LEADERS
Kevin Shrum, pastor of Inglewood Baptist Church, Nashville, since 1995, will write the Explore the Bible Sunday School lessons for the December-February quarter. Shrum, a past president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, also has served as pastor of churches in Missouri and Kentucky. He holds degrees from Missouri Baptist College and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., including the doctor of ministry degree. He currently is working on a Ph.D. in biblical studies from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Mo. He and his wife, Janet, have three children.
Miller’s Chapel Baptist Church, Tellico Plains, recently called Micah Collins as pastor.
Howards Chapel Baptist Church, Vonore, has called Ronnie Best as pastor.
Austin Gourley has been called as pastor of Williamsburg Baptist Church, Vonore.
DEATHS
Longtime Tennessee Baptist pastor and denominational worker Joe Stacker died Oct. 25 at the age of 88. Stacker was a native of Nashville and a graduate of Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City. He held both his master’s degree and doctorate from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky. Stacker served several churches as pastor, including First Baptist Church, Greeneville; First Baptist Church, Concord, in Knoxville; and Belmont Heights Baptist Church, Nashville, and a host of Middle Tennessee churches as interim pastor. He also served for 14 years as director of the Pastor Staff Leadership/Church Administration Department at Lifeway Christian Resources. Stacker also was a former president of the Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference and served on numerous committees and boards at both the national and Southern Baptist Convention levels. He has served as a trustee of Midwestern Seminary and Union University in Jackson and on numerous committees. He is survived by two daughters and three grandchildren.
Bonnie Duck, wife of longtime Nashville Baptist Association director of missions Carl Duck, died Oct. 19 at the age of 94. She was a faithful member of Triune Baptist Church, Arrington. The couple had 72 years together in both marriage and ministry. She was preceded in death by her son and is survived by her husband, a granddaughter and two great-grandchildren.
EDUCATION
Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City, will hold its winter commencement ceremony Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. in the Sevierville Convention Center. Beth Rushing, a C-N alumna, will address the December graduates. She is president of the Appalachian College Association, a consortium of 34 private colleges and universities in Appalachia that offers collaborative opportunities and support for faculty, staff and students at member institutions.
Officers of Gibson Baptist Association include, from left, Leann Cherry, First Baptist Church, Trenton, clerk; Roger Stacy, director of missions; James Rogers, Oakwood Baptist Church, Milan, assistant moderator; Bryan Morris, New Hope Baptist Church, Dyer, moderator; Jim Acree, First Baptist Church, Dyer, and Joel Pigg, Salem Baptist Church, Trenton, assistant treasurer.
