Serving Christ Through Montgomery Area Churches

N H ,D M T ,N 23, 2017

IT IS WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS WE COME TO YOU, OUR FATHER Ridgecrest Welcomes Pastor Gary Blair
Dr. Gary Blair, a Mississippi native, has

I n 1987, I began a lifetime friendship with

McGehee Road Baptist Church. On their pastor
search team was a couple rich with spiritual,
church and Montgomery history. Alton and Alice
Cumbus were a beautiful picture of kindness,
Southern hospitality and a deep love for Christ and
His church.
As a young pastor, I learned so very much from this
precious couple. Alice taught me to love the church
and Southern Baptists. She was a member of the
Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions. I was
schooled each week in the heritage of our convention
as well as Montgomery Baptists by this dear saint.
Now at almost one hundred years of age, Alice is still
Neal Hughes teaching me a lot about grace, kindness and
Director of Missions hospitality.
pastored churches in Texas, California,
and Mississippi. He received his Master
of Divinity degree from Southwestern
Baptist Theological Seminary and Doctor
of Ministry degree from Trinity
Theological Seminary. An active member
of the Southern Baptist Convention, he
served several Mississippi Baptist
churches and taught Bible and Christian
Ethics at the college and seminary levels.
He and his wife, Deborah, have three
children, Jonathan, Joel, and Glori. Dr.
Blair began his ministry at Ridgecrest Nov. 19.
.

Alton was a humble, winsome giant. He is in heaven now. While on earth, MBA Prayer Luncheon SAMS Angel Market
our brother loved the Lord, his pastor, his family and his church. In those
early days at McGehee Road, Alton, Alice and I, along with several others, November 29, 11:30-1:00pm Christmas Toy Sale
would go to many of the Southern Baptist meetings. We had more fun than for families in need
perhaps we should have, but that was the nature of our church family, always This monthly me of fellowship and
having a great time in Jesus! prayer at the MBA oce features a New Toy Donations Needed!
guest church planter or pastor who See a list of
When asked to pray, Alton would always begin with, It is with grateful hearts will present specic ways we can suggestions on the
we come to you, our Father. Our brother would then intercede for others pray for their ministry. Montgomery Baptist
after a joy-filled conversation with His Savior, filled with gratitude and grace. Association
To be honest, many of us made fun of him for always beginning his prayer Facebook page and
with this statement. Yet with all the kidding, Alton never stopped saying with
Meets the last Wednesday of the month Amazon wish list.
his rich baritone voice, It is with grateful hearts I got so used to it that Includes complimentary lunch! Deliver to Heritage on
when I left for NAMB, I began to pray like my mentor. People started December 4
kidding me, too. Yet like Alton, it would help me get into an attitude of Contact Elizabeth at 271-6227
For more information on giving or
gratitude frame of mind, so I stuck to it. or ekirk@mgmbap sts.org to make volunteering, contact Lisa Rose at
reserva ons. 271-6794 or lrose@mgmbaptists.org
Let me encourage you to use this phrase to begin your list of what you are
thankful for this Thanksgiving season. Who knows, Altons prayer may grow
on you, too. Let me share with you my list (its really a ton of bullets, but Ive
narrowed it for my editor):
It is with a grateful heart I come to you, my Father, thanking you for:
* My Savior who died so I might have life and life abundant.
* My sweet wife and family, especially the coming of our granddaughter this
January.
* My Heritage church family, and my pastor, staff and deacon colleagues.
* My associational family, and the precious team of friends who help us
impact the River Region with Jesus Christ.
* My state convention family, especially for the annual meeting we celebrated
together in Huntsville, November 14-15.
* My SBC family, and for the years you gave me to serve America as a
NAMB missionary.
* My many good friends that extend from Montgomery to the world, and for
the ability to keep up with them via Facebook.
* My good health and for my familys good health. WMU International Missions Week of Prayer Meeting
* My rough times, for you, dear Lord, have revealed yourself to me in ways
beyond measure. Wednesday, December 6
Montgomery Baptist Association | 20 Interstate Park Drive
I could go on, but why dont you take some of these ideas and make them
your own. Refreshments at 9:30 am
With a grateful heart, Mary and I thank God for each of you. Have a blessed Program 10:00-11:00 am
Thanksgiving. Featuring:
Together We Can! Pastor Daniel Luiz
Neal For more information, call Tammy Rolling at 201-2488.
The Montgomery Baptist Association MBA Community Ministries, Inc. 20 Interstate Park Dr. Montgomery, Alabama 36109 334-271-6227 www.mgmbaptists.org
This publication is made possible by your churches contributions to Associational Missions.