Birmingham Baptist Association (BBA) recently heard a word of thanks and received encouragement from an Alabama native turned New Yorker for BBA’s recent partnership with New York Baptists.
Lisa Chilson-Rose, director of volunteers and partnerships with Metropolitan New York Baptist Association (MNYBA), visited the Birmingham area May 10–15.
Along with presenting a formal report about the partnership to BBA’s executive board, Chilson-Rose spoke to Huffman Baptist Church and NorthPark Baptist Church, both in Birmingham Association.
Her time at Huffman was especially meaningful because she became a Christian at Huffman. Although she grew up Methodist, Chilson-Rose was attending a youth revival with a friend at Huffman the night she accepted Christ into her life.
“It was great to speak there,” said Chilson-Rose, who attended University Baptist Church in Montevallo while a student at the University of Montevallo.
At NorthPark, Chilson-Rose presented Pastor Bill Wilks with an authentic New York Fire Department T-shirt and a Fire Department patch. The departments sent the gifts as a show of gratitude for the church’s part in providing goodie bags for the spouses of the firemen from Engine 40/Ladder 35.
BBA representatives hosted a banquet for the families from Engine 40/Ladder 35 April 18 as the official kickoff of the BBA/MNYBA partnership.
Chilson-Rose said she has received numerous phone calls and e-mails from the firemen since the April banquet.
“They were touched by what the Birmingham and New York associations did, that they reached out to the whole family, and not just the firemen,” she said.
“I certainly feel … that Birmingham coming up and [hosting the banquet] opened up a door to continue to do long-term ministry with them.”
The next event scheduled between BBA and MNYBA is a missions trip May 27–June 3. NorthPark’s Wilks will lead a missions team of 32 church members to work in New York.
Chilson-Rose led the missions team’s orientation while she was in Birmingham.
Ricky Creech, BBA director of missions, expressed excitement to have Chilson-Rose visit the Birmingham area.
“I believe it was important for her to come and promote the partnership,” he said. “It helped provide a face to make the relationship real.”
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