Faith Archive

Throughout his time at Community Life Church in Tiger Point, Jim Bell, 79, saw it all.

He started attending the church in the 1990s, when it opened its doors as a secondary campus of Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church. He became discipleship director and teaching pastor and helped the church navigate growth and serve the community.

Navarre Beach isn’t the normal stomping grounds of Pine Terrace Baptist Church, but it was the site of the church’s recent student beach worship night.

The Milton church brought more than 30 youth members to the beach Wednesday, July 15, for an event filled with fellowship and summer fun.

On Sunday, July 12, East Bay Church announced Stacy Clearman, who has pastored the church since fall 2020, will be stepping down.

According to the church, Clearman and his wife, Heidi, are stepping aside to “take a season of rest & pause from pastoral ministry responsibilities.”

Destiny Worship Center in Navarre is hosting a back-to-school backpack giveaway this Saturday, July 18.

Lucas Smith, pastor at Destiny Worship Center, said the church desires for the children in the community to start school with all the necessary supplies for a successful school year.

A group of teenagers in Baker are spreading the Gospel during lunchtime and summertime.

Aszariah Fredericks, 15, and Dalton Jacobs, 14, created a group called Truth and Testimony, hoping to encourage more of their peers to follow Jesus Christ.

From June 24-26, Risen Savior Lutheran Church in Navarre hosted a children’s soccer day camp.

Now in its fourth year, the event serves as community outreach for the church by getting children active while teaching lessons from the Gospel. Participants ranged from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Last month, St. Paul United Methodist Church received both a grant and an award.

The church received a $1,000 grant from the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. The funds were part of the Matthew 25 Food Grants, which help support ministries that feed people experiencing hunger.

Navarre United Methodist Church recently held its first inclusive Vacation Bible School. The event was a two-night version of the church’s regular VBS program but designed for people with special needs.

Beyond Sunday Fellowship, a parachurch organization founded earlier this year, helped the church organize the event.

Dr. Willy Rice, senior pastor of Calvary Church in Clearwater, is the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Rice is the seventh Florida pastor to be elected to the position.

According to Baptist Press, Rice was elected with 57% of the vote over South Carolina pastor Josh Powell. Rice was elected during the SBC’s annual conference in Orlando June 9 and 10. During a press conference, Rice said he was humbled and honored to be elected.

With Northwest Florida home to several military installations and a large veteran population, local churches play an important role in serving the military community.

Recently, about 20 faith leaders from churches and ministries in Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties visited Hurlburt Field to attend Clergy Day, an event dedicated to helping church leaders better understand the military community, its challenges and its mission.