, graduated from WSSU, is an adjunct instructor at Forsyth Technical College, and has served as Youth Supervisor for the F.C. Missionary Union and is a member of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church.  She will be assisted by Ms. Sheila Wilson, who serves with the Youth Department at Union Chapel Baptist Church.

Rev. Dr. Charlotte Leach will lead the Young Adult Missionary class in their study. She earned a B. S. degree from Robert Morris College, a Master of Divinity from Wake Forest University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Drew University. Currently, Rev. Leach is an Associate Minister at Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, where she teaches Christian Development classes and Sunday School. She will be assisted by Mrs. Diane Piggott, a Sunday school teacher at New Bethel Baptist Church.

Rev. Dr. James Linville has been the pastor of Piney Grove Baptist Church for 28 years and will instruct the Ministers’ Fellowship class.  He completed his education at Piedmont Bible College and Winston-Salem State University. He has also authored several books.  Rev. Dr. James Fulwood, Pastor of St. Mark Baptist Church, will assist Rev. Linville.

Dr. Valarie Morrow of Chapel Hill, a graduate of UNC School of Medicine with course work in Master of Divinity at Duke University, will instruct the Deacons’ Ministry class. Dr. Morrow is an ordained Minister at Bethel Family Worship Center and has taught Religion and Health at Duke University and Health and Healing courses in Bible colleges.  Mrs. Carrie Robinson of Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church Deacon Ministry and an Adult Sunday School teacher, will assist Dr. Morrow.

Minister Velma McCloud serves as Associate Minister at Piney Grove Baptist Church. She is a member of Missionary, Intercessory Prayer and Prison ministries. She serves as advisory to Young Adult Ministry and is a Sunday school teacher.  She is the instructor for the Sunday School Union class. Elder Richard Wood, Associate Pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, will be her assistant.

Dr. James M. Lewis, Jr., a retired pastor with 30 years in the ministry, is the instructor for the Forsyth County United Ushers’ Union. He is a Christian Education Consultant, Dean for the Forsyth County Sunday School Union and Assistant Dean for the Congress of Christian Education.  Dean Lewis is an Associate Minister of Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church.  Mr. Rodney McCormick of Mt. Olive Baptist Church and president of the Senior Usher Board there, will serve as his assistant.

The Nurses’ Guild instructor is Mr. Calvin Higgins, Jr. He received a B.S. degree from Livingstone College, served 30 years and retired from the Winston-Salem Fire Department. Currently, he facilitates Spiritual Workshops and is a Deacon/Trustee at New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church. Ms. Emma Cash, a member of Greater Galilee Missionary Baptist Church, will assist Mr. Higgins in the Nurses’ Guild class. 

The traditional spirit-filled Wednesday night worship service will be at 7:30 p.m. Rev. Dr. Lester Boyd, Host Pastor of Friendship Baptist Church, will deliver the message.

The Outreach projects, which will be donations of toiletries for “On Wings Like a Dove,” an organization  to support youth, and a variety of snacks for Trellis Supportive Care (formerly Hospice), will be collected nightly.

For more information, email Ms. Nancy Green, Institute Director, at ndgrn@bellsouth.net or call

Ms. Priscilla Dixon at 336-992-3751.